10While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and lying face down on the ground in front of the Temple of God, a very large crowd of people from Israel—men, women, and children—gathered and wept bitterly with him.H5830H6419H3034H1058H5307H6440H1004H430H6908H3478H3966H7227H6951H582H802H3206H5971H1058H7235H10592Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, a descendant of Elam, said to Ezra, "We have been unfaithful to our God, for we have married these pagan women of the land. But in spite of this there is hope for Israel.H7935H1121H3171H1121H5867H6030H559H5830H4603H430H3427H5237H802H5971H776H3426H4723H34783Let us now make a covenant with our God to divorce our pagan wives and to send them away with their children. We will follow the advice given by you and by the others who respect the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law of God.H3772H1285H430H3318H802H3205H6098H136H2730H4687H430H6213H84514Get up, for it is your duty to tell us how to proceed in setting things straight. We are behind you, so be strong and take action."H6965H1697H2388H62135So Ezra stood up and demanded that the leaders of the priests and the Levites and all the people of Israel swear that they would do as Shecaniah had said. And they all swore a solemn oath.H6965H5830H8269H3548H3881H3478H7650H6213H1697H76506Then Ezra left the front of the Temple of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. He spent the night there without eating or drinking anything. He was still in mourning because of the unfaithfulness of the returned exiles.H5830H6965H6440H1004H430H3212H3957H3076H1121H475H3212H398H3899H8354H4325H56H4604H14737Then a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should come to Jerusalem.H5674H6963H3063H3389H1121H1473H6908H33898Those who failed to come within three days would, if the leaders and elders so decided, forfeit all their property and be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.H935H7969H3117H6098H8269H2205H7399H2763H914H6951H14739Within three days, all the people of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. This took place on December 19, and all the people were sitting in the square before the Temple of God. They were trembling both because of the seriousness of the matter and because it was raining.H582H3063H1144H6908H3389H7969H3117H8671H2320H6242H2320H5971H3427H7339H1004H430H7460H1697H165310Then Ezra the priest stood and said to them: "You have committed a terrible sin. By marrying pagan women, you have increased Israel's guilt.H5830H3548H6965H559H4603H3427H5237H802H3254H819H347811So now confess your sin to the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and do what he demands. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from these pagan women."H5414H8426H3068H430H1H6213H7522H914H5971H776H5237H80212Then the whole assembly raised their voices and answered, "Yes, you are right; we must do as you say!H6951H6030H559H1419H6963H1697H621313Then they added, "This isn't something that can be done in a day or two, for many of us are involved in this extremely sinful affair. And this is the rainy season, so we cannot stay out here much longer.H61H5971H7227H6256H1653H3581H5975H2351H4399H259H3117H8147H7235H6586H169714Let our leaders act on behalf of us all. Let everyone who has a pagan wife come at a scheduled time, accompanied by the leaders and judges of his city, so that the fierce anger of our God concerning this affair may be turned away from us."H8269H6951H5975H3427H5237H802H5892H935H2163H6256H2205H5892H8199H2740H639H430H1697H772515Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this course of action, and they were supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite.H3129H1121H6214H3167H1121H8616H5975H4918H7678H3881H582616So this was the plan they followed. Ezra selected leaders to represent their families, designating each of the representatives by name. On December 29, the leaders sat down to investigate the matter.H1121H1473H6213H5830H3548H582H7218H1H1004H1H8034H914H3427H259H3117H6224H2320H1875H169717By March 27, the first day of the new year, they had finished dealing with all the men who had married pagan wives.H3615H582H3427H5237H802H259H3117H7223H232018These are the priests who had married pagan wives: From the family of Jeshua son of Jehozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.H1121H3548H4672H3427H5237H802H1121H3442H1121H3136H251H4641H461H3402H143619They vowed to divorce their wives, and they each acknowledged their guilt by offering a ram as a guilt offering.H5414H3027H3318H802H818H352H6629H81920From the family of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.H1121H564H2607H206921From the family of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.H1121H2766H4641H452H8098H3171H581822From the family of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.H1121H6583H454H4641H3458H5417H3107H50123These are the Levites who were guilty: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.H3881H3107H8096H7041H7042H6611H3063H46124This is the singer who was guilty: Eliashib. These are the gatekeepers who were guilty: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.H7891H475H7778H7967H2928H22125These are the other people of Israel who were guilty: From the family of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, and Benaiah.H3478H1121H6551H7422H3150H4441H4326H499H4441H114126From the family of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.H1121H5867H4983H2148H3171H5660H3406H45227From the family of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.H1121H2240H454H475H4983H3406H2066H581928From the family of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.H1121H893H3076H2608H2140H2079H627029From the family of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.H1121H1137H4918H4409H5718H3437H7594H743330From the family of Pahath-moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.H1121H6355H5733H3636H1141H4641H4983H1212H1131H451931From the family of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,H1121H2766H461H3449H4441H8098H809532Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.H1144H4409H811433From the family of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.H1121H2828H4982H4992H2066H467H3413H4519H809634From the family of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,H1121H1137H4572H6019H17735Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi,H1141H912H362236Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,H2057H4822H47537Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.H4983H4982H329938From the family of Binnui: Shimei,H1137H1131H809639Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,H8018H5416H571840Macnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,H4367H8343H829841Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,H5832H8018H811442Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.H7967H568H313043From the family of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.H1121H5015H3273H4993H2066H2081H3035H3100H114144Each of these men had a pagan wife, and some even had children by these wives.H5375H5375H5237H802H3426H802H7760H1121
Dublin, OH
there without eating or drinking anything. He was still in mourning because of the unfaithfulness of the returned exiles.H5830
