Ezra 10

Shecaniah’s Encouragement

1While EzraH5830 prayedH6419 and made this confessionH3034, weepingH1058 and falling facedownH5307 beforeH6440 the houseH1004 of GodH430, a veryH3966 largeH7227 assemblyH6951 of IsraelitesH3478—menH582, womenH802, and childrenH3206—gatheredH6908 around himH413, and the peopleH5971 wept bitterlyH1058H7235H1059 as wellH3588.

2ThenH6030 ShecaniahH7935 sonH1121 of JehielH3171, an ElamiteH1121H5867, saidH559 to EzraH5830: “WeH587 have been unfaithfulH4603 to our GodH430 by marryingH3427 foreignH5237 womenH802 from the peopleH5971 of the landH776, yetH6258 in spite ofH5921 thisH2063, there isH3426 hopeH4723 for IsraelH3478. 3So nowH6258 let us makeH3772 a covenantH1285 before our GodH430 to send awayH3318 allH3605 the foreign wivesH802 and their childrenH3205, according to the counselH6098 of my lordH136 and of those who trembleH2730 at the commandH4687 of our GodH430. Let it be doneH6213 according to the LawH8451. 4Get upH6965, forH3588 this matterH1697 is yourH5921 responsibility, and weH587 will support youH5973. Be strongH2388 and take actionH6213!”

5So EzraH5830 got upH6965 and made the leadingH8269 priestsH3548, LevitesH3881, and allH3605 IsraelH3478 take an oathH7650 to do what had been saidH6213H1697H2088. And they took the oathH7650.

The People’s Confession of Sin

6Then EzraH5830 withdrewH6965 from beforeH6440 the houseH1004 of GodH430 and walkedH1980 toH413 the chamberH3957 of JehohananH3076 sonH1121 of EliashibH475. And while he stayedH19801 thereH8033, he ateH398 noH3808 foodH3899 and drankH8354 noH3808 waterH4325, becauseH3588 he was mourningH56 overH5921 the unfaithfulnessH4604 of the exilesH1473.

7And a proclamationH6963 was issuedH5674 throughout JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389 that allH3605 the exilesH1121H1473 should gatherH6908 at JerusalemH3389. 8WhoeverH3605 failedH3808 to appearH935 within threeH7969 daysH3117 would forfeitH2763 allH3605 his propertyH7399H1931, according to the counselH6098 of the leadersH8269 and eldersH2205, and would himself be expelledH914 from the assemblyH6951 of the exilesH1473.

9So within the threeH7969 daysH3117, allH3605 the menH582 of JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144 assembledH6908 in JerusalemH3389H1931, and on the twentieth dayH6242H2320 of the ninthH8671 monthH2320, allH3605 the peopleH5971 satH3427 in the squareH7339 at the houseH1004 of GodH430, tremblingH7460 regardingH5921 this matterH1697 and because of the heavy rainH1653.

10Then EzraH5830 the priestH3548 stood upH6965 and saidH559 to themH413, “YouH859 have been unfaithfulH4603 by marryingH3427 foreignH5237 womenH802, addingH3254 toH5921 the guiltH819 of IsraelH3478. 11Now, thereforeH6258, makeH5414 a confessionH8426 to the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of your fathersH1, and doH6213 His willH7522. SeparateH914 yourselvesH4480 from the peopleH5971 of the landH776 and from your foreignH5237 wivesH802.”

12And the wholeH3605 assemblyH6951H559 respondedH6030 in a loudH1419 voiceH6963: “TrulyH3651 we must doH6213 as you sayH1697H5921! 13ButH61 there are manyH7227 people hereH5971, and it is the rainyH1653 seasonH6256. We are notH369 ableH3581 to stayH5975 out in the openH2351. NorH3808 is this the workH4399 of oneH259 orH3808 twoH8147 daysH3117, forH3588 we have transgressedH6586 greatlyH7235 in thisH2088 matterH1697. 14Let our leadersH8269 representH5975H4994 the wholeH3605 assemblyH6951. Then let everyoneH3605 in our townsH5892 who has marriedH3427 a foreignH5237 womanH802 comeH935 at an appointedH2163 timeH6256, together withH5973 the eldersH2205 and judgesH8199H5704 of each townH5892, until the fierce angerH2740H639 of our GodH430 in thisH2088 matterH1697 is turned awayH7725 from usH4480.”

15(OnlyH389 JonathanH3129 sonH1121 of AsahelH6214 and JahzeiahH3167 sonH1121 of TikvahH8616, supportedH5826 by MeshullamH4918 and ShabbethaiH7678 the LeviteH3881, opposedH5975H5921 thisH2063 plan.)

16So the exilesH1121H1473 didH6213 as proposedH3651. EzraH5830 the priestH3548 selectedH914 menH582 who were familyH1 headsH7218, each of themH3605 identified by nameH8034H3427, to represent their familiesH1H1004. On the firstH259 dayH3117 of the tenthH6224 monthH2320 they launchedH1875 the investigationH1697, 17and byH5704 the firstH259 dayH3117 of the firstH7223 monthH2320 they had dealtH3615 with allH3605 the menH582 who had marriedH3427 foreignH5237 womenH802.

Those Guilty of Intermarriage

18Among the descendantsH1121 of the priestsH3548 who had marriedH3427 foreignH5237 womenH802 were foundH4672 these descendantsH1121 of JeshuaH3442 sonH1121 of JozadakH31362 and his brothersH251:

19MaaseiahH4641, EliezerH461, JaribH3402, and GedaliahH1436. They pledgedH5414H3027 to send their wivesH802 awayH3318, and for their guiltH818 they presented a ramH352 from the flockH6629 asH5921 a guilt offeringH819.

20From the descendantsH1121 of ImmerH564:

HananiH2607 and ZebadiahH2069.

21From the descendantsH1121 of HarimH2766:

MaaseiahH4641, ElijahH452, ShemaiahH8098, JehielH3171, and UzziahH5818.

22From the descendantsH1121 of PashhurH6583:

ElioenaiH454, MaaseiahH4641, IshmaelH3458, NethanelH5417, JozabadH3107, and ElasahH501.

23AmongH4480 the LevitesH3881:

JozabadH3107, ShimeiH8096, KelaiahH7041 (that isH1931, KelitaH7042), PethahiahH6611, JudahH3063, and EliezerH461.

24FromH4480 the singersH7891:

EliashibH475.

FromH4480 the gatekeepersH7778:

ShallumH7967, TelemH2928, and UriH221.

25And among the other IsraelitesH3478, from the descendantsH1121 of ParoshH6551:

RamiahH7422, IzziahH3150, MalchijahH4441, MijaminH4326, EleazarH499, MalchijahH4441,3 and BenaiahH1141.

26From the descendantsH1121 of ElamH5867:

MattaniahH4983, ZechariahH2148, JehielH3171, AbdiH5660, JeremothH3406, and ElijahH452.

27From the descendantsH1121 of ZattuH2240:

ElioenaiH454, EliashibH475, MattaniahH4983, JeremothH3406, ZabadH2066, and AzizaH5819.

28From the descendantsH1121 of BebaiH893:

JehohananH3076, HananiahH2608, ZabbaiH2079, and AthlaiH6270.

29From the descendantsH1121 of BaniH1137:

MeshullamH4918, MalluchH4409, AdaiahH5718, JashubH3437, ShealH7594, and JeremothH3406.

30From the descendantsH1121 of Pahath-moabH6355:

AdnaH5733, ChelalH3636, BenaiahH1141, MaaseiahH4641, MattaniahH4983, BezalelH1212, BinnuiH1131, and ManassehH4519.

31From the descendantsH1121 of HarimH2766:

32EliezerH461, IsshijahH3449, MalchijahH4441, ShemaiahH8098, ShimeonH8095, BenjaminH1144, MalluchH4409, and ShemariahH8114.

33From the descendantsH1121 of HashumH2828:

MattenaiH4982, MattattahH4992, ZabadH2066, ElipheletH467, JeremaiH3413, ManassehH4519, and ShimeiH8096.

34From the descendantsH1121 of BaniH1137:

35MaadaiH4572, AmramH6019, UelH177, BenaiahH1141, BedeiahH912, CheluhiH3622, 36VaniahH2057, MeremothH4822, EliashibH475, 37MattaniahH4983, MattenaiH4982, and JaasuH3299.

38From the descendantsH1137 of BinnuiH1131:

39ShimeiH8096,4 ShelemiahH8018, NathanH5416, AdaiahH5718, 40MachnadebaiH4367, ShashaiH8343, SharaiH8298, 41AzarelH5832, ShelemiahH8018, ShemariahH8114, 42ShallumH7967, AmariahH568, and JosephH3130.

43And from the descendantsH1121 of NeboH5015:

JeielH3273, MattithiahH4993, ZabadH2066, ZebinaH2081, JaddaiH3035, JoelH3100, and BenaiahH1141.

44AllH3605 theseH428 men had marriedH5375 foreignH5237H3426 womenH802, and some of them hadH7760 childrenH1121 by these wivesH802.5