Ezra 10

1 Whiles Ezra prayed thus, and confessed himselfe weeping, and falling downe before the house of God, there assembled vnto him of Israel a very great Congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept with a great lamentation.

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.

2 Then Shechaniah the sonne of Iehiel one of the sonnes of Elam answered, and sayd to Ezra, We haue trespassed against our God, and haue taken strange wiues of the people of the land, yet nowe there is hope in Israel concerning this.

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.

3 Now therfore let vs make a couenant with our God, to put away all the wiues (and such as are borne of them) according to the counsell of the Lord, and of those that feare the commandements of our God, and let it be done according to the Lawe.

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

4 Arise: for the matter belogeth vnto thee: we also wil be with thee: be of comfort and do it.

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.

5 Then arose Ezra, and caused the chiefe Priestes, the Leuites, and all Israel, to sweare that they would doe according to this worde. So they sware.

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.

6 And Ezra rose vp from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Iohanan the sonne of Eliashib: he went euen thither, but he did eate neither bread, nor drunke water: for he mourned, because of the transgression of them of the captiuitie.

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.

7 And they caused a proclamation to goe throughout Iudah and Ierusalem, vnto all them of the captiuitie, that they should assemble themselues vnto Ierusalem.

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

8 And whosoeuer woulde not come within three dayes according to the counsel of the Princes and Elders, all his substance should be forfait, and he should be separate from the Congregation of them of the captiuitie.

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.

9 Then all the men of Iudah and Beniamin assembled theselues vnto Ierusalem within three dayes, which was the twentieth day of the ninth moneth, and all the people sate in the streete of the house of God, trembling for this matter, and for the raine.

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.

10 And Ezra the Priest stoode vp, and said vnto them, Ye haue transgressed, and haue taken strange wiues, to increase the trespasse of Israel.

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.

11 Now therefore giue praise vnto the Lord God of your fathers, and do his will, and separate your selues from the people of the land, and from the strange wiues.

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.

12 And all the Congregation answered, and sayd with a loude voyce, So will we do according to thy wordes vnto vs.

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

13 But the people are many, and it is a raynie weather, and we are not able to stande without, neither is it the worke of one day or two: for we are many that haue offended in this thing.

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.

14 Let our rulers stand therefore before all the Congregation, and let all them which haue taken strange wiues in our cities, come at the time appoynted, and with them the Elders of euery citie and the Iudges thereof, til the fierce wrath of our God for this matter turne away from vs.

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.

15 Then were appoynted Ionathan the sonne of Asah-el, and Iahaziah the sonne of Tikuah ouer this matter, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Leuites helped them.

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.

16 And they of the captiuitie did so, and departed, euen Ezra the Priest, and the men that were chiefe fathers to the familie of their fathers by name, and sate downe in the first day of the tenth moneth to examine the matter.

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.

17 And vntill the first day of the first moneth they were finishing the businesse with al the men that had taken strange wiues.

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

18 And of the sonnes of the Priests there were men founde, that had taken strange wiues, to wit, of the sonnes of Ieshua, the sonne of Iozadak, and of his brethren, Maaseiah, Aeliezer, and Iarib and Gedaliah.

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.

19 And they gaue their hads, that they would put away their wiues, and they that had trespassed, gaue a ramme for their trespasse.

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

20 And of the sonnes of Immer, Honani, and Zebadiah.

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

21 And of the sonnes of Harim, Maaseiah, and Eliiah, and Shemaiah, and Iehiel, and Vzziah.

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

22 And of ye sonnes of Pashur, Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Iozabad, and Elasah.

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

23 And of the Leuites, Iozabad and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (which is Kelitah) Pethahiah, Iudah and Eliezer.

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

24 And of the singers, Eliashib. And of the porters, Shallum, and Telem, and Vri.

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

25 And of Israel: of the sonnes of Parosh, Ramiah, and Iesiah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchiiah, and Benaiah.

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

26 And of the sonnes of Elam, Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Iehiel, and Abdi, and Ieremoth, and Eliah.

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

27 And of the sonnes of Zattu, Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Ierimoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.

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

28 And of the sonnes of Bebai, Iehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.

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

29 And of the sonnes of Bani, Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Iashub, and Sheal, Ieramoth.

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

30 And of the sonnes of Pahath Moab, Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

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

31 And of the sonnes of Harim, Eliezer, Ishiiah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

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

32 Beniamin, Malluch, Shamariah.

Benjamin, Baluch, Samaria.

33 Of the sonnes of Hashum, Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Ieremai, Manasseh, Shimei.

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

34 Of the sonnes of Bani, Maadai, Amram, and Vel,

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

35 Banaiah, Bediah, Chelluh,

Banaia, Badaia, Chelkia,

36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

Uvania, Marimoth, Eliasiph,

37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Iaasau,

Matthania, Matthanai:

38 And Banni, and Bennui, Shimei,

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

39 And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

and Selemia, and Nathan, and Adaia,

40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

Machadnabu, Sesei, Sariu,

41 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

Ezriel, and Selemia, and Samaria,

42 Shallum, Amariah, Ioseph.

and Sellum, Amaria, Joseph.

43 Of the sonnes of Nebo, Ieiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iadau, and Ioel, Benaiah.

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

44 All these had taken strange wiues: and among them were women that had children.

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