They and their families have intermarried with their daughters, and the holy nation has been intermixed with the land’s foreigners. The leaders and the officials have been sharing in this unlawful practice right from the start.”
They delivered the king’s orders to the royal stewards and to the governors of Coelesyria and Phoenicia; and these officials honoured the people and the temple of the Lord.
For they and their sons have married the daughters of these people, and the holy seed has been mixed with the foreign nations of the land, and from the beginning of this matter the leaders and the nobles have been sharing in this iniquity.”
And they delivered the king’s orders to the royal stewards and to the governors of Coelesyria and Phoenic′ia; and these officials honored the people and the temple of the Lord.
And again they read the behests of the king to the king’s dispensers, and to the little-under-kings (or to the under-little-kings) of Celosyria, and of Phenice; and they worshipped the folk and the temple of the Lord. (And they read the commands of the king to the king’s stewards, and to the governors of Greater Syria and Phoenicia; and they honoured the people and the Temple of the Lord.)