Ezra 10
New English Translation
The People Confess Their Sins
10 While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself to the ground before the temple of God, a very large crowd of Israelites—men, women, and children alike—gathered around him. The people wept loudly.[a] 2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, from the descendants of Elam,[b] addressed Ezra:
“We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying[c] foreign women from the local peoples.[d] Nonetheless, there is still hope for Israel in this regard.[e] 3 Therefore let us enact[f] a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord,[g] and that of those who respect[h] the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law. 4 Get up, for this matter concerns you. We are with you, so be strong and act decisively!”
5 So Ezra got up and made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel take an oath to carry out this plan.[i] And they all took a solemn oath. 6 Then Ezra got up from in front of the temple of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he stayed[j] there, he did not eat food or drink water, for he was in mourning over the infidelity of the exiles.
7 A proclamation[k] was circulated[l] throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles were to be assembled in Jerusalem. 8 Everyone who did not come within three days would thereby forfeit all his property, in keeping with the counsel of the officials and the elders. Furthermore, he himself would be excluded from the assembly of the exiles.
9 All the men of Judah and Benjamin were gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. (It was in the ninth month, on the twentieth day of that month.) All the people sat in the square at the temple of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the rains.
10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have behaved in an unfaithful manner by taking foreign wives! This has contributed to the guilt of Israel. 11 Now give praise to the Lord God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the local residents[m] and from these foreign wives.”
12 All the assembly replied in a loud voice: “We will do just as you have said![n] 13 However, the people are numerous and it is the rainy season.[o] We are unable to stand here outside. Furthermore, this business cannot be resolved in a day or two, for we have sinned greatly in this matter. 14 Let our leaders take steps[p] on behalf of all the assembly. Let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at an appointed time, and with them the elders of each town and its judges, until the hot anger of our God is turned away from us in this matter.”
15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah were[q] against this, assisted by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite. 16 So the exiles proceeded accordingly. Ezra the priest separated out[r] by name men who were leaders in their family groups.[s] They sat down to consider this matter on the first day of the tenth month, 17 and on the first day of the first month they finished considering all the men who had married foreign wives.
Those Who Had Taken Foreign Wives
18 It was determined[t] that from the descendants of the priests, the following had taken foreign wives: from the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 (They gave their word[u] to send away their wives; their guilt offering was a ram from the flock for their guilt.)
20 From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
21 From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 From the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also known as Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 From the Israelites: from the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah, and Benaiah.
26 From the descendants of Elam: 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, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
30 From the descendants of Pahath Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 From[v] the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 From the descendants of Bani:[w] Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
38 From[x] the descendants of Binnui: Shimei, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Machnadebai, 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 taken foreign wives, and some of them also had children by these women.[y]
Footnotes
- Ezra 10:1 tn Heb “with much weeping.”
- Ezra 10:2 tc The translation reads with the Qere, many medieval Hebrew mss, the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate עֵילָם (ʿelam, “Elam”) rather than the reading עוֹלָם (ʿolam, “eternity”) found in the MT.
- Ezra 10:2 tn Heb “in that we have given a dwelling to.” So also in vv. 14, 17, 18.
- Ezra 10:2 tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”
- Ezra 10:2 tn Heb “upon this.”
- Ezra 10:3 tn Heb “cut.”
- Ezra 10:3 tn The MT vocalizes this word as a plural, which could be understood as a reference to God, but the context seems to suggest that a human lord is intended. The apparatus of BHS suggests repointing the word as a singular (“my lord”), but this is unnecessary. The plural (“my lords”) can be understood in an honorific sense even when a human being is in view. Most English versions regard this as a reference to Ezra, so the present translation supplies “your” before “counsel” to make this clear.
- Ezra 10:3 tn Heb “who tremble at”; NAB, NIV “who fear.”
- Ezra 10:5 tn Heb “to do according to this plan.”
- Ezra 10:6 tc The translation reads וַיָּלֶן (vayyalen, “and he stayed”) rather than the reading וַיֵּלֶךְ (vayyelekh, “and he went”) of the MT. Cf. the LXX.
- Ezra 10:7 tn Heb “voice.”
- Ezra 10:7 tn Heb “they sent.”
- Ezra 10:11 tn Heb “the peoples of the land.”
- Ezra 10:12 tn Heb “thus according to your word [singular = Qere] concerning us, to do.”
- Ezra 10:13 tn Heb “the time [is] rain showers.”
- Ezra 10:14 tn Heb “stand.”
- Ezra 10:15 tn Heb “stood.”
- Ezra 10:16 tc The translation reads the Hiphil singular וַיַּבְדֵּל לוֹ (vayyavdel lo, “separated for himself”) rather than the Niphal plural וַיִּבָּדְלוּ (vayyibbadelu, “were separated”) of the MT.
- Ezra 10:16 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers, to the house of their fathers, and all of them by name.”
- Ezra 10:18 tn Heb “found.”
- Ezra 10:19 tn Heb “hand.”
- Ezra 10:31 tc The translation reads with many medieval Hebrew mss and ancient versions וּמִבְּנֵי (umibbene, “and from the sons of”) rather than the reading וּבְנֵי (uvene, “and the sons of”) found in the MT.
- Ezra 10:34 tn The name “Bani” appears in both v. 29 and v. 34. One of these names has probably undergone alteration in the transmission process, but it is not clear exactly where the problem lies or how it should be corrected.
- Ezra 10:38 tc The translation reads וּמִבְּנֵי בִנּוּי (umibbene vinnuy, “and from the sons of Binnui”) rather than the reading וּבָנִי וּבִנּוּי (uvani uvinnuy, “and Bani and Binnui”) of the MT.
- Ezra 10:44 tc The final statement in v. 44 is difficult in terms of both its syntax and its meaning. The present translation attempts to make sense of the MT. But the passage may have undergone textual variation in the transmission process. One proposal is that the text should be emended to read “and they sent these wives and children away” (cf. NAB, NRSV, TEV, CEV).
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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