New Century Version NCV
The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
1 As Ezra was praying and confessing and cry- ing and throwing himself down in front of the Temple, a large group of Israelite men, women, and children gathered around him who were also crying loudly.
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While 'Ezra was praying and making confession, weeping and prostrated before the house of God, a huge crowd of Isra'el's men, women and children gathered around him; and the people were weeping bitterly.
2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel the Elamite said to Ezra, "We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying women from the peoples around us. But even so, there is still hope for Israel.
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Sh'khanyah the son of Yechi'el, one of the descendants of 'Eilam, spoke up and said to 'Ezra, "We have acted treacherously toward our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples of the land. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Isra'el.
3 Now let us make an agreement before our God. We will send away all these women and their children as you and those who respect the commands of our God advise. Let it be done to obey God's Teachings.
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We should make a covenant with our God to send away all these wives, along with their children, in obedience to the advice of Adonai and of those who tremble at the mitzvah of our God; let us act in accordance with the Torah.
4 Get up, Ezra. You are in charge, and we will support you. Have courage and do it."
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Stand up, and do your duty, for we are with you; take courage, and do it!"
5 So Ezra got up and made the priests, Levites, and all the people of Israel promise to do what was suggested; and they promised.
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'Ezra stood up, and he made the chief cohanim, the L'vi'im and all Isra'el swear that they would act according to what had been said; and they took the oath.
6 Then Ezra left the Temple and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While Ezra was there, he did not eat or drink, because he was still sad about the unfaithfulness of the captives who had returned.
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'Ezra then left his place in front of the house of God and went to the room of Y'hochanan the son of Elyashiv. After going there, he neither ate food nor drank water; because he was mourning over the treachery of the exiles.
7 They sent an order in Judah and Jerusalem for all the captives who had returned to meet together in Jerusalem.
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A proclamation was issued throughout Y'hudah and Yerushalayim that all the exiles were to assemble in Yerushalayim;
8 Whoever did not come to Jerusalem within three days would lose his property and would no longer be a member of the community of the returned captives. That was the decision of the officers and older leaders.
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and that whoever didn't come within three days, in answer to the summons from the officials and leaders, would forfeit all he owned and himself be banished from the community 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 the people were sitting in the open place in front of the Temple and were upset because of the meeting and because it was raining.
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All the men of Y'hudah and Binyamin assembled in Yerushalayim within the three days. It was the twentieth day of the ninth month. All the people sat in the open place in front of the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.
10 Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have been unfaithful and have married non-Jewish women. You have made Israel more guilty.
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'Ezra the cohen stood up and addressed them: "You have acted treacherously by marrying foreign women and have thus increased Isra'el's guilt.
11 Now, confess it to the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Do his will and separate yourselves from the people living around you and from your non-Jewish wives."
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Now, therefore, make confession to ADONAI, the God of your ancestors; and do what will please him by separating yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women."
12 Then the whole group answered Ezra with a loud voice, "Ezra, you're right! We must do what you say.
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In response, the whole assembly cried aloud, "Yes, our duty is to do as you have said.
13 But there are many people here, and it's the rainy season. We can't stand outside, and this problem can't be solved in a day or two, because we have sinned badly.
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But there are many people, and it's the rainy season - we can't stay out here in the open. Also, it isn't the work of a day or two; for there are many of us who have committed this crime.
14 Let our officers make a decision for the whole group. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a non-Jewish woman meet with the older leaders and judges of each town at a planned time, until the hot anger of our God turns away from us."
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Let our leaders represent the whole community; and let all those in our cities who have married foreign women appear at prearranged times, accompanied by the elders and judges of each city; until our God's fierce anger over this has been turned away from us."
15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel, Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, Meshullam, and Shabbethai the Levite were against the plan.
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Only Yonatan the son of 'Asah'el and Yachz'yah the son of Tikvah, supported by Meshulam and Shabtai the Levi, opposed this.
16 So the returned captives did what was suggested. Ezra the priest chose men who were leaders of the family groups and named one from each family division. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to study each case.
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The exiles did as agreed. 'Ezra the cohen chose heads of fathers' clans by name, and they began their sessions to look into the matter on the first day of the tenth month.
17 By the first day of the first month, they had finished with all the men who had married non-Jewish women.
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They finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month.
18 These are the descendants of the priests who had married foreign women: From the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and Jeshua's brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
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Among the cohanim were found these who had married foreign women: of the sons of Yeshua the son of Yotzadak and his brothers: Ma'aseiyah, Eli'ezer, Yariv and G'dalyah.
19 (They all promised to divorce their wives, and each one brought a male sheep from the flock as a penalty offering.)
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They promised that they would send their wives away; and since they were guilty, they offered a ram from the flock for their guilt.
20 From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
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Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Z'vadyah;
21 From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
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of the sons of Harim: Ma'aseiyah, Eliyah, Sh'ma'yah, Yechi'el and 'Uziyah;
22 From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
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of the sons of Pash'chur: Elyo'einai, Ma'aseiyah, Yishma'el, N'tan'el, Yozavad and El'asah.
23 Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
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Of the L'vi'im: Yozavad, Shim'i, K'layah (also known as K'lita), P'tachyah, Y'hudah and Eli'ezer.
24 Among the singers: Eliashib. Among the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
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Of the singers: Elyashiv. Of the gatekeepers: Shalum, Telem and Uri.
25 And among the other Israelites, these married non-Jewish women: From the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah, and Benaiah.
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Of Isra'el: of the descendants of Par'osh: Ramyah, Yizziyah, Malkiyah, Miyamin, El'azar, Malkiyah and B'nayah;
26 From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
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of the descendants of 'Eilam: Mattanyah, Z'kharyah, Yechi'el, 'Avdi, Yeremot and Eliyah;
27 From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
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of the descendants of Zatu: Elyo'einai, Elyashiv, Mattanyah, Yeremot, Zavad and 'Aziza;
28 From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
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of the descendants of B'vai: Y'hochanan, Hananyah, Zabai and 'Atlai;
29 From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
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of the descendants of Bani: Meshulam, Malukh, 'Adayah, Yashuv, Sh'al and Ramot;
30 From the descendants of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
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of the descendants of Pachat-Mo'av: 'Adna, K'lal, B'nayah, Ma'aseiyah, Mattanyah, B'tzal'el, Binui and M'nasheh;
31 From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
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of the descendants of Harim: Eli'ezer, Yishiyah, Malkiyah, Sh'ma'yah, Shim'on,
32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
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Binyamin, Malukh, and Sh'maryah;
33 From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
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of the descendants of Hashum: Matnai, Matatah, Zavad, Elifelet, Yeremai, M'nasheh and Shim'i;
34 From the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
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of the descendants of Bani: Ma'adai, 'Amram, U'el,
35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi,
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B'nayah, Bedyah, K'luhu,
36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
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Vanyah, M'remot, Elyashiv,
37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
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Mattanyah, Matnai, Ya'asai,
38 From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei,
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Bani, Binui, Shim'i,
39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
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Shelemyah, Natan, 'Adayah,
40 Macnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
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Makhnavdai, Shashai, Sharai,
41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
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'Azar'el, Shelemyah, Sh'maryah,
42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
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Shalum, Amaryah and Yosef; and
43 From the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
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of the descendants of N'vo: Ye'i'el, Mattityah, Zavad, Z'vina, Yadai, Yo'el and B'nayah.
44 All these men had married non-Jewish women, and some of them had children by these wives.
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All these had taken foreign wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had had children.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.