The Meaning of Ezra 10:4 Explained

Ezra 10:4

KJV: Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.

YLT: rise, for on thee is the matter, and we are with thee; be strong, and do.'

Darby: Arise, for this matter is incumbent on thee, and we will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.

ASV: Arise; for the matter belongeth unto thee, and we are with thee: be of good courage, and do it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Arise;  for [this] matter  [belongeth] unto thee: we also [will be] with thee: be of good courage,  and do  [it]. 

What does Ezra 10:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezra 10:1-19 - Putting Away Strange Marriages
The people seem to have been more impressed by Ezra's intense grief of soul than they could have been by his severest condemnation. Is not this the secret of winning men from their evil ways? But we must not expend all our force in tears; we must act when we have opportunity. Shechaniah was not implicated, but his father and other near relatives were, Ezra 10:26. His words may be appropriated by us all, Ezra 10:2. There is always hope for the man who repents and puts away evil. It is a great encouragement when brave men will stand by the reformer, but whether they do or not, there is One who neither leaves nor forsakes, Hebrews 13:5-6. A drastic remedy was required; it seemed very hard and must have occasioned many heartbreaks. Probably if a wife had truly turned to the God of Israel, she would have been retained. God demands the sacrifice of anything which comes between us and Him, however dear, Mark 9:43; Matthew 10:37. There is no warrant for such action in our days. The process of the Gospel is given in 1 Corinthians 7:12-13. A solemn assembly was convened in the month of December, the coldest and rainiest time of the year. A court of inquiry was finally appointed, who continued their labors for about a quarter of a year. The offense seems to have been temporarily eradicated, though we meet with it again, Nehemiah 13:23; Malachi 2:11. Each generation repeats the sins of its predecessors, unwarned by their bitter experiences. Not the study of history, but the Spirit of God is needed to deal with and subdue individual and national sins [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezra 10

1  Ezra encouraged to reform the strange marriages
6  Ezra assembles the people
9  The people repent, and promise amendment
15  The care to perform it
18  The names of them which had married strange wives

What do the individual words in Ezra 10:4 mean?

Arise for your [responsibility] [this] matter [is] and we [are] with you Be of good courage and do [it] -
ק֛וּם כִּֽי־ עָלֶ֥יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ עִמָּ֑ךְ חֲזַ֖ק וַעֲשֵֽׂה פ

ק֛וּם  Arise 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
עָלֶ֥יךָ  your  [responsibility] 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַדָּבָ֖ר  [this]  matter  [is] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ  and  we  [are] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, first person common plural
Root: אֲנַחְנוּ  
Sense: we (first pers.
עִמָּ֑ךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
חֲזַ֖ק  Be  of  good  courage 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
וַעֲשֵֽׂה  and  do  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation