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Facing a communal problem

When these tasks were finished, the officials approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites haven’t kept themselves separate from the peoples of the neighboring lands with their detestable practices; namely, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. They’ve taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and the holy descendants have become mixed with the neighboring peoples.[a] Moreover, the officials and leaders have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”

When I heard this, I tore my clothes and cloak, pulled out hair from my head and beard, and sat down in shock. Then all those who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me on account of the transgression of the returned exiles while I remained sitting in shock until the evening sacrifice.

Ezra prays

At the time of the evening sacrifice, I ended my penitential acts. While still wearing[b] my torn clothes and cloak, I fell upon my knees, spread out my hands to the Lord my God, and said,

“My God, I’m too ashamed to lift up my face to you. Our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown to the heavens.

“From the days of our ancestors to this day, we’ve been deep in guilt. On account of our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been handed over to the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as is now the case.

“But now, for a brief while the Lord our God has shown favor in leaving us survivors and in giving us a stake in his holy place. Our God cheered us[c] and revived us for a little while in our slavery. Even though we are slaves, our God hasn’t abandoned us in our slavery. Instead, he’s shown us his graciousness before Persia’s kings by reviving us to set up our God’s house, to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judea and Jerusalem.

10 “And now, our God, what will we say after this? We have abandoned your commandments, 11 which you commanded through your servants the prophets, saying: ‘The land which you are about to enter to possess is a land polluted by the impurity of the neighboring peoples.[d] Their detestable practices have filled it with uncleanness from end to end. 12 So now, do not give your daughters to their sons in marriage, do not take their sons for your daughters to marry, and never seek their peace or prosperity. This is so you may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.’

13 “After all that has happened to us because of our evil deeds and our great guilt—although you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve and have allowed us to survive as we do— 14 will we once again break your commandments and intermarry with the peoples who practice these detestable things? Would you not be so angry with us that you leave us without remnant or survivor? 15 Lord, God of Israel, you are righteous, for we have survived and a few remain until now. Here we are before you in our guilt, though no one can face you because of this guilt.”[e]

The community responds

10 While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and bowing down before God’s house, a very large crowd of men, women, and children of Israel gathered around him. The people also wept in distress. Then Shecaniah, Jehiel’s son, from the family of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, “We’ve been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the neighboring peoples.[f] But even now, there is hope for Israel in spite of this. Let’s now make a covenant with our God to send away all these wives and their children, according to the advice of my master and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God. Let it be done according to the Instruction. Get up, for it is your duty to deal with this matter; we will support you. Be strong and act.” So Ezra got up and made the leading priests, the Levites, and all Israel take a solemn pledge that they would do as had been said. So they took a solemn pledge.

The assembly decides

Then Ezra got up from the area in front of God’s house and went to the room of Jehohanan, Eliashib’s son, where he spent[g] the night. He didn’t eat food or drink water, for he was mourning because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles.

An order was then circulated throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the returned exiles should gather in Jerusalem. All those who failed to appear within three days, as mandated by the officials and elders, would have all their property taken away. They would be separated from the congregation of the exiles. So within three days, all the people of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem. It was the twentieth day of the ninth month.[h] All of the people sat in the area in front of God’s house, trembling because of this order and because of the heavy rain.

10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women and adding to Israel’s guilt. 11 But now, make a confession to the Lord God of your ancestors and do his will. Separate yourselves from the neighboring peoples[i] and from the foreign wives.”

12 The whole assembly shouted in reply, “Yes. We must do as you have said. 13 But there are many people, and it’s the rainy season; we can’t continue to stand outside. Nor can this task be completed in a day or two because many of us have sinned in this matter. 14 Let our leaders represent the entire assembly. Let all in our towns who have taken foreign wives come at appointed times, along with the elders and judges of every town, until God’s great anger at us on account of this matter be averted.” 15 Only Jonathan, Asahel’s son, and Jahzeiah, Tikvah’s son, opposed this; Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levites supported them.

Resolving the issue

16 Then the returned exiles did so. Ezra the priest chose[j] certain men, heads of families, each representing their family houses. Each of them was designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month[k] they sat down to examine the matter. 17 By the first day of the first month,[l] they had come to the end of all the men who had married foreign women.

18 Of the family of priests, there were found the following who had married foreign women—of the family of Jeshua, Jozadak’s son and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 They promised to send their wives away, and their compensation offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt.

20 Of the family of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.

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

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

23 Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

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

25 Of Israel: of the family of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah,[m] and Benaiah.

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

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

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

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

30 Of the family of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.

31 Of the family of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

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

34 Of the family of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.

38 Of the family of Binnui:[n] Shimei, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

43 Of the family of Nebu: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.

44 All these men[o] had married foreign women, some of whom had borne children.[p]

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 9:2 Or peoples of the lands
  2. Ezra 9:5 Heb uncertain
  3. Ezra 9:8 Or brightened our eyes
  4. Ezra 9:11 Or peoples of the lands
  5. Ezra 9:15 Heb lacks guilt.
  6. Ezra 10:2 Or peoples of the lands
  7. Ezra 10:6 LXX, 1 Esdr 9:2; Heb where he went
  8. Ezra 10:9 November–December, Kislev
  9. Ezra 10:11 Or peoples of the lands
  10. Ezra 10:16 1 Esdr 9:16; Syr; Heb And there were separated
  11. Ezra 10:16 December–January, Tevet
  12. Ezra 10:17 March–April, Nisan
  13. Ezra 10:25 1 Esdr 9:26; LXX, Heb Malchijah
  14. Ezra 10:38 LXX; Heb Bani, Binnui
  15. Ezra 10:44 Heb lacks men.
  16. Ezra 10:44 Heb uncertain; 1 Esdr 9:36they sent them away with their children.

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