1 N ow while Ezra was praying, and while he was confessing, weeping, and bowing down before the house of God, a very large assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept very bitterly.

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 A nd Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have taken pagan wives from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this.

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 put away all these wives and those who have been born to them, according to the advice of my master and of those who tremble at 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 is your responsibility. We also are with you. 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 leaders of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel swear an oath that they would do according to this word. So they swore an oath.

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 T hen Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib; and when he came there, he ate no bread and drank no water, for he mourned because of the guilt of those from the captivity.

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 issued a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the descendants of the captivity, that they must gather at 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 instructions of the leaders and elders, all his property would be confiscated, and he himself would be separated from the assembly of those from the captivity.

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

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 T hen Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have transgressed and have taken pagan wives, adding to the guilt 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 to the Lord God of your fathers, and do His will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the pagan wives.”

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 assembly answered and said with a loud voice, “Yes! As you have said, so we must do.

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 there are many people; it is the season for heavy rain, and we are not able to stand outside. Nor is this the work of one or two days, for there are many of us who have transgressed in this matter.

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 P lease, let the leaders of our entire assembly stand; and let all those in our cities who have taken pagan wives come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of their cities, until the fierce wrath of our God is turned away from us in this matter.”

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 O nly Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite gave them support.

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

16 T hen the descendants of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain heads of the fathers’ households, were set apart by the fathers’ households, each of them by name; and they sat down on the first day of the tenth month to examine 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 B y the first day of the first month they finished questioning all the men who had taken pagan wives. Pagan Wives Put Away

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 who had taken pagan wives the following were found of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, 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 promise that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they presented a ram of the flock as their trespass offering.

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

20 A lso of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah;

Of the sons of Immer there were Hanani and Zebadiah;

21 o f the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah;

and of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, 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, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah.

23 A lso 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 lso of the singers: Eliashib; and of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

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

25 A nd others of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Jeziah, Malchiah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah;

Of Israel, of the sons of Parosh there were Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah and Benaiah;

26 o f 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 o f 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 o f the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;

and of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai;

29 o f 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 o f the sons of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh;

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

31 o f the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchijah, 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, Mattattah, 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, Uel,

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

35 B enaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluh,

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,

36 V aniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 M attaniah, Mattenai, Jaasai,

Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu,

38 B ani, Binnui, Shimei,

Bani, Binnui, Shimei,

39 S helemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

40 M achnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 A zarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 S hallum, Amariah, and Joseph;

Shallum, Amariah and Joseph.

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

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

44 A ll these had taken pagan wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had children.

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