Ezra 10:11

Now, therefore, make a confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from your foreign wives.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Ezra addresses the assembled Israelites immediately after confronting them on Ezra 10:10 for marrying foreign women. He issues the command before the community responds collectively in Ezra 10:12.

The words — The phrase תְּנ֥וּ תוֹדָ֛ה (te.Nu to.Dah) literally means "give praise" or "make a confession," directed to Yahweh אֱלֹהֵֽי־אֲבֹתֵי/כֶ֖ם (the God of their fathers). The imperative וַ/עֲשׂ֣וּ רְצוֹנ֑/וֹ (va./'a.Su re.tzo.N/o) translates to "do His will," establishing the required response.

The thread — The command to separate from foreign alliances echoes Deuteronomy 7:3 and Leviticus 26:40, while the call to internal renewal aligns with Romans 12:2. The pattern of corporate confession followed by covenant obedience recurs in the restoration narratives.

Why it lands — The text demands immediate acknowledgment of covenant failure and physical separation from prohibited relationships. It requires readers to align their conduct with stated divine commands rather than maintaining compromised alliances.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְעַתָּ֗הve./'a.Tahand/ therefore תְּנ֥וּte.Nugive תוֹדָ֛הto.Dahpraise לַיהוָ֥הla./Yah.wehto/ Yahweh אֱלֹהֵֽי־'e.lo.hei-[the] God of אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֖ם'a.vo.tei./Khemancestors/ your וַעֲשׂ֣וּva./'a.Suand/ do רְצוֹנ֑וֹre.tzo.N/owill/ his וְהִבָּֽדְלוּ֙ve./hi.ba.de.Luand/ separate yourselves מֵעַמֵּ֣יme./'a.Meifrom/ [the] peoples of הָאָ֔רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ land וּמִן־u./min-and/ from הַנָּשִׁ֖יםha./na.Shimthe/ women הַנָּכְרִיּֽוֹת׃ha./na.khe.ri.Yot<the>/ foreign

King James Version

Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.

Cross-references

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Leviticus 26:40 But if they will confess their iniquity and that of their fathers in the unfaithfulness that they practiced against Me, by which they have also walked in hostility toward Me—
Deuteronomy 7:3 Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons,
Joshua 7:19 So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and make a confession to Him. I urge you to tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”
Ezra 10:3 So now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God. Let it be done according to the Law.
Proverbs 28:13 He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
Isaiah 1:16 Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
Jeremiah 3:13 Only acknowledge your guilt, that you have rebelled against the LORD your God. You have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every green tree and have not obeyed My voice,’” declares the LORD.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Ezra 9:1 After these things had been accomplished, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the surrounding peoples whose abominations are like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.