Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Now when Esdras was thus praying, and beseeching, and weeping, and lying before the temple of God, there was gathered to him of Israel an exceeding great assembly of men and women and children, and the people wept with much lamentation.
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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 And Sechenias the son of Jehiel of the sons of Elam answered, and said to Esdras: We have sinned against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: and now if there be repentance in Israel concerning 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 us make a covenant with the Lord our God, to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the will of the Lord, and of them that fear the commandment of the Lord our God: let it be done according to the law.
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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 Arise, it is thy part to give orders, and we will be with thee: take courage, and do it.
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Take action, for it is your duty, and we are with you; be strong, and do it."
5 So Esdras arose, and made the chiefs of the priests and of the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word, and they swore.
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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 And Esdras rose up from before the house of God, and went to the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliasib, and entered in thither: he ate no bread, and drank no water: for he mourned for the transgression of them that were come out of the captivity.
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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 And proclamation was made in Juda and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should assemble together into 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 And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the ancients, all his substance should be taken away, and he should be cast out of the company of them that were returned from captivity.
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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 Then all the men of Juda, and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within three days, in the ninth month, the twentieth day of the month: and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of the sin, and the 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 And Esdras the priest stood up, and said to them: You have transgressed, and taken strange wives, to add to the sins of Israel.
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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 And now make confession to the Lord the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure, and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from your strange 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 And all the multitude answered and said with a loud voice: According to thy word unto us, so be it done.
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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 as the people are many, and it is time of rain, and we are not able to stand without, and it is not a work of one day or two, (for we have exceedingly 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 rulers be appointed in all the multitude: and in all our cities, let them that have taken strange wives come at the times appointed, and with them the ancients and the judges of every city, until the wrath of our God be turned away from us for this sin.
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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 Then Jonathan the son of Azahel, and Jaasia the son of Thecua were appointed over this, and Mesollam and Sebethai, Levites, helped 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 And the children of the captivity did so. And Esdras the priest, and the men heads of the families in the houses of their fathers, and all by their names, went and sat down in the first day of the tenth month 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 And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.
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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 And there were found among the sons of the priests that had taken strange wives: Of the sons of Josue the son of Josedec, and his brethren, Maasia, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Godolia.
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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 And they gave their hands to put away their wives, and to offer for their offence a ram of the flock.
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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 And of the sons of Emmer, Hanani, and Zebedia.
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Of the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
21 And of the sons of Harim, Maasia, and Elia, and Semeia, and Jehiel, and Ozias.
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Of the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 And of the sons of Pheshur, Elioenai, Maasia, Ismael, Nathanael, Jozabed, and Elasa.
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Of the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 And of the sons of the Levites, Jozabed, and Semei, and Celaia, the same is Calita, Phataia, Juda, and Eliezer.
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Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 And of the singing men, Elisiab: and of the porters, Sellum, and Telem, and Uri.
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Of the singers: Eliashib. Of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 And of Israel, of the sons of Pharos, Remeia, and Jezia, and Melchia, and Miamin, and Eliezer, and Melchia, and Banea.
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And of Israel: of the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, and Benaiah.
26 And of the sons of Elam, Mathania, Zacharias, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jerimoth, and Elia.
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Of the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27 And of the sons of Zethua, Elioenai, Eliasib, Mathania, Jerimuth, and Zabad, and Aziaza.
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Of the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28 And of the sons of Babai, Johanan, Hanania, Zabbai, Athalai:
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Of the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29 And of the sons of Bani, Mosollam, and Melluch, and Adaia, Jasub, and Saal, and Ramoth.
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Of the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
30 And of the sons of Phahath, Moab, Edna, and Chalal, Banaias, and Maasias, Mathanias, Beseleel, Bennui, and Manasse.
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Of the descendants of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 And of the sons of Herem, Eliezer, Josue, Melchias, Semeias, Simeon,
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Of the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32 Benjamin, Maloch, Samarias.
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Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 And of the sons of Hasom, Mathanai, Mathatha, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jermai, Manasse, Semei.
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Of the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 Of the sons of Bani, Maaddi, Amram, and Uel,
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Of the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
35 Baneas, and Badaias, Cheliau,
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Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
36 Vania, Marimuth, and Eliasib,
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Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37 Mathanias, Mathania, and Jasi,
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Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
38 And Bani, and Bennui, Semei,
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Of the descendants of Binnui: Shimei,
39 And Salmias, and Nathan, and Adaias,
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Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
40 And Mechnedebai, Sisai, Sarai,
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Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41 Ezrel, and Selemiau, Semeria,
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Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42 Sellum, Amaria, Joseph.
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Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43 Of the sons of Nebo, Jehiel, Mathathias, Zabad, Zabina, Jeddu, and Joel, and Banaia.
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Of the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 All these had taken strange wives, and there were among them women that had borne children.
44
All these had married foreign women, and they sent them away with their children.
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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.