Shecaniah’s Encouragement 1 ULT And when Ezra prayed, and when he confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the face of the house of God, an extremely great assembly from Israel, men and women and children, gathered to him. Indeed the people wept an abundant weeping. 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 ULT Then Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel, from the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra,“We ourselves have acted unfaithfully against our God and have caused foreign women from the peoples of the land to dwell. But now, there is hope for Israel concerning this. 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 ULT So now, let us cut a covenant with our God to cause all the women to go out, and the ones who were born from them, by the counsel of my lord and the ones who tremble at the commandment 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 ULT Arise, for the matter is on you, and we are with you. Be strong and do.” BSB BSB: Get up, for this matter is your responsibility, and we will support you. Be strong and take action!”
5 ULT And Ezra arose and caused the leaders of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel to swear an oath to do according to this word. So they swore an 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 ULT And Ezra rose up from before the face of the house of God, and he went to the chamber of Jehohanan, the son of Eliashib. And he went there. He did not eat bread and he did not drink water, but was mourning on account of the unfaithfulness of the exiles. 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 ULT And they caused a sound to pass throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the sons of the exile to gather to Jerusalem. BSB BSB: And a proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem.
8 ULT And for all who did not come in three days according to the counsel of the leaders and the elders, all his property would be devoted to the ban. And he himself would be separated from the assembly of the exiles. 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 ULT So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered to Jerusalem in three days. It was the ninth month, on 20 in the month. And all the people sat in the open place of the house of God, trembling on account of the matter and because of the rains. 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 ULT And Ezra the priest rose up and said to them,“You yourselves have acted unfaithfully and have caused foreign wives to dwell, to add to the guilt of Israel. 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 ULT But now, give praise to Yahweh, the God of your fathers, and do his will, and separate yourselves from the peoples 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 ULT Then all the assembly answered and said in a loud voice,“Thus, according to your word, it is on us to do. BSB BSB: And the whole assembly responded in a loud voice: “Truly we must do as you say!
13 ULT However, the people are many, and the time is rain showers and there is no strength to stand in the outdoors. And the work is neither for one day nor for two, for we have done much to rebel 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 ULT Let our leaders stand for all the assembly. And let all who are in our cities, the ones who have caused foreign women to dwell, come at appointed times, and with them the elders of city by city and its magistrates, until the burning of the nose of our God is turned back from us as far as it concerns this matter.” 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 ULT Only Jonathan, the son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, the son of Tikvah, stood against 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 ULT So the sons of the exile did thus, and men(the heads of the fathers by the house of their fathers, and all of them by names) were separated to Ezra the priest. And they sat down on day one of the tenth month to seek out the matter. 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 ULT And they finished with all the men, the ones who had caused foreign women to dwell, by day one of the first month. 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 ULT And some were found from the sons of the priests who had caused foreign women to dwell: from the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and 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 ULT So they gave their hand to cause their wives to go out, and, being guilty ones, a ram of 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 ULT And from the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
21 ULT And from the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 ULT And from the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 ULT And from the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah(that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. BSB BSB: Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 ULT And from the singers: Eliashib. And from the gatekeepers: Shallum, and Telem, and Uri. BSB BSB: From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 ULT And these were from Israel. From the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, and Izziah, and Malkijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Malkijah, and Benaiah. BSB BSB: And among the other Israelites, from the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.
26 ULT And from the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Elijah. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27 ULT And from the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28 ULT And from the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29 ULT And from the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluk, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, Jeremoth. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
30 ULT And from the sons of Pahath- Moab: Adna, and Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, and Binnui, and Manasseh. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 ULT And from the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, BSB BSB: From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32 ULT Benjamin, Malluk, Shemariah. BSB BSB: Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 ULT From the sons 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 ULT From the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, and Uel, BSB BSB: From the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
35 ULT Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, BSB BSB: Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
36 ULT Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, BSB BSB: Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37 ULT Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu, BSB BSB: Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
38 ULT and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei, BSB BSB: From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei,
39 ULT and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, BSB BSB: Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
40 ULT Maknadebai, Shashai, Sharai, BSB BSB: Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41 ULT Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah, BSB BSB: Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42 ULT Shallum, Amariah, Joseph. BSB BSB: Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43 ULT From the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, and Joel, Benaiah. BSB BSB: And from the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 ULT All of these had lifted foreign women. And there were women among them, and they bore sons. 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.