Ezra 10:7-44 ▼

7 And they issued a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the sons of the exile, that they must gather at Jerusalem,

8 and all who would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the leaders and elders, all his property would be confiscated and he would be separated from the assembly of the exiles.

9 And all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered at Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month, and all the people sat in the open square of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and because of the rains.

10 And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You? You? have acted unfaithfully and have caused to dwell foreign wives to add to the guilt of Israel.

11 And now, make confession to YHWH, God of your? fathers, and do His will, and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women.”

12 And all the assembly answered and said in a loud voice, “Truly according to your word it is upon us to do.

13 But the people are many, and it is the time of rains, and we have no strength to stand outside, and the work is not of one day or two, for we have multiplied to transgress in this matter.

14 Please let the leaders of all the assembly stand, and all who are in our cities, who have settled foreign wives, and come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each of their cities, until the turning back of the fury of the wrath of our God from us even in this matter.”

15 (Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahaziah son of Tikvah stood against this. And Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supported them.)

16 And the sons of the exile did so, and Ezra the priest, and men, the heads of the fathers, for the house of their fathers, were set apart, each of them by name, and they sat down on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

17 And they finished with all the men who had caused to dwell foreign wives by the first day of the first month.

18 And they were found among the sons of the priests who had taken foreign wives: Of the sons of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.

19 And they gave their hand to send out their wives, and being guilty, a ram of the flock for their guilt.

20 And of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

21 And of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.

22 And of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Eleasah.

23 And of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (he is Kelita) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

24 And of the singers: Eliashib. And of the gatekeepers: Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.

25 And of Israel: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

26 And of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Elijah.

27 And of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.

28 And of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.

29 And of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Jeremoth.

30 And of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

31 And of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshiah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.

33 Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei.

34 Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, and Uel,

35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluh,

36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasai,

38 From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei,

39 and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.

43 Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, and Joel, Benaiah.

44 All these had taken foreign wives, and were from them women, and they bore sons.