2
and spent the night there; and he did not eat bread or drink water, for he was mourning over the great iniquities of the multitude.
3
And a proclamation was made throughout Judea and Jerusalem to all who had returned from the captivity that they should assemble at Jerusalem,
4
and that if any did not meet there within two or three days, in accordance with the decision of the ruling elders, their cattle should be seized for sacrifice and the men themselves expelled from the multitude of those who had returned from the captivity.
5
Then the men of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within three days; this was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month.
6
And all the multitude sat in the open square before the temple, shivering because of the bad weather that prevailed.
7
Then Ezra rose and said to them, "You have broken the law and married foreign women, and so have increased the sin of Israel.
8
Now then make confession and give glory to the Lord the God of our fathers,
9
and do his will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from your foreign wives."
10
Then all the multitude shouted and said with a loud voice, "We will do as you have said.
11
But the multitude is great and it is winter, and we are not able to stand in the open air. This is not a work we can do in one day or two, for we have sinned too much in these things.
12
so let the leaders of the multitude stay, and let all those in our settlements who have foreign wives come at the time appointed,