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.

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 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,

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 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.

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

4 Rise thou, it `is thin office to deme, and we schulen be with thee; be thou coumfortid, and do.

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 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.

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 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.

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

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.

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 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 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 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.

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 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 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 And al the multitude answeride, and seide with greet vois, Bi thi word to vs, so be it doon.

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

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

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.

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 alle men weren endid, that hadden weddid `wyues aliens, `til to the firste dai of the firste monethe.

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

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.

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 thei yauen her hondis, that thei schulden caste out her wyues, and offre for her trespas a ram of the scheep.

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 sones of Semmer; Anam, and Zebedie.

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

21 And of the sones of Serym; Maasie, and Helie, and Semeie, and Jehiel, and Ozie.

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

22 And of the sones of Phessur; Helioneai, Maasie, Hismael, Nathanael, and Jozabet, and Elasa.

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

23 And of the sones of dekenes; Josabeth, and Semey, and Elaie; he is Calithaphataie; Juda, and Elezer.

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

24 And of syngeris, Eliazub; and of porteris, Sellum, and Thellem, and Vry.

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

25 And of Israel, of the sones of Pharos; Remea, and Ezia, and Melchia, and Vnanym, and Eliezer, and Melchia, and Banea.

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 sones of Elam; Mathanye, and Zacharie, and Jehil, and Abdi, and Rymoth, and Helia.

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

27 And of the sones of Zechua; Helioneay, Heliasib, Mathanye, and Jerymuth, and Zaeth, and Aziza.

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

28 And of the sones of Bebai; Johannan, Ananye, Zabbai, Athalia.

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

29 And of the sones of Beny; Mosallam, and Melue, and Azaie, Jasub, and Saal, and Ramoth.

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

30 And of the sones of Phaeth; Moab, Edua, and Calal, Banaie, and Massie, Mathanye, Beseleel, and Bennun, and Manasse.

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

31 And of the sones of Erem; Elieer, Jesue, Melchie, Semeye, Symeon,

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

32 Beniamyn, Maloth, Samarie.

Benjamin, Baluch, Samaria.

33 And of the sones of Asom; Mathanai, Mathetha, Zabeth, Eliphelech, Jermai, Manasse, Semei.

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

34 Of the sones of Bany; Maddi, Amram, and Huel,

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

35 Baneas, and Badaie, Cheilian,

Banaia, Badaia, Chelkia,

36 Biamna, Marymuth, and Eliasiph,

Uvania, Marimoth, Eliasiph,

37 Mathanye, and Jasy,

Matthania, Matthanai:

38 and Bany, and Bennan, and Semei,

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

39 and Salymas, and Nathan, and Daias,

and Selemia, and Nathan, and Adaia,

40 Metuedabai, Sisai, Sarai,

Machadnabu, Sesei, Sariu,

41 Ezrel, and Seloman, Semerie,

Ezriel, and Selemia, and Samaria,

42 Sellum, Amarie, Joseph.

and Sellum, Amaria, Joseph.

43 Of the sones of Nebny; Aiel, Mathatie, Zabed, Zabina, Jebdu, and Johel, Banai.

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

44 Alle these hadden take `wyues aliens, and of hem weren wymmen, that hadden bore children.

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