Ezra 10

1 Now while Ezra was making his prayer and his statement of wrongdoing, weeping and falling down before the house of God, a very great number of men and women and children out of Israel came together round him: for the people were weeping bitterly.

Now when Esdras was thus praying, and beseeching, and weeping, and lying before the temple of God, there was gathered to him of Israel an exceeding great assembly of men and women and children, and the people wept with much lamentation.

2 And Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answering, said to Ezra, We have done evil against our God, and have taken as our wives strange women of the peoples of the land: but still there is hope for Israel in this question.

And Sechenias the son of Jehiel of the sons of Elam answered, and said to Esdras: We have sinned against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: and now if there be repentance in Israel concerning this,

3 Let us now make an agreement with our God to put away all the wives and all their children, if it seems right to my lord and to those who go in fear of the words of our God; and let it be done in keeping with the law.

Let us make a covenant with the Lord our God, to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the will of the Lord, and of them that fear the commandment of the Lord our God: let it be done according to the law.

4 Up, now! for this is your business, and we are with you; take heart and do it.

Arise, it is thy part to give orders, and we will be with thee: take courage, and do it.

5 Then Ezra got up, and made the chiefs of the priests and the Levites and all Israel take an oath that they would do this. So they took an oath.

So Esdras arose, and made the chiefs of the priests and of the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word, and they swore.

6 Then Ezra got up from before the house of God and went into the room of Jehohanan, the son of Eliashib; but when he came there, he took no food or drink, for he was sorrowing for the sin of those who had come back.

And Esdras rose up from before the house of God, and went to the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliasib, and entered in thither: he ate no bread, and drank no water: for he mourned for the transgression of them that were come out of the captivity.

7 And they made a public statement through all Judah and Jerusalem, to all those who had come back, that they were to come together to Jerusalem;

And proclamation was made in Juda and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should assemble together into Jerusalem.

8 And that if anyone did not come before three days were past, as ordered by the rulers and the responsible men, all his goods would be put under the curse, and he himself would be cut off from the meeting of the people who had come back.

And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the ancients, all his substance should be taken away, and he should be cast out of the company of them that were returned from captivity.

9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin came together to Jerusalem before three days were past; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people were seated in the wide square in front of the house of God, shaking with fear because of this business and because of the great rain.

Then all the men of Juda, and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within three days, in the ninth month, the twentieth day of the month: and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of the sin, and the rain.

10 And Ezra the priest got to his feet and said to them, You have done wrong and taken strange women for your wives, so increasing the sin of Israel.

And Esdras the priest stood up, and said to them: You have transgressed, and taken strange wives, to add to the sins of Israel.

11 So now, give praise to the Lord, the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure; and make yourselves separate from the peoples of the land and from the strange women.

And now make confession to the Lord the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure, and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from your strange wives.

12 Then all the people, answering, said with a loud voice, As you have said, so it is right for us to do.

And all the multitude answered and said with a loud voice: According to thy word unto us, so be it done.

13 But the number of people is great, and it is a time of much rain; it is not possible for us to go on waiting outside, and this is not a thing which may be done in one day or even two: for our sin in this business is great.

But as the people are many, and it is time of rain, and me are not able to stand without, and it is not a work of one day or two, (for we have exceedingly sinned in this matter, )

14 So now let our rulers be representatives for all the people, and let all those in our towns who are married to strange women come at fixed times, and with them the responsible men and the judges of every town, till the burning wrath of our God is turned away from us, and this has been done.

Let rulers be appointed in all the multitude: and in all our cities, let them that have taken strange wives come at the times appointed, and with them the ancients and the judges of every city, until the wrath of our God be turned away from us for this sin.

15 Only Jonathan, the son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, the son of Tikvah, were against this, Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them.

Then Jonathan the son of Azahel, and Jaasia the son of Thecua were appointed over this, and Mesollam and Sebethai, Levites, helped them:

16 So those who had come back did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain heads of families, by their fathers' families, all of them by their names, were marked out; and on the first day of the tenth month they took their places to go into the question with care.

And the children of the captivity did so. And Esdras the priest, and the men heads of the families in the houses of their fathers, and all by their names, went and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

17 And they got to the end of all the men who were married to strange women by the first day of the first month.

And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.

18 And among the sons of the priests who were married to strange women were these: of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak and his brothers, Maaseiah and Eliezer and Jarib and Gedaliah.

And there were found among the sons of the priests that had taken strange wives: Of the sons of Josue the son of Josedec, and his brethren, Maasia, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Godolia.

19 And they gave their word that they would put away their wives; and for their sin, they gave an offering of a male sheep of the flock.

And they gave their hands to put away their wives, and to offer for their offence a ram of the flock.

20 And of the sons of Immer, Hanani and Zebadiah.

And of the sons of Emmer, Hanani, and Zebedia.

21 And of the sons of Harim, Maaseiah and Elijah and Shemaiah and Jehiel and Uzziah.

And of the sons of Harim, Maasia, and Elia, and Semeia, and Jehiel, and Ozias.

22 And of the sons of Pashhur, Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

And of the sons of Pheshur, Elioenai, Maasia, Ismael, Nathanael, Jozabed, and Elasa.

23 And of the Levites, Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (that is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

And of the sons of the Levites, Jozabed, and Semei, and Celaia, the same is Calita, Phataia, Juda, and Eliezer.

24 And of the music-makers, Eliashib; and of the door-keepers, Shallum and Telem and Uri.

And of the singing men, Elisiab: and of the porters, Sellum, and Telem, and Uri.

25 And of Israel, the sons of Parosh, Ramiah and Izziah and Malchijah and Mijamin and Eleazar and Malchijah and Benaiah.

And of Israel, of the sons of Pharos, Remeia, and Jezia, and Melchia, and Miamin, and Eliezer, and Melchia, and Banea.

26 And of the sons of Elam, Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel and Abdi and Jeremoth and Elijah.

And of the sons of Elam, Mathania, Zacharias, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jerimoth, and Elia.

27 And of the sons of Zattu, Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth and Zabad and Aziza.

And of the sons of Zethua, Elioenai, Eliasib, Mathania, Jerimuth, and Zabad, and Aziaza.

28 And of the sons of Bebai, Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.

And of the sons of Babai, Johanan, Hanania, Zabbai, Athalai:

29 And of the sons of Bani, Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub and Sheal, Jeremoth.

And of the sons of Bani, Mosollam, and Melluch, and Adaia, Jasub, and Seal, and Ramoth.

30 And of the sons of Pahath-moab, Adna and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel and Binnui and Manasseh.

And of the sons of Phahath, Moab, Edna, and Chalal, Banaias, and Maasias, Mathanias, Beseleel, Bennui, and Manasse.

31 And of the sons of Harim, Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

And of the sons of Herem, Eliezer, Josue, Melchias, Semeias, Simeon,

32 Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.

Benjamin, Maloch, Samarias.

33 Of the sons of Hashum, Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei.

And of the sons of Hasom, Mathanai, Mathatha, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jermai, Manasse, Semei.

34 Of the sons of Bani, Maadai, Amram, and Uel,

Of the sons of Bani, Maaddi, Amran, and Uel,

35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,

Baneas, and Badaias, Cheliau,

36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

Vania, Marimuth, and Eliasib,

37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu,

Mathanias, Mathania, and Jasi,

38 And Bani and Binnui, Shimei;

And Bani, and Bennui, Semei,

39 And Shelemiah and Nathan and Adaiah,

And Salmias, and Nathan, and Adaias,

40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

And Mechnedebai, Sisai, Sarai,

41 Azarel and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

Ezrel, and Selemiau, Semeria,

42 Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.

Sellum, Amaria, Joseph.

43 Of the sons of Nebo, Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, and Joel, Benaiah.

Of the sons of Nebo, Jehiel, Mathathias, Zabad, Zabina, Jeddu, and Joel, and Banaia.

44 All these had taken strange wives; and some of them had wives by whom they had offspring.

All these had taken strange wives, and there were among them women that had borne children.