Isshijah יִשִּׁיָּהוּ

Isshijah is mentioned briefly in Ezr.10.31 as one of the descendants of Harim 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).

Isshijah is listed among those who complied with this decision (Ezr.10.31). 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.