1 And when Ezra prayed after this manner, and knowledged, wept, and lay before the house of God, there resorted unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: For the people wept very sore.
2 And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the children of Elam, answered, and said unto Ezra, "We have trespassed against the LORD our God, in that we have taken strange wives of the people of the land. Now there is hope yet in Israel concerning this:
3 for now will we make a covenant with our God, that we shall put away all the wives - and such as are born of them - according to the counsel of the LORD and of them that fear the commandment of our God, that we may do according to the law.
4 Get thee up therefore, for the matter belongeth unto thee. We will be with thee; be of good comfort, and do it."
5 Then rose Ezra, and took an oath of the rulers, priests, and Levites, and all of Israel, that they should do according to this word: and they sware.
6 And Ezra stood up before the house of God, and went in to 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 in captivity.
7 And they caused a proclamation be made throughout Judah and Jerusalem, unto all the children which had been in captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem:
8 And that whosoever came not within three days, according to the device of the rulers and Elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and be put out from the congregation of the captive.
9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem in three days, that is on the twentieth day of the ninth month: and all the people sat in the street before of the house of God, and trembled because of this matter, and for the rain.
10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, "Ye have transgressed, that have taken strange wives, to make the trespass of Israel yet more:
11 confess now therefore unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure, and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives."
12 Then answered all the congregation and said with a loud voice, "Let it be done as thou hast said.
13 But the people are many, and it is a rainy weather; and the people are too faint to tarry without in the street - neither is this a work of one day or two, for we are many that have offended in this transgression.
14 Let us appoint our rulers therefore in all the congregation, that all they which have taken strange wives in our cities, may come at the time appointed - and the elders of every city and their judges with them - till the wrath of our God be turned away from us for this offense."
15 Then were appointed Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah over this matter: And Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levites helped them.
16 And the children of the captivity did even so. And Ezra the priest, and the ancient heads through the house of their fathers, and all that were now rehearsed by name, separated themselves; and sat them down on the first day of the tenth month to examine this matter.
17 And on the first day of the first month they made an end of all the men that had taken strange wives.
18 And among the children of the priests there were men found that had taken strange wives, namely among the children of Jeshua the son of Jozadak and of his brethren, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.
19 And they gave their hands thereupon, that they would put away their wives: and for their trespass offering to give a ram for their trespass.
20 Among the children of Immer: Hanani, and Zebadiah.
21 Among the children of Harim: Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 Among the children of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, and Kelaiah, which same is Kelita, Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.
24 Among the singers: Eliashib. Among the porters: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 Of Israel: Among the children of Parosh: Ramiah and Izziah, and Malchiah, Mijamin, and Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.
26 Among the children Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jerimoth and Elijah.
27 Among the children of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jerimoth, Zabad and Aziza.
28 Among the children of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29 Among the children of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jerimoth.
30 Among the children of Pahathmoab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh.
31 Among the children of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 Among the children of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 Among the children of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
35 Benaiah, Cheluhi, Bedeiah,
36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu,
38 Bani, Binnui, Shimei,
39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43 Among the children of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, Benaiah.