Reconciliation with God

10 Now (A)while Ezra was praying and making confession, weeping and prostrating himself (B)before the house of God, a very large assembly, men, women and children, gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept bitterly. Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, said to Ezra, “(C)We have been unfaithful to our God and have [a]married foreign women from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. So now (D)let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and [b](E)their children, according to the counsel of [c]my lord and of (F)those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done (G)according to the law. Arise! For this matter is [d]your responsibility, but we will be with you; (H)be courageous and act.”

Then Ezra rose and (I)made the leading priests, the Levites and all Israel, take oath that they would do according to this [e]proposal; so they took the oath. Then Ezra (J)rose from before the house of God and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. Although he went there, (K)he did not eat bread nor drink water, for he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles. They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the exiles, that they should assemble at Jerusalem, and that whoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the leaders and the elders, all his possessions should be forfeited and he himself excluded from the assembly of the exiles.

So all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month on the twentieth of the month, and all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, (L)trembling because of this matter and the heavy rain. 10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful and have married foreign wives adding to the guilt of Israel. 11 Now therefore, (M)make confession to the Lord God of your fathers and (N)do His will; and (O)separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.” 12 Then all the assembly replied with a loud voice, “That’s right! As you have said, so it is [f]our duty to do. 13 But there are many people; it is the rainy season and we are not able to stand in the open. Nor can the task be done in one or two days, for we have transgressed greatly in this matter. 14 Let our leaders [g]represent the whole assembly and let all those in our cities who have married foreign wives come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each city, until the (P)fierce anger of our God on account of this matter is turned away from us.” 15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah [h]opposed this, with Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them.

16 But the exiles did so. And [i]Ezra the priest selected men who were heads of fathers’ households for each of their father’s households, all of them by name. So they [j]convened on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter. 17 They finished investigating all the men who had married foreign wives by the first day of the first month.

List of Offenders

18 Among the sons of the priests who had married foreign wives were found of the sons of (Q)Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah. 19 They [k]pledged to put away their wives, and being guilty, (R)they offered a ram of the flock for their offense. 20 Of the sons of Immer there were Hanani and Zebadiah; 21 and of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel and Uzziah; 22 and of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah.

23 Of Levites there were Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.

24 Of the singers there was Eliashib; and of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem and Uri.

25 Of Israel, of the sons of (S)Parosh there were Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah and Benaiah; 26 and of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth and Elijah; 27 and of the sons of (T)Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza; 28 and of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai; 29 and of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch and Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal and Jeremoth; 30 and of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh; 31 and of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, (U)Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch and Shemariah; 33 of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei; 34 of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu, 38 Bani, Binnui, Shimei, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah and Joseph. 43 Of the sons of (V)Nebo there were Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah. 44 All these had married (W)foreign wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had children.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 10:2 Lit given dwelling to
  2. Ezra 10:3 Lit that which is born of them
  3. Ezra 10:3 Or the Lord
  4. Ezra 10:4 Lit upon you
  5. Ezra 10:5 Lit word, thing
  6. Ezra 10:12 Lit upon us
  7. Ezra 10:14 Lit stand for
  8. Ezra 10:15 Lit stood against
  9. Ezra 10:16 Heb reads there were set apart Ezra the priest, men...
  10. Ezra 10:16 Lit sat
  11. Ezra 10:19 Lit gave their hand

13 For You (A)formed my [a]inward parts;
You (B)wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, for [b]I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
(C)Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
15 My [c](D)frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the (E)depths of the earth;
16 Your (F)eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in (G)Your book were all written
The (H)days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

17 How precious also are Your (I)thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would (J)outnumber the sand.
When (K)I awake, I am still with You.

19 O that You would (L)slay the wicked, O God;
(M)Depart from me, therefore, (N)men of bloodshed.
20 For they (O)speak [d]against You wickedly,
And Your enemies [e](P)take Your name in vain.
21 Do I not (Q)hate those who hate You, O Lord?
And do I not (R)loathe those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with the utmost hatred;
They have become my enemies.

23 (S)Search me, O God, and know my heart;
(T)Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
24 And see if there be any [f](U)hurtful way in me,
And (V)lead me in the (W)everlasting way.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 139:13 Lit kidneys
  2. Psalm 139:14 Some ancient versions read You are fearfully wonderful
  3. Psalm 139:15 Lit bones were
  4. Psalm 139:20 Or of
  5. Psalm 139:20 Some mss read lift themselves up against You
  6. Psalm 139:24 Lit way of pain

The Book with Seven Seals

I saw [a]in the right hand of Him who (A)sat on the throne a [b](B)book written inside and on the back, (C)sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a (D)strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the [c]book and to break its seals?” And no one (E)in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the [d]book or to look into it. Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the [e]book or to look into it; and one of the elders *said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the (F)Lion that is (G)from the tribe of Judah, the (H)Root of David, has overcome so as to open the [f]book and its seven seals.”

And I saw [g]between the throne (with the four living creatures) and (I)the elders a (J)Lamb standing, as if (K)slain, having seven (L)horns and (M)seven eyes, which are (N)the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. And He came and took (O)the book out of the right hand of Him who (P)sat on the throne. When He had taken the [h]book, the (Q)four living creatures and the (R)twenty-four elders (S)fell down before the (T)Lamb, each one holding a (U)harp and (V)golden bowls full of incense, which are the (W)prayers of the [i]saints. And they *sang a (X)new song, saying,

(Y)Worthy are You to take the [j]book and to break its seals; for You were (Z)slain, and (AA)purchased for God with Your blood men from (AB)every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

10 “You have made them to be a (AC)kingdom and (AD)priests to our God; and they will (AE)reign upon the earth.”

Angels Exalt the Lamb

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels (AF)around the throne and the (AG)living creatures and the (AH)elders; and the number of them was (AI)myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice,

(AJ)Worthy is the (AK)Lamb that was (AL)slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”

13 And (AM)every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying,

“To Him who (AN)sits on the throne, and to the (AO)Lamb, (AP)be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

14 And the (AQ)four living creatures kept saying, “(AR)Amen.” And the (AS)elders (AT)fell down and worshiped.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 5:1 Lit upon
  2. Revelation 5:1 Or scroll
  3. Revelation 5:2 Or scroll
  4. Revelation 5:3 Or scroll
  5. Revelation 5:4 Or scroll
  6. Revelation 5:5 Or scroll
  7. Revelation 5:6 Lit in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders
  8. Revelation 5:8 Or scroll
  9. Revelation 5:8 Or holy ones
  10. Revelation 5:9 Or scroll