1 A nd while Ezra prayed, and made confession, weeping and falling down before the house of God, there were gathered to him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children; for the people wept very much.

Now 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.

2 A nd Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, We have acted unfaithfully toward our God, and have taken foreign wives of the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.

And 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.

3 A nd now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of lord, and of those that tremble at the commandments of our God; and let it be done according to the law.

Therefore 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.

4 A rise, for this matter is incumbent on thee, and we will be with thee: be of good courage, and do.

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

5 T hen Ezra arose, and made the chiefs of the priests, of the Levites, and of all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word. And they swore.

Then 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.

6 A nd Ezra arose from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib; and when he came thither, he ate no bread and drank no water; for he mourned because of the unfaithfulness of them that had been carried away.

Then 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.

7 A nd they made proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;

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

8 a nd that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be confiscated, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.

And 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.

9 T hen were all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered together at Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month; and all the people sat in the open space of the house of God, trembling because of the matter, and because of the pouring rain.

Then 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.

10 A nd Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, Ye have acted unfaithfully, and have taken foreign wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.

And 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.

11 A nd now make confession to Jehovah the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure, and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign wives.

So 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.

12 A nd the whole congregation answered and said with a loud voice, Yes, it is for us to do according to thy words.

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

13 B ut the people are many, and it is a time of pouring rain, and it is not possible to stand without: neither is this a work for one day or two; for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.

But 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.

14 L et now our princes, while this matter is going on, stand for all the congregation, and let all those that have taken foreign wives in our cities come at the appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce anger of our God be turned from us.

Let 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.

15 O nly Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.

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

16 A nd the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest certain of the chief fathers were separated according to their fathers' houses, and all of them by name; and they sat down on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

Then 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.

17 A nd they ended with all the men that had taken foreign wives by the first day of the first month.

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

18 A nd among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken foreign wives, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren: Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.

Of 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.

19 A nd they gave their hand to send away their wives; and they offered a ram of the flock, as trespass-offering for their guilt.

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

20 A nd of the children of Immer: Hanani, and Zebadiah.

Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

21 A nd of the children of Harim: Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.

Of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.

22 A nd of the children of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

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

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

Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

24 A nd of the singers: Eliashib. And of the doorkeepers: Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.

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

25 A nd of Israel; of the children of Parosh: Ramiah, and Jizzijah, and Malchijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

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

26 A nd of the children of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Elijah.

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

27 A nd of the children of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.

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

28 A nd of the children of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.

Of the sons also of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

29 A nd of the children of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.

Of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.

30 A nd of the children of Pahath-Moab: Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

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

31 A nd the children of Harim: Eliezer, Jishijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Simeon,

Of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 B enjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.

Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

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

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

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

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

35 B enaiah, Bediah, Cheluhu,

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi (Cheluhu),

36 V aniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 M attaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasai,

Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu,

38 a nd Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,

Bani, Binnui, Shimei,

39 a nd Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

40 M achnadbai, Shashai, Sharai,

Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 A zareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 S hallum, Amariah, Joseph.

Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

43 O f the children of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, and Joel, Benaiah.

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

44 A ll these had taken foreign wives; and there were among them wives who had had children.

All these had married foreign women, and some of the wives had borne children.