Ezra 10:18
And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.
Original Language Analysis
וַיִּמָּצֵא֙
there were found
H4672
וַיִּמָּצֵא֙
there were found
Strong's:
H4672
Word #:
1 of 16
properly, to come forth to, i.e., appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e., find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
בֶּן
And among the sons
H1121
בֶּן
And among the sons
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
2 of 16
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֔ים
of the priests
H3548
הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֔ים
of the priests
Strong's:
H3548
Word #:
3 of 16
literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
4 of 16
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
הֹשִׁ֖יבוּ
that had taken
H3427
הֹשִׁ֖יבוּ
that had taken
Strong's:
H3427
Word #:
5 of 16
properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
נָכְרִיּ֑וֹת
strange
H5237
נָכְרִיּ֑וֹת
strange
Strong's:
H5237
Word #:
7 of 16
strange, in a variety of degrees and applications (foreign, non-relative, adulterous, different, wonderful)
בֶּן
And among the sons
H1121
בֶּן
And among the sons
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
8 of 16
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
יֵשׁ֤וּעַ
of Jeshua
H3442
יֵשׁ֤וּעַ
of Jeshua
Strong's:
H3442
Word #:
9 of 16
jeshua, the name of ten israelites, also of a place in palestine
בֶּן
And among the sons
H1121
בֶּן
And among the sons
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
10 of 16
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
וְאֶחָ֔יו
and his brethren
H251
וְאֶחָ֔יו
and his brethren
Strong's:
H251
Word #:
12 of 16
a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance [like h0001])
וֶֽאֱלִיעֶ֔זֶר
and Eliezer
H461
וֶֽאֱלִיעֶ֔זֶר
and Eliezer
Strong's:
H461
Word #:
14 of 16
eliezer, the name of a damascene and of ten israelites
Cross References
Zechariah 3:1And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.Ezra 2:2Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:Ezra 3:2Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.Ezra 5:2Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.Haggai 1:1In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,
Historical Context
Jeshua (Joshua) the high priest appears prominently in Ezra-Nehemiah and Haggai-Zechariah as spiritual leader of the return. His sons' violation would have devastated the community and undermined priestly authority. Ancient Near Eastern cultures typically exempted elites from public shaming, but biblical law mandated equal justice (Leviticus 19:15). The public naming ensured accountability and warned future generations. These four priests would have been barred from temple service, losing their livelihood and identity.
Questions for Reflection
- What does the violation by the high priest's own family teach about the universality of sin and need for accountability at every level?
- How should churches respond when senior leaders or their families are found in serious sin?
- What does Ezra's unflinching record of leadership failure teach about the importance of transparency in addressing sin?
Analysis & Commentary
And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives—the list begins with priests, the very leaders charged with teaching covenant law. Their violation was most serious, as they bore greater responsibility (James 3:1). The phrase vayimmatze'u (וַיִּמָּצְאוּ, 'were found') suggests investigative discovery, not voluntary confession.
Namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak—Jeshua (also called Joshua) was the high priest who returned with Zerubbabel (3:2). Finding violators in the high priestly family itself demonstrates how pervasive the problem was. Yet Ezra doesn't suppress this shameful detail, showing Scripture's unflinching honesty about leadership failure.
The four named priests—Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah—become public record of covenant violation. Their naming serves both as historical documentation and as warning that leadership doesn't exempt from accountability. The transparency teaches that God's standards apply equally to all, with leaders facing stricter judgment for violations.