1 ¶ 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.

Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there was gathered together unto him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very sore.

2 T hen 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.

And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land: yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.

3 N ow, 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.

Now therefore 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 my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.

4 A rise; for this matter belongs unto thee; we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.

Arise; for the matter belongeth unto thee, and we are with thee: be of good courage, and do it.

5 T hen 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.

Then arose Ezra, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word. So they sware.

6 ¶ 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.

Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water; for he mourned because of the trespass of them of the captivity.

7 A nd they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the sons of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem

And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;

8 a nd 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.

and that whosoever came not within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the assembly of the captivity.

9 T hus 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.

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month: and all the people sat in the broad place before the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

10 A nd Ezra, the priest, stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed because ye have taken strange women, thus increasing the guiltiness of Israel.

And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have trespassed, and have married foreign women, to increase the guilt of Israel.

11 N ow, 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.

Now therefore make confession unto Jehovah, the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women.

12 T hen all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, Let it be done according to thy word.

Then all the assembly answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said concerning us, so must we do.

13 B ut 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.

But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without: neither is this a work of one day or two; for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.

14 L et 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.

Let now our princes be appointed for all the assembly, and let all them that are in our cities that have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God be turned from us, until this matter be despatched.

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

Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this matter: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.

16 A nd 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.

And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers' houses, after their fathers' houses, and all of them by their names, were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

17 A nd they finished, with all the men that had taken strange women by the first day of the first month.

And they made an end with all the men that had married foreign women by the first day of the first month.

18 A nd 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.

And among the sons of the priests there were found that had married foreign women: namely, of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brethren, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.

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

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.

20 A nd of the sons of Immer; Hanani and Zebadiah.

And of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

21 A nd of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.

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

22 A nd of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

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

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

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

24 A nd of the singers; Eliashib; and of the porters; Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

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

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

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

26 A nd of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Eliah.

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

27 A nd of 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 A nd of the sons of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

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

29 A nd of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Ramoth.

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

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

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

31 A nd of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

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

32 B enjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.

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

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

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

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

35 B enaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,

36 V aniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 M attaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,

Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu,

38 B ani, Binnui, Shimei,

and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,

39 S helemiah, Nathan, and Adaiah,

and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

40 M achnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 A zareel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 S hallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.

43 A nd of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, Joel, and Benaiah.

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

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

All these had taken foreign wives; and some of them had wives by whom they had children.