Ezra 10:2-11

2And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken foreign wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. 3Now 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.1 4Arise; for this matter belongeth to thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it . 5Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they swore.

6Then Ezra arose from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came there, he ate no bread, nor drank water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away. 7And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather at Jerusalem; 8And that whoever 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.2 9Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered at Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, and 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.3 10And Ezra the priest stood up, and said to them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken foreign wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.4 11Now therefore make confession to the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the foreign wives.