⁷ But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet,^(A) the mystery^(B) of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”^(C)

Ezra’s Prayer About Intermarriage

9 After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate^(A) from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites,^(B) Ammonites,^(C) Moabites,^(D) Egyptians and Amorites.^{(E) 2} They have taken some of their daughters^(F) as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled^(G) the holy race^(H) with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”^(I)

³ When I heard this, I tore^(J) my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled.^{(K) 4} Then everyone who trembled^(L) at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled^(M) until the evening sacrifice.

⁵ Then, at the evening sacrifice,^(N) I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands^(O) spread out to the Lord my God ⁶ and prayed:

The People’s Confession of Sin

10 While Ezra was praying and confessing,^(AS) weeping^(AT) and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. ² Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam,^(AU) said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful^(AV) to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel.^{(AW) 3} Now let us make a covenant^(AX) before our God to send away^(AY) all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. ⁴ Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.”

⁵ So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath^(AZ) to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath. ⁶ Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water,^(BA) because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.

⁷ A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem. ⁸ Anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.

⁹ Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin^(BB) had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain. ¹⁰ Then Ezra^(BC) the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt.^{(BD) 11} Now honor^[b] the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.”^(BE)

¹² The whole assembly responded with a loud voice:^(BF) “You are right! We must do as you say. ¹³ But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing. ¹⁴ Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges^(BG) of each town, until the fierce anger^(BH) of our God in this matter is turned away from us.” ¹⁵ Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai^(BI) the Levite, opposed this.

¹⁶ So the exiles did as was proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, one from each family division, and all of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to investigate the cases, ¹⁷ and by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women.

Those Guilty of Intermarriage

⁴⁴ All these had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.^[d]

The Conclusion of the Matter

⁹ Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.^{(K) 10} The Teacher^(L) searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.^(M)

¹¹ The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails^(N)—given by one shepherd.^{[b] 12} Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.^(O)

Four Chariots

6 I looked up again, and there before me were four chariots^(A) coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze. ² The first chariot had red horses, the second black,^{(B) 3} the third white,^(C) and the fourth dappled—all of them powerful. ⁴ I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these, my lord?”

⁵ The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits^[a](D) of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world.^{(E) 6} The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west,^[b] and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.”

⁷ When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth.^(F) And he said, “Go throughout the earth!” So they went throughout the earth.

⁸ Then he called to me, “Look, those going toward the north country have given my Spirit^[c] rest^(G) in the land of the north.”^(H)

A Crown for Joshua

⁹ The word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁰ “Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon.^(I) Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. ¹¹ Take the silver and gold and make a crown,^(J) and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua^(K) son of Jozadak.^{[d](L) 12} Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch,^(M) and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord.^{(N) 13} It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he^[e] will be a priest^(O) on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’ ¹⁴ The crown will be given to Heldai,^[f] Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen^[g] son of Zephaniah as a memorial^(P) in the temple of the Lord. ¹⁵ Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord,^(Q) and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.^(R) This will happen if you diligently obey^(S) the Lord your God.”

The Angel and the Little Scroll

10 Then I saw another mighty angel^(A) coming down from heaven.^(B) He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow^(C) above his head; his face was like the sun,^(D) and his legs were like fiery pillars.^{(E) 2} He was holding a little scroll,^(F) which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,^{(G) 3} and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion.^(H) When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders^(I) spoke. ⁴ And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write;^(J) but I heard a voice from heaven^(K) say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”^(L)

⁵ Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land^(M) raised his right hand to heaven.^{(N) 6} And he swore^(O) by him who lives for ever and ever,^(P) who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it,^(Q) and said, “There will be no more delay!^{(R) 7} But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet,^(S) the mystery^(T) of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”^(U)

⁸ Then the voice that I had heard from heaven^(V) spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll^(W) that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”

⁹ So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’^[a]”^{(X) 10} I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth,^(Y) but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. ¹¹ Then I was told, “You must prophesy^(Z) again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”^(AA)