Ezra 10

1 So when Esdras [had] prayed, and when he [had] confessed, weeping and praying before the house of God, a very great assembly of Israel came together to him, men and women and youths; for the people wept, and wept aloud.

While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, a very large assembly of Israelites—men, women, and children—gathered around him, and the people wept bitterly as well.

2 And Sechenias the son of Jeel, of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Esdras, We have broken covenant with our God, and have taken strange wives of the nations of the land: yet now there is patience [of hope] to Israel concerning this thing.

Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, said to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the people of the land, yet in spite of this, there is hope for Israel.

3 Now then let us make a covenant with our God, to put away all the wives, and their offspring, as thou shalt advise:

So now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God. Let it be done according to the Law.

4 arise, and alarm them with the commands of our God; and let [it] be done according to the law. Rise up, for the matter [is] upon thee; and we [are] with thee: be strong and do.

Get up, for this matter is your responsibility, and we will support you. Be strong and take action!”

5 Then Esdras arose, and caused the rulers, the priests, and Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word: and they swore.

So Ezra got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel take an oath to do what had been said. And they took the oath.

6 And Esdras rose up from before the house of God, and went to the treasury of Joanan the son of Elisub; he even went thither: he ate no bread, and drank no water; for he mourned over the unfaithfulness [of them] of the captivity.

Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. And while he stayed there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.

7 And they made proclamation throughout Juda and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should assemble at Jerusalem, [saying],

And a proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem.

8 Every one who shall not arrive within three days, as [is] the counsel of the rulers and the elders, all his substance shall be forfeited, and he shall be separated from the congregation of the captivity.

Whoever failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, according to the counsel of the leaders and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.

9 So all the men of Juda and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. This [was] the ninth month: on the twentieth day of the month all the people sat down in the street of the house of the Lord, because of their alarm concerning the word, and because of the storm.

So within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem, and on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God, trembling regarding this matter and because of the heavy rain.

10 And Esdras the priest arose, and said to them, Ye have broken covenant, and have taken strange wives, to add to the trespass of Israel.

Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to the guilt of Israel.

11 Now therefore give praise to the Lord God of our fathers, and do that which is pleasing in his sight: and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the strange wives.

Now, therefore, make a confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from your foreign wives.”

12 Then all the congregation answered and said, This thy word [is] powerful upon us to do it.

And the whole assembly responded in a loud voice: “Truly we must do as you say!

13 But the people [is] numerous, and the season [is] stormy, and there is no power to stand without, and the work is more than enough for one day or for two; for we have greatly sinned in this matter.

But there are many people here, and it is the rainy season. We are not able to stay out in the open. Nor is this the work of one or two days, for we have transgressed greatly in this matter.

14 Let now our rulers stand, and for all those in our cities who have taken strange wives, let them come at appointed times, and with them elders from every several city, and judges, to turn away the fierce wrath of our God from us concerning this matter.

Let our leaders represent the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at an appointed time, together with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.”

15 Only Jonathan the son of Asael, and Jazias the son of Thecoe [were] with me concerning this; and Mesollam, and Sabbathai the Levite helped them.

(Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this plan.)

16 And the children of the captivity did thus: and Esdras the priest, and heads of families according to [their] house were separated, and all by their names, for they returned in the first day of the tenth month to search out the matter.

So the exiles did as proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, each of them identified by name, to represent their families. On the first day of the tenth month they launched the investigation,

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

and by the first day of the first month they had dealt with all the men who had married foreign women.

18 And there were found [some] of the sons of the priests who had taken strange wives: of the sons of Jesus the son of Josedec, and his brethren; Maasia, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gadalia.

Among the descendants of the priests who had married foreign women were found these descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.

19 And they pledged themselves to put away their wives, and [offered] a ram of the flock for a trespass-offering because of their trespass.

They pledged to send their wives away, and for their guilt they presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.

20 And of the sons of Emmer; Anani, and Zabdia.

From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

21 And of the sons of Eram; Masael, and Elia, and Samaia, and Jeel, and Ozia.

From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.

22 And of the sons of Phasur; Elionai, Maasia, and Ismael, and Nathanael, and Jozabad, and Elasa.

From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

23 And of the Levites; Jozabad, and Samu, and Colia (he [is] Colitas, ) and Phetheia, and Judas, and Eliezer.

Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

24 And of the singers; Elisab: and of the porters; Solmen, and Telmen, and Oduth.

From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

25 Also of Israel: of the sons of Phoros; Ramia, and Azia, and Melchia, and Meamin, and Eleazar, and Asabia, and Banaia.

And among the other Israelites, from the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.

26 And of the sons of Helam; Matthania, and Zacharia, and Jaiel, and Abdia, and Jarimoth, and Elia.

From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.

27 And of the sons of Zathua; Elionai, Elisub, Matthanai, and Armoth, and Zabad, and Oziza.

From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.

28 And of the sons of Babei; Joanan, Anania, and Zabu, and Thali.

From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

29 And of the sons of Banui; Mosollam, Maluch, Adaias, Jasub, and Saluia, and Remoth.

From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.

30 And of the sons of Phaath Moab; Edne, and Chalel, and Banaia, Maasia, Matthania, Beseleel, and Banui, and Manasse.

From the descendants of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.

31 And of the sons of Eram; Eliezer, Jesia, Melchia, Samaias, Semeon,

From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 Benjamin, Baluch, Samaria.

Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

33 And of the sons of Asem; Metthania, Matthatha, Zadab, Eliphalet, Jerami, Manasse, Semei.

From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

34 And of the sons of Bani; Moodia, Amram, Uel,

From the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,

35 Banaia, Badaia, Chelkia,

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,

36 Uvania, Marimoth, Eliasiph,

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 Matthania, Matthanai:

Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.

38 and [so] did the children of Banui, and the children of Semei,

From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei,

39 and Selemia, and Nathan, and Adaia,

Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

40 Machadnabu, Sesei, Sariu,

Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 Ezriel, and Selemia, and Samaria,

Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 and Sellum, Amaria, Joseph.

Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

43 Of the sons of Nabu; Jael, Matthanias, Zabad, Zebennas, Jadai, and Joel, and Banaia.

And from the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.

44 All these had taken strange wives, and had begotten sons of them.

All these men had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.