Ezra 10:4 - Prayer Tents

The People Confess Their Sin

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.H5830H6419H3034H1058H5307H6440H1004H430H6908H3478H3966H7227H6951H582H802H3206H5971H1058H7235H1059

2Then 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.H7935H1121H3171H1121H5867H6030H559H5830H4603H430H3427H5237H802H5971H776H3426H4723H3478

3Let 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.H3772H1285H430H3318H802H3205H6098H136H2730H4687H430H6213H8451

4Get 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."H6965H1697H2388H6213

5So 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.H6965H5830H8269H3548H3881H3478H7650H6213H1697H7650

6Then 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.H5830H6965H6440H1004H430H3212H3957H3076H1121H475H3212H398H3899H8354H4325H56H4604H1473

7Then a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should come to Jerusalem.H5674H6963H3063H3389H1121H1473H6908H3389

8Those 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.H935H7969H3117H6098H8269H2205H7399H2763H914H6951H1473

9Within 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.H582H3063H1144H6908H3389H7969H3117H8671H2320H6242H2320H5971H3427H7339H1004H430H7460H1697H1653

10Then Ezra the priest stood and said to them: "You have committed a terrible sin. By marrying pagan women, you have increased Israel's guilt.H5830H3548H6965H559H4603H3427H5237H802H3254H819H3478

11So 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."H5414H8426H3068H430H1H6213H7522H914H5971H776H5237H802

12Then the whole assembly raised their voices and answered, "Yes, you are right; we must do as you say!H6951H6030H559H1419H6963H1697H6213

13Then 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.H61H5971H7227H6256H1653H3581H5975H2351H4399H259H3117H8147H7235H6586H1697

14Let 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."H8269H6951H5975H3427H5237H802H5892H935H2163H6256H2205H5892H8199H2740H639H430H1697H7725

15Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this course of action, and they were supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite.H3129H1121H6214H3167H1121H8616H5975H4918H7678H3881H5826

16So 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.H1121H1473H6213H5830H3548H582H7218H1H1004H1H8034H914H3427H259H3117H6224H2320H1875H1697

17By March 27, the first day of the new year

, they had finished dealing with all the men who had married pagan wives.H3615H582H3427H5237H802H259H3117H7223H2320

Those Guilty of Intermarriage

18These are the priests who had married pagan wives: From the family of Jeshua son of Jehozadak

and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.H1121H3548H4672H3427H5237H802H1121H3442H1121H3136H251H4641H461H3402H1436

19They vowed to divorce their wives, and they each acknowledged their guilt by offering a ram as a guilt offering.H5414H3027H3318H802H818H352H6629H819

20From the family of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.H1121H564H2607H2069

21From the family of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.H1121H2766H4641H452H8098H3171H5818

22From the family of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.H1121H6583H454H4641H3458H5417H3107H501

23These are the Levites who were guilty: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.H3881H3107H8096H7041H7042H6611H3063H461

24This is the singer who was guilty: Eliashib. These are the gatekeepers who were guilty: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.H7891H475H7778H7967H2928H221

25These are the other people of Israel who were guilty: From the family of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah

, and Benaiah.H3478H1121H6551H7422H3150H4441H4326H499H4441H1141

26From the family of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.H1121H5867H4983H2148H3171H5660H3406H452

27From the family of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.H1121H2240H454H475H4983H3406H2066H5819

28From the family of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.H1121H893H3076H2608H2140H2079H6270

29From the family of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.H1121H1137H4918H4409H5718H3437H7594H7433

30From the family of Pahath-moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.H1121H6355H5733H3636H1141H4641H4983H1212H1131H4519

31From the family of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,H1121H2766H461H3449H4441H8098H8095

32Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.H1144H4409H8114

33From the family of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.H1121H2828H4982H4992H2066H467H3413H4519H8096

34From the family of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,H1121H1137H4572H6019H177

35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi,H1141H912H3622

36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,H2057H4822H475

37Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.H4983H4982H3299

38From the family of Binnui

: Shimei,H1137H1131H8096

39Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,H8018H5416H5718

40Macnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,H4367H8343H8298

41Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,H5832H8018H8114