Ezra 10:30
And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.
Original Language Analysis
וּמִבְּנֵ֛י
And of the sons
H1121
וּמִבְּנֵ֛י
And of the sons
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
1 of 11
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
Historical Context
Pahath-moab was among the largest returning families with 2,812 members (Ezra 2:6), explaining the high number of violators. Their family name ("governor of Moab") may indicate ancestral leadership role in Moab or marriage connections pre-dating the exile. Eight violations from this influential clan would have significantly impacted community example. The 458 BC crisis occurred because intermarriage led to idolatrous worship being introduced into Israelite homes, exactly fulfilling the warnings of Deuteronomy 7:4: "they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods."
Questions for Reflection
- How does Bezaleel sharing a name with the Spirit-filled tabernacle builder challenge believers about whether their lives reflect divine craftsmanship or human compromise?
- What does Manasseh's name ("causing to forget") teach about the danger of prosperity and comfort causing spiritual amnesia regarding covenant obligations?
- In what ways do large, influential families today face unique pressures and temptations toward compromise that affect entire communities?
Analysis & Commentary
And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh. The Pahath-moab (פַּחַת מוֹאָב, Pachath-Mo'av, "governor of Moab") clan listed eight violators—the largest single-family count in this section. The family name itself ironically recalls Moabite connections, now actualized through forbidden marriages. Bezaleel (בְּצַלְאֵל, "in the shadow of God") shares name with the Spirit-filled craftsman who built the tabernacle (Exodus 31:2), yet this Bezaleel built covenant-compromising household.
Manasseh (מְנַשֶּׁה, "causing to forget") bears the name of Joseph's son and later Israel's most idolatrous king. The name means "God has made me forget my trouble," but here represents forgetting covenant obligations in comfort. Maaseiah (מַעֲשֵׂיָה, "work of Yahweh") and Mattaniah ("gift of Yahweh") emphasize divine action, while Benaiah ("Yahweh has built") echoes construction imagery—all describing men whose lives should manifest divine workmanship yet instead demonstrated human compromise. The eight offenders from Pahath-moab reveal how deeply intermarriage had penetrated even prominent families.