Ezra 10

Confession of Improper Marriages

1 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 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 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 Arise, for this matter is your responsibility. We also are with you. Be of good courage, and do it. 5 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 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 And they issued a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the descendants of the captivity, that they must gather at Jerusalem,8 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 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 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 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 Then all the assembly answered and said with a loud voice, Yes! As you have said, so we must do.13 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 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 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite gave them support.16 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 By the first day of the first month they finished questioning all the men who had taken pagan wives.

Pagan Wives Put Away

18 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 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 Also of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah;21 of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah;22 of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.23 Also of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (the same is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.24 Also of the singers: Eliashib; and of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.25 And others of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Jeziah, Malchiah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah;26 of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Eliah;27 of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza;28 of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;29 of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Ramoth;30 of the sons of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh;31 of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah;33 of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei;34 of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluh,36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasai,38 Bani, Binnui, Shimei,39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph; 43 of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.44 All these had taken pagan wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had children.

Ezra 10

The People Confess Their Sins

1 While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself to the ground before the temple of God, a very large crowd of Israelites – men, women, and children alike – gathered around him. The people wept loudly.t

2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, from the descendants of Elam,s addressed Ezra:
“We have been unfaithful to our God by marryingt foreign women from the local peoples.t Nonetheless, there is still hope for Israel in this regard.t3 Therefore let us enactt a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord,t and that of those who respectt the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law.

4 Get up, for this matter concerns you. We are with you, so be strong and act decisively!”
5 So Ezra got up and made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel take an oath to carry out this plan.t And they all took a solemn oath.

6 Then Ezra got up from in front of the temple of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he stayeds there, he did not eat food or drink water, for he was in mourning over the infidelity of the exiles.
7 A proclamationt was circulatedt throughout Judah and Jerusalems that all the exiles were to be assembled in Jerusalem.

8 Everyone who did not come within three days would thereby forfeit all his property, in keeping with the counsel of the officials and the elders. Furthermore, he himself would be excluded from the assembly of the exiles.

9 All the men of Judah and Benjamin were gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. (It was in the ninth month, on the twentieth day of that month.) All the people sat in the square at the temple of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the rains.
10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have behaved in an unfaithful manner by taking foreign wives! This has contributed to the guilt of Israel.

11 Now give praise to the Lord God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the local residentst and from these foreign wives.”
12 All the assembly replied in a loud voice: “We will do just as you have said!t13 However, the people are numerous and it is the rainy season.t We are unable to stand here outside. Furthermore, this business cannot be resolved in a day or two, for we have sinned greatly in this matter.

14 Let our leaders take stepst on behalf of all the assembly. Let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at an appointed time, and with them the elders of each town and its judges, until the hot anger of our God is turned away from us in this matter.”
15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah weret against this, assisted by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite.16 So the exiles proceeded accordingly. Ezra the priest separated outs by name men who were leaders in their family groups.t They sat down to consider this matter on the first day of the tenth month,

17 and on the first day of the first month they finished considering all the men who had married foreign wives.

Those Who Had Taken Foreign Wives

18 It was determinedt that from the descendants of the priests, the following had taken foreign wives: from the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.

19 (They gave their wordt to send away their wives; their guilt offering was a ram from the flock for their guilt.)

20 From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

21 From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.

22 From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

23 From the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also known as Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

24 From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

25 From the Israelites: from the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah, and Benaiah.

26 From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.

27 From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.

28 From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

29 From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.

30 From the descendants of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 Froms the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

33 From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 From the descendants of Bani:t Maadai, Amram, Uel,35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi,36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
38 Froms the descendants of Binnui: Shimei,39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

43 From the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.

44 All these had taken foreign wives, and some of them also had children by these women.s