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.

Therefore, as Ezra was praying, and imploring, and weeping in this way, and was prostrate before the temple of God, an exceedingly great assembly of men and women and children was gathered to him from Israel. And the people wept with a great weeping.

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.

And Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel, from the sons of Elam, responded and said to Ezra: “We have sinned against our God, and have taken foreign wives from the peoples of the land. And now, if there is repentance within Israel over this,

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

let us strike a pact with the Lord our God, so that we may cast aside all the wives, and those who have been born from them, in accord with the will of the Lord, and of those who fear the precept of the Lord our God. So 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 you; and we [are] with you: be strong and do.

Rise up. It is for you to discern, and we shall be with you. Be strengthened and act.”

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.

Therefore, Ezra rose up, and he caused the leaders of the priests and the Levites, and all of Israel, to swear that they would act in accord with this word. And they swore it.

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 there: he ate no bread, and drank no water; for he mourned over the unfaithfulness [of them] of the captivity.

And Ezra rose up before the house of God, and he went away to the chamber of Jehohanan, the son of Eliashib, and he entered into it. He did not eat bread, and he did not drink water. For he was mourning the transgression of those who had arrived from the captivity.

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 voice was sent into Judah and Jerusalem, to all the sons of the transmigration, so that they would gather together in 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.

And all those who would not arrive within three days, in accord with the counsel of the leaders and the elders, would have all his substance taken away, and he would be cast out of the assembly of the transmigration.

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.

And so, all the men of Judah and of Benjamin convened in Jerusalem within three days. This was in the ninth month, on 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 Esdras the priest arose, and said to them, You have broken covenant, and have taken strange wives, to add to the trespass of Israel.

And Ezra, the priest, rose up, and he said to them: “You have transgressed, and you have taken foreign wives, so that you added to the offenses 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.

And now, make confession to the Lord, the God of your fathers, and do what pleases him, and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from your foreign wives.”

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

And the entire multitude responded, and they said with a great voice: “In accord with your word to us, so let be it done.

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.

Yet truly, since the people are many, and it is the time of rain, and we cannot endure standing outside, and this is not a task for one or two days, (for certainly we have sinned 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 leaders be appointed among the entire multitude. And in all our cities, let those who have taken foreign wives arrive at appointed times, and with them the elders from city to city, and the judges, until the wrath of our God has been averted from us over this sin.”

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.

And so Jonathan, the son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, the son of Tikvah, were appointed over this, and the Levites Meshullam and Shabbethai assisted them.

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.

And the sons of the transmigration did so. And Ezra, the priest, and the men who were the leaders of the families in the houses of their fathers, and all according to their names, went and sat down, on the first day of the tenth month, so that they might examine the matter.

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

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

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.

And there were found among the sons of the priests some who had taken foreign wives: From the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and 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.

And they swore with their hands that they would cast aside their wives, and that they would offer for their offense a ram from among the sheep.

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

And from the sons of Immer, Hanani and Zebadiah.

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

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

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

And from the sons 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.

And from the sons of the Levites, Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, the same is Kelita, Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

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

And from the singing men, Eliashib. And from the gatekeepers, Shallum, and 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 out of Israel, from the sons of Parosh, Ramiah, and Izziah, and Malchijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And from the sons of Bani, Meshullam, and Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.

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

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

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

And from the sons of Harim, Eliezer, Jeshua, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Simeon,

32 Benjamin, Baluch, Samaria.

Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.

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

And from the sons of Hashum, Mattenai, Mattettah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei.

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

From the sons of Bani, Maadai, Amram, and Uel,

35 Banaia, Badaia, Chelkia,

Benaiah, and Bedeiah, Cheluhi,

36 Uvania, Marimoth, Eliasiph,

Vaniah, Meremoth, and Eliashib,

37 Matthania, Matthanai:

Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu,

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

and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,

39 and Selemia, and Nathan, and Adaia,

and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

40 Machadnabu, Sesei, Sariu,

and Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 Ezriel, and Selemia, and Samaria,

Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 and Sellum, Amaria, Joseph.

Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.

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

From the sons of Nebo, Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, and Joel, and Benaiah.

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

All these had taken foreign wives, and there were among them women who had borne sons.