1 A nd at Ezra's praying, and at his making confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there have been gathered unto him out of Israel an assembly very great -- men and women and children -- for the people have wept, multiplying weeping.

Now 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.

2 A nd Shechaniah son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, answereth and saith to Ezra, `We -- we have trespassed against our God, and we settle strange women of the peoples of the land; and now there is hope for Israel concerning this,

And 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.

3 a nd now, let us make a covenant with our God, to cause all the women to go out, and that which is born of them, by the counsel of the Lord, and of those trembling at the command of our God, and according to law it is done;

Now 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.

4 r ise, for on thee the matter, and we with thee; be strong, and do.'

Arise, for this matter is your responsibility. We also are with you. Be of good courage, and do it. ”

5 A nd Ezra riseth, and causeth the heads of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear to do according to this word -- and they swear.

Then 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.

6 A nd Ezra riseth from before the house of God, and goeth unto the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib; yea, he goeth there, bread he hath not eaten, and water he hath not drunk, for he is mourning because of the trespass of the removal.

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 there, he ate no bread and drank no water, for he mourned because of the guilt of those from the captivity.

7 A nd they cause a voice to pass over into Judah and Jerusalem, to all sons of the removal, to be gathered to Jerusalem,

And they issued a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the descendants of the captivity, that they must gather at Jerusalem,

8 a nd every one who cometh not in by the third day, according to the counsel of the heads and of the elders, all his substance is devoted, and himself separated from the assembly of the removal.

and 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.

9 A nd gathered are all the men of Judah and Benjamin to Jerusalem by the third day, it the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month, and all the people sit in the broad place of the house of God, trembling on account of the matter and of the showers.

So 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.

10 A nd Ezra the priest riseth, and saith unto them, `Ye -- ye have trespassed, and ye settle strange women, to add to the guilt of Israel;

Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have transgressed and have taken pagan wives, adding to the guilt of Israel.

11 a nd, now, make confession to Jehovah, God of your fathers, and do His good pleasure, and be separated from the peoples of the land, and from the strange women.'

Now 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.”

12 A nd all the assembly answer and say a great voice, `Right; according to thy word -- on us to do;

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

13 b ut the people many, and the time of showers, and there is no power to stand without, and the work not for one day, nor for two, for we have multiplied to transgress in this thing.

But 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.

14 ` Let, we pray thee, our heads of all the assembly stand, and all who in our cities, who have settled strange wives, do come in at the times appointed, and with them the elders of city and city, and its judges, till the turning back of the fury of the wrath of our God from us, for this thing.'

Please, 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.”

15 O nly Jonathan son of Asahel, and Jahaziah son of Tikvah, stood against this, and Meshullam, and Shabbethai the Levite, helped them.

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

16 A nd the sons of the removal do so, and Ezra the priest, men, heads of the fathers, for the house of their fathers, are separated, even all of them by name, and they sit on the first day of the tenth month, to examine the matter;

Then 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.

17 a nd they finish with all the men who have settled strange women unto the first day of the first month.

By the first day of the first month they finished questioning all the men who had taken pagan wives. Pagan Wives Put Away

18 A nd there are found of the sons of the priests that have settled strange women: of the sons of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brethren, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah;

And 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.

19 a nd they give their hand to send out their wives, and, being guilty, a ram of the flock, for their guilt.

And 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.

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

Also of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah;

21 a nd of the sons of Harim: Masseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah;

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

22 a nd of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

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

23 A nd of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah -- he Kelita, -- Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

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

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

Also of the singers: Eliashib; and of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

25 A nd of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchijah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

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

26 A nd of 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 Eliah;

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

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

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

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

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

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,

of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 B enjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.

Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah;

33 O f the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattathah, 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, Cheluhu,

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluh,

36 V aniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 M attaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,

Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasai,

38 a nd Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,

Bani, Binnui, Shimei,

39 a nd Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

40 M achnadbai, Shashai, Sharai,

Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 A zareel, 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, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah;

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

44 a ll these have taken strange women, and there are of them women -- who adopt sons.

All these had taken pagan wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had children.