1 Esdras 9

1 Then Ezra, rising from the court of the temple, went to the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib
2 and remained there, and did not eat meat nor drink water, mourning for the great iniquities of the multitude.
3 And there was a proclamation in all Jewry and Jerusalem to all those who were of the captivity that they should be gathered together at Jerusalem;
4 and that whosoever met not there within two or three days, according as the elders who bore rule appointed, their cattle should be seized for the use of the temple, and they themselves cast out from those who were of the captivity.
5 And in three days were all those of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin gathered together at Jerusalem the twentieth day of the ninth month.
6 And all the multitude sat trembling in the broad court of the temple because of the present foul weather.
7 So Ezra arose up and said unto them, "Ye have transgressed the law in marrying foreign wives, thereby to increase the sins of Israel.
8 And now, by confessing, give glory unto the Lord God of our fathers,
9 and do His will and separate yourselves from the heathen of the land and from the foreign women."
10 Then cried the whole multitude, and said with a loud voice, "As thou hast spoken, so will we do.
11 But forasmuch as the people are many, and it is foul weather so that we cannot stand outside, and this is not the work of a day or two, seeing our sin in these things is spread far,
12 therefore let the rulers of the multitude stay, and let all those of our habitations who have foreign wives come at the time appointed,
13 and with them the rulers and judges of every place, till we turn away the wrath of the Lord from us for this matter."
14 Then Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah accordingly took this matter upon them; and Meshullam and Levi and Shabbethai helped them.
15 And those who were of the captivity did according to all these things.
16 And Ezra the priest chose unto him the principal men of their families, all by name; and on the first day of the tenth month they sat together to examine the matter.
17 So their cause that concerned foreign wives was brought to an end on the first day of the first month.
18 And of the priests who had come together and had foreign wives there were found:
19 of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren, Maaseiah and Eliezar, and Jarib and Jodan.
20 And they gave their hands to put away their wives and to offer rams to make reconcilement for their errors.
21 And of the sons of Immer: Hanani, and Zebadiah, and Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Azariah.
22 And of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, and Nethaneel, and Gedaliah and Elasah.
23 And of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, who was called Kelita, and Pethahiah, and Judah, and Jonah.
24 Of the holy singers: Eliashib, Zaccur.
25 Of the doorkeepers: Shallum, and Telem.
26 Of those of Israel, of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Asibias, and Benaiah.
27 Of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.
28 And of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Othoniah, Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Zerdaiah.
29 Of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, and Hananiah and Zabbai, and Emathis.
30 Of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashob, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
31 And of the sons of Addi: Naathus, and Moosias, Lacunus, and Naidus, and Mathanias, and Sesthel, Balnuus, and Manasseas.
32 And of the sons of Annan: Elionas and Asaias, and Melchias, and Sabbaias, and Simon Chosameus.
33 And of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, and Mattattiah, and Baanaia, Eliphelet, and Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 And of the sons of Bani: Jeremai, Maadai, Amram, Joel, Mamdai, and Bedeiah, and Vaniah, Carabasion, and Eliashib, and Machnadebai, Eliasis, Binnui, Elialis, Shimei, Shelemiah, Nethaniah. And of the sons of Ezora: Shashai, Azarel, Azael, Shemaiah, Amariah, Joseph.
35 And of the sons of Nebo: Mattithiah, Zabad, Iddo, Joel, Benaiah.
36 All these had taken foreign wives, and they put them away with their children.
37 And the priests and Levites, and those who were of Israel, dwelt in Jerusalem and in the country on the first day of the seventh month; so the children of Israel were in their habitations.
38 And the whole multitude came together with one accord into the broad place of the holy porch toward the east;
39 and they spoke unto Ezra the priest and reader, that he would bring the Law of Moses that was given by the Lord God of Israel.
40 So Ezra the chief priest brought the law unto the whole multitude, from man to woman and to all the priests, to hear the law on the first day of the seventh month.
41 And he read in the broad court before the holy porch from morning unto midday before both men and women, and all the multitude gave heed unto the law.
42 And Ezra the priest and reader of the law stood up upon a pulpit of wood which was made for that purpose.
43 And there stood up by him Mattathiah, Shema, Anaiah, Azariah, Uriah, Hezekiah, Baalsamus, upon the right hand;
44 and upon his left hand stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Lothasubus, and Nabariah.
45 Then took Ezra the Book of the Law before the multitude, for he sat honorably in the first place in the sight of them all.
46 And when he opened the law, they all stood straight up. So Ezra blessed the Lord God Most High, the God of Hosts, Almighty.
47 And all the people answered, "Amen." And, lifting up their hands, they fell to the ground and worshiped the Lord.
48 Also Jeshua, Anniuth, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, and Kelita, Azariah, and Jozabad, and Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, taught the law of the Lord, making them thereby to understand it.
49 Then spoke Attharates unto Ezra the chief priest and reader, and to the Levites who taught the multitude, even to all, saying,
50 "This day is holy unto the Lord." (For they all wept when they heard the law.) Œ
51 "Go then, and eat the fat and drink the sweet, and send part to those who have nothing;
52 for this day is holy unto the Lord. And be not sorrowful, for the Lord will bring you to honor.
53 So the Levites proclaimed all things to the people, saying, "This day is holy to the Lord; be not sorrowful."
54 Then went they their way, every one to eat and drink and make merry, and to give part to those who had nothing, and to make great cheer,
55 because they understood the words wherein they were instructed and for which they had been assembled.
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.