Shecaniah’s Encouragement 1 WBS Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled to him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very bitterly. 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 WBS And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken foreign wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. 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 WBS Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that 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 WBS Arise; for this matter belongeth to thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it . BSB BSB: Get up, for this matter is your responsibility, and we will support you. Be strong and take action!”
5 WBS Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word. And they swore. 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 WBS Then Ezra arose from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he ate no bread, nor drank water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away. 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 WBS And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should assemble at Jerusalem; BSB BSB: And a proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem.
8 WBS And that whoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away. 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 WBS Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, and the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great 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 WBS And Ezra the priest stood up, and said to them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken foreign wives to increase the trespass 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 WBS Now therefore make confession to the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the foreign wives. 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 WBS Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do. BSB BSB: And the whole assembly responded in a loud voice: “Truly we must do as you say!
13 WBS But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand abroad, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing. 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 WBS Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them who have taken foreign wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and its judges, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter shall be turned 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 WBS Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter : and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them. BSB BSB: (Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this plan.)
16 WBS And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine 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 WBS And they made an end with all the men that had taken foreign wives by the first day 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 WBS And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken foreign wives: namely , of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; 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 WBS And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass. 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 WBS And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
21 WBS And of 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 WBS And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 WBS Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. BSB BSB: Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 WBS Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri. BSB BSB: From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 WBS Moreover, of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah. BSB BSB: And among the other Israelites, from the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.
26 WBS And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27 WBS And of 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 WBS Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29 WBS And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
30 WBS And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 WBS And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, BSB BSB: From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32 WBS Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. BSB BSB: Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 WBS Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. BSB BSB: From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 WBS Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel, BSB BSB: From the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
35 WBS Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh, BSB BSB: Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
36 WBS Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, BSB BSB: Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37 WBS Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau, BSB BSB: Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
38 WBS And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei, BSB BSB: From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei,
39 WBS And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, BSB BSB: Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
40 WBS Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, BSB BSB: Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41 WBS Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah, BSB BSB: Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42 WBS Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. BSB BSB: Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43 WBS Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah. BSB BSB: And from the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 WBS All these had taken foreign wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children. 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.