[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] 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] 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] Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you;
be strong and do it." [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] 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] And a proclamation was made
throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should
assemble at Jerusalem, [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]
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] 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] 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] Then all the
assembly answered with a loud voice, "It is so; we must do as you have
said. [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 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 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] 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 come to the
end of all the men who had married foreign women. [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] 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: Hana'ni and Zebadi'ah. [21] Of the sons of Harim: Ma-asei'ah,
Eli'jah, Shemai'ah, Jehi'el, and Uzzi'ah. [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: Jo'zabad, Shim'e-i, Kelai'ah (that is, Keli'ta),
Petha-hi'ah, Judah, and Elie'zer. [24] Of the singers: Eli'ashib. Of the
gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri. [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: Mattani'ah, Zechari'ah, Jehi'el, Abdi,
Jer'emoth, and Eli'jah. [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 Be'bai were
Jehoha'nan, Hanani'ah, Zab'bai, and Ath'lai. [29] Of the sons of Bani were
Meshul'lum, Malluch, Adai'ah, Jashub, She'al, and Jer'emoth. [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: Elie'zer,
Isshi'jah, Malchi'jah, Shemai'ah, Shim'e-on, [32] Benjamin, Malluch, and
Shemari'ah. [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:
Ma-ada'i, Amram, Uel, [35] Benai'ah, Bedei'ah, Chel'uhi, [36] Vani'ah,
Mer'emoth, Eli'ashib, [37] Mattani'ah, Matte'nai, Ja'asu. [38] Of the sons
of Bin'nui: Shim'e-i, [39] Shelemi'ah, Nathan, Adai'ah, [40] Machnad'ebai,
Shashai, Sha'rai, [41] Az'arel, Shelemi'ah, Shemari'ah, [42] Shallum,
Amari'ah, and Joseph. [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 women, and they put them away with their children.

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