1 N ow while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before God’s house, there was gathered together to him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very bitterly.

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 S hecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered 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.

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 N ow 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 who tremble at the commandment of our God. 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 the matter belongs to you, and we are with you. Be courageous, and do it.”

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, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word. So 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 T hen Ezra rose up from before God’s house, and went into the room of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came there, he ate no bread, nor drank water; for he mourned because of their trespass of the captivity.

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 T hey made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem;

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

8 a nd that whoever didn’t come 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.

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 all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month: and all the people sat in the wide place in front of God’s house, trembling because of this matter, and for the great 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 E zra the priest stood up, and said to them, “You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, to increase the guilt 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 N ow therefore make confession to Yahweh, the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women.”

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 T hen all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “As you have said concerning us, so must we do.

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 much rain, and we are not able to stand outside; neither is this a work of one day or two; for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.

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 be appointed for all the assembly, and let all those who are in our cities who have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and its judges, until the fierce wrath of our God be turned from us, until this matter is resolved.”

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 T he children of the captivity did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers’ households, 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.

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 T hey made an end with all the men who had married foreign women 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 mong the sons of the priests there were found who had married foreign women: of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers, 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 T hey gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guilt.

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

20 O f the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

21 O f the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.

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.

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

23 O f the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

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

24 O f the singers: Eliashib. Of the porters: Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.

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

25 O f Israel: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, and Izziah, 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 O f the sons 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 O f the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.

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

28 O f the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.

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

29 O f the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, Jeremoth.

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

30 O f the sons of Pahathmoab: Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

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

31 O f the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

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

32 B enjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.

Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

33 O f the sons 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, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi (Cheluhu),

36 V aniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 M attaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu,

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 achnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 A zarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 S hallum, Amariah, Joseph.

Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

43 O f the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, 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 some of them had wives by whom they had children.

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