Shecaniah’s Encouragement 1 UEB As Ezra prayed and confessed, he wept and threw himself down before God's house. A very great assembly of Israelite men, women, and children gathered to him, for the people were weeping very greatly. BSB BSB: While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, a very large assembly of Israelites—men, women, and children—gathered around him, and the people wept bitterly as well.
2 UEB Shekaniah son of Jehiel of the descendants of Elam said to Ezra, "We have been unfaithful to our God and have married foreign women from the people of the other lands. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. BSB BSB: Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, said to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the people of the land, yet in spite of this, there is hope for Israel.
3 UEB So now let us make a covenant with our God to send out all the women and their children according to the Lord's instructions and the instructions of those who tremble at the commandments of our God, and let it be done according to the law. BSB BSB: So now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God. Let it be done according to the Law.
4 UEB Arise, for this thing is for you to carry out, and we are with you. Be strong and do this." BSB BSB: Get up, for this matter is your responsibility, and we will support you. Be strong and take action!”
5 UEB So Ezra rose and made the priestly officials, the Levites, and all of Israel promise to act in this way. So they all took a solemn oath. BSB BSB: So Ezra got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel take an oath to do what had been said. And they took the oath.
The People’s Confession of Sin 6 UEB Then Ezra rose from before God's house and went to the rooms of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. He did not eat any bread or drink any water, since he was mourning concerning the faithlessness of those who had been in captivity. BSB BSB: Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. And while he stayed there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.
7 UEB So they sent word in Judah and Jerusalem to all the people back from exile to assemble in Jerusalem. BSB BSB: And a proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem.
8 UEB Anyone who did not come in three days according to the instructions from the officials and elders forfeited all of his possessions and would be excluded from the great assembly of the people who had come back from exile. BSB BSB: Whoever failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, according to the counsel of the leaders and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.
9 UEB So all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem in three days. It was the ninth month and the twentieth day of the month. All the people stood in the square before God's house and trembled because of the word and the rain. BSB BSB: So within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem, and on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God, trembling regarding this matter and because of the heavy rain.
10 UEB Ezra the priest arose and said, "You yourselves have committed treason. You lived with foreign women so as to increase Israel's guilt. BSB BSB: Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to the guilt of Israel.
11 UEB But now give praise to Yahweh, your ancestors' God, and do his will. Separate from the people of the land and from the foreign women." BSB BSB: Now, therefore, make a confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from your foreign wives.”
12 UEB All the assembly answered in a loud voice, "We will do as you have said. BSB BSB: And the whole assembly responded in a loud voice: “Truly we must do as you say!
13 UEB However, there are many people, and it is the rainy season. We have no strength to stand outside, and this is not only one or two days of work, since we have greatly transgressed in this matter. BSB BSB: But there are many people here, and it is the rainy season. We are not able to stay out in the open. Nor is this the work of one or two days, for we have transgressed greatly in this matter.
14 UEB So let our officials represent all the assembly. Let all who have allowed foreign women to live in our cities come at the time that will be fixed with the city elders and the city judges until the raging wrath of our God goes away from us." BSB BSB: Let our leaders represent the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at an appointed time, together with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.”
15 UEB Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supported them. BSB BSB: (Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this plan.)
16 UEB So the people who returned from exile did this. Ezra the priest selected men, the leaders in their ancestors' clans and houses—all of them by name, and they looked into the matter on the first day of the tenth month. BSB BSB: So the exiles did as proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, each of them identified by name, to represent their families. On the first day of the tenth month they launched the investigation,
17 UEB By the first day of the first month they had finished discovering which men had lived with foreign women. BSB BSB: and by the first day of the first month they had dealt with all the men who had married foreign women.
Those Guilty of Intermarriage 18 UEB Among the descendants of the priests there were those who had lived with foreign women. Among the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers there were Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. BSB BSB: Among the descendants of the priests who had married foreign women were found these descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
19 UEB So they determined to send their wives away. Since they were guilty, they offered a ram from the flock for their guilt. BSB BSB: They pledged to send their wives away, and for their guilt they presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.
20 UEB Among the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
21 UEB Among the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 UEB Among the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 UEB Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah—that is, Kelita, Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. BSB BSB: Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 UEB Among the singers: Eliashib. Among the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri. BSB BSB: From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 UEB Among the rest of the Israelites—among the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah. BSB BSB: And among the other Israelites, from the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.
26 UEB Among the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27 UEB Among the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28 UEB Among the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29 UEB Among the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluk, Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal Jeremoth. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
30 UEB Among the descendants of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 UEB Among the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, BSB BSB: From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32 UEB Benjamin, Malluk, and Shemariah. BSB BSB: Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 UEB Among the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 UEB Among the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, BSB BSB: From the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
35 UEB Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, BSB BSB: Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
36 UEB Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, BSB BSB: Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37 UEB Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu. BSB BSB: Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
38 UEB Among the descendants of Binnui: Shimei, BSB BSB: From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei,
39 UEB Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, BSB BSB: Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
40 UEB Maknadebai, Shashai, Sharai, BSB BSB: Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41 UEB Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, BSB BSB: Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42 UEB Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. BSB BSB: Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43 UEB Among the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah. BSB BSB: And from the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 UEB All of these had taken foreign wives and had children with some of them. BSB BSB: All these men had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.