Ezra 10

¹ While Ezra, weeping and prostrate before the Temple of God, prayed and confessed, a great crowd of Israelites gathered round him, men, women and children, weeping bitterly too.

² Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, ‘We have betrayed our God by marrying foreign women, taken from the natives of the countries. But, in spite of this, there is still some hope for Israel.

³ We will make a solemn promise before our God to put away our foreign wives and the children born to them, as my lord and those who tremble at the commandment of our God may advise. Let us act in accordance with the Law. Up!

⁴ This is for you to decide, but we will support you. Take courage; to work!

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.

⁶ Ezra left his place before the Temple of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, where he spent the night without eating bread or drinking water; he was in mourning for the exiles’ treachery.

⁷ A proclamation was issued in Judah and in Jerusalem to all the exiles that they were to assemble in Jerusalem:

⁸ anyone who did not come within three days-such was the warning of the leaders and elders-would have all his goods seized and would himself be excluded from the community of the exiles.

⁹ As a result, all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, the twentieth day of the month; all the people gathered in the square before the Temple of God; the occasion itself, and the heavy rain, had them trembling.

¹⁰ Then Ezra the priest stood up and spoke, ‘You have committed treason by marrying foreign women; you have added to the sin of Israel.

¹¹ But now give thanks to Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, and do his will, by separating from the natives of the country and from your foreign wives.’

¹² In a loud voice the whole assembly answered, ‘Yes, our duty is to do as you say.

¹³ But there are a great 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 sinned in this respect.

¹⁴ Our leaders could represent the full assembly; all those from our towns who have foreign wives could come at stated times, accompanied by elders and judges from each town, until we have turned away God’s anger which has been thus roused against us.’

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

¹⁶ The exiles acted on this suggestion. Ezra the priest chose as helpers the heads of families for each House, all designated by name. The session for investigating individual cases began on the first day of the tenth month.

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

¹⁸ Among the members of the priesthood, these are the names of those who were found to have married foreign women: among the sons of Jeshua son of Jozadak and among his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah;

¹⁹ they pledged their word to put their wives away and, for their sin, offered a ram as a sacrifice of reparation;

²⁰ among the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah;

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

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

²³ Among the Levites:

²⁴ Among the cantors:

²⁵ And among the Israelites:

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

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

²⁸ of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai;

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

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

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

³² Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah;

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

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

³⁵ Benaiah, Bediah, Cheluhi,

³⁶ Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

³⁷ Mattaniah, Mattenai and Jaasau;

³⁸ of the sons of Binnui: Shimei,

³⁹ Shelemiah, Nathan and Adaiah;

⁴⁰ of the sons of Zaccai: Shashai, Sharai,

⁴¹ Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

⁴² Shallum, Amariah, Joseph;

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

⁴⁴ All these had married foreign wives; they put them away, both women and children.