Ezra 10
1 Therfor while Esdras preiede so, and bisouyte God, and wepte, and lai bifor the temple of God, a ful greet cumpenye of Israel, of men, and of wymmen, and of children, was gaderid to him; and the puple wepte bi myche weping.
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 And Sechenye, the sone of Jehiel, of the sones of Helam, answeride, and seide to Esdras, We han trespasside ayens oure God, and han weddid wyues, alien wymmen, of `the puplis of the lond. And now, for penaunce is in Israel on 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 smyte we boond of pees with `oure Lord God, and caste we awei alle `wyues aliens, and hem that ben borun of tho wyues, bi the wille of the Lord; and of hem that dreden the comaundement of oure God, `be it don bi the lawe.
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 Rise thou, it `is thin office to deme, and we schulen be with thee; be thou coumfortid, and do.
Get up, for this matter is your responsibility, and we will support you. Be strong and take action!”
5 Therfor Esdras roos, and chargide greetli the princes of prestis, and of dekenes, and of al Israel, to do after this word; and thei sworen.
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 And Esdras roos bifor the hows of God, and he yede to the bed of Johannan, sone of Eliasiph, and entride thidur; he eet not breed, and drank not watir; for he biweilide the trespassing of hem, that weren comun fro the caitifte.
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 And a vois of hem was sent in to Juda and Jerusalem, to alle the sones of transmygracioun, that thei schulden be gaderid in to Jerusalem;
And a proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem.
8 and ech man that cometh not in thre daies, bi the counsel of the princes and of eldre men, al his catel schal be takun awey fro him, and he schal be cast awei fro the cumpeny of transmygracioun.
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 Therfor alle the men of Juda and of Beniamyn camen togidere in to Jerusalem in thre daies; thilke is the nynthe monethe, in the twentithe dai of the monethe; and al the puple sat in `the street of Goddis hows, and trembliden for synne and reyn.
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 And Esdras, the preest, roos, and seide to hem, Ye han trespassid, and han weddid wyues, alien wymmen, that ye schulden `leie to on the trespas 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 And now yyue ye knowlechyng to the Lord God of oure fadris, and do ye his pleasaunce, and be ye departid fro the puplis of the lond, and fro `wyues aliens.
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 And al the multitude answeride, and seide with greet vois, Bi thi word to vs, so be it doon.
And the whole assembly responded in a loud voice: “Truly we must do as you say!
13 Netheles for the puple is myche, and the tyme of reyn is, and we suffren not to stonde withoutforth, and it is not werk of o dai, nether of tweyne; for we han synned greetli in this word;
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 `princes be ordeyned in al the multitude, and alle men in oure citees, that han weddid `wyues aliens, come in tymes ordeyned, and with hem come the eldere men, bi citee and citee, and the iugis therof, til the ire of oure God be turned awei fro vs on this synne.
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 Therfor Jonathan, the sone of Asahel, and Jaazie, the sone of Thecue, stoden on this thing; and Mosollam, and Sebethai, dekenes, helpiden hem.
(Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this plan.)
16 And the sones of transmygracioun diden so. And Esdras, the prest, and men, princes of meynees, yeden into the howsis of her fadris, and alle men bi her names; and thei saten in the firste dai of the tenthe monethe, for to seke the thing.
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 alle men weren endid, that hadden weddid `wyues aliens, `til to the firste dai of the firste monethe.
and by the first day of the first month they had dealt with all the men who had married foreign women.
18 And there weren foundun of the sones of preestis, that weddiden `wyues aliens; of the sones of Josue, the sone of Josedech, and hise britheren, Maasie, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Godolie.
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 thei yauen her hondis, that thei schulden caste out her wyues, and offre for her trespas a ram of the scheep.
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 sones of Semmer; Anam, and Zebedie.
From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
21 And of the sones of Serym; Maasie, and Helie, and Semeie, and Jehiel, and Ozie.
From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 And of the sones of Phessur; Helioneai, Maasie, Hismael, Nathanael, and Jozabet, and Elasa.
From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 And of the sones of dekenes; Josabeth, and Semey, and Elaie; he is Calithaphataie; Juda, and Elezer.
Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 And of syngeris, Eliazub; and of porteris, Sellum, and Thellem, and Vry.
From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 And of Israel, of the sones of Pharos; Remea, and Ezia, and Melchia, and Vnanym, and Eliezer, and Melchia, and Banea.
And among the other Israelites, from the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.
26 And of the sones of Elam; Mathanye, and Zacharie, and Jehil, and Abdi, and Rymoth, and Helia.
From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27 And of the sones of Zechua; Helioneay, Heliasib, Mathanye, and Jerymuth, and Zaeth, and Aziza.
From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28 And of the sones of Bebai; Johannan, Ananye, Zabbai, Athalia.
From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29 And of the sones of Beny; Mosallam, and Melue, and Azaie, Jasub, and Saal, and Ramoth.
From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
30 And of the sones of Phaeth; Moab, Edua, and Calal, Banaie, and Massie, Mathanye, Beseleel, and Bennun, and Manasse.
From the descendants of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 And of the sones of Erem; Elieer, Jesue, Melchie, Semeye, Symeon,
From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32 Beniamyn, Maloth, Samarie.
Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 And of the sones of Asom; Mathanai, Mathetha, Zabeth, Eliphelech, Jermai, Manasse, Semei.
From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 Of the sones of Bany; Maddi, Amram, and Huel,
From the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
35 Baneas, and Badaie, Cheilian,
Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
36 Biamna, Marymuth, and Eliasiph,
Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37 Mathanye, and Jasy,
Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
38 and Bany, and Bennan, and Semei,
From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei,
39 and Salymas, and Nathan, and Daias,
Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
40 Metuedabai, Sisai, Sarai,
Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41 Ezrel, and Seloman, Semerie,
Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42 Sellum, Amarie, Joseph.
Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43 Of the sones of Nebny; Aiel, Mathatie, Zabed, Zabina, Jebdu, and Johel, Banai.
And from the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 Alle these hadden take `wyues aliens, and of hem weren wymmen, that hadden bore children.
All these men had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.
