10Ezra wept, prostrate in front of The Temple of God. As he prayed and confessed, a huge number of the men, women, and children of Israel gathered around him. All the people were now weeping as if their hearts would break.H5830H6419H3034H1058H5307H6440H1004H430H6908H3478H3966H7227H6951H582H802H3206H5971H1058H7235H10592Shecaniah son of Jehiel of the family of Elam, acting as spokesman, said to Ezra: "We betrayed our God by marrying foreign wives from the people around here. But all is not lost; there is still hope for Israel.H7935H1121H3171H1121H5867H6030H559H5830H4603H430H3427H5237H802H5971H776H3426H4723H34783Let's make a covenant right now with our God, agreeing to get rid of all these wives and their children, just as my master and those who honor God's commandment are saying. It's what The Revelation says, so let's do it.H3772H1285H430H3318H802H3205H6098H136H2730H4687H430H6213H84514"Now get up, Ezra. Take charge—we're behind you. Don't back down."H6965H1697H2388H62135So Ezra stood up and had the leaders of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel solemnly swear to do what Shecaniah proposed. And they did it.H6965H5830H8269H3548H3881H3478H7650H6213H1697H76506Then Ezra left the plaza in front of The Temple of God and went to the home of Jehohanan son of Eliashib where he stayed, still fasting from food and drink, continuing his mourning over the betrayal by the exiles.H5830H6965H6440H1004H430H3212H3957H3076H1121H475H3212H398H3899H8354H4325H56H4604H14737A notice was then sent throughout Judah and Jerusalem ordering all the exiles to meet in Jerusalem.H5674H6963H3063H3389H1121H1473H6908H33898Anyone who failed to show up in three days, in compliance with the ruling of the leaders and elders, would have all his possessions confiscated and be thrown out of the congregation of the returned exiles.H935H7969H3117H6098H8269H2205H7399H2763H914H6951H14739All the men of Judah and Benjamin met in Jerusalem within the three days. It was the twentieth day of the ninth month. They all sat down in the plaza in front of The Temple of God. Because of the business before them, and aggravated by the buckets of rain coming down on them, they were restless, uneasy, and anxious.H582H3063H1144H6908H3389H7969H3117H8671H2320H6242H2320H5971H3427H7339H1004H430H7460H1697H165310Ezra the priest stood up and spoke: "You've broken trust. You've married foreign wives. You've piled guilt on Israel.H5830H3548H6965H559H4603H3427H5237H802H3254H819H347811Now make your confession to GOD, the God of your ancestors, and do what he wants you to do: Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from your foreign wives."H5414H8426H3068H430H1H6213H7522H914H5971H776H5237H80212The whole congregation responded with a shout, "Yes, we'll do it—just the way you said it!"H6951H6030H559H1419H6963H1697H621313They also said, "But look, do you see how many people there are out here? And it's the rainy season; you can't expect us to stand out here soaking wet until this is done—why, it will take days! A lot of us are deeply involved in this transgression.H61H5971H7227H6256H1653H3581H5975H2351H4399H259H3117H8147H7235H6586H169714Let our leaders act on behalf of the whole congregation. Have everybody who lives in cities and who has married a foreign wife come at an appointed time, accompanied by the elders and judges of each city. We'll keep at this until the hot anger of our God over this thing is turned away."H8269H6951H5975H3427H5237H802H5892H935H2163H6256H2205H5892H8199H2740H639H430H1697H772515Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this.H3129H1121H6214H3167H1121H8616H5975H4918H7678H3881H582616So the exiles went ahead with the plan. Ezra the priest picked men who were family heads, each one by name. They sat down together on the first day of the tenth month to pursue the matter.H1121H1473H6213H5830H3548H582H7218H1H1004H1H8034H914H3427H259H3117H6224H2320H1875H169717By the first day of the first month they had finished dealing with every man who had married a foreign wife.H3615H582H3427H5237H802H259H3117H7223H232018Among the families of priests, the following were found to have married foreign wives: The family of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.H1121H3548H4672H3427H5237H802H1121H3442H1121H3136H251H4641H461H3402H143619They all promised to divorce their wives and sealed it with a handshake. For their guilt they brought a ram from the flock as a Compensation-Offering.H5414H3027H3318H802H818H352H6629H81920The family of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.H1121H564H2607H206921The family of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.H1121H2766H4641H452H8098H3171H581822The family of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.H1121H6583H454H4641H3458H5417H3107H50123From the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah—that is, Kelita—Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.H3881H3107H8096H7041H7042H6611H3063H46124From the singers: Eliashib. From the temple security guards: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.H7891H475H7778H7967H2928H22125And from the other Israelites: The family of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah, and Benaiah.H3478H1121H6551H7422H3150H4441H4326H499H4441H114126The family of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.H1121H5867H4983H2148H3171H5660H3406H45227The family of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.H1121H2240H454H475H4983H3406H2066H581928The family of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.H1121H893H3076H2608H2140H2079H627029The family of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.H1121H1137H4918H4409H5718H3437H7594H743330The family of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.H1121H6355H5733H3636H1141H4641H4983H1212H1131H451931The family of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,H1121H2766H461H3449H4441H8098H809532Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.H1144H4409H811433The family of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.H1121H2828H4982H4992H2066H467H3413H4519H809634The family of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,H1121H1137H4572H6019H17735Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi,H1141H912H362236Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,H2057H4822H47537Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.H4983H4982H329938The family of Binnui: Shimei,H1137H1131H809639Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,H8018H5416H571840Macnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,H4367H8343H829841Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,H5832H8018H811442Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.H7967H568H313043The family of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.H1121H5015H3273H4993H2066H2081H3035H3100H114144All these had married foreign wives and some had also had children by them.H5375H5375H5237H802H3426H802H7760H1121
Dublin, OH
