Ezra 10 — NETB

10Verse 1While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself to the ground before the temple of God, a very large crowd of Israelites – men, women, and children alike – gathered around him. The people wept loudly.^{Verse 2}Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, from the descendants of Elam, addressed Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the local peoples. Nonetheless, there is still hope for Israel in this regard.^{Verse 3}Therefore let us enact a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, and that of those who respect the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law.^{Verse 4}Get up, for this matter concerns you. We are with you, so be strong and act decisively!”^{Verse 5}So Ezra got up and made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel take an oath to carry out this plan. And they all took a solemn oath.^{Verse 6}Then Ezra got up from in front of the temple of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he stayed there, he did not eat food or drink water, for he was in mourning over the infidelity of the exiles.^{Verse 7}A proclamation was circulated throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles were to be assembled in Jerusalem.^{Verse 8}Everyone who did not come within three days would thereby forfeit all his property, in keeping with the counsel of the officials and the elders. Furthermore, he himself would be excluded from the assembly of the exiles.^{Verse 9}All the men of Judah and Benjamin were gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. (It was in the ninth month, on the twentieth day of that month.) All the people sat in the square at the temple of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the rains.^{Verse 10}Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have behaved in an unfaithful manner by taking foreign wives! This has contributed to the guilt of Israel.^{Verse 11}Now give praise to the Lord God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the local residents and from these foreign wives.”^{Verse 12}All the assembly replied in a loud voice: “We will do just as you have said!^{Verse 13}However, the people are numerous and it is the rainy season. We are unable to stand here outside. Furthermore, this business cannot be resolved in a day or two, for we have sinned greatly in this matter.^{Verse 14}Let our leaders take steps on behalf of all the assembly. Let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at an appointed time, and with them the elders of each town and its judges, until the hot anger of our God is turned away from us in this matter.”^{Verse 15}Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah were against this, assisted by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite.^{Verse 16}So the exiles proceeded accordingly. Ezra the priest separated out by name men who were leaders in their family groups. They sat down to consider this matter on the first day of the tenth month,^{Verse 17}and on the first day of the first month they finished considering all the men who had married foreign wives.

Those Who Had Taken Foreign Wives

^{Verse 18}It was determined that from the descendants of the priests, the following had taken foreign wives: from the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.^{Verse 19}(They gave their word to send away their wives; their guilt offering was a ram from the flock for their guilt.)^{Verse 20}From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.^{Verse 21}From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.^{Verse 22}From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.^{Verse 23}From the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also known as Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.^{Verse 24}From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.^{Verse 25}From the Israelites: from the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah, and Benaiah.^{Verse 26}From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.^{Verse 27}From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.^{Verse 28}From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.^{Verse 29}From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.^{Verse 30}From the descendants of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.^{Verse 31}From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,^{Verse 32}Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.^{Verse 33}From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.^{Verse 34}From the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,^{Verse 35}Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi,^{Verse 36}Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,^{Verse 37}Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.^{Verse 38}From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei,^{Verse 39}Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,^{Verse 40}Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,^{Verse 41}Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,^{Verse 42}Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.^{Verse 43}From the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.^{Verse 44}All these had taken foreign wives, and some of them also had children by these women.