The Book of Ezra

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- Chapter 10 -

Therefore, as Ezra was praying, and imploring, and weeping in this way, and was prostrate before the temple of God, an exceedingly great assembly of men and women and children was gathered to him from Israel. And the people wept with a great weeping.

And Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel, from the sons of Elam, responded and said to Ezra: “We have sinned against our God, and have taken foreign wives from the peoples of the land. And now, if there is repentance within Israel over this,

let us strike a pact with the Lord our God, so that we may cast aside all the wives, and those who have been born from them, in accord with the will of the Lord, and of those who fear the precept of the Lord our God. So let it be done, according to the law.

Rise up. It is for you to discern, and we shall be with you. Be strengthened and act.”

Therefore, Ezra rose up, and he caused the leaders of the priests and the Levites, and all of Israel, to swear that they would act in accord with this word. And they swore it.

The People’s Confession of Sin

And Ezra rose up before the house of God, and he went away to the chamber of Jehohanan, the son of Eliashib, and he entered into it. He did not eat bread, and he did not drink water. For he was mourning the transgression of those who had arrived from the captivity.

And a voice was sent into Judah and Jerusalem, to all the sons of the transmigration, so that they would gather together in Jerusalem.

And all those who would not arrive within three days, in accord with the counsel of the leaders and the elders, would have all his substance taken away, and he would be cast out of the assembly of the transmigration.

And so, all the men of Judah and of Benjamin convened in Jerusalem within three days. This was in the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of the sin and the rain.

And Ezra, the priest, rose up, and he said to them: “You have transgressed, and you have taken foreign wives, so that you added to the offenses of Israel.(a)

And now, make confession to the Lord, the God of your fathers, and do what pleases him, and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from your foreign wives.”

And the entire multitude responded, and they said with a great voice: “In accord with your word to us, so let be it done.

Yet truly, since the people are many, and it is the time of rain, and we cannot endure standing outside, and this is not a task for one or two days, (for certainly we have sinned greatly in this matter,)(b)

let leaders be appointed among the entire multitude. And in all our cities, let those who have taken foreign wives arrive at appointed times, and with them the elders from city to city, and the judges, until the wrath of our God has been averted from us over this sin.”

And so Jonathan, the son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, the son of Tikvah, were appointed over this, and the Levites Meshullam and Shabbethai assisted them.

And the sons of the transmigration did so. And Ezra, the priest, and the men who were the leaders of the families in the houses of their fathers, and all according to their names, went and sat down, on the first day of the tenth month, so that they might examine the matter.

And they made an end with all the men who had taken foreign wives, by the first day of the first month.(c)

Those Guilty of Intermarriage

And there were found among the sons of the priests some who had taken foreign wives: From the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.

And they swore with their hands that they would cast aside their wives, and that they would offer for their offense a ram from among the sheep.

And from the sons of Immer, Hanani and Zebadiah.

And from the sons of Harim, Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.

And from the sons of Pashhur, Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

And from the sons of the Levites, Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, the same is Kelita, Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

And from the singing men, Eliashib. And from the gatekeepers, Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.

And out of Israel, from the sons of Parosh, Ramiah, and Izziah, and Malchijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

And from the sons of Elam, Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Elijah.

And from the sons of Zattu, Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.

And from the sons of Bebai, Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.

And from the sons of Bani, Meshullam, and Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.

And from the sons of Pahath-moab, Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, and Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.

And from the sons of Harim, Eliezer, Jeshua, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Simeon,

Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.

And from the sons of Hashum, Mattenai, Mattettah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei.

From the sons of Bani, Maadai, Amram, and Uel,

Benaiah, and Bedeiah, Cheluhi,

Vaniah, Meremoth, and Eliashib,

Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu,

and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,

and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

and Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.

From the sons of Nebo, Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, and Joel, and Benaiah.

All these had taken foreign wives, and there were among them women who had borne sons.

Footnotes

(a)10:10 Taking foreign wives was offensive, not because of their ancestry, but because of the absence among them of the Jewish faith. Even in ancient times, the Law permitted persons of non-Hebrew ancestry to join with the Israelites, to accept the Jewish faith, and to be treated as Jews under the Law. So the wives were foreign in the sense that they were non-Jews, not because they were non-Hebrews. For an example of a non-Hebrew wife acceptable to the Jews, see the book of Ruth.(Conte)

(b)10:13 The ninth month here refers to the sacred calendar, which begins with Nissan (March-April); the ninth month is Kislev (Nov.-Dec.). In Israel, the winter is the rainy season.(Conte)

(c)10:17 They decided to break from association with the men who had taken foreign wives beginning on the first day of the next sacred calendar year: Nissan 1.(Conte)

Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before God’s house, there was gathered together to him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very bitterly.

Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land. Yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.

Now therefore let’s make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and those who are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God. Let it be done according to the law.

Arise, for the matter belongs to you and we are with you. Be courageous, and do it.”

Then Ezra arose, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel to swear that they would do according to this word. So they swore.

The People’s Confession of Sin

Then Ezra rose up from before God’s house, and went into the room of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. When he came there, he didn’t eat bread or drink water, for he mourned because of the trespass of the exiles.

They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem;

and that whoever didn’t come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his possessions should be forfeited, and he himself separated from the assembly of the captivity.

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the wide place in front of God’s house, trembling because of this matter, and because of the great rain.

Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, increasing the guilt of Israel.

Now therefore make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers and do his pleasure. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women.”

Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “We must do as you have said concerning us.

But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand outside. This is not a work of one day or two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.

Now let our princes be appointed for all the assembly, and let all those who are in our cities who have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city and its judges, until the fierce wrath of our God is turned from us, until this matter is resolved.”

Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.

The children of the captivity did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers’ households, after their fathers’ houses, and all of them by their names, were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

They finished with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month.

Those Guilty of Intermarriage

Among the sons of the priests there were found who had married foreign women: of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.

They gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guilt.

Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

Of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.

Of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

Of the singers: Eliashib. Of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

Of Israel: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.

Of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.

Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.

Of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

Of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.

Of the sons of Pahathmoab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.

Of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu,

Bani, Binnui, Shimei,

Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, Joel, and Benaiah.

All these had taken foreign wives. Some of them had wives by whom they had children.