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.
As Ezra was praying and confessing sins, weeping and falling down on his face before God's Temple, a very large crowd of Israelites, men, women, and children, gathered around him. The people were weeping 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.
Shecaniah, son of Jehiel, an Elamite, said to Ezra: “Yes, we have been unfaithful to our God because we have married foreign women from the people of the land. But even so there is still hope for 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 make a solemn agreement right now before our God that we will send away all the foreign wives and their children. We will follow the directions given by you and those who respect the instructions of our God, carried out 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.
Take action! It's your responsibility. We are with you. Be brave and do it!”
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 stood up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all the Israelites present take an oath to act on what had just been said. They all 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 there: he ate no bread, and drank no water; for he mourned over the unfaithfulness [of them] of the captivity.
Then Ezra left them in front of God's Temple, and went to the room of Jehohanan, son of Eliashib. During the time he stayed there, he didn't eat or drink anything, because he was still mourning 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],
Then a proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should assemble 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.
Anyone who did not come within three days would have all their property confiscated, and would be banned from the assembly of the exiles. This was the decision of the leaders and elders.
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.
Within three days, everyone from Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem. On the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square beside God's Temple, shivering because of this issue and also because of the heavy 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.
Ezra the priest stood up and told them, “You have committed sin by marrying foreign women, making Israel's guilt even worse.
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 you must confess your sin to the Lord, the God of your forefathers, and do what he requires. Sever your connections with the people of the land and your foreign wives.”
12 Then all the congregation answered and said, This your word [is] powerful upon us to do it.
The whole assembly answered in a loud voice: “We agree, and we promise to 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 a lot of people here, and it's pouring with rain. We can't stay outside. More to the point, this isn't something that can be fixed in one or two days, for we have sinned extremely seriously in this.
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 act on behalf of the whole assembly. Then let every man in each of our towns who has married a foreign woman be given an appointment to come and meet, together with the elders and judges of that town, until our God is no longer angry with us over this.”
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.
The only ones to oppose this were Jonathan, son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite.
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 this what the exiles did, selecting Ezra the priest and family leaders, according to their family divisions, all of them specifically named. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to begin the inquiry,
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 finished handling all the cases of 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, the following had married foreign women: from the sons 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 vowed to send their wives away, and they presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering for their guilt.
20 And of the sons of Emmer; Anani, and Zabdia.
From the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
21 And of the sons of Eram; Masael, and Elia, and Samaia, and Jeel, and Ozia.
From the sons 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 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.
Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (or Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 And of the singers; Elisab: and of the porters; Solmen, and Telmen, and Oduth.
Among the singers: Eliashib. Among 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.
Among the Israelites: From the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, and Benaiah.
26 And of the sons of Helam; Matthania, and Zacharia, and Jaiel, and Abdia, and Jarimoth, and Elia.
From the sons 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 sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28 And of the sons of Babei; Joanan, Anania, and Zabu, and Thali.
From the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29 And of the sons of Banui; Mosollam, Maluch, Adaias, Jasub, and Saluia, and Remoth.
From the sons 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 sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 And of the sons of Eram; Eliezer, Jesia, Melchia, Samaias, Semeon,
From the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, 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 sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 And of the sons of Bani; Moodia, Amram, Uel,
From the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
35 Banaia, Badaia, Chelkia,
Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi,
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 sons of Binnui: Shimei,
39 and Selemia, and Nathan, and Adaia,
Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
40 Machadnabu, Sesei, Sariu,
Macnadebai, 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.
From the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 All these had taken strange wives, and had begotten sons of them.
All of these men listed had married foreign women. They divorced them and sent them away with their children.
