Ezra 10

“Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there…” Naming Ezra keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.” Naming Arise keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he…” Naming Eliashib and Ezra keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should…” Naming Jerusalem and Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his…” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth…” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the…” Naming Ezra and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the…” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come…” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter: and Meshullam and…” Naming Asahel and Jahaziah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of…” Naming Ezra keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.” The line’s distinctive content terms include first, month, strange. Its relationship to verses 18 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son…” Naming Eliezer and Gedaliah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for…” The line’s distinctive content terms include flock, gave, guilty. Its relationship to verses 18 and 20 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah.” Naming Hanani and Immer keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.” Naming Elijah and Harim keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.” Naming Elasah and Elioenai keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.” Naming Also and Eliezer keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.” Naming Eliashib and Shallum keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah…” Naming Benaiah and Eleazar keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.” Naming Abdi and Elam keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.” Naming Aziza and Eliashib keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.” Naming Athlai and Bebai keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.” Naming Adaiah and Bani keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.” Naming Adna and Benaiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,” Naming Eliezer and Harim keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.” Naming Benjamin and Malluch keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.” Naming Eliphelet and Hashum keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel,” Naming Amram and Bani keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,” Naming Bedeiah and Benaiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,” Naming Eliashib and Meremoth keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,” Naming Jaasau and Mattaniah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,” Naming Bani and Binnui keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,” Naming Adaiah and Nathan keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,” Naming Machnadebai and Sharai keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,” Naming Azareel and Shelemiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.” Naming Amariah and Joseph keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah.” Naming Benaiah and Jadau keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children.” Naming All keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.