1
Now when Ezra[H5830] had prayed[H6419], and when he had confessed[H3034], weeping[H1058] and casting himself down[H5307]before[H6440] the house[H1004] of God[H430], there assembled[H6908] unto him out of Israel[H3478] a very[H3966]great[H7227]congregation[H6951] of men[H582] and women[H802] and children[H3206]: for the people[H5971]wept[H1058]very[H7235]sore[H1059].
2
And Shechaniah[H7935] the son[H1121] of Jehiel[H3171], one of the sons[H1121] of Elam[H5867], answered[H6030] and said[H559] unto Ezra[H5830], We have trespassed[H4603] against our God[H430], and have taken[H3427]strange[H5237]wives[H802] of the people[H5971] of the land[H776]: yet now there is[H3426]hope[H4723] in Israel[H3478] concerning this thing.
3
Now therefore let us make[H3772] a covenant[H1285] with our God[H430] to put away[H3318] all the wives[H802], and such as are born[H3205] of them, according to the counsel[H6098] of my lord[H136], and of those that tremble[H2730] at the commandment[H4687] of our God[H430]; and let it be done[H6213] according to the law[H8451].
4Arise[H6965]; for this matter[H1697] belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage[H2388], and do[H6213] it.
5
Then arose[H6965]Ezra[H5830], and made the chief[H8269]priests[H3548], the Levites[H3881], and all Israel[H3478], to swear[H7650] that they should do[H6213] according to this word[H1697]. And they sware[H7650].
6
Then Ezra[H5830] rose up[H6965] from before[H6440] the house[H1004] of God[H430], and went[H3212] into the chamber[H3957] of Johanan[H3076] the son[H1121] of Eliashib[H475]: and when he came[H3212] thither, he did eat[H398] no bread[H3899], nor drink[H8354]water[H4325]: for he mourned[H56] because of the transgression[H4604] of them that had been carried away[H1473].
7
And they made proclamation[H5674] throughout Judah[H3063] and Jerusalem[H3389] unto all the children[H1121] of the captivity[H1473], that they should gather themselves together[H6908] unto Jerusalem[H3389];
8
And that whosoever would not come[H935] within three[H7969]days[H3117], according to the counsel[H6098] of the princes[H8269] and the elders[H2205], all his substance[H7399] should be forfeited[H2763], and himself separated[H914] from the congregation[H6951] of those that had been carried away[H1473].
9
Then all the men[H582] of Judah[H3063] and Benjamin[H1144] gathered themselves together[H6908] unto Jerusalem[H3389] within three[H7969]days[H3117]. It was the ninth[H8671]month[H2320], on the twentieth[H6242] day of the month[H2320]; and all the people[H5971]sat[H3427] in the street[H7339] of the house[H1004] of God[H430], trembling[H7460] because of this matter[H1697], and for the great rain[H1653].
10
And Ezra[H5830] the priest[H3548] stood up[H6965], and said[H559] unto them, Ye have transgressed[H4603], and have taken[H3427]strange[H5237]wives[H802], to increase[H3254] the trespass[H819] of Israel[H3478].
11
Now therefore make[H5414]confession[H8426] unto the LORD[H3068]God[H430] of your fathers[H1], and do[H6213] his pleasure[H7522]: and separate[H914] yourselves from the people[H5971] of the land[H776], and from the strange[H5237]wives[H802].
12
Then all the congregation[H6951]answered[H6030] and said[H559] with a loud[H1419]voice[H6963], As thou hast said[H1697], so must we do[H6213].
13But[H61] the people[H5971] are many[H7227], and it is a time[H6256] of much rain[H1653], and we are not able[H3581] to stand[H5975]without[H2351], neither is this a work[H4399] of one[H259]day[H3117] or two[H8147]: for we are many[H7235] that have transgressed[H6586] in this thing[H1697].
14
Let now our rulers[H8269] of all the congregation[H6951]stand[H5975], and let all them which have taken[H3427]strange[H5237]wives[H802] in our cities[H5892]come[H935] at appointed[H2163]times[H6256], and with them the elders[H2205] of every city[H5892], and the judges[H8199] thereof, until the fierce[H2740]wrath[H639] of our God[H430] for this matter[H1697] be turned[H7725] from us.
15
Only Jonathan[H3129] the son[H1121] of Asahel[H6214] and Jahaziah[H3167] the son[H1121] of Tikvah[H8616] were employed[H5975] about this matter: and Meshullam[H4918] and Shabbethai[H7678] the Levite[H3881]helped[H5826] them.
16
And the children[H1121] of the captivity[H1473] did so[H6213]. And Ezra[H5830] the priest[H3548], with certain[H582]chief[H7218] of the fathers[H1], after the house[H1004] of their fathers[H1], and all of them by their names[H8034], were separated[H914], and sat down[H3427] in the first[H259]day[H3117] of the tenth[H6224]month[H2320] to examine[H1875] the matter[H1697].
17
And they made an end[H3615] with all the men[H582] that had taken[H3427]strange[H5237]wives[H802] by the first[H259]day[H3117] of the first[H7223]month[H2320].
18
And among the sons[H1121] of the priests[H3548] there were found[H4672] that had taken[H3427]strange[H5237]wives[H802]: namely, of the sons[H1121] of Jeshua[H3442] the son[H1121] of Jozadak[H3136], and his brethren[H251]; Maaseiah[H4641], and Eliezer[H461], and Jarib[H3402], and Gedaliah[H1436].
19
And they gave[H5414] their hands[H3027] that they would put away[H3318] their wives[H802]; and being guilty[H818], they offered a ram[H352] of the flock[H6629] for their trespass[H819].
20
And of the sons[H1121] of Immer[H564]; Hanani[H2607], and Zebadiah[H2069].
21
And of the sons[H1121] of Harim[H2766]; Maaseiah[H4641], and Elijah[H452], and Shemaiah[H8098], and Jehiel[H3171], and Uzziah[H5818].
22
And of the sons[H1121] of Pashur[H6583]; Elioenai[H454], Maaseiah[H4641], Ishmael[H3458], Nethaneel[H5417], Jozabad[H3107], and Elasah[H501].
23
Also of the Levites[H3881]; Jozabad[H3107], and Shimei[H8096], and Kelaiah,(the same is Kelita[H7042],) Pethahiah[H6611], Judah[H3063], and Eliezer[H461].
24
Of the singers[H7891] also; Eliashib[H475]: and of the porters[H7778]; Shallum[H7967], and Telem[H2928], and Uri[H221].
25
Moreover of Israel[H3478]: of the sons[H1121] of Parosh[H6551]; Ramiah[H7422], and Jeziah[H3150], and Malchiah[H4441], and Miamin[H4326], and Eleazar[H499], and Malchijah[H4441], and Benaiah[H1141].
26
And of the sons[H1121] of Elam[H5867]; Mattaniah[H4983], Zechariah[H2148], and Jehiel[H3171], and Abdi[H5660], and Jeremoth[H3406], and Eliah[H452].
27
And of the sons[H1121] of Zattu[H2240]; Elioenai[H454], Eliashib[H475], Mattaniah[H4983], and Jeremoth[H3406], and Zabad[H2066], and Aziza[H5819].
28
Of the sons[H1121] also of Bebai[H893]; Jehohanan[H3076], Hananiah[H2608], Zabbai[H2140], and Athlai[H6270].
29
And of the sons[H1121] of Bani[H1137]; Meshullam[H4918], Malluch[H4409], and Adaiah[H5718], Jashub[H3437], and Sheal[H7594], and Ramoth[H7433].
30
And of the sons[H1121] of Pahathmoab[H6355]; Adna[H5733], and Chelal[H3636], Benaiah[H1141], Maaseiah[H4641], Mattaniah[H4983], Bezaleel[H1212], and Binnui[H1131], and Manasseh[H4519].
31
And of the sons[H1121] of Harim[H2766]; Eliezer[H461], Ishijah[H3449], Malchiah[H4441], Shemaiah[H8098], Shimeon[H8095],
32Benjamin[H1144], Malluch[H4409], and Shemariah[H8114].
33
Of the sons[H1121] of Hashum[H2828]; Mattenai[H4982], Mattathah[H4992], Zabad[H2066], Eliphelet[H467], Jeremai[H3413], Manasseh[H4519], and Shimei[H8096].
34
Of the sons[H1121] of Bani[H1137]; Maadai[H4572], Amram[H6019], and Uel[H177],
35Benaiah[H1141], Bedeiah[H912], Chelluh[H3622],
36Vaniah[H2057], Meremoth[H4822], Eliashib[H475],
37Mattaniah[H4983], Mattenai[H4982], and Jaasau[H3299],
38
And Bani[H1137], and Binnui[H1131], Shimei[H8096],
39
And Shelemiah[H8018], and Nathan[H5416], and Adaiah[H5718],