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The Expulsion of Foreign Wives

9Then Ezra set out and went from the court of the temple to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, ²and spent the night there; and he did not eat bread or drink water, for he was mourning over the great iniquities of the multitude. ³And a proclamation was made throughout Judea and Jerusalem to all who had returned from exile that they should assemble at Jerusalem, ⁴and that if any did not meet there within two or three days, in accordance with the decision of the ruling elders, their livestock would be seized for sacrifice and the men themselves^* expelled from the multitude of those who had returned from the captivity.

5 Then the men of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within three days; this was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. ⁶All the multitude sat in the open square before the temple, shivering because of the bad weather that prevailed. ⁷Then Ezra stood up and said to them, ‘You have broken the law and married foreign women, and so have increased the sin of Israel. ⁸Now then, make confession and give glory to the Lord the God of our ancestors, ⁹and do his will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from your foreign wives.’

10 Then all the multitude shouted and said with a loud voice, ‘We will do as you have said. ¹¹But the multitude is great and it is winter, and we are not able to stand in the open air. This is not a work we can do in one day or two, for we have sinned too much in these things. ¹²So let the leaders of the multitude stay, and let all those in our settlements who have foreign wives come at the time appointed, ¹³with the elders and judges of each place, until we are freed from the wrath of the Lord over this matter.’

14 Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah^* undertook the matter on these terms, and Meshullam and Levi and Shabbethai served with them as judges. ¹⁵And those who had returned from exile acted in accordance with all this.

16 Ezra the priest chose for himself the leading men of their ancestral houses, all of them by name; and at the new moon of the tenth month they began their sessions to investigate the matter. ¹⁷And the cases of the men who had foreign wives were brought to an end by the new moon of the first month.

18 Of the priests, those who were brought in and found to have foreign wives were: ¹⁹of the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his kindred, Maaseiah, Eliezar, Jarib, and Jodan. ²⁰They pledged themselves to put away their wives, and to offer rams in expiation of their error. ²¹Of the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah and Maaseiah and Shemaiah and Jehiel and Azariah. ²²Of the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, and Nathanael, and Gedaliah, and Salthas.

23 And of the Levites: Jozabad and Shimei and Kelaiah, who was Kelita, and Pethahiah and Judah and Jonah. ²⁴Of the temple singers: Eliashib and Zaccur.^{* 25}Of the gatekeepers: Shallum and Telem.^*

26 Of Israel: of the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Asibias, and Benaiah. ²⁷Of the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah and Zechariah, Jezrielus and Abdi, and Jeremoth and Elijah. ²⁸Of the descendants of Zamoth: Eliadas, Eliashib, Othoniah, Jeremoth, and Zabad and Zerdaiah. ²⁹Of the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan and Hananiah and Zabbai and Emathis. ³⁰Of the descendants of Mani: Olamus, Mamuchus, Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal and Jeremoth. ³¹Of the descendants of Addi: Naathus and Moossias, Laccunus and Naidus, and Bescaspasmys and Sesthel, and Belnuus and Manasseas. ³²Of the descendants of Annan, Elionas and Asaias and Melchias and Sabbaias and Simon Chosamaeus. ³³Of the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai and Mattattah and Zabad and Eliphelet and Manasseh and Shimei. ³⁴Of the descendants of Bani: Jeremai, Momdius, Maerus, Joel, Mamdai and Bedeiah and Vaniah, Carabasion and Eliashib and Mamitanemus, Eliasis, Binnui, Elialis, Shimei, Shelemiah, Nethaniah. Of the descendants of Ezora: Shashai, Azarel, Azael, Samatus, Zambris, Joseph. ³⁵Of the descendants of Nooma: Mazitias, Zabad, Iddo, Joel, Benaiah. ³⁶All these had married foreign women, and they put them away together with their children.

Ezra Reads the Law to the People

37 The priests and the Levites and the Israelites settled in Jerusalem and in the country. At the new moon of the seventh month, when the people of Israel were in their settlements, ³⁸the whole multitude gathered with one accord in the open square before the east gate of the temple; ³⁹they told Ezra the chief priest and reader to bring the law of Moses that had been given by the Lord God of Israel. ⁴⁰So Ezra the chief priest brought the law, for all the multitude, men and women, and all the priests to hear the law, at the new moon of the seventh month. ⁴¹He read aloud in the open square before the gate of the temple from early morning until midday, in the presence of both men and women; and all the multitude gave attention to the law. ⁴²Ezra the priest and reader of the law stood on the wooden platform that had been prepared; ⁴³and beside him stood Mattathiah, Shema, Ananias, Azariah, Uriah, Hezekiah, and Baalsamus on his right, ⁴⁴and on his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Lothasubus, Nabariah, and Zechariah. ⁴⁵Then Ezra took up the book of the law in the sight of the multitude, for he had the place of honour in the presence of all. ⁴⁶When he opened the law, they all stood erect. And Ezra blessed the Lord God Most High, the God of hosts, the Almighty, ⁴⁷and the multitude answered, ‘Amen.’ They lifted up their hands, and fell to the ground and worshipped the Lord. ⁴⁸Jeshua and Anniuth and Sherebiah, Jadinus, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maiannas and Kelita, Azariah and Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, taught the law of the Lord,^* at the same time explaining what was read.

49 Then Attharates^* said to Ezra the chief priest and reader, and to the Levites who were teaching the multitude, and to all, ⁵⁰‘This day is holy to the Lord’—now they were all weeping as they heard the law— ⁵¹‘so go your way, eat the fat and drink the sweet, and send portions to those who have none; ⁵²for the day is holy to the Lord; and do not be sorrowful, for the Lord will exalt you.’ ⁵³The Levites commanded all the people, saying, ‘This day is holy; do not be sorrowful.’ ⁵⁴Then they all went their way, to eat and drink and enjoy themselves, and to give portions to those who had none, and to make great rejoicing; ⁵⁵because they were inspired by the words which they had been taught. And they came together.^*