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.

While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, a very large assembly of Israelites—men, women, and children—gathered around him, and the people wept bitterly as well.

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.

Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, said to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the people of the land, yet in spite of this, there is hope for Israel.

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.

So now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command 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.

Get up, for this matter is your responsibility, and we will support you. Be strong and take action!”

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.

So Ezra got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel take an oath to do what had been said. And they took the oath.

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 withdrew from before the house of God and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. And while he stayed there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness 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;

And a proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at 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.

Whoever failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, according to the counsel of the leaders and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.

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.

So within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem, and on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God, trembling regarding this matter and because of the heavy 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.

Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to 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 a confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from your foreign wives.”

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

And the whole assembly responded in a loud voice: “Truly we must do as you say!

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 there are many people here, and it is the rainy season. We are not able to stay out in the open. Nor is this the work of one or two days, for we have transgressed greatly 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.

Let our leaders represent the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at an appointed time, together with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.”

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 son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this plan.)

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;

So the exiles did as proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, each of them identified by name, to represent their families. On the first day of the tenth month they launched the investigation,

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

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

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 descendants of the priests who had married foreign women were found these descendants of Jeshua 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 pledged to send their wives away, and for their guilt they presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.

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

From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

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

From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.

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

From the descendants 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.

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

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

From the singers: Eliashib. From 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.

And among the other Israelites, from the descendants 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.

From the descendants 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.

From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.

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

From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

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

From the descendants 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.

From the descendants of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.

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

From the descendants 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.

From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

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

From the descendants 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, and Jaasu.

38 and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei;

From the descendants of 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.

And from the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.

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

All these men had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.