Ezra 10
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Sending Away Foreign Wives
10 While Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and falling facedown(A) before the house of God, an extremely large assembly of Israelite men, women, and children gathered around him. The people also wept bitterly.(B) 2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel,(C) an Elamite, responded to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the surrounding peoples,(D) but there is still hope for Israel in spite of this. 3 Let us therefore make a covenant before our God(E) 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.(F) Let it be done according to the law. 4 Get up, for this matter is your responsibility,(G) and we support you. Be strong and take action!”(H)
5 Then 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.(I) 6 Ezra then went from the house of God and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, where he spent the night.[a] He did not eat food or drink water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.(J)
7 They circulated a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem. 8 Whoever did not come within three days would forfeit all his possessions,[b] according to the decision of the leaders and elders, and would be excluded(K) from the assembly of the exiles.
9 So 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,(L) trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain. 10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt.(M) 11 Therefore, make a confession to Yahweh the God of your fathers and do His will. Separate yourselves from the surrounding peoples and your foreign wives.”
12 Then all the assembly responded with a loud voice: “Yes, we will do as you say! 13 But 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. 14 Let 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(N) concerning[c] this matter.” 15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this, with Meshullam(O) and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them.
16 The exiles did what had been proposed. Ezra the priest selected men[d] who were family leaders, all identified by name, to represent[e] their ancestral houses. They convened on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter, 17 and by the first day of the first month they had dealt with all the men who had married foreign women.
Those Married to Foreign Wives
18 The 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. 19 They pledged[f] to send their wives away, and being guilty, they offered a ram from the flock for their guilt;(P)
20 Hanani and Zebadiah from Immer’s(Q) descendants;
21 Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah from Harim’s(R) descendants;
22 Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah from Pashhur’s(S) descendants.
23 The Levites:(T)
Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 The singers:(U)
Eliashib.
The gatekeepers:(V)
Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 The Israelites:(W)
Parosh’s descendants:(X) Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah,[g] and Benaiah;
26 Elam’s descendants:(Y) Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah;
27 Zattu’s descendants:(Z) Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza;
28 Bebai’s descendants:(AA) Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;
29 Bani’s descendants:(AB) Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth;
30 Pahath-moab’s descendants:(AC) Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh;
31 Harim’s descendants:(AD) Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah;
33 Hashum’s descendants:(AE) Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei;
34 Bani’s descendants:(AF) 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 Nebo’s descendants:(AG) Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 All of these(AH) had married foreign women, and some of the wives had given birth to children.(AI)
Footnotes
- Ezra 10:6 1 Esdras 9:2, Syr; MT, Vg read he went
- Ezra 10:8 Lit would set apart all his possessions for destruction
- Ezra 10:14 Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg; other Hb mss read until
- Ezra 10:16 1 Esdras 9:16, Syr; MT, Vg read priest and men were selected
- Ezra 10:16 Lit name, for
- Ezra 10:19 Lit gave their hand
- Ezra 10:25 Some LXX mss, 1 Esdras 9:26 read Hashabiah
Ezra 10
International Standard Version
The People Gather with Ezra
10 Now 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.
2 Jehiel’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. 3 So let’s make a promise to our God by which we divorce[a] all of these foreign[b] 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. 4 So get up—it’s your responsibility! We’re with you. Be strong, and get to work.”[c]
The People Agree to Dissolve Their Marriages
5 So 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.[d] 6 Ezra 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. 7 Then they sent word throughout Judah and Jerusalem to everyone who had returned from the exile, to gather together in Jerusalem. 8 Whoever 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.
9 Less than three days later, all of the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered together on the twentieth day[e] 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. 10 Ezra the priest stood up and spoke to them, “You have sinned by marrying foreign wives, thereby increasing the transgressions of Israel. 11 Now confess this to the Lord God of your ancestors, and separate yourselves from the people who live in the land and from foreign wives.”
12 At this, the entire community responded with a loud cry, “We will do just as you’ve spoken! 13 However, 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. 14 So 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[f] the elders and judges of each city until the fierce anger of our God has been turned away from us in this matter.”
15 Only Asahel’s son Jonathan and Tikvah’s son Jahzeiah opposed this, and they were supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the descendant of Levi.
The People Carry Out Their Promise
16 So 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. 17 By the first day of the first month they concluded their investigation of all of the men who had married foreign wives.
Those who Married Foreign Women
18 Here is a list of priestly descendants who were found to have married foreign women. From Jeshua’s descendants:[g] Jozadak’s son and his brothers Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 Pleading guilty, they promised to divorce their wives. Then they offered a ram from their flocks for their offense.
20 From Immer’s descendants: Hanani and Zebadiah. 21 From Harim’s descendants: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah. 22 From Pashhur’s descendants: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah. 23 From the descendants of Levi: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. 24 From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 From the Israelis: Parosh’s descendants: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah. 26 From Elam’s descendants: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah. 27 From Zattu’s descendants: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza. 28 From Bebai’s descendants: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. 29 From Bani’s descendants: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth. 30 From Pahath-moab’s descendants: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh. 31 From Harim’s descendants: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 From Hashum’s descendants: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. 34 From Bani’s descendants: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Matanza, Maternai, Jas, 38 Bani, Binai, Shihezi, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. 43 From Nebo’s descendants: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 All of these had married foreign wives, and some of them had children by them.
Footnotes
- Ezra 10:3 Or expel
- Ezra 10:3 The Heb. lacks of these foreign
- Ezra 10:4 Or and do it
- Ezra 10:5 Lit. swore
- Ezra 10:9 The Heb. lacks day
- Ezra 10:14 Lit. with
- Ezra 10:18 Lit. Children of; and so through v. 43
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