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 when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled to him out of Israel a very great congregation 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,

And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, [one] of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken foreign wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in 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 that tremble at the commandment of our God; and 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 [this] matter [belongeth] to thee: we also [will be] with thee: be of good courage, 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 arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word. And 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 arose from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and [when] he came thither, he ate no bread, nor drank water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.

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

And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should assemble at 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 would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.

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 assembled at Jerusalem within three days. It [was] the ninth month, and the twentieth [day] of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, 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.

And Ezra the priest stood up, and said to them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken foreign wives to increase the trespass 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 God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the foreign wives.

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 congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, 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 abroad, neither [is this] a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.

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 rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them who have taken foreign wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and its judges, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter shall be turned from us.

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 Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this [matter]: 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.

And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, [with] certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by [their] names, were separated, and sat down in 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 made an end with all the men that had taken foreign wives 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.

And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken foreign wives: [namely], of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; 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.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and [being] guilty, [they offered] a ram of the flock for their trespass.

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

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

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

And 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.

And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

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

Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (the same [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 also; Eliashib: and of the porters; 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.

Moreover, of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

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

And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.

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

And 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 also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, [and] Athlai.

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

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

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

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

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

And [of] the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 Benjamin, Maloch, Samarias.

Benjamin, Malluch, [and] Shemariah.

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

Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, [and] 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, Chelluh,

36 Vania, Marimuth, and Eliasib,

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 Mathanias, Mathania, and Jasi,

Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,

38 And Bani, and Bennui, Semei,

And Bani, and 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,

Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 Sellum, Amaria, Joseph.

Shallum, Amariah, [and] 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, Jadau, 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.