The Singers - Ezra 10:24

In the book of Ezra, Ezra began to name the offspring of the children of Israel who put away their strange wives by listing, “the sons of Immer; Harim and Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah; Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, 

(the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer”, and in chapter ten and verse twenty-four of Ezra, Ezra added “the singers”, where we read,

Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.

The verse reads, “Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters;” Ezra began with the words, “of the singers also” or “belonging to the ones who use their voices to make music with words”; “Eliashib” which means “God restores”: “and of the porters” or “and belonging to the gatekeepers or janitors” whose names follow. Ezra shared how there were men, “Eliashib”, who married pagan wives among the “singers” and “porters” who put them away at Ezra's command. 

The verse goes on to say, “Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.” Ezra continued with the word, “Shallum” whose name means “retribution”, “and Telem” or “oppression”, “and Uri” which means “fiery”. Ezra shared how “retribution, oppression and fiery” were the names of the “porters” who put away their pagan wives. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Ezra how “singers” and “porters” were also in the group of men of Israel who married foreign wives and subsequently put them away as God directed them. God loves the people of Israel, and He loves us. He wants us to be separated from the world and it's ways, and He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind to make this possible. When we put our faith and trust in Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put within us a passion and drive to hear and obey His words as He gives us direction through His Holy Spirit. 

Next time Ezra says, “moreover of Israel”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".