1While Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and prostrating himself before the house of God, a very large crowd of men, women, and children from Israel gathered around him, for the people wept bitterly.
2Shecaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land. Yet, there is still hope for Israel concerning this matter.
3So now, let’s make a covenant with our God to send away all these wives and their children, as you advise, my lord, and as those who respect the command of our God advise. Let it be done according to the law.
4Get up, for this is your responsibility, and we are with you. Be strong and do it.”
5Then Ezra stood up and made the leading priests, the Levites, and all Israel swear that they would do as he said. And they swore an oath.
6Ezra then left the front of the house of God and went into the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. When he got there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of those who had returned from captivity.
7They sent out a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all those who had returned from captivity, telling them to gather in Jerusalem.
8and that anyone who did not arrive within three days, as decided by the leaders and elders, would have all their property taken away and would be removed from the community of exiles.
9So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. All the people sat in the open area in front of God’s house, trembling because of this issue and because of the heavy rain.
10Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have sinned by marrying foreign women, which has only increased Israel’s guilt.
11Now confess to Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, and do what he wants. Separate yourselves from the people of this land and from your foreign wives.”
12Then the whole assembly responded loudly, “We must do exactly as you have told us.
13But there are many people, and it’s the rainy season, so we can’t stand outside. This isn’t a task that can be finished in a day or two, because we have seriously sinned in this matter.
14Let our leaders represent the entire assembly. Then, at appointed times, all those in our cities who have married foreign women should come, along with the elders and judges of each city. This will continue until the fierce anger of our God against us is turned away, and this situation is resolved.”
15Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this; Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supported them.
16The people who had returned from exile did as instructed. Ezra the priest, along with certain family heads, chosen by their family groups and all identified by name, were appointed. They began their investigation on the first day of the tenth month.
17They finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month.
18Among the priests, the following were found to have married foreign women: from the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
19They promised to send their wives away, and since they were guilty, they offered a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.
20From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
21From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23From the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25From the Israelites: From the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.
26From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28From the family of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.
29From the family of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, Jeremoth.
30From the family of Pahathmoab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31From the family of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.
33From the family of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei.
34From the family of Bani: Maadai, Amram, and Uel,
35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu,
38Bani, Binnui, Shimei,
39Shelemiah, Nathan, and Adaiah,
40Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.
43From the family of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, Joel, Benaiah.
44All these men had married foreign women; and some of them had children with these wives.