Ezra 10

1 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.

Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before God's house, there was gathered together to him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very bitterly.

2 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,

Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, "We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land. Yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.

3 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.

Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God. Let it be done according to the law.

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

Arise; for the matter belongs to you, and we are with you. Be courageous, and do it."

5 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.

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

6 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.

Then Ezra rose up from before God's house, and went into the room of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came there, he ate no bread, nor drank water; for he mourned because of their trespass of the captivity.

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

They made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the descendants of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem;

8 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.

and that whoever did not come within three days, according to the counsel of the officials and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the assembly of the captivity.

9 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.

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month: and all the people sat in the broad place before God's house, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

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

Ezra the cohen stood up, and said to them, "You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, to increase the guilt of Israel.

11 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.

Now therefore make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women."

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

Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, "As you have said concerning us, so must we do.

13 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, )

But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand outside; neither is this a work of one day or two; for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.

14 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.

Let now our leaders represent the whole assembly, and let all those who are in our cities who have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and its judges, until the fierce wrath of our God be turned from us, until this matter is resolved."

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

Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.

16 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.

But the descendants of the captivity did so. And Ezra the cohen selected for himself men, heads of fathers' houses, according to their fathers' houses, and all of them by their names. So they began their sessions on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

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

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

18 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.

Among the sons of the cohanim there were found who had married foreign women: of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.

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

They gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guilt.

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

Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

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

Of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.

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

Of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

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

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

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

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

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

Of Israel: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, and Izziah, and Malchijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Hashabiah, and Benaiah.

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

Of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Elijah.

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

Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.

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

Of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.

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

Of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, Jeremoth.

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

Of the sons of Pahath-Moab: Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

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

Of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 Benjamin, Maloch, Samarias.

Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.

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

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

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

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

35 Baneas, and Badaias, Cheliau,

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi,

36 Vania, Marimuth, and Eliasib,

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 Mathanias, Mathania, and Jasi,

Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.

38 And Bani, and Bennui, Semei,

And from the sons of Binnui: Shimei,

39 And Salmias, and Nathan, and Adaias,

and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

40 And Mechnedebai, Sisai, Sarai,

Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 Ezrel, and Selemiau, Semeria,

Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 Sellum, Amaria, Joseph.

Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.

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

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

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

All these had taken foreign wives; and some of them had wives by whom they had children.