1 ¶ Now as Ezra prayed, made confession, wept and prostrated himself before the house of God, a very large congregation of men and women and children from Israel gathered around him: for the people wept bitterly.

2 Then Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, spoke and said to Ezra, We have been disloyal to our God, by marrying foreign women from the surrounding people of the land: but there is yet hope in Israel concerning this thing.

3 Therefore let us make a covenant before our God to put away such women, and the children that are born to them, as my lord, and those who tremble at the commandment of our God, advise; and let it be done according to the law.

4 Arise; for you should do something about this: and we are with you: be of good courage, and do it.

5 Then Ezra arose, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, swear that they would do what they had said. And they swore.

6 ¶ Then Ezra got up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he got there, he did not eat any food, or drink water: for he mourned over the transgression of those who had returned from captivity.

7 And they sent word throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the exiles who had returned from captivity, that they should gather at Jerusalem;

8 And that whoever did not come within three days, would, according to the decision of the leaders and the elders, forfeit all his possessions, and would be excluded from the community of those who had returned from exile.

9 So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered at Jerusalem within the three days. On the twentieth day of the ninth month; all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and because of heavy rain.

10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said to them, You have transgressed, and have taken foreign wives, increasing the sin of Israel.

11 So now make confession to the LORD God of your fathers, and do his will: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the foreign wives.

12 Then the entire congregation responded, saying with a loud voice, We must do as you have said.

13 But there are many people, and it is the rainy season, and we are not able to stand outside, nor is this something that can be done in a day or two: for many of us have transgressed in this matter.

14 Let our leaders represent the entire assembly, and let all in our cities who have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders and judges of each city, until the fierce wrath of our God over this matter is turned away from us.

15 ¶ Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah opposed this: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supported them.

16 Those who had returned from captivity did what had been proposed. And Ezra the priest, chose certain clan leaders, from each household, and each of them by name, was set apart, and sat down on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter.

17 And they had finished dealing with all the men who had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.

18 Among descendants of the priests the following were found to have taken foreign wives: from the descendants of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.

19 And they pledged that they would send away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram from the flock for their sin.

20 And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah.

21 And of the descendants of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.

22 And of the descendants of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

23 Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

24 Of the singers; Eliashib: and of the gatekeepers; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.

25 Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

26 And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.

27 And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.

28 Of the sons of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

29 And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.

30 And of the sons of Pahathmoab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

31 And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

33 Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

34 Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel,

35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,

36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,

38 And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,

39 And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

43 Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah.

44 All these had married foreign wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children.