Ezra 10

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 While Ezra prayed and acknowledged their guilt, weeping and prostrate before the house of God, a very large assembly of Israelites gathered about him, men, women, and children; and the people wept profusely.	1 Therefore, as Ezra was praying, and imploring, and weeping in this way, and was prostrate before the temple of God, an exceedingly great assembly of men and women and children was gathered to him from Israel. And the people wept with a great weeping.
2 Then Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, made this appeal to Ezra: "We have indeed betrayed our God by taking as wives foreign women of the peoples of the land. Yet even now there remains a hope for Israel.	2 And Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel, from the sons of Elam, responded and said to Ezra: “We have sinned against our God, and have taken foreign wives from the peoples of the land. And now, if there is repentance within Israel over this,
3 Let us therefore enter into a covenant before our God to dismiss all our foreign wives and the children born of them, in keeping with what you, my lord, advise, and those who fear the commandments of our God. Let the law be observed!	3 let us strike a pact with the Lord our God, so that we may cast aside all the wives, and those who have been born from them, in accord with the will of the Lord, and of those who fear the precept of the Lord our God. So let it be done, according to the law.
4 Rise, then, for this is your duty! We will stand by you, so have courage and take action!"	4 Rise up. It is for you to discern, and we shall be with you. Be strengthened and act.”
5 Ezra rose to his feet and demanded an oath from the chiefs of the priests, from the Levites and from all Israel that they would do as had been proposed; and they swore it.	5 Therefore, Ezra rose up, and he caused the leaders of the priests and the Levites, and all of Israel, to swear that they would act in accord with this word. And they swore it.
6 Then Ezra retired from his place before the house of God and entered the chamber of Johanan, son of Eliashib, where he spent the night neither eating food nor drinking water, for he was in mourning over the betrayal by the exiles.	6 And Ezra rose up before the house of God, and he went away to the chamber of Jehohanan, the son of Eliashib, and he entered into it. He did not eat bread, and he did not drink water. For he was mourning the transgression of those who had arrived from the captivity.
7 A proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather together in Jerusalem,	7 And a voice was sent into Judah and Jerusalem, to all the sons of the transmigration, so that they would gather together in Jerusalem.
8 and that whoever failed to appear within three days would, according to the judgment of the leaders and elders, suffer the confiscation of all his possessions, and himself be excluded from the assembly of the exiles.	8 And all those who would not arrive within three days, in accord with the counsel of the leaders and the elders, would have all his substance taken away, and he would be cast out of the assembly of the transmigration.
9 All the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered together in Jerusalem within the three-day period: it was in the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. All the people, standing in the open place before the house of God, were trembling both over the matter at hand and because it was raining.	9 And so, all the men of Judah and of Benjamin convened in Jerusalem within three days. This was in the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of the sin and the rain.
10 Then Ezra, the priest, stood up and said to them: "Your unfaithfulness in taking foreign women as wives has added to Israel's guilt.	10 And Ezra, the priest, rose up, and he said to them: “You have transgressed, and you have taken foreign wives, so that you added to the offenses of Israel.
11 But now, give praise to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do his will: separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from these foreign women."	11 And now, make confession to the Lord, the God of your fathers, and do what pleases him, and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from your foreign wives.”
12 In answer, the whole assembly cried out with a loud voice: "Yes, it is our duty to do as you say!	12 And the entire multitude responded, and they said with a great voice: “In accord with your word to us, so let be it done.
13 But the people are numerous and it is the rainy season, so that we cannot remain out-of-doors; besides, this is not a task that can be performed in a single day or even two, for those of us who have sinned in this regard are many.	13 Yet truly, since the people are many, and it is the time of rain, and we cannot endure standing outside, and this is not a task for one or two days, (for certainly we have sinned greatly in this matter,)
14 Let our leaders represent the whole assembly; then let all those in our cities who have taken foreign women for wives appear at appointed times, accompanied by the elders and magistrates of each city in question, till we have turned away from us our God's burning anger over this affair."	14 let leaders be appointed among the entire multitude. And in all our cities, let those who have taken foreign wives arrive at appointed times, and with them the elders from city to city, and the judges, until the wrath of our God has been averted from us over this sin.”
15 Only Jonathan, son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, son of Tikvah, were against this proposal, with Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them.	15 And so Jonathan, the son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, the son of Tikvah, were appointed over this, and the Levites Meshullam and Shabbethai assisted them.
16 The exiles did as agreed. Ezra appointed as his assistants men who were family heads, one for each family, all of them designated by name. They held sessions to examine the matter, beginning with the first day of the tenth month.	16 And the sons of the transmigration did so. And Ezra, the priest, and the men who were the leaders of the families in the houses of their fathers, and all according to their names, went and sat down, on the first day of the tenth month, so that they might examine the matter.
17 By the first day of the first month they had passed judgment on all the men who had taken foreign women for wives.	17 And they made an end with all the men who had taken foreign wives, by the first day of the first month.
18 Among the priests, the following were found to have taken foreign women for wives: Of the sons of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and his brethren: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.	18 And there were found among the sons of the priests some who had taken foreign wives: From the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.
19 They pledged themselves to dismiss their wives, and as a guilt-offering for their guilt they gave a ram from the flock.	19 And they swore with their hands that they would cast aside their wives, and that they would offer for their offense a ram from among the sheep.
20 Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah;	20 And from the sons of Immer, Hanani and Zebadiah.
21 of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah;	21 And from the sons of Harim, Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.	22 And from the sons of Pashhur, Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.	23 And from the sons of the Levites, Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, the same is Kelita, Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 Of the singers: Eliashib and Zakkur; of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.	24 And from the singing men, Eliashib. And from the gatekeepers, Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.
25 Among the other Israelites: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah;	25 And out of Israel, from the sons of Parosh, Ramiah, and Izziah, and Malchijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.
26 of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah;	26 And from the sons of Elam, Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27 of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza;	27 And from the sons of Zattu, Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.
28 of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;	28 And from the sons of Bebai, Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.
29 of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth;	29 And from the sons of Bani, Meshullam, and Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.
30 of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh;	30 And from the sons of Pahath-moab, Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, and Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,	31 And from the sons of Harim, Eliezer, Jeshua, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Simeon,
32 Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah;	32 Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.
33 of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei;	33 And from the sons of Hashum, Mattenai, Mattettah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei.
34 of the sons of Begui: Maadai, Amram, Uel,	34 From the sons of Bani, Maadai, Amram, and Uel,
35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,	35 Benaiah, and Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,	36 Vaniah, Meremoth, and Eliashib,
37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu;	37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu,
38 of the sons of Binnui: Shimei,	38 and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,
39 Shelemiah, Nathan, and Adaiah;	39 and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,
40 of the sons of Zachai: Shashai, Sharai,	40 and Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,	41 Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42 Shallum, Amariah, Joseph;	42 Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.
43 of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, Benaiah.	43 From the sons of Nebo, Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, and Joel, and Benaiah.
44 All these had taken foreign wives; but they sent them away, both the women and their children.	44 All these had taken foreign wives, and there were among them women who had borne sons.