Ezra 10:1-8 ▼

1 NOW when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, prostrating himself and weeping before the house of the LORD, there assembled to him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children; for the children wept bitterly.

2 And Shechaniah the son of Nehael, one of the descendants of Elam, answered and said to Ezra the scribe, We have transgressed against our God, and have taken foreign wives of the people of the land; now is there any hope for Israel concerning this thing?

3 Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the alien wives and those who are born of them, according to the counsel of the LORD and of those who tremble at the law of our God and his commandment; do it now and be strong.

4 For this law is decreed for you; for we are with you; be strong and do it.

5 Then Ezra the scribe arose and made the elders of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel to swear that they would do according to this command. And they swore.

6 Then Ezra the scribe rose up from before the house of God and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Elisha; and he sat there, but he neither ate bread nor drank water; for he was sorrowful because of the transgression of the people.

7 And they made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the exiles that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem;

8 And that whosoever would not come within three days, it should be done to him according to the counsel of the elders and the chiefs, all his wealth could be forfeited and he himself separated from the people of Israel.