Now when Ezra had prayed
, and when he had confessed
, weeping
and casting himself down
before
the house
of God
, there assembled
unto him out of Israel
a very
great
congregation
of men
and women
and children
: for the people
wept
very
sore
.
And Shechaniah the son
of Jehiel
, one of the sons
of Elam
, answered
and said
unto Ezra
, We have trespassed
against our God
, and have taken
strange
wives
of the people
of the land
: yet now there is
hope
in Israel
concerning this thing.
Now therefore let us make a covenant
with our God
to put away
all the wives
, and such as are born
of them, according to the counsel
of my lord
, and of those that tremble
at the commandment
of our God
; and let it be done
according to the law
.
Arise; for this matter
belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage
, and do
it .
Then arose Ezra
, and made the chief
priests
, the Levites
, and all Israel
, to swear
that they should do
according to this word
. And they sware
.
Then Ezra rose up
from before
the house
of God
, and went
into the chamber
of Johanan
the son
of Eliashib
: and when he came
thither, he did eat
no bread
, nor drink
water
: for he mourned
because of the transgression
of them that had been carried away
.
And they made proclamation throughout Judah
and Jerusalem
unto all the children
of the captivity
, that they should gather themselves together
unto Jerusalem
;
And that whosoever would not come within three
days
, according to the counsel
of the princes
and the elders
, all his substance
should be forfeited
, and himself separated
from the congregation
of those that had been carried away
.
Then all the men of Judah
and Benjamin
gathered themselves together
unto Jerusalem
within three
days
. It was the ninth
month
, on the twentieth
day of the month
; and all the people
sat
in the street
of the house
of God
, trembling
because of this matter
, and for the great rain
.
And Ezra the priest
stood up
, and said
unto them, Ye have transgressed
, and have taken
strange
wives
, to increase
the trespass
of Israel
.
Now therefore make confession
unto the LORD
God
of your fathers
, and do
his pleasure
: and separate
yourselves from the people
of the land
, and from the strange
wives
.
Then all the congregation answered
and said
with a loud
voice
, As thou hast said
, so must we do
.
But the people
are many
, and it is a time
of much rain
, and we are not able
to stand
without
, neither is this a work
of one
day
or two
: for we are many
that have transgressed
in this thing
.
Let now our rulers of all the congregation
stand
, and let all them which have taken
strange
wives
in our cities
come
at appointed
times
, and with them the elders
of every city
, and the judges
thereof, until the fierce
wrath
of our God
for this matter
be turned
from us.
Only Jonathan the son
of Asahel
and Jahaziah
the son
of Tikvah
were employed
about this matter : and Meshullam
and Shabbethai
the Levite
helped
them.
And the children of the captivity
did so
. And Ezra
the priest
, with certain
chief
of the fathers
, after the house
of their fathers
, and all of them by their names
, were separated
, and sat down
in the first
day
of the tenth
month
to examine
the matter
.
And they made an end with all the men
that had taken
strange
wives
by the first
day
of the first
month
.
And among the sons of the priests
there were found
that had taken
strange
wives
: namely , of the sons
of Jeshua
the son
of Jozadak
, and his brethren
; Maaseiah
, and Eliezer
, and Jarib
, and Gedaliah
.
And they gave their hands
that they would put away
their wives
; and being guilty
, they offered a ram
of the flock
for their trespass
.
And of the sons of Immer
; Hanani
, and Zebadiah
.
And of the sons of Harim
; Maaseiah
, and Elijah
, and Shemaiah
, and Jehiel
, and Uzziah
.
And of the sons of Pashur
; Elioenai
, Maaseiah
, Ishmael
, Nethaneel
, Jozabad
, and Elasah
.
Also of the Levites; Jozabad
, and Shimei
, and Kelaiah
, (the same is Kelita
,) Pethahiah
, Judah
, and Eliezer
.
Of the singers also; Eliashib
: and of the porters
; Shallum
, and Telem
, and Uri
.
Moreover of Israel: of the sons
of Parosh
; Ramiah
, and Jeziah
, and Malchiah
, and Miamin
, and Eleazar
, and Malchijah
, and Benaiah
.
And of the sons of Elam
; Mattaniah
, Zechariah
, and Jehiel
, and Abdi
, and Jeremoth
, and Eliah
.
And of the sons of Zattu
; Elioenai
, Eliashib
, Mattaniah
, and Jeremoth
, and Zabad
, and Aziza
.
Of the sons also of Bebai
; Jehohanan
, Hananiah
, Zabbai
, and Athlai
.
And of the sons of Bani
; Meshullam
, Malluch
, and Adaiah
, Jashub
, and Sheal
, and Ramoth
.
And of the sons of Pahathmoab
; Adna
, and Chelal
, Benaiah
, Maaseiah
, Mattaniah
, Bezaleel
, and Binnui
, and Manasseh
.
And of the sons of Harim
; Eliezer
, Ishijah
, Malchiah
, Shemaiah
, Shimeon
,
Benjamin, Malluch
, and Shemariah
.
Of the sons of Hashum
; Mattenai
, Mattathah
, Zabad
, Eliphelet
, Jeremai
, Manasseh
, and Shimei
.
Of the sons of Bani
; Maadai
, Amram
, and Uel
,
Mattaniah, Mattenai
, and Jaasau
,
And Shelemiah, and Nathan
, and Adaiah
,
Azareel, and Shelemiah
, Shemariah
,
Of the sons of Nebo
; Jeiel
, Mattithiah
, Zabad
, Zebina
, Jadau
, and Joel
, Benaiah
.
All these had taken strange
wives
: and some of them had
wives
by whom they had
children
.