New International Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
1While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites--men, women and children--gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. | 1Now while Ezra was praying and making confession, weeping and prostrating himself before the house of God, a very large assembly, men, women and children, gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept bitterly. |
2Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, "We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. | 2Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, said to Ezra, "We have been unfaithful to our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. |
3Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. | 3"So now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the 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. |
4Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it." | 4"Arise! For this matter is your responsibility, but we will be with you; be courageous and act." |
5So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath. | 5Then Ezra rose and made the leading priests, the Levites and all Israel, take oath that they would do according to this proposal; so they took the oath. |
6Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles. | 6Then Ezra rose from before the house of God and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. Although he went there, he did not eat bread nor drink water, for he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles. |
7A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem. | 7They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the exiles, that they should assemble at Jerusalem, |
8Anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles. | 8and that whoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the leaders and the elders, all his possessions should be forfeited and he himself excluded from the assembly of the exiles. |
9Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain. | 9So all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month on the twentieth of the month, and all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and the heavy rain. |
10Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel's guilt. | 10Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have been unfaithful and have married foreign wives adding to the guilt of Israel. |
11Now honor the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives." | 11"Now therefore, make confession to the LORD God of your fathers and do His will; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives." |
12The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: "You are right! We must do as you say. | 12Then all the assembly replied with a loud voice, "That's right! As you have said, so it is our duty to do. |
13But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing. | 13"But there are many people; it is the rainy season and we are not able to stand in the open. Nor can the task be done in one or two days, for we have transgressed greatly in this matter. |
14Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us." | 14"Let our leaders represent the whole assembly and let all those in our cities who have married foreign wives come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each city, until the fierce anger of our God on account of this matter is turned away from us." |
15Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this. | 15Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah opposed this, with Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them. |
16So the exiles did as was proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, one from each family division, and all of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to investigate the cases, | 16But the exiles did so. And Ezra the priest selected men who were heads of fathers' households for each of their father's households, all of them by name. So they convened on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter. |
17and by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women. | 17They finished investigating all the men who had married foreign wives by the first day of the first month. |
18Among the descendants of the priests, the following had married foreign women: From the descendants of Joshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah. | 18Among the sons of the priests who had married foreign wives were found of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah. |
19(They all gave their hands in pledge to put away their wives, and for their guilt they each presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.) | 19They pledged to put away their wives, and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their offense. |
20From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah. | 20Of the sons of Immer there were Hanani and Zebadiah; |
21From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel and Uzziah. | 21and of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel and Uzziah; |
22From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah. | 22and of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah. |
23Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer. | 23Of Levites there were Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer. |
24From the musicians: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem and Uri. | 24Of the singers there was Eliashib; and of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem and Uri. |
25And among the other Israelites: From the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah and Benaiah. | 25Of Israel, of the sons of Parosh there were Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah and Benaiah; |
26From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth and Elijah. | 26and of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth and Elijah; |
27From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza. | 27and of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza; |
28From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai. | 28and of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai; |
29From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluk, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal and Jeremoth. | 29and of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch and Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal and Jeremoth; |
30From the descendants of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh. | 30and of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh; |
31From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, | 31and of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, |
32Benjamin, Malluk and Shemariah. | 32Benjamin, Malluch and Shemariah; |
33From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei. | 33of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei; |
34From the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, | 34of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, |
35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, | 35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, |
36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, | 36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, |
37Mattaniah, Mattenai and Jaasu. | 37Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu, |
38From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei, | 38Bani, Binnui, Shimei, |
39Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, | 39Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, |
40Maknadebai, Shashai, Sharai, | 40Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, |
41Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, | 41Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, |
42Shallum, Amariah and Joseph. | 42Shallum, Amariah and Joseph. |
43From the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah. | 43Of the sons of Nebo there were Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah. |
44All these had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives. | 44All these had married foreign wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had children. |
New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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