What is the meaning of Ezra 4:10? And the rest of the peoples • The phrase highlights a mixed multitude living in Samaria after Israel’s northern kingdom fell (2 Kings 17:24). • These residents are neither covenant‐bound Israelites nor worshipers of the LORD alone; they represent assorted ethnic groups transplanted by Assyria (Ezra 4:2). • In the letter to Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:11), the writers appeal to their broad demographic makeup to strengthen their political clout against Jerusalem’s rebuilders. Whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported • “Ashurbanipal” (called “Asnappar” in some translations) was a renowned Assyrian emperor. Scripture records Assyrian policy of uprooting conquered peoples (2 Kings 17:6; 2 Chron 33:11). • Mentioning his rank—“great and honorable”—adds imperial prestige, implying that Assyria’s population transfers were both authoritative and permanent. • The deportations fulfilled earlier prophetic warnings of judgment against idolatrous Israel (Deuteronomy 28:63–64; Amos 5:27). And settled in the cities of Samaria • Samaria’s emptied towns were repopulated with Gentile settlers, creating a hybrid culture and religion (2 Kings 17:29–33). • These new inhabitants later became known as Samaritans, whose syncretistic worship clashed with post-exilic Jewish purity (John 4:9). • Their presence is the root of the opposition described throughout Ezra 4 as they seek to halt temple restoration (Ezra 4:1–5). And elsewhere west of the Euphrates • “West of the Euphrates” (lit. “Beyond the River”) was a Persian administrative term for the entire region that included Judah, Samaria, and surrounding provinces (Ezra 4:11–16; Nehemiah 2:7). • By claiming representation of peoples across this vast territory, the letter writers portray Jerusalem’s reconstruction as a regional threat. • The verse shows how political, ethnic, and spiritual motives converged to resist God’s covenant people (Psalm 2:1–2). summary Ezra 4:10 identifies the mixed Gentile population—relocated by mighty Ashurbanipal—occupying Samaria and adjacent lands. Their Assyrian-engineered origins produced a people disconnected from Israel’s covenant, yet firmly planted in the land. In appealing to imperial authority and regional solidarity, they sought to block the rebuilding of God’s house. The verse underscores how centuries-old deportations set the stage for ongoing opposition, reminding us that divine prophecy is precise, and the LORD’s purposes prevail despite political resistance. |
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