Ezra 10

1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God (Elohim), there assembled unto him out of Yisrael a very great congregation of men and women and children; for the people wept very sore.

2 And Shekhanyah the son of Yeiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God (Elohim), and have taken strange wives of the people of the land; yet now there is hope in Yisrael concerning this thing.

3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God (Elohim) to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord (adoni), and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God (Elohim); and let it be done according to the Torah.

4 Arise, for this matter belongeth unto you. We also will be with you. Be of good courage, and do it.

5 Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests (kohanim), the Levites (Lewiyim), and all Yisrael, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.

6 Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God (Elohim), and went into the chamber of Yochanan the son of Elijahhib (Elyashiv); and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water, for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.

7 And they made proclamation throughout Judah (Yehudah) and Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem (Yerushalayim);

8 And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.

9 Then all the men of Judah (Yehudah) and Benjamin (Binyamin) gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God (Elohim), trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

10 And Ezra the priest (kohen) stood up, and said unto them, “You have transgressed, and have taken foreign wives, to increase the trespass of Yisrael.

11 Now therefore make confession unto יהוה God (Elohim) of your fathers, and do His pleasure; and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the foreign wives.”

12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, “As you have said, so must we do.

13 But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand outside, neither is this a work of one day or two, for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.

14 Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them who have taken foreign wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God (Elohim) for this matter be turned from us.”

15 Only Yonatan the son of Asahel and Yachazyah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Lewite (Lewi) helped them.

16 And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest (kohen), with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

17 And they made an end with all the men that had taken foreign wives by the first day of the first month.

18 And among the sons of the priests (kohanim) there were found that had taken foreign wives: namely, of the sons of Joshua (Yeshua) the son of Yotsadak, and his brethren: Maaseyahu, and Eliezer, and Yariv, and Gedalyahu.

19 And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass.

20 And of the sons of Immer: Hanani, and Zebadiah (Zevadyahu).

21 And of the sons of Harim: Maaseyahu, and Eliyah, and Shemayah, and Yeiel, and Uzziyah.

22 And of the sons of Pashur: Elioenai, Maaseyah, Yishmael, Nethaneel, Yozavad, and Elasah.

23 Also of the Levites (Lewiyim): Yozavad, and Shimei, and Qelayah, (the same is Kelita,) Petachyah, Judah (Yehudah), and Eliezer.

24 Of the singers also: Elijahhib

(Eliyashiv); and of the porters: Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.

25 Moreover of Yisrael: of the sons of Parosh: Ramyah, and Yizziyah, and Malkiyah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malkiyah, and Benayah.

26 And of the sons of Elam: Mattanyah, Zechariah (Zekharyah), and Yeiel, and Avdi, and Yeremot, and Eliyah.

27 And of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Elijahhib (Elyashiv), Mattanyah, and Yeremot, and Zabad, and Aziza.

28 Of the sons also of Bebai: Yehochanan, Chananyah, Zabbai, and

Athlai.

29 And of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, and Adayah, Yashuv, and Sheal, and Ramot.

30 And of the sons of Pahathmoab: Adna, and Chelal, Benayah, Maaseyahu, Mattanyah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Menashsheh.

31 And of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah (Yishshiyah), Malkiyah, Shemayah, Shimon,

32 Benjamin (Binyamin), Malluch and Shemaryah.

33 Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Yeremai, Menashsheh, and Shimei.

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

35 Benayah, Bedyah, Chelluh,

36 Vanyah, Meremoth, Elijahhib,

37 Mattanyah, Mattenai, and Yaaso,

38 And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,

39 And Shelemyah, and Nathan, and Adayah,

40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 Azareel, Shelemyah, Shemaryah,

42 Shallum, Amaryah, and Joseph (Yosef).

43 Of the sons of Nebo: Yeiel, Mattityah, Zabad, Zebina, Yiddo, and Yoel, Benayah.

44 All these had taken foreign wives; and some of them had wives by whom they had children.