Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.
EZRA 10:4KJVWhat does Ezra 10:4 mean?
Ezra 10:4 is a call for Ezra to take responsibility for a difficult decision about marriages among the returned people of Israel. Shechaniah tells Ezra that others will stand with him and urges him to act with courage.
Shechaniah speaks after proposing an agreement to send away foreign wives and their children. His words place Ezra at the center of carrying out that proposal, while acknowledging that he will need the support of others.
The Hebrew behind Ezra 10:4
- “matter” — דָּבָר (davar): This word can mean a word, a matter, or an affair. Here it points to the situation Shechaniah has just raised, rather than to a physical object.
- “courage” — חָזַק (ḥazaq): This word carries the sense of being strong or becoming firm. In this verse, it urges Ezra to stand firm as he takes action.
Why Ezra 10:4 matters
- Ezra is being asked to lead, not to act alone. Shechaniah says both “this matter belongeth unto thee” and “we also will be with thee.”
- The verse points back to a specific proposal, not a general plan. In verse 3, Shechaniah proposes sending away foreign wives and their children; that is the matter behind the command to “do it.”
- Ezra’s response shows how the support was put into action. In verse 5, he has the leading priests, Levites, and other Israelites make a solemn promise to do as Shechaniah has proposed.