Ezra 10

1 Now, when Ezra had prayed and when he had made confession, weeping and casting himself down, before the house of God, there gathered unto him out of Israel, an exceeding large convocation—men and women and children, for the people wept with a very bitter weeping.

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 Then responded Shecaniah son of Jehiel of the sons of Elam, and said unto Ezra, We, have been faithful with our God, and have married foreign women from among the peoples of the land, —yet, now, there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.

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 Now, therefore, let us solemnize a covenant unto our God—to put away all the women and such as have been born of them, in the counsel of my lord, and them who tremble at the commandment of our God, —and, according to the law, let it be done.

Now therefore let’s make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and those who 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, for, upon thee, resteth the thing, but, we, are with thee, —be strong, and act.

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

5 Then arose Ezra and made the rulers of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, swear to do according to this word—and they sware.

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

6 Then arose Ezra from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, —and, when he came thither, bread, did he not eat, and, water, did he not drink, for he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of them of the Exile.

Then Ezra rose up from before God’s house, and went into the room of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. When he came there, he did not eat bread or drink water, for he mourned because of the trespass of the exiles.

7 Then made they a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem, unto all the Sons of the Exile, to gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;

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

8 and, whosoever should not come within three days, according to the counsel of the rulers and the elders, all his goods should be devoted, —and, himself, be separated from the convocation of them of the Exile.

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

9 Then were gathered together all the men of Judah and Benjamin unto Jerusalem, within three days, the same, was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month, —and all the people remained in the broadway of the house of God, trembling concerning the thing, and because of the heavy rains.

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 wide place in front of God’s house, trembling because of this matter, and because of the great rain.

10 Then arose Ezra the priest, and said unto them, Ye, have acted unfaithfully, and have married foreign women, —to add unto the guilt of Israel.

Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, increasing the guilt of Israel.

11 Now, therefore, make confession unto Yahweh God of your fathers, and do his pleasure, —and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women.

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

12 Then responded all the convocation and said, with a loud voice, —Thus, according to thy word concerning us, must it be done.

Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “We must do as you have said concerning us.

13 Nevertheless, the people, are many, and, the season, is that of the heavy rains, and we are not able to stand outside, —and, the business, is not one for a single day, nor yet for two, for we have abundantly transgressed, in this thing.

But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand outside. This is not a work of one day or two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.

14 Let, we beseech thee, our rulers take up their station for all the convocation, and, all who, throughout our cities, have married foreign women, let them come in at times appointed, and, with them, the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the glow of the anger of our God be turned from us, concerning this matter.

Now let our princes be appointed for all the 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 is turned from us, until this matter is resolved.”

15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, made a stand against this, —and, Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, 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 But the Sons of the Exile, did thus, and Ezra the priest separated to himself certain men—ancestral heads by their ancestral houses, and all of them by name, —and they took their seats on the first day of the tenth month to search into the matter;

The children of the captivity did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers’ households, after their fathers’ houses, and all of them by their names, were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

17 and they made an end with all the men who had married foreign women, —by the first day of the first month.

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

18 Now there were found, of the sons of the priests, who had married foreign women, —of the sons of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brethren, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah;

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

19 and they gave their hand, that they would put away their wives, —and, being guilty, [they offered] a ram of the flock for their guilt.

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 Immer, Hanani, and Zebadiah.

Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

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

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

22 And, of the sons of Passhur, Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasar.

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

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

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

24 And, of the singers, Eliashib. And, of the doorkeepers, Shallum and Telem and Uri.

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

25 And, of Israel, of the sons of Parosh, Ramiah and Izziah and Malchijah and Mijamin and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

29 And, of the sons of Bani, Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, Jeremoth.

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

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

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

31 And, [of] the sons of Harim, Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon;

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

32 Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.

Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

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

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

34 Of the sons of Bani, Maadai, Amram, and Uel;

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

35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhu;

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,

36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib;

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 Mettaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu;

Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu,

38 and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei;

Bani, Binnui, Shimei,

39 and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah;

Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai;

Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah;

Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.

Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

43 Of the sons of Nebo, Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, —Iddo, and Joel, Benaiah.

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

44 All these, had taken foreign women, —and had begotten of them children.

All these had taken foreign wives. Some of them had wives by whom they had children.