Maaseiah מַעֲשֵׂיָהוּ
Priest who married a foreign woman during Ezra's time
Who is Maaseiah in the Bible?
Maaseiah was a priest who lived during the time of Ezra's religious reforms in Jerusalem, around the fifth century BCE. According to Ezra 10:22, he was among the descendants of Pashhur who had married foreign women, which violated Jewish law regarding religious purity and separation from surrounding nations. During Ezra's reform movement, which addressed the widespread problem of intermarriage with foreign women, Maaseiah was required to separate from his foreign wife as part of the community's spiritual restoration. His inclusion among the offending priests demonstrates that even religious leaders had succumbed to intermarriage and highlights the extent of the problem that necessitated Ezra's intervention and reform.
Biography
Maaseiah was a priest who was found to have married a foreign woman during the time of Ezra (Ezr.10.22). During the religious reform led by Ezra, which addressed the issue of intermarriage with foreign women, Maaseiah is listed among the descendants of Pashhur who had taken foreign wives (Ezr.10.22). The priests were expected to maintain a higher standard of religious purity and serve as examples to the community. The presence of priests among those who had married foreign women underscores the pervasive nature of the problem and the need for spiritual leadership in the restoration of the community. As part of the reform, those who had married foreign women were required to separate from their wives and children (Ezr.10.44).
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentEzra 1 verse
- Ezra 10:22
"From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah."
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Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | מַעֲשֵׂיָהוּ |