1So when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and praying before the house of God, a very great assembly of Israel came together to him, men and women and youths; for the people wept, and wept aloud.

2And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, We have broken covenant with our God, and have taken strange wives of the nations of the land: yet now there is patience of hope to Israel concerning this thing.

3Now then let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and their offspring, as thou shalt advise:

4arise, and alarm them with the commands of our God; and let it be done according to the law. Rise up, for the matter is upon thee; and we are with thee: be strong and do.

5Then Ezra arose, and caused the rulers, the priests, and Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word: and they swore.

6And Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went to the treasury of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib; he even went thither: he ate no bread, and drank no water; for he mourned over the unfaithfulness of them of the captivity.

7And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should assemble at Jerusalem, saying,

8Every one who shall not arrive within three days, as is the counsel of the rulers and the elders, all his substance shall be forfeited, and he shall be separated from the congregation of the captivity.

9So all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. This was the ninth month: on the twentieth day of the month all the people sat down in the street of the house of the Lord, because of their alarm concerning the word, and because of the storm.

10And Ezra the priest arose, and said to them, Ye have broken covenant, and have taken strange wives, to add to the trespass of Israel.

11Now therefore give praise to the Lord God of our fathers, and do that which is pleasing in his sight: and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the strange wives.

12Then all the congregation answered and said, This thy word is powerful upon us to do it.

13But the people is numerous, and the season is stormy, and there is no power to stand without, and the work is more than enough for one day or for two; for we have greatly sinned in this matter.

14Let now our rulers stand, and for all those in our cities who have taken strange wives, let them come at appointed times, and with them elders from every several city, and judges, to turn away the fierce wrath of our God from us concerning this matter.

15Only Jonathan the son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah were with me concerning this; and Meshullam, and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.

16And the children of the captivity did thus: and Ezra the priest, and heads of families according to their house were separated, and all by their names, for they returned in the first day of the tenth month to search out the matter.

17And they made an end with all the men who had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.

18And there were found some of the sons of the priests who had taken strange wives: of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.

19And they pledged themselves to put away their wives, and offered a ram of the flock for a trespass offering because of their trespass.

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

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

22And of the sons of Pashhur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, and Ishmael, and Nethanel, and Jozabad, and Elasah.

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

24And of the singers; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.

25Also of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Izziah, and Malchijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Hashabiah, and Benaiah.

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

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

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

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

30And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, and Chelal, and Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

31And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.

33And of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei.

34And of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, Uel,

35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,

36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37Mattaniah, Mattenai:

38and so did the children of Binnui, and the children of Shimei,

39and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

40Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41Azarel, and Shelemiah, and Shemariah,

42and Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.

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

44All these had taken strange wives, and had begotten sons of them.