Ezra 10:17They made an end with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month.
The setting
Jerusalem, 457 BC. A commission completes its three-month investigation into mixed marriages among the returned exiles. Modern-day Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: relieved but heartbroken at completing a devastating task
The original word
kalah (כלה) — finished completely, brought to an end
Why it matters
This divorce process took exactly three months during winter rains, making travel difficult
Read with care
What most readers miss in Ezra 10:17
The 'first day of the first month' was New Year's Day — a symbolic fresh start
Common misconceptionPeople think this was about racism, but it was about preventing idolatry. The foreign wives would bring foreign gods, corrupting Israel's worship.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Ezra 10:17
Bible Genome reading
Ezra 10:17 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Ezra 10:17 comes from the book of Ezra, written during the Post-Exile period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include completion, thoroughness, timeline. Notable phrases: made an end; first day of the first month.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Ezra 10:17 mean to you, today?
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