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.

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 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, 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, 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.

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, for, upon thee, resteth the thing, but, we, are with thee, —be strong, and act.

Take action! It's your responsibility. We are with you. Be brave 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.

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

Then a proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should assemble in 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.

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 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.

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 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 told them, “You have committed sin by marrying foreign women, making Israel's guilt even worse.

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

The whole assembly answered in a loud voice: “We agree, and we promise to 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 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, 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 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 son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, made a stand against this, —and, Meshullam and Shabbethai 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 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 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 married foreign women, —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 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, 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 gave their hand, that they would put away their wives, —and, being guilty, [they offered] a ram of the flock for their guilt.

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 Immer, Hanani, and Zebadiah.

From the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

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

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

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

From 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.

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

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

Among the singers: Eliashib. Among 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.

Among the Israelites: From the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, and Benaiah.

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

From 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.

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

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

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

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

From 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.

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

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

From the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, 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 sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

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

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

35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhu;

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi,

36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib;

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 Mettaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu;

Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.

38 and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei;

From the sons of Binnui: Shimei,

39 and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah;

Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai;

Macnadebai, 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.

From the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.

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

All of these men listed had married foreign women. They divorced them and sent them away with their children.