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 prayed and confessed, he wept and threw himself down before God's house. A very great assembly of Israelite men, women, and children gathered to him, for the people were weeping very greatly.

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.

Shekaniah son of Jehiel of the descendants of Elam said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God and have married foreign women from the people of the other lands. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel.

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.

So now let us make a covenant with our God to send out all the women and their children according to the Lord's instructions and the instructions of those who tremble at the commandments of our God, and let it be done according to the law.

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

Arise, for this thing is for you to carry out, and we are with you. Be strong and do this.”

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 rose and made the priestly officials, the Levites, and all of Israel promise to act in this way. So they all took a solemn 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 rose from before God's house and went to the rooms of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. He did not eat any bread or drink any water, since he was mourning concerning the faithlessness of those who had been in captivity.

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

So they sent word in Judah and Jerusalem to all the people back from exile to 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 in three days according to the instructions from the officials and elders forfeited all of his possessions and would be excluded from the great assembly of the people who had come back from exile.

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.

So all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem in three days. It was the ninth month and the twentieth day of the month. All the people stood in the square before God's house and trembled because of the word and the 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 arose and said, “You yourselves have committed treason. You lived with foreign women so as to increase Israel's guilt.

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.

But now give praise to Yahweh, your ancestors' God, and do his will. Separate from the people of the land and from the foreign women.”

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

All the assembly answered in a loud voice, “We will do as you have said.

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.

However, there are many people, and it is the rainy season. We have no strength to stand outside, and this is not only one or two days of work, since we have greatly transgressed in this matter.

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.

So let our officials represent all the assembly. Let all who have allowed foreign women to live in our cities come at the time that will be fixed with the city elders and the city judges until the raging wrath of our God goes away from us.”

15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, made a stand against this, —and, Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, helped them.

Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supported them.

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 the people who returned from exile did this. Ezra the priest selected men, the leaders in their ancestors' clans and houses—all of them by name, and they looked into the matter on the first day of the tenth month.

17 and they made an end with all the men who had married foreign women, —by the first day of the first month.

By the first day of the first month they had finished discovering which men had lived with 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 there were those who had lived with foreign women. Among the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers there were 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.

So they determined to send their wives away. Since they were guilty, they offered a ram from the flock for their guilt.

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

Among the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

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

Among the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.

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

Among the descendants 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—that is, 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 rest of the Israelites—among the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.

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

Among the descendants 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.

Among the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.

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

Among the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

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

Among the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluk, Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal Jeremoth.

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

Among the descendants of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.

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

Among the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.

Benjamin, Malluk, and Shemariah.

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

Among the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

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

Among the descendants 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;

Among the descendants of Binnui: Shimei,

39 and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah;

Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai;

Maknadebai, 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.

Among the descendants 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 had taken foreign wives and had children with some of them.