Jaasu וְיַעֲשׂוֹ
Descendant of Bani; agreed to put away foreign wife.
Who is Jaasu in the Bible?
Jaasu was a descendant of Bani who lived during the time of Ezra's religious reforms following the Jewish return from Babylonian exile. He is mentioned in Ezra 10:37 as one of the men who had married foreign women and agreed to put away his wife in compliance with Ezra's covenant to restore proper worship and obedience to God's law. The discovery of widespread intermarriage among the Israelites, including priests and Levites, prompted Ezra to lead a reformation movement, and Jaasu's agreement to separate from his foreign wife demonstrated his commitment to this renewal. Though only briefly mentioned, Jaasu's inclusion in the list of those who complied with these reforms illustrates both the extent of the intermarriage problem in the post-exilic community and the serious effort made to realign the Jewish people with God's covenant requirements.
Biography
Jaasu is mentioned briefly in Ezr.10.37 as one of the descendants of Bani who had married foreign women. This occurred during the time of Ezra, who led a significant reform movement among the Jews who had returned from Babylonian exile.
Ezra discovered that many of the Israelites, including priests and Levites, had intermarried with the pagan peoples of the land, going against God's commands (Ezr.9.1-2). After Ezra's prayer of confession (Ezr.9.3-15), the people agreed to make a covenant to put away their foreign wives and children (Ezr.10.3).
Jaasu is listed among those who complied with this decision (Ezr.10.37). No other details are provided about his life or family. His inclusion in this list highlights the widespread nature of the intermarriage problem and the importance of the reforms Ezra initiated to restore obedience to God's law.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentEzra 1 verse
- Ezra 10:37
"Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu."
Study Ezra →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | וְיַעֲשׂוֹ |