1
Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself downbefore the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a verygreatcongregation of men and women and children: for the peopleweptverysore.
2
And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam,answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have takenstrangewives of the people of the land: yet now there ishope in Israel concerning this thing.
3
Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.
6
Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drinkwater: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.
7
And they made proclamation* throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;
8
And that whosoever would not come within threedays, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.
9
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within threedays. It was the ninthmonth, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the peoplesat in the street of the house of God,trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.