Shecaniah’s Encouragement

1While Ezra (help) prayed and made this confession, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God {Elohim}, a very large assembly of Israelites (God prevails)—men, women, and children—gathered around him, and the people wept bitterly as well.

2Then Shecaniah (dweller with YHWH) son of Jehiel (God lives), an Elamite (eternity), said to Ezra (help): “We have been unfaithful to our God {Elohim} by marrying foreign women from the people of the land, yet in spite of this, there is hope for Israel (he wrestles with God). 3So now let us make a covenant before our God {Elohehenu} to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. 4Get up, for this matter is your responsibility, and we will support you. Be strong and take action!”

5So Ezra (help) got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel (he wrestles with God) take an oath to do what had been said. And they took the oath.

The People’s Confession of Sin

6Then Ezra (help) withdrew from before the house of God {Elohim} and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan (YHWH has graced) son of Eliashib (God restores). And while he stayed (went)a there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.

7And a proclamation was issued throughout Judah (praised) and Jerusalem (city of peace) that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem. 8Whoever failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, according to the counsel of the leaders and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.

9So within the three days, all the men of Judah (praised) and Benjamin (son of the right hand) assembled in Jerusalem (city of peace), and on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God {Elohim}, trembling regarding this matter and because of the heavy rain.

10Then Ezra (help) the priest stood up and said to them, “You⁺ have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to the guilt of Israel (he wrestles with God). 11Now, therefore, make a confession to the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of your⁺ fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from your foreign wives.”

12And the whole assembly responded in a loud voice: “Truly we must do as you say! 13But there are many people here, and it is the rainy season. We are not able to stay out in the open. Nor is this the work of one or two days, for we have transgressed greatly in this matter. 14Let our leaders represent the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at an appointed time, together with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God {Elohenu} in this matter is turned away from us.”

15(Only Jonathan (YHWH has given) son of Asahel (God-made) and Jahzeiah (YHWH views) son of Tikvah (hope), supported by Meshullam (friend) and Shabbethai (sabbatical) the Levite, opposed this plan.)

16So the exiles did as proposed. Ezra (help) the priest selected men who were family heads, each of them identified by name, to represent their families. On the first day of the tenth month they launched the investigation, 17and by the first day of the first month they had dealt with all the men who had married foreign women.

Those Guilty of Intermarriage

18Among the descendants of the priests who had married foreign women were found these descendants of Jeshua (he is saved) son of Jozadak (Jehozadak)b and his brothers:

Maaseiah (work of YHWH), Eliezer (God is my helper), Jarib (he contends), and Gedaliah (YHWH is great). 19They pledged to send their wives away, and for their guilt they presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.

20From the descendants of Immer (he has said):

Hanani (gracious) and Zebadiah (endowment of YHWH).

21From the descendants of Harim (dedicated):

Maaseiah (work of YHWH), Elijah (my God is YHWH), Shemaiah (heard by YHWH), Jehiel (God lives), and Uzziah (my strength is YHWH).

22From the descendants of Pashhur (freedom):

Elioenai (unto YHWH are my eyes), Maaseiah (work of YHWH), Ishmael (God hears), Nethanel (given of God), Jozabad (YHWH has endowed), and Elasah (God has made).

23Among the Levites:

Jozabad (YHWH has endowed), Shimei (renowned), Kelaiah (YHWH has dishonored) (that is, Kelita (crippled)), Pethahiah (freed by YHWH), Judah (praised), and Eliezer (God is my helper).

24From the singers:

Eliashib (God restores).

From the gatekeepers:

Shallum (retribution), Telem (oppression), and Uri (fiery).

25And among the other Israelites, (he wrestles with God) from the descendants of Parosh (flea):

Ramiah (YHWH has loosened), Izziah (YHWH sprinkles), Malchijah (my king is YHWH), Mijamin (from the right hand), Eleazar (God has helped), Malchijah [Hashabiah],c and Benaiah (YHWH has built up).

26From the descendants of Elam (eternity):

Mattaniah (gift of YHWH), Zechariah (YHWH remembers), Jehiel (God lives), Abdi (servant of YHWH), Jeremoth (He is Most High), and Elijah (my God is YHWH).

27From the descendants of Zattu (brightness of him):

Elioenai (unto YHWH are my eyes), Eliashib (God restores), Mattaniah (gift of YHWH), Jeremoth (He is Most High), Zabad (he endows), and Aziza (strong).

28From the descendants of Bebai (my cavities):

Jehohanan (YHWH has graced), Hananiah (God has favored), Zabbai (pure), and Athlai (whom YHWH afflicts).

29From the descendants of Bani (built):

Meshullam (friend), Malluch (counselor), Adaiah (YHWH has adorned Himself), Jashub (he will return), Sheal (asking), and Jeremoth (He is Most High).

30From the descendants of Pahath-moab (pit of Moab):

Adna (rest / pleasure), Chelal (completed), Benaiah (YHWH has built up), Maaseiah (work of YHWH), Mattaniah (gift of YHWH), Bezalel (in the shadow of God), Binnui (built up), and Manasseh (causing to forget).

31From the descendants of Harim (dedicated):

Eliezer (God is my helper), Isshijah (YHWH will lend), Malchijah (my king is YHWH), Shemaiah (heard by YHWH), Shimeon (heard), 32Benjamin (son of the right hand), Malluch (counselor), and Shemariah (kept by YHWH).

33From the descendants of Hashum (rich):

Mattenai (gift of YHWH), Mattattah, Zabad (he endows), Eliphelet (God is deliverance), Jeremai (my exaltations), Manasseh (causing to forget), and Shimei (renowned).

34From the descendants of Bani (built):

Maadai (ornament of YHWH), Amram (exalted people), Uel (wish / will of God), 35Benaiah (YHWH has built up), Bedeiah (servant of YHWH), Cheluhi (my accomplishment), 36Vaniah (YHWH is praise), Meremoth (elevations), Eliashib (God restores), 37Mattaniah (gift of YHWH), Mattenai, and Jaasu (they will do).

38From the descendants (built) of Binnui (built up):

Shimei [And Bani, and Binnui, and Shimei,],d 39Shelemiah (repaid by YHWH), Nathan (giver), Adaiah (YHWH has adorned Himself), 40Machnadebai (he brought low my willing ones), Shashai (noble), Sharai (releaser), 41Azarel (God has helped), Shelemiah (repaid by YHWH), Shemariah (kept by YHWH), 42Shallum (retribution), Amariah (YHWH has promised), and Joseph (YHWH has added).

43And from the descendants of Nebo (prophet):

Jeiel (God sweeps away), Mattithiah (gift of YHWH), Zabad (he endows), Zebina (bought), Jaddai (timely / lovely), Joel (YHWH is God), and Benaiah (YHWH has built up).

44All these men had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives (and they sent them away with their children).e