Ezra 10

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  1. 1While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself facedown in front of God's house, a huge crowd of Israelite men, women, and children gathered around him. The people were weeping bitterly.
  2. 2Then Shechaniah son of Jehiel, from the family of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, "We have trespassed against our God by marrying foreign women from the people of the land. But even so, there is still hope for Israel."
  3. 3Let's make a covenant with our God right now to send away all these foreign wives and their children, following the advice of my lord and of everyone who trembles at the commandment of our God. Let this be done according to the law.
  4. 4Stand up, Ezra — this is your responsibility, and we're behind you. Be courageous and take action."
  5. 5So Ezra stood up and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel swear an oath to do according to this word. And they swore.
  6. 6Then Ezra got up from in front of God's house and went to the room of Johanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he refused to eat or drink because he was still grieving over the sin of the returned exiles.
  7. 7A proclamation was sent throughout Judah and Jerusalem, ordering all the returned exiles to assemble in Jerusalem.
  8. 8Anyone who did not come within three days, as decided by the leaders and elders, would have all their property forfeited and would be separated from the congregation of exiles.
  9. 9Within three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem. It was the twentieth day of the ninth month. All the people sat in the open square in front of the house of God, trembling because of this matter and the great rain.
  10. 10Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have transgressed by taking foreign wives, thus increasing Israel's trespass."
  11. 11Now confess to the LORD God of your ancestors and do what pleases him. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from the foreign wives.
  12. 12The whole assembly shouted back, "You're right! We must do exactly as you say.
  13. 13But there are a lot of us, and it's the rainy season — we can't keep standing out here in the open. Besides, this isn't something that can be resolved in a day or two, because so many of us are guilty.
  14. 14Let our leaders represent the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at scheduled times, along with the elders and judges of each town, until God's fierce anger over this matter is turned away from us."
  15. 15Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahaziah son of Tikvah were involved in this matter, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite assisted them.
  16. 16And the returned exiles did so. Ezra the priest, along with certain family heads, each from their ancestral houses and all listed by name, were set apart and began their investigation on the first day of the tenth month.
  17. 17By the 1st day of the 1st month, they had finished reviewing every case of a man who had married a foreign woman.
  18. 18Among the priests, the following were found to have married foreign women: From the family of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers — Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
  19. 19They gave their hands in pledge to send their wives away; and being guilty, they offered a ram from the flock for their trespass.
  20. 20From the family of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
  21. 21From the family of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
  22. 22From the family of Pashur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
  23. 23From the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also known as Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
  24. 24From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
  25. 25From the rest of Israel — from the family of Parosh: Ramiah, Jeziah, Malchiah, Miamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.
  26. 26From the family of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Eliah.
  27. 27From the family of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
  28. 28From the family of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
  29. 29From the family of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Ramoth.
  30. 30From the family of Pahathmoab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
  31. 31From the family of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
  32. 32Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
  33. 33From the family of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
  34. 34From the family of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
  35. 35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,
  36. 36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
  37. 37Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasau,
  38. 38Bani, Binnui, Shimei,
  39. 39and Shelemiah, Nathan, and Adaiah,
  40. 40Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
  41. 41Azareel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
  42. 42Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
  43. 43From the family of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, Joel, and Benaiah.
  44. 44All of these men had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.
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