Ezra 10:1-5

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.