ʻEsela 10
1 Pea ʻi he hili ʻae lotu ʻa Esela, pea hili ʻene vete, ʻo tangi mo fakatōmapeʻe ia ʻi he mata fale ʻoe ʻOtua, naʻe haʻu kiate ia mei ʻIsileli ʻae fuʻu kakai tokolahi ʻoe kau tangata mo e kau fefine mo e fānau: he naʻe tangi mamahi ʻaupito ʻae kakai.
While I was kneeling down in front of the temple and praying and crying, I was confessing [the sins that the Israeli people had committed]. Many people, men and women and children, gathered around me and also cried very much.
2 Pea ko Sikania ko e foha ʻo Sehieli, ko e tokotaha ʻi he ngaahi foha ʻo ʻIlami, naʻe lea ia ʻo ne pehē kia Esela, “Kuo mau fai hala ki hotau ʻOtua, pea kuo mau maʻu ʻae ngaahi uaifi kehe ʻi he kakai ʻoe fonua: ka ko eni ʻoku ai ʻae ʻamanaki lelei ʻi ʻIsileli ʻoku kau ki he meʻa ni.
Then Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel from the clan of Elam, said this to me: “We have disobeyed God. [Some of] us have married women who are not Israelis. But we can still confidently expect [Yahweh to be merciful to] us Israeli people.
3 Pea ko eni ke tau fai ʻae fuakava ki hotau ʻOtua ke mau tukuange ʻae ngaahi uaifi kehe kotoa pē, mo kinautolu kuo fānau ʻiate kinautolu, ʻo fakatatau ki he fakakaukau ʻa hoku ʻeiki, mo kinautolu ʻoku tetetete ki he fekau ʻa hotau ʻOtua; pea tuku ke fai ia ʻo fakatatau mo e fono.
We will do what you, and the others who have an awesome respect for what our God has commanded, tell us to do. We will do what God told us in his laws. We will make an agreement with our God, saying that we will divorce our wives who are not Israelis, and we will send them away with their children.
4 Tuʻu hake: he ʻoku kau ʻae meʻa ni kiate koe: pea ke loto mālohi, pea fai ia.”
(It is your responsibility to/Because you are our leader, you must) [tell us what to do]. So get up, and be courageous, and do [what is necessary]. We will (support you/tell people to do what you say).”
5 Pea naʻe tuʻu ai ʻa Esela, pea fakafuakava ʻe ia ʻae kau taulaʻeiki lahi, mo e kau Livai, mo ʻIsileli kotoa pē koeʻuhi ke nau fai ʻo fakatatau ki he lea ni. Pea naʻa nau fuakava.
So I stood up and demanded that the leaders of the priests, the [other] descendants of Levi, and all [the other] Israeli people solemnly declare that they would do what Shecaniah said that they should do. So they all solemnly promised to do that.
6 Pea naʻe tuʻu hake ʻa Esela mei he mata fale ʻoe ʻOtua, pea ne ʻalu ki he fale ʻo Sohanani ko e foha ʻo Iliasipi: pea ʻi heʻene hoko ki ai, naʻe ʻikai te ne kai ha mā, pe inu ha vai: he naʻe tangi pe ia ko e meʻa ʻi he angahala ʻanautolu ʻaia naʻe fetuku ʻo ʻave pōpula.
Then I went away from the front of the temple and went to the room where Jehohanan lived. I stayed there that night, but I did not eat or drink anything. I was still sad because some of the Israelis who had returned [from Babylonia] had not faithfully obeyed [God’s laws].
7 Pea naʻa nau fanongonongo ʻae fono ʻi Siuta kotoa pē mo Selūsalema ki he fānau kotoa pē ʻoe fakapōpula, koeʻuhi ke nau fakataha ʻakinautolu ʻi Selūsalema.
Then we sent a message to all [the people in] Jerusalem and [in other towns in] Judah, saying that all those who had returned [from Babylonia] should come to Jerusalem immediately.
8 Pea ʻilonga ʻaia ʻe ʻikai haʻu ʻi he ʻaho ʻe tolu, ʻo fakatatau mo e fakakaukau ʻae houʻeiki mo e kau mātuʻa, ʻe faʻoa ʻene meʻa kotoa pē, pea ʻe vaheʻi ia mei he fakataha ʻokinautolu naʻe fetuku ki he mamaʻo.
We said that if any of them did not arrive within three days, the leaders of the people would order that all the property of those people would be taken from them, and that they would no longer be considered to belong to the Israeli people; [they would be considered to be foreigners].
9 Pea naʻe toki fakakātoa fakataha ʻakinautolu ki Selūsalema ʻae kau tangata kotoa pē ʻo Siuta mo Penisimani, ʻi he ʻaho ʻe tolu. Ko hono hiva ia ʻoe māhina, ʻi hono ʻaho ʻe uofulu ʻoe māhina; pea naʻe nofo ʻae kakai kotoa pē ʻi he hala lahi ʻoe fale ʻoe ʻOtua, pea tetetete koeʻuhi ko e meʻa ni, pea koeʻuhi ko e ʻuha lahi.
So within three days, on December 19, all the people of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem. They were there, sitting in the courtyard in front of the temple. They were trembling because it was raining hard and because they were worried [that they would be punished for what they had done].
10 Pea naʻe tuʻu hake ʻa Esela ko e taulaʻeiki, ʻo ne pehē kiate kinautolu, “Kuo mou fai talangataʻa; pea kuo mou maʻu ʻae ngaahi uaifi kehe, ke fakalahi ki he hala ʻa ʻIsileli.
Then I stood up and said to them, “[Some of] you men have committed a very bad sin. You have married women who are not Israelis. By doing that, you have made us Israeli people more guilty [than we were before].
11 Pea ko eni mou fai ʻae vete kia Sihova ko e ʻOtua ʻo hoʻomou ngaahi tamai, pea [mou ]fai ki hono finangalo: pea fakamavae ʻakimoutolu mei he kakai ʻoe fonua, pea mei homou ngaahi uaifi kehe.”
So now you must confess to Yahweh, the God whom your ancestors [worshiped/belonged to], the sin which you have committed, and you must do what he wants. Separate yourselves from the people of other nations and from the women from those nations whom you have married.”
12 Pea naʻe lea ai ʻae kakai kotoa pē naʻe fakataha ʻo pehē ʻaki ʻae leʻo lahi, “Hangē ko ia kuo ke tala, ʻoku totonu ke mau fai.
The whole group answered, shouting loudly, “Yes, what you have said is right! We will do what you have said.”
13 Ka ʻoku tokolahi ʻae kakai, pea ko e ʻaho eni ʻoe ʻuha lahi, pea ʻoku ʻikai te mau faʻa fai ke tuʻu ʻi tuaʻā, pea ʻoku ʻikai ko e ngāue eni ki he ʻaho pe taha pe ua: he ʻoku mau tokolahi kuo fai hala ʻi he meʻa ni.
But then [one of] them said, “But we are a very large group, and it is raining hard. Also, there are many of us who have committed this bad sin. This is something that we cannot (take care of/handle) in one or two days, and we cannot stand here in this rain.
14 Pea ko eni ke tuʻu hake homau kau pule ʻoe fakataha kotoa pē, pea ke haʻu ʻakinautolu kotoa pē, ʻaia kuo nau maʻu ʻae ngaahi uaifi kehe, ʻi hotau ngaahi kolo, ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho ʻe kotofa, pea ke haʻu mo kinautolu ʻae kau mātuʻa ʻoe kolo kotoa pē, mo e kau fakamaau ʻi ai, koeʻuhi ke fakafoki ʻae houhau lahi ʻo hotau ʻOtua ʻi he meʻa ni meiate kimautolu.”
So allow our leaders to decide for all of us what we should do. Tell everyone who has married a woman who is not Israeli to come at a time that you decide. They should come with the elders and judges from each city. If we do that, our God will stop being angry with us [because of what we have done].”
15 Ko Sonatani pe ko e foha ʻo ʻAsaeli mo Sehasia ko e foha ʻo Tikiva naʻe fakakau ʻakinaua ʻi he meʻa ni: pea naʻe tokoni ʻakinaua ʻe Mesulami, mo Sapitei ko e Livai.
Jonathan the son of Asahel, Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah, Meshullam, and Shabbethai, a descendant of Levi, were the only ones who objected to this.
16 Pea naʻe fai pehē pe ʻe he fānau ʻae kau pōpula. Pea naʻe nofo hifo ʻa Esela ko e taulaʻeiki, mo e niʻihi ʻoe kau tuʻukimuʻa ʻi he kau mātuʻa, ʻo fakatatau ki he fale ʻo ʻenau ngaahi tamai, pea naʻe vahevahe ʻakinautolu kotoa pē ʻi honau hingoa, ʻi he ʻuluaki ʻaho ʻi hono hongofulu ʻoe māhina ke fakamaauʻi ʻae meʻa ni.
All the others who had returned from Babylonia said that they would do it. So I chose leaders of each of the clans, and I wrote down their names. On December 29, these men came and sat down to investigate the matter.
17 Pea naʻa nau fai ʻo ʻosi ʻi he ʻuluaki ʻaho ʻoe ʻuluaki māhina ki he kau tangata kotoa pē naʻa nau maʻu ʻae uaifi kehe.
By March 27 of the next year they finished determining which men had married women who were not Israelis.
18 Pea naʻe ʻilo ʻi he ngaahi foha ʻoe kau taulaʻeiki, ʻae niʻihi naʻe maʻu ʻae ngaahi uaifi kehe: koeʻuhi, ʻi he ngaahi foha ʻo Sesua ko e foha ʻo Sosataki, mo hono ngaahi kāinga; ko Māseia, mo ʻEliesa, mo Salipe, mo Ketalia.
This is a list of the names of the priests who had married non-Israeli women, and the clans to which they belonged. From the clan of Jeshua and his brothers, who were sons of Jehozadak, there were Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
19 Pea naʻa nau foaki honau nima ke nau tukuange honau ngaahi uaifi; pea ʻi heʻenau halaia, naʻa nau ʻatu ʻae sipitangata mei he fanga sipi ʻi heʻenau angahala.
They solemnly promised to divorce their wives, and they each sacrificed a ram to be an offering [to atone] for their sins.
20 Pea ʻi he ngaahi foha ʻo Imeli ko Hanani, mo Sepatia.
From the clan of Immer there were Hanani and Zebadiah.
21 Pea ʻi he ngaahi foha ʻo Halimi; ko Māseia, mo ʻIlaisiā, mo Simaia, mo Sehieli, mo ʻUsia.
From the clan of Harim there were Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 Pea ʻi he ngaahi foha ʻo Pasuli; Ilionei, mo Māseia, mo ʻIsimeʻeli, mo Netanili, mo Sosapati, mo Elasa.
From the clan of Pashhur there were Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 Pea ʻi he kau Livai foki: ko Sosapati, mo Simi, mo Kelaia, (ʻaia ko Kilita), ko Pitaia, mo Siuta, mo ʻEliesa.
The [other] descendants of Levi [who had married non-Israeli women] were Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (whose other name was Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 ʻI he kau hiva foki ko Iliasipi: pea ʻi he kau leʻo matapā ko Salumi, mo Telemi, mo Uli.
There was Eliashib the musician. From the temple guards there were Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 Pea koeʻuhi ko ʻIsileli: ʻi he ngaahi foha ʻo Palosi; ko Limaia, mo Sesia, mo Malikia, mo Miamini, mo ʻEliesa, mo Malikisa mo Penaia.
This is a list of the names of the other Israelis who had married foreign wives: From the clan of Parosh there were Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, and Benaiah.
26 Pea ʻi he ngaahi foha ʻo ʻIlami; ko Matania, mo Sakalia, mo Sehieli, mo ʻApiti, mo Selimoti, mo Elia.
From the clan of Elam there were Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27 Pea ʻi he ngaahi foha ʻo Satu; Ilionei, mo Iliasipi, mo Matania, mo Selimoti, mo Sapati, mo ʻAsisa.
From the clan of Zattu there were Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28 ʻI he ngaahi foha foki ʻo Pepai; ko Sihohanani, mo Hanania, mo Sapei, mo ʻAtilai.
From the clan of Bebai there were Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29 Pea ʻi he ngaahi foha ʻo Pani; ko Mesulami, mo Maluki, mo ʻAtaia, mo Sasupi, mo Siali, mo Lemoti.
From the clan of Bani there were Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
30 Pea ʻi he ngaahi foha ʻo Pehati-Moape; ko ʻAtina, mo Kilali, mo Penaia, mo Māseia, mo Matania, mo Pesalili, mo Pinui, mo Manase.
From the clan of Pahath-Moab there were Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 Pea ʻi he ngaahi foha ʻo Halimi; ko ʻEliesa, mo Isisa, mo Malikia, mo Simaia, mo Simione,
From the clan of Harim there were Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32 Mo Penisimani, mo Maluki, mo Simalia.
Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 Pea ʻi he ngaahi foha ʻo Hasumi; ko Matinei, mo Matata, mo Sapati, mo Ilifileti, mo Silemai, mo Manase, mo Simi.
From the clan of Hashum there were Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 Pea ʻi he ngaahi foha ʻo Pani; ko Mahetai, mo ʻAmilami mo Ueli.
From the clan of Bigvai there were Maadai, Amram, Uel,
35 Mo Penaia, mo Petia, mo Kilu,
Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi,
36 Mo Vania, mo Milemoti, mo Iliasipi,
Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37 Mo Matania, mo Matinei, mo Saesai,
Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
38 Mo Pani, mo Pinui, mo Simi,
From the clan of Binnui there were Shimei,
39 Mo Selemia, mo Natani, mo ʻAtaia,
Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
40 Mo Makanatipei, mo Sasei, mo Salei,
Macnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41 Mo ʻAsalili, mo Selemia, mo Simalia,
Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42 Mo Salumi, mo ʻAmalia, mo Sosefa.
Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43 Pea ʻi he ngaahi foha ʻo Nipo; ko Sieli, mo Matitia, mo Sapati, mo Sipina, mo Satavi, mo Soeli, mo Penaia.
From the clan of Nebo there were Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 Ko kinautolu ni kotoa pē naʻe ʻiate kinautolu ʻae ngaahi uaifi kehe: pea naʻe ʻi ai ʻae uaifi niʻihi naʻe maʻu ʻae fānau.
Each of those men had married a woman who was not an Israeli. [But immediately] they divorced those women and sent them and their children away.
