Ezra Chapter 10

Ezra 10 — English translation

Translation: THE JPS TANAKH: Gender-Sensitive Edition. Verse numbers match the Hebrew text below.

1. 1While Ezra was praying and making confession, weeping and prostrating himself before the House of God, a very great crowd of Israelites gathered about him, men, women, and children; the people were weeping bitterly.
2. 2Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel of the family of Elam spoke up and said to Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God by bringing into our homes foreign women from the peoples of the land; but there is still hope for Israel despite this.
3. 3Now then, let us make a covenant with our God to expel all these women and those who have been born to them, in accordance with the bidding of the Sovereign and of all who are concerned over the commandment of our God, and let the Teaching be obeyed.
4. 4Take action, for the responsibility is yours and we are with you. Act with resolve!”
5. 5So Ezra at once put the officers of the priests and the Levites and all Israel under oath to act accordingly, and they took the oath.
6. 6Then Ezra rose from his place in front of the House of God and went into the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib; there, he ate no bread and drank no water, for he was in mourning over the trespass of those who had returned from exile.
7. 7Then a proclamation was issued in Judah and Jerusalem that all who had returned from the exile should assemble in Jerusalem,
8. 8and that anyone who did not come in three days would, by decision of the officers and elders, have their property confiscated and themselves excluded from the congregation of the returning exiles.
9. 9All the citizens of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem in three days; it was the ninth month, the twentieth of the month. All the people sat in the square of the House of God, trembling on account of the event and because of the rains.
10. 10Then Ezra the priest got up and said to them, “You have trespassed by bringing home foreign women, thus aggravating the guilt of Israel.
11. 11So now, make confession to the E TERNAL , God of your ancestors—and do God’s will by separating yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women.”
12. 12The entire congregation responded in a loud voice, “We must surely do just as you say.
13. 13However, many people are involved, and it is the rainy season; it is not possible to remain out in the open, nor is this the work of a day or two, because we have transgressed extensively in this matter.
14. 14Let our officers remain on behalf of the entire congregation, and all our townsmen who have brought home foreign women shall appear before them at scheduled times, together with the elders and judges of each town, in order to avert the burning anger of our God from us on this account.”
15. 15Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah remained for this purpose, assisted by Meshullam and Shabbethai, the Levites.
16. 16The returning exiles did so. Ezra the priest and certain chiefs of the ancestral clans—all listed by name—sequestered themselves on the first day of the tenth month to study the matter.
17. 17By the first day of the first month they were done with all the men who had brought home foreign women.
18. 18Among the priestly families who were found to have brought foreign women were Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
19. 19They gave their word to expel their wives and, acknowledging their guilt, offered a ram from the flock to expiate it.
20. 20Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah;
21. 21of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah;
22. 22of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah;
23. 23of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah who is Kelita, Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24. 24Of the singers: Eliashib. Of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25. 25Of the Israelites: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah;
26. 26of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah;
27. 27of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza;
28. 28of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;
29. 29of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Ramoth;
30. 30of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh;
31. 31of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, and Shimeon;
32. 32also Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah;
33. 33of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei;
34. 34of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, and Uel;
35. 35also Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhu,
36. 36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37. 37Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasai,
38. 38Bani, Binnui, Shimei,
39. 39Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
40. 40Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41. 41Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42. 42Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph;
43. 43of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44. 44All these had married foreign women, among whom were some women who had borne children.

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