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 was praying and making confession, weeping and prostrating himself before the house of God, a very large assembly, men, women and children, gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept bitterly.

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.

Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, said to Ezra, “ We have been unfaithful to our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope for Israel in spite of this.

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.

So now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who 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 this matter is your responsibility, but we will be with you; be courageous and act.”

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 Ezra rose and made the leading priests, the Levites and all Israel, take oath that they would do according to this proposal; so they took the oath.

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 from before the house of God and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. Although he went there, he did not eat bread nor drink water, for he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.

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

They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the exiles, that they should assemble at 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 whoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the leaders and the elders, all his possessions should be forfeited and he himself excluded from the assembly of the exiles.

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.

So all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month on the twentieth of the month, and all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and the heavy 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.

Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful and have married foreign wives adding to 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 to the Lord God of your fathers and do His will; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.”

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 replied with a loud voice, “That’s right! As you have said, so it is our duty to 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 there are many people; it is the rainy season and we are not able to stand in the open. Nor can the task be done in one or two days, for we have transgressed greatly 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 our leaders represent the whole assembly and let all those in our cities who have married foreign wives come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each city, until the fierce anger of our God on account of this matter is turned away from us.”

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 opposed this, with Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting 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.

But the exiles did so. And Ezra the priest selected men who were heads of fathers’ households for each of their father’s households, all of them by name. So they convened on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter.

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

They finished investigating all the men who had married foreign wives by the first day of the first month. List of Offenders

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.

Among the sons of the priests who had married foreign wives were found of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, 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.

They pledged to put away their wives, and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their offense.

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

Of the sons of Immer there were Hanani and Zebadiah;

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

and of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, 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.

Of Levites there were Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.

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

Of the singers there was Eliashib; and of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem and Uri.

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

Of Israel, of the sons of Parosh there were Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, 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, Jehiel, Abdi, 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, Jeremoth, 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 and 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, Sheal and 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, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, 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 and 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 and Shimei;

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

of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, 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, Jaasu,

38 B ani, Binnui, Shimei,

Bani, Binnui, Shimei,

39 S helemiah, Nathan, and Adaiah,

Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

40 M achnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 A zareel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 S hallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

Shallum, Amariah and Joseph.

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

Of the sons of Nebo there were Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah.

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

All these had married foreign wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had children.