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 as Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children; and the people wept very sore.

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.

Then Shechaniah, the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have rebelled against our God and have taken strange women of the peoples of the land, but there is yet hope for Israel concerning 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.

Now, therefore, let us make a covenant with our God to send away all the women and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of the Lord and of those that fear the commandment 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 this matter belongs unto thee; we also will be with thee: be of good courage, 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 princes of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, swear that they should do according to this word. And they swore.

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 rose up from before the house of God and went into the chamber of Johanan, the son of Eliashib; and when he came there, he ate no bread, nor drank water; for he mourned because of the transgression of those that had been carried away.

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 they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the sons of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto 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 would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and of the elders, all his substance should be forfeited and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.

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.

Thus were all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month; and all the people sat in the plaza of the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the rains.

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 unto them, Ye have transgressed because ye have taken strange women, thus increasing the guiltiness 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.

Now, therefore, make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers and do his will; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the lands and from the strange women.

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 congregation answered and said with a loud voice, Let it be done according to thy word.

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 much rain, and there is no strength to stand in the street; neither is this a work of one day or two; for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.

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 rulers of all the congregation now stand, and let all those who have taken strange women in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of each city and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter is turned 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.

¶ Jonathan, the son of Asahel, and Jahaziah, the son of Tikvah, were placed over this matter; and Meshullam and Shabbethai, the Levites, helped 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.

And the sons of the captivity did so. And Ezra, the priest, and the men who were the heads of the fathers in the house of their fathers were separated, all of them by their names, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to inquire into 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 they finished, with all the men that had taken strange women by the first day of the first month.

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.

And among the sons of the priests that had taken strange women these were found: Of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and of his brethren: Maaseiah and Eliezer, and 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.

And they gave their hands that they would send away their women; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guiltiness.

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

And 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.

And 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.

And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

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

And of the sons of the Levites; Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,)Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

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

And of the singers; Eliashib; and of the porters; 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.

Likewise of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, Jeziah, Malchiah, Miamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.

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

And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Eliah.

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

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

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

And of the sons of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

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

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

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

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

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

And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, 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, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

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

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

35 B enaiah, Bediah, Cheluhu,

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,

36 V aniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 M attaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasai,

Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,

38 a nd Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,

Bani, Binnui, Shimei,

39 a nd Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

Shelemiah, Nathan, and Adaiah,

40 M achnadbai, Shashai, Sharai,

Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 A zareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

Azareel, 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.

And of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, Joel, and Benaiah.

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

All these had taken strange women, and there were women of theirs who had given birth to sons.