Beginning
The List of Those Returning from Babylon
8 These are the leaders of the families and the genealogy of those who left Babylon with me during the reign of King Artaxerxes:
2 from the family of Phinehas:
Gershom
from the family of Ithamar:
Daniel
3 from the family of David:
Hattush, son of Shecaniah
from the family of Parosh:
Zechariah, with 150 males whose genealogies were known
4 from the family of Pahath Moab:
Eliehoenai, son of Zerahiah, with 200 males
5 from the family of Zattu:[a]
Shecaniah, son of Jahaziel, with 300 males
6 from the family of Adin:
Ebed, son of Jonathan, with 50 males
7 from the family of Elam:
Jeshaiah, son of Athaliah, with 70 males
8 from the family of Shephatiah:
Zebadiah, son of Michael, with 80 males
9 from the family of Joab:
Obadiah, son of Jehiel, with 210 males
10 from the family of Bani:[b]
Shelomith, son of Josiphiah, with 160 males
11 from the family of Bebai:
Zechariah, son of Bebai, with 38 males
12 from the family of Azgad:
Johanan, son of Hakkatan, with 110 males
13 from the family of Adonikam:
Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, who arrived later with 60 males
14 from the family of Bigvai:
Uthai and Zabbud, with 70 males.
The People Prepare for Their Journey
15 I had this group gather by the river that flows to Ahava, and we camped there for three days. I noticed laypeople and priests there, but I didn’t find any Levites. 16 Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam (who were leading men) and for Joiarib and Elnathan (who were wise). 17 I sent them to Iddo, the leader in Casiphia. I told them to tell Iddo and his relatives, the temple servants in Casiphia, that they should bring us men who can serve in our Elohim’s temple. 18 Elohim was guiding us, so Iddo and his relatives brought us someone competent, Sherebiah, who was a descendant of Mahli, Levi, and Israel. They brought us 18 of Sherebiah’s sons and relatives. 19 They also brought Hashabiah, Jeshaiah (who was a descendant of Merari), 20 of Jeshaiah’s relatives and their sons, 20 and 220 temple servants. They were descended from the temple servants whom David and his officials had appointed to work for the Levites. These were all listed by name.
21 Then I announced a fast there at the Ahava River so that we might humble ourselves in the presence of our Elohim to ask him for a safe journey for ourselves, for our little ones, and for all our goods. 22 I was ashamed to ask the king for an armed escort with cavalry to help us against an enemy attack on the way. We had already told the king, “Our Elohim works things out for the good of everyone who dedicates his life to serving him, but his power and his anger oppose everyone who abandons him.” 23 So we fasted and asked our Elohim for a safe journey, and he answered our prayer.
24 Then I selected 12 leaders from the priests—Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and 10 of their relatives. 25 I weighed for them the silver, the gold, and the utensils. These were the contributions that the king, his advisers, his officials, and all the Israelites had contributed for our Elohim’s temple. 26 I weighed the contributions for them to guard: about 24 tons of silver, 100 silver utensils weighing 150 pounds apiece, 7,500 pounds of gold, 27 20 gold bowls weighing 18 pounds apiece, and two utensils of fine polished bronze that were as precious as gold. 28 I told them, “You and the utensils are holy to Yahweh. The silver and gold are freewill offerings to Yahweh Elohim of your ancestors. 29 Guard them carefully. In Jerusalem, inside the storerooms of Yahweh’s temple, weigh these items. Do this in front of the chief priests, Levites, and the leaders of Israel’s families.” 30 So the priests and the Levites took charge of the silver, the gold, and the utensils. They were responsible for bringing these items to the temple of our Elohim in Jerusalem.
The People Arrive in Jerusalem
31 Then we left the Ahava River on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem. Elohim was guiding us, and he rescued us from our enemies and from ambushes along the way. 32 When we reached Jerusalem, we rested for three days. 33 On the fourth day we weighed the silver, the gold, and the utensils in our Elohim’s temple. We put them under the supervision of Meremoth, son of the priest Uriah, as well as Eleazar, the son of Phinehas. The Levites, Jeshua’s son Jozabad, and Binnui’s son Noadiah, assisted them. 34 Everything was counted and weighed, and the entire weight was recorded at that time.
35 The exiles who had come back from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the Elohim of Israel: 12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, and 12 male goats for an offering for sin. All of these animals were burnt offerings for Yahweh.
36 The exiles delivered the king’s orders to the king’s satraps and governors in the province west of the Euphrates River. These officials then gave their support to the people and the temple of Elohim.
Ezra Leads the People in Prayer
9 After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, have failed to keep themselves separate from the neighboring groups of people and from the disgusting practices of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. 2 The Israelites and their sons have married some of these foreign women. They have mixed our holy race with the neighboring groups of people. Furthermore, the leaders and officials have led the way in being unfaithful.”
3 When I heard this, I tore my clothes in distress, pulled hair from my scalp and my beard, and sat down in shock. 4 Since the former exiles had been unfaithful, everyone who gathered around me there trembled at the words of the Elohim of Israel. I sat in shock until the evening sacrifice. 5 At the evening sacrifice I got up from my misery, and with my clothes torn, I knelt down, stretched out my hands to Yahweh my Elohim in prayer, 6 and said,
“I am ashamed, my Elohim. I am embarrassed to look at you. Our sins have piled up over our heads, and our guilt is so overwhelming that it reaches heaven. 7 From our ancestors’ days until now, we have been deep in guilt. Our kings and our priests have been handed over to foreign kings to be executed. We have been taken captive, robbed, and humiliated, as we still are today because of our sins. 8 And now, for a brief moment, Yahweh our Elohim has been kind enough to leave us a few survivors from Babylon and to give us a secure hold on his holy place. Our Elohim has made our eyes light up and has given us new opportunities while we were slaves. 9 We are slaves, but our Elohim hasn’t abandoned us in our slavery. Instead, he has made the kings of Persia treat us kindly. He did this to give us an opportunity to rebuild our Elohim’s temple and restore its ruins and to give us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem.
10 “And now, our Elohim, what can we say after all this? We have abandoned your commandments! 11 The commandments you gave us through your servants the prophets, said, ‘The land you are going to take possession of has been polluted by its perverted people and by their disgusting practices that have filled it with wickedness from one end to another. 12 So never let your daughters marry their sons or your sons marry their daughters, and never seek peace or trade with them. Then you will be strong, be able to eat the good things the land produces, and be able to give this land as a long-lasting inheritance to your children.’
13 “After all that has happened to us because of the evil things we have done and because of our overwhelming guilt, you, our Elohim, have punished us far less than we deserve and have permitted a few of us to survive. 14 If we break your commandments again and intermarry with people doing these disgusting things, you will become even more angry with us until you finally destroy us and no survivors are left. 15 Yahweh Elohim of Israel, because you are fair, a few of us continue to remain as survivors. Look at us. All of us are guilty. None of us can stand in your presence because of this.”
The People Take Action
10 While Ezra was praying, confessing these sins, crying, and throwing himself down in front of Elohim’s temple, a large crowd of Israelite men, women, and children gathered around him. They also began to cry bitterly. 2 Then Shecaniah, son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, interrupted by saying to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our Elohim by marrying foreign women who came from the people around us. However, there is still hope for Israel. 3 So we must now make a promise to our Elohim to get rid of all foreign women and the children born from them, as my lord Ezra and the others who tremble at the commandments of our Elohim have advised us to do. We must do what Moses’ Teachings tell us. 4 Get up! It’s your duty to take action. We are with you, so be strong and take action.”
5 Then Ezra got up and made the leaders, priests, Levites, and all the rest of Israel swear to do what they had said. So they took an oath. 6 Then Ezra left the front of Elohim’s temple and went to the room of Jehohanan, son of Eliashib. Ezra didn’t eat any food or drink any water while he was there. He was mourning because these former exiles had been so unfaithful.
7 Then he sent a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the former exiles must gather in Jerusalem. 8 If any of them didn’t come within three days as the leaders and the older men had advised, then they would lose all their property and be excluded from the community of former exiles. 9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered within three days in Jerusalem. On the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the courtyard of Elohim’s temple. They were trembling because of this matter and shivering because of the heavy rain.
10 Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, and now you have added to Israel’s guilt. 11 Confess to Yahweh Elohim of your ancestors what you have done, and do what he wants. Separate yourselves from the people of this land and from your foreign wives.”
12 Then the whole assembly shouted in reply, “Yes! We will do as you say. 13 But the crowd is too large, and it’s the rainy season. We can’t take care of this outside. Besides, there are so many of us who are involved in this sin that it can’t be taken care of in a day or two. 14 Let our leaders represent the whole community. At a set time, everyone who has married a foreign woman must meet with the leaders and judges of each city until our Elohim’s burning anger has turned away from us in this matter.”
15 (Only Jonathan, Asahel’s son, and Jahzeiah, Tikvah’s son, opposed this. Meshullam and Shabbethai, the Levite, supported Jonathan and Jahzeiah.)
16 The former exiles did this. Ezra the priest chose men who were heads of families. He chose one from each family division. (They were all listed by name.) They sat down on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter. 17 By the first day of the first month, they had finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women.
18 Among the descendants of the priests, the following were married to foreign women: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah, a descendant of Jeshua (who was Jozadak’s son) and his brothers. 19 They shook hands as a pledge that they would get rid of their wives. They sacrificed a ram from their flock as an offering for guilt because they were guilty.
Those Who Were Guilty of Marrying Foreign Women
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 (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer
24 From the singers:
Eliashib
From the gatekeepers:
Shallum, Telem, and Uri
25 From the other Israelites:
From the descendants of Parosh:
Ramiah, Izziah, Malchiah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchiah, 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, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh
31 From the descendants of Harim:
Eliezer, Isshiah, Malchiah, 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:
Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasau
38 From 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 of these men had married foreign women. Some of these women had given birth to children.[c]
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.