Ezra 10:1-16

1Now while EzraH5830 prayedH6419 and made confession, weepingH1058 and casting himself downH5307 before the houseH1004 of GodH430, there was gatheredH6908 togetherH6908 unto him out of IsraelH3478 a veryH3966 great assemblyH6951 of menH376 and womenH802 and childrenH3206; for the peopleH5971 weptH1058 veryH3966 sore. 2And ShecaniahH7935 the sonH1121 of JehielH3171, one of the sonsH1121 of ElamH5867, answered and saidH559 unto EzraH5830, We have trespassed against our GodH430, and have married foreignH5237 womenH802 of the peoplesH5971 of the landH776: yet nowH6258 there is hope for IsraelH3478 concerning this thing. 3NowH6258 thereforeH6258 let us makeH6213 a covenantH1285 with our GodH430 to put away all the wivesH802, and such as are bornH3205 of them, according to the counselH6098 of my lordH113, and of those that tremble at the commandmentH4687 of our GodH430; and let it be done according to the lawH8451. 4AriseH6965; for the matterH1697 belongeth unto thee, and we are with thee: be of good courage, and do it.

5Then aroseH6965 EzraH5830, and madeH6213 the chiefsH8269 of the priestsH3548, the LevitesH3881, and all IsraelH3478, to swearH7650 that they would do according to this wordH1697. So they sware. 6Then EzraH5830 roseH6965 up from before the houseH1004 of GodH430, and went into the chamber of JehohananH3076 the sonH1121 of EliashibH475: and when he came thither, he did eatH398 no breadH3899, nor drinkH8354 waterH4325; for he mournedH56 because of the trespass of them of the captivity. 7And they made proclamationH6963 throughout JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389 unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gatherH6908 themselves togetherH6908 unto JerusalemH3389; 8and that whosoever cameH935 not within threeH7969 daysH3117, according to the counselH6098 of the princesH8269 and the eldersH2205, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separatedH914 from the assemblyH6951 of the captivity.

9Then all the menH376 of JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144 gatheredH6908 themselves togetherH6908 unto JerusalemH3389 within the threeH7969 daysH3117 (it was the ninthH8671 monthH2320, on the twentieth dayH3117 of the monthH2320); and all the peopleH5971 satH3427 in the broad place before the houseH1004 of GodH430, trembling because of this matterH1697, and for the great rainH1653. 10And EzraH5830 the priestH3548 stoodH6965 up, and saidH559 unto them, Ye have trespassed, and have married foreignH5237 womenH802, to increaseH3254 the guiltH819 of IsraelH3478. 11NowH6258 thereforeH6258 makeH5414 confession unto Jehovah, the GodH430 of your fathersH1, and do his pleasureH7522; and separateH914 yourselves from the peoplesH5971 of the landH776, and from the foreignH5237 womenH802. 12Then all the assemblyH6951 answered and saidH559 with a loud voiceH6963, As thou hast saidH559 concerning us, soH3651 must we do. 13But the peopleH5971 are manyH7227, and it is a timeH6256 of muchH7235 rainH1653, and we are not able to standH5975 without: neither is this a workH4399 of oneH259 dayH3117 or twoH8147; for we have greatlyH7235 transgressedH6586 in this matterH1697. 14Let now our princesH8269 be appointedH5975 for all the assemblyH6951, and let all them that are in our citiesH5892 that have married foreignH5237 womenH802 comeH935 at appointedH5975 timesH6256, and with them the eldersH2205 of every cityH5892, and the judgesH8199 thereof, until the fierce wrath of our GodH430 be turnedH7725 from us, until this matterH1697 be despatched. 15OnlyH389 JonathanH3129 the sonH1121 of AsahelH6214 and Jahzeiah the sonH1121 of TikvahH8616 stoodH5975 up against this matter: and MeshullamH4918 and ShabbethaiH7678 the LeviteH3881 helpedH5826 them.

16And the children of the captivity did soH3651. And EzraH5830 the priestH3548, with certain headsH7218 of fathers’H1 housesH1004, after their fathers’H1 housesH1004, and all of them by their namesH8034, were setH914 apartH914; and they satH3427 downH3427 in the first dayH3117 of the tenthH6224 monthH2320 to examine the matterH1697.