| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1While Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, an extremely large assembly of Israelite men, women, and children gathered around him. The people also wept bitterly. | 1Now while Ezra was praying and confessing in tears, having prostrated himself to the ground before the Temple of God, a very large crowd of Israelis—men, women, and children—gathered around him. Indeed, the people were crying bitterly. |
| 2Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, responded to Ezra: "We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the surrounding peoples, but there is still hope for Israel in spite of this. | 2Jehiel's son Shecaniah, one of Elam's descendants, responded to Ezra: "We have sinned against our God by marrying foreign wives from the people of the land, but even now there is hope in Israel, despite this. |
| 3Let us therefore 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. | 3So let's make a promise to our God by which we divorce all of these foreign wives—as well as those born to them—in accordance with the counsel of our Lord and of those who tremble at our God's command. Furthermore, let it be done according to the Law. |
| 4Get up, for this matter is your responsibility, and we support you. Be strong and take action!" | 4So get up—it's your responsibility! We're with you. Be strong, and get to work." |
| 5Then Ezra got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel take an oath to do what had been said; so they took the oath. | 5So Ezra got up and made the chief priests, the descendants of Levi, and all of Israel vow to carry out everything they promised. And so they agreed. |
| 6Ezra then went from the house of God and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, where he spent the night. He did not eat food or drink water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles. | 6Ezra arose in front of the Temple of God to visit the apartment of Eliashib's son Jehohanan. While there, he neither ate nor drank because he was in mourning over the sins of those who had returned from exile. |
| 7They circulated a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem. | 7Then they sent word throughout Judah and Jerusalem to everyone who had returned from the exile, to gather together in Jerusalem. |
| 8Whoever did not come within three days would forfeit all his possessions, according to the decision of the leaders and elders, and would be excluded from the assembly of the exiles. | 8Whoever would not come within three days would forfeit his assets and be separated from the community of the returning exiles, just as the high officials and elders had advised. |
| 9So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. On the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain. | 9Less than three days later, all of the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered together on the twentieth day of the ninth month. Everyone sat in the plaza of the Temple of God, trembling because of everything that was happening, and also because it was raining heavily. |
| 10Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to Israel's guilt. | 10Ezra the priest stood up and spoke to them, "You have sinned by marrying foreign wives, thereby increasing the transgressions of Israel. |
| 11Therefore, make a confession to Yahweh the God of your fathers and do His will. Separate yourselves from the surrounding peoples and your foreign wives." | 11Now confess this to the LORD God of your ancestors, and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from foreign wives." |
| 12Then all the assembly responded with a loud voice: "Yes, we will do as you say! | 12At this, the entire community responded with a loud cry, "We will do just as you've spoken! |
| 13But there are many people, and it is the rainy season. We don't have the stamina to stay out in the open. This isn't something that can be done in a day or two, for we have rebelled terribly in this matter. | 13However, many people are involved, and it's raining heavily. Furthermore, this is not just a matter of a day or two of work, because many of us have sinned in this. |
| 14Let our leaders represent the entire assembly. Then let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each town, in order to avert the fierce anger of our God concerning this matter." | 14So let's have our officials remain on behalf of the whole community. Then all who have married foreign wives are to come appear at specific times before the elders and judges of each city until the fierce anger of our God has been turned away from us in this matter." |
| 15Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this, with Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them. | 15Only Asahel's son Jonathan and Tikvah's son Jahzeiah opposed this, and they were supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the descendant of Levi. |
| 16The exiles did what had been proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family leaders, all identified by name, to represent their ancestral houses. They convened on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter, | 16So those who had returned from exile did this. Ezra the priest and leaders of certain ancestral groups listed by name devoted themselves to examine the situation on the first day of the tenth month. |
| 17and by the first day of the first month they had dealt with all the men who had married foreign women. | 17By the first day of the first month they concluded their investigation of all of the men who had married foreign wives. |
| 18The following were found to have married foreign women from the descendants of the priests: from the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. | 18Here is a list of priestly descendants who were found to have married foreign women. From Jeshua's descendants: Jozadak's son and his brothers Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. |
| 19They pledged to send their wives away, and being guilty, they offered a ram from the flock for their guilt; | 19Pleading guilty, they promised to divorce their wives. Then they offered a ram from their flocks for their offense. |
| 20Hanani and Zebadiah from Immer's descendants; | 20From Immer's descendants: Hanani and Zebadiah. |
| 21Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah from Harim's descendants; | 21From Harim's descendants: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah. |
| 22Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah from Pashhur's descendants. | 22From Pashhur's descendants: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah. |
| 23The Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. | 23From the descendants of Levi: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. |
| 24The singers: Eliashib. The gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri. | 24From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri. |
| 25The Israelites: Parosh's descendants: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah; | 25From the Israelis: Parosh's descendants: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah. |
| 26Elam's descendants: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah; | 26From Elam's descendants: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah. |
| 27Zattu's descendants: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza; | 27From Zattu's descendants: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza. |
| 28Bebai's descendants: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai; | 28From Bebai's descendants: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. |
| 29Bani's descendants: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth; | 29From Bani's descendants: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth. |
| 30Pahath-moab's descendants: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh; | 30From Pahath-moab's descendants: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh. |
| 31Harim's descendants: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, | 31From Harim's descendants: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, |
| 32Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah; | 32Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. |
| 33Hashum's descendants: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei; | 33From Hashum's descendants: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. |
| 34Bani's descendants: Maadai, Amram, Uel, | 34From Bani's descendants: Maadai, Amram, Uel, |
| 35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, | 35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, |
| 36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, | 36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, |
| 37Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu, | 37Matanza, Maternai, Jas, |
| 38Bani, Binnui, Shimei, | 38Bani, Binai, Shihezi, |
| 39Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, | 39Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, |
| 40Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, | 40Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, |
| 41Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, | 41Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, |
| 42Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph; | 42Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. |
| 43Nebo's descendants: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah. | 43From Nebo's descendants: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah. |
| 44All of these had married foreign women, and some of the wives had given birth to children. | 44All of these had married foreign wives, and some of them had children by them. |
|
