Ezra, 10

1. While Ezra, weeping and prostrating himself in front of the Temple of God, was praying and making confession, a very large crowd of men, women and children of Israel gathered round him, the people weeping bitterly.

1. While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel; for the people wept bitterly.

2. Then Shechaniah son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, 'We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the people of the country. But, in spite of this, there is still some hope for Israel.

2. And Shecani'ah the son of Jehi'el, of the sons of Elam, addressed Ezra: "We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this.

3. We will make a covenant with our God to send away all the foreign wives and their children in obedience to the advice of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God. Let us act in accordance with the Law.

3. Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these 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. Go ahead, do your duty; we support you. Be brave, take action!'

4. Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it."

5. Then Ezra stood up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel on oath to do what had been said. They took the oath.

5. Then Ezra arose and made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel take oath that they would do as had been said. So they took the oath.

6. Ezra then left his place in front of the Temple of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, where he spent the night without eating food or drinking water, because he was still mourning over the exiles' infidelity.

6. Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God, and went to the chamber of Jehoha'nan the son of Eli'ashib, where he spent the night, neither eating bread nor drinking water; for he was mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles.

7. A proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles were to assemble in Jerusalem,

7. And a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should assemble at Jerusalem,

8. and that anyone who failed within three days to answer the summons of the officials and elders was to forfeit all his possessions and himself be excluded from the community of the exiles.

8. and that if any one 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 congregation of the exiles.

9. As a result, all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem within the three days; it was the twentieth day of the ninth month. All the people sat down in the square in front of the Temple of God, trembling because of the matter in hand and because of the heavy rain.

9. Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.

10. The priest Ezra then stood up and said to them, 'You have been unfaithful and have married foreign wives, thus adding to Israel's guilt.

10. And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have trespassed and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel.

11. So now give thanks to Yahweh, God of your ancestors, and do his will by holding aloof from the people of the country and from foreign wives.'

11. Now then make confession to the LORD the God of your fathers, and do his will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives."

12. In ringing tones, the whole assembly answered, 'Yes, our duty is to do as you say.

12. Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, "It is so; we must do as you have said.

13. But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; we cannot stay out in the open; besides, this is not something that can be dealt with in one or two days, since many of us have been unfaithful over this.

13. But the people are many, and it is a time of heavy rain; we cannot stand in the open. Nor is this a work for one day or for two; for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.

14. Let our officials deputise for the whole community, and all the people in our towns who have married foreign wives can come at stated times, accompanied by elders and judges from each town, until our God's fierce anger over this is turned away from us.'

14. Let our officials stand for the whole assembly; let all in our cities who have taken foreign wives come at appointed times, and with them the elders and judges of every city, till the fierce wrath of our God over this matter be averted from us."

15. Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, were opposed to this.

15. Only Jonathan the son of As'ahel and Jahzei'ah the son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshul'lum and Shab'bethai the Levite supported them.

16. The exiles did as had been proposed. And the priest Ezra selected the family heads of the various families, all of them by name, who began their sittings on the first day of the tenth month to look into the matter.

16. Then the returned exiles did so. Ezra the priest selected men, heads of fathers' houses, according to their fathers' houses, each of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to examine the matter;

17. And by the first day of the first month they had dealt with all the men who had married foreign women.

17. and by the first day of the first month they had come to the end of all the men who had married foreign women.

18. Among the priests who were found to have married foreign wives were: of the sons of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah,

18. Of the sons of the priests who had married foreign women were found Ma-asei'ah, Elie'zer, Jarib, and Gedali'ah, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jo'zadak and his brethren.

19. who agreed to send their wives away; their guilt offering was a ram from the flock for their guilt;

19. They pledged themselves to put away their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt.

20. of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah;

20. Of the sons of Immer: Hana'ni and Zebadi'ah.

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

21. Of the sons of Harim: Ma-asei'ah, Eli'jah, Shemai'ah, Jehi'el, and Uzzi'ah.

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

22. Of the sons of Pashhur: Eli-o-e'nai, Ma-asei'ah, Ish'mael, Nethan'el, Jo'zabad, and Ela'sah.

23. of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah -- that is, Kelita-Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer;

23. Of the Levites: Jo'zabad, Shim'e-i, Kelai'ah (that is, Keli'ta), Petha-hi'ah, Judah, and Elie'zer.

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

24. Of the singers: Eli'ashib. Of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

25. and of the Israelites: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah and Benaiah;

25. And of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Rami'ah, Izzi'ah, Malchi'jah, Mi'jamin, Elea'zar, Hashabi'ah, and Benai'ah.

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

26. Of the sons of Elam: Mattani'ah, Zechari'ah, Jehi'el, Abdi, Jer'emoth, and Eli'jah.

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

27. Of the sons of Zattu: Eli-o-e'nai, Eli'ashib, Mattani'ah, Jer'emoth, Zabad, and Azi'za.

28. of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Atlai;

28. Of the sons of Be'bai were Jehoha'nan, Hanani'ah, Zab'bai, and Ath'lai.

29. of the sons of Bigvai: Meshullam, Malluch, Jedaiah, Jashub, Sheal, Jeremoth;

29. Of the sons of Bani were Meshul'lum, Malluch, Adai'ah, Jashub, She'al, and Jer'emoth.

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

30. Of the sons of Pa'hath-mo'ab: Adna, Chelal, Benai'ah, Ma-asei'ah, Mattani'ah, Bez'alel, Bin'nui, and Manas'seh.

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

31. Of the sons of Harim: Elie'zer, Isshi'jah, Malchi'jah, Shemai'ah, Shim'e-on,

32. Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah;

32. Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemari'ah.

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

33. Of the sons of Hashum: Matte'nai, Mat'tattah, Zabad, Eliph'elet, Jer'emai, Manas'seh, and Shim'e-i.

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

34. Of the sons of Bani: Ma-ada'i, Amram, Uel,

35. Benaiah, Bediah, Jeluhi,

35. Benai'ah, Bedei'ah, Chel'uhi,

36. Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

36. Vani'ah, Mer'emoth, Eli'ashib,

37. Mattaniah, Mattenai and Jaasau;

37. Mattani'ah, Matte'nai, Ja'asu.

38. of the sons of Binnui: Shimei,

38. Of the sons of Bin'nui: Shim'e-i,

39. Shelemiah, Nathan and Adaiah;

39. Shelemi'ah, Nathan, Adai'ah,

40. of the sons of Zaccai: Shashai, Sharai,

40. Machnad'ebai, Shashai, Sha'rai,

41. Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

41. Az'arel, Shelemi'ah, Shemari'ah,

42. Shallum, Amariah, Joseph;

42. Shallum, Amari'ah, and Joseph.

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

43. Of the sons of Nebo: Je-i'el, Mattithi'ah, Zabad, Zebi'na, Jaddai, Jo'el, and Benai'ah.

44. All these had married foreign wives but sent them away with their children.

44. All these had married foreign women, and they put them away with their children.