Ezra 10

1 Now while Ezra was making his prayer and his statement of wrongdoing, weeping and falling down before the house of God, a very great number of men and women and children out of Israel came together round him: for the people were weeping bitterly.

So when Esdras [had] prayed, and when he [had] confessed, weeping and praying before the house of God, a very great assembly of Israel came together to him, men and women and youths; for the people wept, and wept aloud.

2 And Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answering, said to Ezra, We have done evil against our God, and have taken as our wives strange women of the peoples of the land: but still there is hope for Israel in this question.

And Sechenias the son of Jeel, of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Esdras, We have broken covenant with our God, and have taken strange wives of the nations of the land: yet now there is patience [of hope] to Israel concerning this thing.

3 Let us now make an agreement with our God to put away all the wives and all their children, if it seems right to my lord and to those who go in fear of the words of our God; and let it be done in keeping with the law.

Now then let us make a covenant with our God, to put away all the wives, and their offspring, as thou shalt advise:

4 Up, now! for this is your business, and we are with you; take heart and do it.

arise, and alarm them with the commands of our God; and let [it] be done according to the law. Rise up, for the matter [is] upon thee; and we [are] with thee: be strong and do.

5 Then Ezra got up, and made the chiefs of the priests and the Levites and all Israel take an oath that they would do this. So they took an oath.

Then Esdras arose, and caused the rulers, the priests, and Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word: and they swore.

6 Then Ezra got up from before the house of God and went into the room of Jehohanan, the son of Eliashib; but when he came there, he took no food or drink, for he was sorrowing for the sin of those who had come back.

And Esdras rose up from before the house of God, and went to the treasury of Joanan the son of Elisub; he even went thither: he ate no bread, and drank no water; for he mourned over the unfaithfulness [of them] of the captivity.

7 And they made a public statement through all Judah and Jerusalem, to all those who had come back, that they were to come together to Jerusalem;

And they made proclamation throughout Juda and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should assemble at Jerusalem, [saying],

8 And that if anyone did not come before three days were past, as ordered by the rulers and the responsible men, all his goods would be put under the curse, and he himself would be cut off from the meeting of the people who had come back.

Every one who shall not arrive within three days, as [is] the counsel of the rulers and the elders, all his substance shall be forfeited, and he shall be separated from the congregation of the captivity.

9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin came together to Jerusalem before three days were past; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people were seated in the wide square in front of the house of God, shaking with fear because of this business and because of the great rain.

So all the men of Juda and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. This [was] the ninth month: on the twentieth day of the month all the people sat down in the street of the house of the Lord, because of their alarm concerning the word, and because of the storm.

10 And Ezra the priest got to his feet and said to them, You have done wrong and taken strange women for your wives, so increasing the sin of Israel.

And Esdras the priest arose, and said to them, Ye have broken covenant, and have taken strange wives, to add to the trespass of Israel.

11 So now, give praise to the Lord, the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure; and make yourselves separate from the peoples of the land and from the strange women.

Now therefore give praise to the Lord God of our fathers, and do that which is pleasing in his sight: and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the strange wives.

12 Then all the people, answering, said with a loud voice, As you have said, so it is right for us to do.

Then all the congregation answered and said, This thy word [is] powerful upon us to do it.

13 But the number of people is great, and it is a time of much rain; it is not possible for us to go on waiting outside, and this is not a thing which may be done in one day or even two: for our sin in this business is great.

But the people [is] numerous, and the season [is] stormy, and there is no power to stand without, and the work is more than enough for one day or for two; for we have greatly sinned in this matter.

14 So now let our rulers be representatives for all the people, and let all those in our towns who are married to strange women come at fixed times, and with them the responsible men and the judges of every town, till the burning wrath of our God is turned away from us, and this has been done.

Let now our rulers stand, and for all those in our cities who have taken strange wives, let them come at appointed times, and with them elders from every several city, and judges, to turn away the fierce wrath of our God from us concerning this matter.

15 Only Jonathan, the son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, the son of Tikvah, were against this, Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them.

Only Jonathan the son of Asael, and Jazias the son of Thecoe [were] with me concerning this; and Mesollam, and Sabbathai the Levite helped them.

16 So those who had come back did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain heads of families, by their fathers' families, all of them by their names, were marked out; and on the first day of the tenth month they took their places to go into the question with care.

And the children of the captivity did thus: and Esdras the priest, and heads of families according to [their] house were separated, and all by their names, for they returned in the first day of the tenth month to search out the matter.

17 And they got to the end of all the men who were married to strange women by the first day of the first month.

And they made an end with all the men who had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.

18 And among the sons of the priests who were married to strange women were these: of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak and his brothers, Maaseiah and Eliezer and Jarib and Gedaliah.

And there were found [some] of the sons of the priests who had taken strange wives: of the sons of Jesus the son of Josedec, and his brethren; Maasia, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gadalia.

19 And they gave their word that they would put away their wives; and for their sin, they gave an offering of a male sheep of the flock.

And they pledged themselves to put away their wives, and [offered] a ram of the flock for a trespass-offering because of their trespass.

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

And of the sons of Emmer; Anani, and Zabdia.

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

And of the sons of Eram; Masael, and Elia, and Samaia, and Jeel, and Ozia.

22 And of the sons of Pashhur, Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

And of the sons of Phasur; Elionai, Maasia, and Ismael, and Nathanael, and Jozabad, and Elasa.

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

And of the Levites; Jozabad, and Samu, and Colia (he [is] Colitas, ) and Phetheia, and Judas, and Eliezer.

24 And of the music-makers, Eliashib; and of the door-keepers, Shallum and Telem and Uri.

And of the singers; Elisab: and of the porters; Solmen, and Telmen, and Oduth.

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

Also of Israel: of the sons of Phoros; Ramia, and Azia, and Melchia, and Meamin, and Eleazar, and Asabia, and Banaia.

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

And of the sons of Helam; Matthania, and Zacharia, and Jaiel, and Abdia, and Jarimoth, and Elia.

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

And of the sons of Zathua; Elionai, Elisub, Matthanai, and Armoth, and Zabad, and Oziza.

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

And of the sons of Babei; Joanan, Anania, and Zabu, and Thali.

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

And of the sons of Banui; Mosollam, Maluch, Adaias, Jasub, and Saluia, and Remoth.

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

And of the sons of Phaath Moab; Edne, and Chalel, and Banaia, Maasia, Matthania, Beseleel, and Banui, and Manasse.

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

And of the sons of Eram; Eliezer, Jesia, Melchia, Samaias, Semeon,

32 Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.

Benjamin, Baluch, Samaria.

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

And of the sons of Asem; Metthania, Matthatha, Zadab, Eliphalet, Jerami, Manasse, Semei.

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

And of the sons of Bani; Moodia, Amram, Uel,

35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,

Banaia, Badaia, Chelkia,

36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

Uvania, Marimoth, Eliasiph,

37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu,

Matthania, Matthanai:

38 And Bani and Binnui, Shimei;

and [so] did the children of Banui, and the children of Semei,

39 And Shelemiah and Nathan and Adaiah,

and Selemia, and Nathan, and Adaia,

40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

Machadnabu, Sesei, Sariu,

41 Azarel and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

Ezriel, and Selemia, and Samaria,

42 Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.

and Sellum, Amaria, Joseph.

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

Of the sons of Nabu; Jael, Matthanias, Zabad, Zebennas, Jadai, and Joel, and Banaia.

44 All these had taken strange wives; and some of them had wives by whom they had offspring.

All these had taken strange wives, and had begotten sons of them.