Common English Bible CEB
New Revised Standard NRS
1 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.
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While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him out of Israel; the people also wept bitterly.
2 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. But even now, there is hope for Israel in spite of this.
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Shecaniah son of Jehiel, of the descendants of Elam, addressed Ezra, saying, "We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this.
3 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.
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So now let us make a covenant with our God to send away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.
4 Get up, for it is your duty to deal with this matter; we will support you. Be strong and act."
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Take action, for it is your duty, and we are with you; be strong, and do it."
5 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.
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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 got up from the area in front of God's house and went to the room of Jehohanan, Eliashib's son, where he spent the night. He didn't eat food or drink water, for he was mourning because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles.
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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 An order was then circulated throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the returned exiles should gather in Jerusalem.
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They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should assemble at Jerusalem,
8 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.
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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 So within three days, all the people of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem. It was the twentieth day of the ninth month. 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.
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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.
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.
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Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have trespassed and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel.
11 But now, make a confession to the LORD God of your ancestors and do his will. Separate yourselves from the neighboring peoples and from the foreign wives."
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Now make confession to the Lord the God of your ancestors, and do his will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives."
12 The whole assembly shouted in reply, "Yes. We must do as you have said.
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Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, "It is so; 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.
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But the people are many, and it is a time of heavy rain; we cannot stand in the open. Nor is this a task for one day or for two, for many of us have transgressed 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."
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Let our officials represent the whole assembly, and let all in our towns who have taken foreign wives come at appointed times, and with them the elders and judges of every town, until the fierce wrath of our God on this account is averted from us."
15 Only Jonathan, Asahel's son, and Jahzeiah, Tikvah's son, opposed this; Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levites supported them.
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Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levites supported them.
16 Then the returned exiles did so. Ezra the priest chose 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 they sat down to examine the matter.
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Then the returned exiles did so. Ezra the priest selected men, heads of families, according to their families, each of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to examine the matter.
17 By the first day of the first month, they had come to the end of all the men who had married foreign women.
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By the first day of the first month 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.
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There were found of the descendants of the priests who had married foreign women, of the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak 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.
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They pledged themselves to send away their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt.
20 Of the family of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
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Of the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
21 Of the family of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
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Of the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 Of the family of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
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Of the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
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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.
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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, and Benaiah.
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And of Israel: of the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, and Benaiah.
26 Of the family of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
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Of the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27 Of the family of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
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Of the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28 Of the family of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
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Of the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29 Of the family of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
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Of the descendants 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.
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Of the descendants of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 Of the family of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
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Of the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
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Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 Of the family of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
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Of the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 Of the family of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
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Of the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
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Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
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Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
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Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
38 Of the family of Binnui: Shimei,
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Of the descendants of Binnui: Shimei,
39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
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Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
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Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
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Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
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Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43 Of the family of Nebu: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
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Of the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 All these men had married foreign women, some of whom had borne children.
44
All these had married foreign women, and they sent them away with their children.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.