15O YAHWEH [THE] GOD OF ISRAEL [ARE] RIGHTEOUS YOU FOR WE ARE LEFT AN ESCAPED REMNANT AS THE DAY <THE> THIS HERE WE [ARE] <TO> BEFORE YOU IN GUILT OUR FOR NOT TO STAND <TO> BEFORE YOU ON THIS 15O LORD, God of Israel, You are righteous! For we remain this day as a remnant. Here we are before You in our guilt, though because of it no one can stand before You.”
1AND JUST AS WAS PRAYING EZRA AND JUST AS WAS CONFESSING HE WEEPING AND PROSTRATING HIMSELF <TO> BEFORE [THE] HOUSE OF <THE> GOD THEY GATHERED TO HIM FROM ISRAEL A COMPANY GREAT VERY MEN AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN FOR THEY WEPT THE PEOPLE GREAT WEEPING Shecaniah’s Encouragement 1While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, a very large assembly of Israelites— men, women, and children— gathered around him, and the people wept bitterly as well.
2AND HE ANSWERED SHECANIAH [THE] SON OF JEHIEL ONE OF [THE] DESCENDANTS OF ELAM AND HE SAID TO EZRA WE WE HAVE ACTED UNFAITHFULLY AGAINST GOD OUR AND WE HAVE MARRIED WOMEN FOREIGN FROM [THE] PEOPLES OF THE LAND AND NOW THERE [IS] HOPE FOR ISRAEL ON THIS 2Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, said to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the people of the land, yet in spite of this, there is hope for Israel.
3AND THEREFORE LET US MAKE A COVENANT TO GOD OUR TO SEND OUT ALL WIVES AND THOSE BORN FROM THEM BY [THE] COUNSEL OF [THE] LORD AND THE [PEOPLE] TREMBLING AT [THE] COMMANDMENT OF GOD OUR AND ACCORDING TO THE LAW LET IT BE DONE 3So now let us make a covenant before our God 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.
4ARISE FOR [IS] ON YOU THE MATTER AND WE [WILL BE] WITH YOU BE STRONG AND ACT 4Get up, for this matter is your responsibility, and we will support you. Be strong and take action!”
5AND HE AROSE EZRA AND HE MADE TO SWEAR AN OATH <OBJ.> [THE] LEADERS OF THE PRIESTS THE LEVITES AND ALL ISRAEL TO DO ACCORDING TO THE MANNER <THE> THIS AND THEY SWORE [THE] OATH 5So Ezra got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel take an oath to do what had been said. And they took the oath.
6AND HE AROSE EZRA FROM TO BEFORE [THE] HOUSE OF <THE> GOD AND HE WENT INTO [THE] ROOM OF JEHOHANAN [THE] SON OF ELIASHIB AND HE WENT THERE FOOD NOT HE ATE AND WATER NOT HE DRANK FOR [HE WAS] MOURNING ON [THE] UNFAITHFULNESS OF THE EXILE[S] The People’s Confession of Sin 6Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. And while he stayed*NoteCloseOr went there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.
7AND THEY CAUSED TO PASS A PROCLAMATION IN JUDAH AND JERUSALEM TO ALL [THE] CHILDREN OF THE EXILE TO ASSEMBLE JERUSALEM 7And a proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem.
8AND EVERY [ONE] WHO NOT HE WILL COME TO [THE] THREE THE DAYS ACCORDING TO [THE] COUNSEL OF THE LEADERS AND THE ELDERS IT WILL BE FORFEITED ALL PROPERTY HIS AND HE HE WILL BE SEPARATED FROM [THE] ASSEMBLY OF THE EXILE[S] 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.
9AND THEY ASSEMBLED ALL [THE] PEOPLE OF JUDAH AND BENJAMIN JERUSALEM TO [THE] THREE THE DAYS IT [WAS THE] MONTH <THE> NINTH ON [DAY] TWENTY IN THE MONTH AND THEY SAT ALL THE PEOPLE IN [THE] OPEN PLACE OF [THE] HOUSE OF <THE> GOD TREMBLING ON THE MATTER AND FROM THE RAINS 9So within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem, and on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God, trembling regarding this matter and because of the heavy rain.
10AND HE AROSE EZRA THE PRIEST AND HE SAID TO THEM YOU YOU HAVE ACTED UNFAITHFULLY AND YOU HAVE MARRIED WOMEN FOREIGN TO ADD TO [THE] GUILT OF ISRAEL 10Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to the guilt of Israel.
11AND THEREFORE GIVE PRAISE TO YAHWEH [THE] GOD OF ANCESTORS YOUR AND DO WILL HIS AND SEPARATE YOURSELVES FROM [THE] PEOPLES OF THE LAND AND FROM THE WOMEN <THE> FOREIGN 11Now, therefore, make a confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from your foreign wives.”
12AND THEY ANSWERED ALL THE ASSEMBLY AND THEY SAID A VOICE GREAT SO ACCORDING TO WORD YOUR ON US TO DO 12And the whole assembly responded in a loud voice: “Truly we must do as you say!
13BUT THE PEOPLE [IS] NUMEROUS AND THE TIME [IS] RAINS AND THERE NOT [IS] ABILITY TO STAND ON THE OUTSIDE AND THE BUSINESS NOT [BELONGS] TO A DAY ONE AND NOT TO TWO FOR WE HAVE INCREASED TO TRANSGRESS IN THE MATTER <THE> THIS 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 THEM STAND PLEASE LEADERS OUR FOR ALL THE ASSEMBLY AND EVERY [ONE] WHO [IS] IN <THE> CITIES OUR WHO HE HAS MARRIED WOMEN FOREIGN LET HIM COME TO TIMES APPOINTED AND WITH THEM [THE] ELDERS OF A CITY AND A CITY AND JUDGES ITS UNTIL <TO> TURN BACK [THE] BURNING OF [THE] ANGER OF GOD OUR FROM US UNTIL TO THE MATTER <THE> THIS 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 in this matter is turned away from us.”
15ONLY JONATHAN [THE] SON OF ASAHEL AND JAHZEIAH [THE] SON OF TIKVAH THEY STOOD ON THIS AND MESHULLAM AND SHABBETHAI THE LEVITE[S] THEY SUPPORTED THEM 15(Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this plan.)
16AND THEY DID THUS [THE] CHILDREN OF THE EXILE AND THEY SEPARATED THEMSELVES EZRA THE PRIEST MEN [THE] LEADERS OF THE FATHERS FOR [THE] HOUSE OF ANCESTORS THEIR AND ALL OF THEM BY NAMES AND THEY SAT DOWN ON DAY ONE OF THE MONTH <THE> TENTH TO INVESTIGATE THE MATTER 16So the exiles did as proposed. Ezra 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 THEY FINISHED WITH <THE> EVERYTHING [THE] MEN WHO THEY HAD MARRIED WOMEN FOREIGN UNTIL DAY ONE OF THE MONTH <THE> FIRST 17and by the first day of the first month they had dealt with all the men who had married foreign women.
18AND IT WAS FOUND SOME OF [THE] SONS OF THE PRIESTS WHO THEY HAD MARRIED WOMEN FOREIGN SOME OF [THE] SONS OF JESHUA [THE] SON OF JOZADAK AND BROTHERS HIS MAASEIAH AND ELIEZER AND JARIB AND GEDALIAH Those Guilty of Intermarriage 18Among the descendants of the priests who had married foreign women were found these descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak*NoteCloseJozadak is a variant of Jehozadak; see 1 Chronicles 6:14. and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
19AND THEY GAVE HAND THEIR TO SEND OUT WIVES THEIR AND [BEING] GUILTY A RAM OF [THE] FLOCK ON GUILT THEIR 19They pledged to send their wives away, and for their guilt they presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.
20AND OF [THE] SONS OF IMMER HANANI AND ZEBADIAH 20From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
21AND OF [THE] SONS OF HARIM MAASEIAH AND ELIJAH AND SHEMAIAH AND JEHIEL AND UZZIAH 21From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22AND OF [THE] SONS OF PASHHUR ELIOENAI MAASEIAH ISHMAEL NETHANEL JOZABAD AND ELEASAH 22From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23AND OF THE LEVITES JOZABAD AND SHIMEI AND KELAIAH THAT [IS] KELITA PETHAHIAH JUDAH AND ELIEZER 23Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24AND OF THE SINGERS ELIASHIB AND OF THE GATEKEEPERS SHALLUM AND TELEM AND URI 24From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25AND OF ISRAEL OF [THE] SONS OF PAROSH RAMIAH AND IZZIAH AND MALKIJAH AND MIJAMIN AND ELEAZAR AND MALKIJAH AND BENAIAH 25And among the other Israelites, from the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah,*NoteCloseHebrew; LXX Hashabiah and Benaiah.
26AND OF [THE] SONS OF ELAM MATTANIAH ZECHARIAH AND JEHIEL AND ABDI AND JEREMOTH AND ELIJAH 26From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27AND OF [THE] SONS OF ZATTU ELIOENAI ELIASHIB MATTANIAH AND JEREMOTH AND ZABAD AND AZIZA 27From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28AND OF [THE] SONS OF BEBAI JEHOHANAN HANANIAH ZABBAI ATHLAI 28From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29AND OF [THE] SONS OF BANI MESHULLAM MALLUCH AND ADAIAH JASHUB AND SHEAL AND RAMOTH 29From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
30AND OF [THE] SONS OF PAHATH- MOAB ADNA AND KELAL BENAIAH MAASEIAH MATTANIAH BEZALEL AND BINNUI AND MANASSEH 30From the descendants of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31AND [THE] SONS OF HARIM ELIEZER ISSHIAH MALKIJAH SHEMAIAH SIMEON 31From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
33OF [THE] SONS OF HASHUM MATTENAI MATTATTAH ZABAD ELIPHELET JEREMAI MANASSEH SHIMEI 33From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
38AND BANI AND BINNUI SHIMEI 38From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei,*NoteCloseSee LXX; Hebrew And Bani, and Binnui, (and) Shimei,
43OF [THE] SONS OF NEBO JEIEL MATTITHIAH ZABAD ZEBINA JADDAI AND JOEL BENAIAH 43And from the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44ALL THESE THEY HAD TAKEN WOMEN FOREIGN AND THERE [WERE] SOME OF <THE> THEM WIVES AND THEY [MASC] HAD MADE CHILDREN 44All these men had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.*NoteCloseOr and they sent them away with their children