Topical Bible: Divorce: Forced on Those Who had Idolatrous Wives

◄ Divorce: Forced on Those Who had Idolatrous Wives ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In the post-exilic period of Israel's history, the issue of intermarriage with foreign, idolatrous women became a significant concern for the Jewish community. This concern is prominently addressed in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, where the leaders took decisive action to preserve the religious purity and identity of the Israelites.

Context and Background

After the Babylonian exile, a remnant of Israelites returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and restore their community. However, they faced the challenge of maintaining their distinct identity amidst surrounding pagan cultures. Intermarriage with foreign women, who often practiced idolatry, posed a threat to the religious and cultural integrity of the Jewish people.

Ezra's Reforms

Ezra, a scribe and priest, was a central figure in addressing the issue of intermarriage. Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, he was informed that many Israelites, including priests and Levites, had taken foreign wives. This was seen as a direct violation of the Mosaic Law, which prohibited intermarriage with pagan nations due to the risk of leading the Israelites into idolatry (Deuteronomy 7:3-4).

Ezra's response was one of deep mourning and prayer. He confessed the sins of the people before God and called for a public assembly to address the issue. The people, recognizing their transgression, agreed to put away their foreign wives. Ezra 10:11 records Ezra's exhortation: "Now, therefore, make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from your foreign wives."

Nehemiah's Leadership

Nehemiah, a contemporary of Ezra, also confronted the problem of intermarriage. As governor of Jerusalem, he took a firm stance against those who had married foreign women. Nehemiah 13:23-27 describes his actions: "In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab... So I rebuked them, cursed them, beat some of their men, and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God: 'You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.'"

Nehemiah reminded the people of the consequences of such unions, citing Solomon's downfall due to his foreign wives who led him into idolatry.

Theological Implications

The forced divorces in Ezra and Nehemiah highlight the seriousness with which the post-exilic community viewed the threat of idolatry. The leaders prioritized the covenant relationship with God over familial ties, emphasizing the need for holiness and separation from pagan influences. This action underscores the biblical principle that allegiance to God must take precedence over all other relationships.

Conservative Christian Perspective

From a conservative Christian viewpoint, the actions of Ezra and Nehemiah are seen as necessary measures to protect the spiritual integrity of God's people. The narrative serves as a reminder of the dangers of compromising one's faith through alliances that can lead to spiritual apostasy. It also reflects the broader biblical theme of God's call for His people to be set apart and wholly devoted to Him.

The account of forced divorces due to idolatrous marriages is a sobering example of the lengths to which God's people must sometimes go to maintain their covenantal faithfulness. It serves as a historical lesson on the importance of obedience to God's commands and the need for vigilance against influences that can lead believers away from their commitment to the Lord.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezra 10:2-17
And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Nehemiah 13:23,30
In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Second Commandment
... Image-worship enrages God; it makes God divorce a people. ... 4:3. Acts of severity are
forced from God ... only for his benefits, but for those intrinsic excellencies ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 2 the second commandment.htm

The First Native Converts and Christian Schools
... they counted a sufficient ground for divorce, and they ... The necessity, indeed, of
this was forced upon them by ... here, or of the children of those Portuguese by ...
/.../smith/the life of william carey/chapter vi the first native.htm

A Treatise of the Fear of God;
... words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been
carried ... with our God to put away all the (strange) wives,"according to ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a treatise of the fear.htm