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Ezra 10 - Nehemiah 2
English Standard Version
Ezra 10 - Nehemiah 2
English Standard Version
The People Confess Their Sin
10 (A)While Ezra prayed and (B)made confession, weeping and (C)casting himself down (D)before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly. 2 And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, addressed Ezra: (E)“We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. 3 Therefore (F)let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and (G)their children, according to the counsel of my lord[a] and of (H)those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done (I)according to the Law. 4 Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; (J)be strong and do it.” 5 Then Ezra arose and made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel (K)take an oath that they would do as had been said. So they took the oath.
6 Then Ezra withdrew (L)from before the house of God and went to the (M)chamber of (N)Jehohanan the son of (O)Eliashib, where he spent the night,[b] neither (P)eating bread nor drinking water, for he was mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles. 7 And a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should assemble at Jerusalem, 8 and that if anyone did not come within three days, by order of the officials and the elders all his property should be forfeited, and he himself banned from the congregation of the exiles.
9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the (Q)heavy rain. 10 And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have broken faith and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel. 11 Now then (R)make confession to the Lord, the God of your fathers and do his will. (S)Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.” 12 Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “It is so; we must do as you have said. 13 But the people are many, and it is a time of heavy rain; we cannot stand in the open. Nor is this a task for one day or for two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter. 14 Let our officials stand for the whole assembly. Let all in our cities who have taken foreign wives come (T)at appointed times, and with them the elders and judges of every city, (U)until the fierce wrath of our God over this matter is turned away from us.” 15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah opposed this, and (V)Meshullam and (W)Shabbethai the Levite supported them.
16 Then the returned exiles did so. Ezra the priest selected men,[c] heads of fathers' houses, according to their fathers' houses, each of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to examine the matter; 17 and by the first day of the first month they had come to the end of all the men who had married foreign women.
Those Guilty of Intermarriage
18 Now there were found some of the sons of the priests who had married foreign women: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah, some of the sons of (X)Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers. 19 They (Y)pledged themselves to put away their wives, and their guilt offering was (Z)a ram of the flock for their guilt.[d] 20 (AA)Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah. 21 (AB)Of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah. 22 Of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. 24 Of the singers: Eliashib. Of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 And of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah,[e] and Benaiah. 26 Of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah. 27 Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza. 28 Of the sons of Bebai were Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. 29 Of the sons of Bani were Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth. 30 Of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh. 31 Of the (AC)sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, 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 (AD)Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu. 38 Of the sons of Binnui:[f] Shimei, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. 43 Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah. 44 All these had married foreign women, and some of the women (AE)had even borne children.[g]
Report from Jerusalem
1 The words of (AF)Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.
Now it happened in the month of (AG)Chislev, (AH)in the twentieth year, as I was in (AI)Susa the citadel, 2 that (AJ)Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and (AK)shame. (AL)The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, (AM)and its gates are destroyed by fire.”
Nehemiah's Prayer
4 As soon as I heard these words I (AN)sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the (AO)God of heaven. 5 And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, (AP)the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 (AQ)let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, (AR)confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even (AS)I and my father's house have sinned. 7 (AT)We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules (AU)that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, (AV)I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 (AW)but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, (AX)though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them (AY)to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ 10 (AZ)They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 O Lord, (BA)let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”
Now I was (BB)cupbearer to the king.
Nehemiah Sent to Judah
2 In the month of Nisan, (BC)in the twentieth year of King (BD)Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, (BE)I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but (BF)sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, (BG)“Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, (BH)when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed (BI)to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.” 6 And the king said to me ((BJ)the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me (BK)when I had given him a time. 7 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me (BL)to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of (BM)the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, (BN)for the good hand of my God was upon me.
Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem's Walls
9 Then I came to (BO)the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. 10 But when (BP)Sanballat the Horonite and (BQ)Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.
11 (BR)So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12 Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode. 13 I went out by night by (BS)the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to (BT)the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem (BU)that were broken down (BV)and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I went on to (BW)the Fountain Gate and to (BX)the King's Pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass. 15 Then I went up in the night (BY)by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. 16 And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work.
17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, (BZ)how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer (CA)suffer derision.” 18 And I told them (CB)of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” (CC)So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and (CD)Geshem the Arab heard of it, (CE)they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? (CF)Are you rebelling against the king?” 20 Then I replied to them, (CG)“The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim[h] in Jerusalem.”
Footnotes
- Ezra 10:3 Or of the Lord
- Ezra 10:6 Probable reading; Hebrew where he went
- Ezra 10:16 Syriac; Hebrew And there were selected Ezra…
- Ezra 10:19 Or as their reparation
- Ezra 10:25 Septuagint; Hebrew Malchijah
- Ezra 10:38 Septuagint; Hebrew Bani, Binnui
- Ezra 10:44 Or and they put them away with their children
- Nehemiah 2:20 Or memorial
Ezra 10 - Nehemiah 2
New International Version
Ezra 10 - Nehemiah 2
New International Version
The People’s Confession of Sin
10 While Ezra was praying and confessing,(A) weeping(B) 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,(C) said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful(D) to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel.(E) 3 Now let us make a covenant(F) before our God to send away(G) 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(H) 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,(I) 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(J) 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(K) the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt.(L) 11 Now honor[a] the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.”(M)
12 The whole assembly responded with a loud voice:(N) “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(O) of each town, until the fierce anger(P) 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(Q) 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
18 Among the descendants of the priests, the following had married foreign women:(R)
From the descendants of Joshua(S) son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah. 19 (They all gave their hands(T) in pledge to put away their wives, and for their guilt they each presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.)(U)
20 From the descendants of Immer:(V)
Hanani and Zebadiah.
21 From the descendants of Harim:(W)
Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel and Uzziah.
22 From the descendants of Pashhur:(X)
Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah.
23 Among the Levites:(Y)
Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.
24 From the musicians:
Eliashib.(Z)
From the gatekeepers:
Shallum, Telem and Uri.
25 And among the other Israelites:
From the descendants of Parosh:(AA)
Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah and Benaiah.
26 From the descendants of Elam:(AB)
Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth and Elijah.
27 From the descendants of Zattu:
Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza.
28 From the descendants of Bebai:
Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai.
29 From the descendants of Bani:
Meshullam, Malluk, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal and Jeremoth.
30 From the descendants of Pahath-Moab:
Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh.
31 From the descendants of Harim:
Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluk and Shemariah.
33 From the descendants of Hashum:
Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei.
34 From the descendants of Bani:
Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai and Jaasu.
38 From the descendants of Binnui:[b]
Shimei, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Maknadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah and Joseph.
43 From the descendants of Nebo:
Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah.
44 All these had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.[c]
Nehemiah’s Prayer
1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:
In the month of Kislev(AC) in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,(AD) 2 Hanani,(AE) one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant(AF) that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
3 They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.(AG)”
4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept.(AH) For some days I mourned and fasted(AI) and prayed before the God of heaven. 5 Then I said:
“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God,(AJ) who keeps his covenant of love(AK) with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear(AL) the prayer(AM) your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess(AN) the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly(AO) toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
8 “Remember(AP) the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter(AQ) you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather(AR) them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’(AS)
10 “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.(AT) 11 Lord, let your ear be attentive(AU) to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor(AV) in the presence of this man.”
I was cupbearer(AW) to the king.
Artaxerxes Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem
2 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,(AX) when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”
I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever!(AY) Why should my face not look sad when the city(AZ) where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?(BA)”
4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?”
Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
6 Then the king(BB), with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.
7 I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates,(BC) so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel(BD) by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me,(BE) the king granted my requests.(BF) 9 So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry(BG) with me.
10 When Sanballat(BH) the Horonite and Tobiah(BI) the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.(BJ)
Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls
11 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days(BK) 12 I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.
13 By night I went out through the Valley Gate(BL) toward the Jackal[d] Well and the Dung Gate,(BM) examining the walls(BN) of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate(BO) and the King’s Pool,(BP) but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; 15 so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. 16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.
17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire.(BQ) Come, let us rebuild the wall(BR) of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.(BS)” 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me(BT) and what the king had said to me.
They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
19 But when Sanballat(BU) the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem(BV) the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us.(BW) “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”
20 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding,(BX) but as for you, you have no share(BY) in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”
Footnotes
- Ezra 10:11 Or Now make confession to
- Ezra 10:38 See Septuagint (also 1 Esdras 9:34); Hebrew Jaasu 38 and Bani and Binnui,
- Ezra 10:44 Or and they sent them away with their children
- Nehemiah 2:13 Or Serpent or Fig
English Standard Version (ESV) 
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