1 N ow while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there gathered to him out of Israel a very great assembly of men, women, and children; for the people wept bitterly.

And at Ezra's praying, and at his making confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there have been gathered unto him out of Israel an assembly very great -- men and women and children -- for the people have wept, multiplying weeping.

2 A nd Shecaniah son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, said to Ezra: We have broken faith and dealt treacherously against our God and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land; yet now there is still hope for Israel in spite of this thing.

And Shechaniah son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, answereth and saith to Ezra, `We -- we have trespassed against our God, and we settle strange women of the peoples of the land; and now there is hope for Israel concerning this,

3 T herefore let us make a covenant with our God to put 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; and let it be done according to the Law.

and now, let us make a covenant with our God, to cause all the women to go out, and that which is born of them, by the counsel of the Lord, and of those trembling at the command of our God, and according to law it is done;

4 A rise, for it is your duty, and we are with you. Be strong and brave and do it.

rise, for on thee the matter, and we with thee; be strong, and do.'

5 T hen Ezra arose and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel swear that they would do as had been said. So they took the oath.

And Ezra riseth, and causeth the heads of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear to do according to this word -- and they swear.

6 T hen Ezra came from before the house of God and went into the lodging place of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. There he ate no bread and drank no water, for he mourned over the returned exiles’ faithlessness.

And Ezra riseth from before the house of God, and goeth unto the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib; yea, he goeth there, bread he hath not eaten, and water he hath not drunk, for he is mourning because of the trespass of the removal.

7 A nd proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles, that they should assemble in Jerusalem,

And they cause a voice to pass over into Judah and Jerusalem, to all sons of the removal, to be gathered to Jerusalem,

8 A nd that whoever did not come within three days, by order of the officials and the elders, all his property should be forfeited and he himself banned from the assembly of the exiles.

and every one who cometh not in by the third day, according to the counsel of the heads and of the elders, all his substance is devoted, and himself separated from the assembly of the removal.

9 T hen all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered at Jerusalem within three days. It was the twentieth day of the ninth month, and all the people sat in the open space before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.

And gathered are all the men of Judah and Benjamin to Jerusalem by the third day, it the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month, and all the people sit in the broad place of the house of God, trembling on account of the matter and of the showers.

10 A nd Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, You have acted wickedly and broken faith and have married foreign (heathen) women, increasing the guilt of Israel.

And Ezra the priest riseth, and saith unto them, `Ye -- ye have trespassed, and ye settle strange women, to add to the guilt of Israel;

11 S o now make confession and give thanks to the Lord, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from foreign (heathen) wives.

and, now, make confession to Jehovah, God of your fathers, and do His good pleasure, and be separated from the peoples of the land, and from the strange women.'

12 T hen all the assembly answered with a loud voice, As you have said, so must we do.

And all the assembly answer and say a great voice, `Right; according to thy word -- on us to do;

13 B ut the people are many and it is a time of heavy rain; we cannot stand outside. Nor can this work be done in a day or two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.

but the people many, and the time of showers, and there is no power to stand without, and the work not for one day, nor for two, for we have multiplied to transgress in this thing.

14 L et our officials stand for the whole assembly; let all in our cities who have foreign wives come by appointment, and with each group the elders of that city and its judges, until the fierce wrath of our God over this matter is turned away from us.

`Let, we pray thee, our heads of all the assembly stand, and all who in our cities, who have settled strange wives, do come in at the times appointed, and with them the elders of city and city, and its judges, till the turning back of the fury of the wrath of our God from us, for this thing.'

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

Only Jonathan son of Asahel, and Jahaziah son of Tikvah, stood against this, and Meshullam, and Shabbethai the Levite, helped them.

16 T hen the returned exiles did so. Ezra the priest and certain heads of fathers’ houses were selected, according to their fathers’ houses, each of them by name; and they sat down on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter.

And the sons of the removal do so, and Ezra the priest, men, heads of the fathers, for the house of their fathers, are separated, even all of them by name, and they sit on the first day of the tenth month, to examine the matter;

17 A nd by the first day of the first month they had come to the end of the cases of the men married to foreign wives.

and they finish with all the men who have settled strange women unto the first day of the first month.

18 O f the sons of the priests who had married non-Jewish women were found: of the sons of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brethren: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.

And there are found of the sons of the priests that have settled strange women: of the sons of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brethren, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah;

19 T hey solemnly vowed to put away their wives, and, being guilty, offered a ram of the flock for guilt.

and they give their hand to send out their wives, and, being guilty, a ram of the flock, for their guilt.

20 O f the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

And of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah;

21 O f the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.

and of the sons of Harim: Masseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah;

22 O f the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

and of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

23 O f the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

And of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah -- he Kelita, -- Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

24 O f the singers: Eliashib. Of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

And of the singers: Eliashib. And of the gatekeepers: Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.

25 A nd of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah (Hashabiah), and Benaiah.

And of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchijah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

26 O f the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.

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

27 O f the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.

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

28 O f the sons also of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

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

29 O f the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.

And of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.

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

And of the sons of Pahath-Moab: Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

31 O f the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

And of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 B enjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.

33 O f the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei.

34 O f the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,

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

35 B enaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi (Cheluhu),

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhu,

36 V aniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 M attaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu,

Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,

38 B ani, Binnui, Shimei,

and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,

39 S helemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

40 M achnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

Machnadbai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 A zarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 S hallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.

43 O f the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo (Jaddai), Joel, and Benaiah.

Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah;

44 A ll these had married foreign women, and some of the wives had borne children.

all these have taken strange women, and there are of them women -- who adopt sons.