5
Then Ezra stood up and made the leading priests, the Levites, and all Israel swear that they would do as had been said. So they swore.
6
Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God, and went to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, where he spent the night. He did not eat bread or drink water, for he was mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles.
7
They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should assemble at Jerusalem,
8
and that if any did not come within three days, by order of the officials and the elders all their property should be forfeited, and they themselves banned from the congregation of the exiles.
9
Then all the people of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. All the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.