Maaseiah מַעֲשֵׂיָהוּ
Israelite who married a foreign woman during Ezra's time
Who is Maaseiah in the Bible?
Maaseiah was an Israelite of the line of Pahath-Moab who had married a foreign woman during the post-exilic period under Ezra's leadership, as recorded in Ezra 10:30. He appears in the list of those confronted during Ezra's religious reform, which sought to address intermarriage with non-Jewish women. As part of this restoration effort, Maaseiah and others like him were required to separate from their foreign wives and children to maintain religious and ethnic purity within the Jewish community. His inclusion in this account demonstrates how widespread the practice of intermarriage had become and underscores the community's commitment to covenant obedience following the exile.
Biography
Maaseiah was an Israelite who was found to have married a foreign woman during the time of Ezra (Ezr.10.30). He is listed among the descendants of Pahath-Moab who had taken foreign wives (Ezr.10.30). During the religious reform led by Ezra, which addressed the issue of intermarriage with foreign women, those who had married foreign women were required to separate from their wives and children (Ezr.10.44). This event highlights the importance of maintaining religious and ethnic purity within the Jewish community during the post-exilic period. The inclusion of Maaseiah and others in the list of those who had married foreign women demonstrates the widespread nature of the problem and the need for repentance and restoration.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentEzra 1 verse
- Ezra 10:30
"From the descendants of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh."
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Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | מַעֲשֵׂיָהוּ |