Ezra 10

Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.

As Ezra poured out his heart in prayer, his tears falling like rain, he humbly knelt before God's house. His raw emotion drew a vast crowd from Israel - men, women, and children. Their hearts ached, their tears flowed freely, mirroring Ezra's deep sorrow.

And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.

Shechaniah, Jehiel's son from Elam's lineage, spoke up to Ezra. He admitted, "We've sinned against our God by marrying foreign women from this land. But there's still hope for us in Israel to make this right."

Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.

Let's make a solemn promise to our God to send away all these foreign wives and their children, as my lord advises and as those who fear God's command advise. Let it be done according to God's law.

Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.

Stand up, this task is yours. We'll be by your side, so be brave and go for it.

Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.

Ezra stood up, compelling the high priests, the Levites, and all of Israel to promise they would follow his words. And they pledged to do so.

Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.

Ezra left God's house, entering Johanan's room. He didn't eat or drink there, consumed by grief over the sins of those who had been taken away.

And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;

An announcement was passionately made across Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles. The message was clear and urgent - they were to unite and come together in Jerusalem.

And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.

Anyone who didn't show up in three days, as advised by the leaders and elders, would lose everything they owned and be banished from the community of the displaced.

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

In just three days, every man from Judah and Benjamin rushed to Jerusalem. It was the twentieth day of the ninth month. They all huddled in the streets near God's house, shaking with fear over the issue at hand and the heavy downpour.

And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.

Ezra, the priest, rose and spoke with a heavy heart, "You have strayed, marrying foreign wives, only deepening Israel's sin."

Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.

Confess your sin to the Lord, your ancestors' God, and do what pleases Him. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from your foreign wives.

Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.

Everyone in the crowd passionately agreed, shouting, "We must do as you've instructed!"

But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.

There are so many of us, and the relentless rain makes it impossible to stay outside. This isn't a task we can finish in a day or two. We've all made mistakes in this matter.

Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.

Our community leaders should step forward, and those who have married foreign wives should come at scheduled times. They should be accompanied by the city elders and judges until God's intense anger about this issue is calmed.

Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.

Only Jonathan, Asahel's son, and Jahaziah, Tikvah's son, were tasked with this important duty. They were assisted by Meshullam and Shabbethai, both Levites.

And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

The returned exiles did as agreed. Ezra, the priest, along with some family heads, one for each family and all known by name, were set apart for the task. On the first day of the tenth month, they sat down to thoroughly investigate the matter.

And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.

By the start of the new year, they had firmly dealt with all the men who had chosen foreign wives.

And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.

Among the priests' sons, some had chosen foreign wives. From the descendants of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and his brothers, these had done so: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.

And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass.

They solemnly pledged to leave their wives, feeling guilty, they sacrificed a ram from their flock as atonement for their wrongdoings.

And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah.

From the lineage of Immer came Hanani and Zebadiah.

And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.

From the lineage of Harim came Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah, each with their own unique spirit and purpose.

And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

From the lineage of Pashur came Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah, each carrying the legacy of their forefather with pride and honor.

Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

Among the Levites were Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also known as Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.

Among the singers was Eliashib, and the gatekeepers included Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

From Israel, the sons of Parosh were: Ramiah, Jeziah, Malchiah, Miamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.

And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.

From the lineage of Elam came Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Eliah, each carrying their own unique spirit and purpose.

And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.

From Zattu's lineage came Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza, each carrying their own unique spirit and purpose.

Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

Among Bebai's sons were Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai, each with their own unique spirit and character.

And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.

From Bani's lineage came Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Ramoth, each carrying their own unique spirit and purpose.

And of the sons of Pahathmoab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

From the lineage of Pahathmoab came Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, Binnui, and Manasseh, each carrying the legacy of their forefather with pride and honor.

And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

From the lineage of Harim came Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, and Shimeon,

Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

From Hashum's lineage came Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel,

Among Bani's children were Maadai, Amram, and Uel, each unique and special in their own way.

Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,

Benaiah, Bedeiah, and Chelluh,

Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

Vaniah, Meremoth, and Eliashib,

Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,

Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,

And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,

Bani, Binnui, and Shimei,

And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

Shelemiah, Nathan, and Adaiah,

Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

Machnadebai, Shashai, and Sharai, these names may seem complex, but simply put, they represent individuals who were part of a larger community, each with their own unique stories, emotions, and experiences.

Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

Azareel, Shelemiah, and Shemariah,

Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.

Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah.

From the lineage of Nebo came Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, Joel, and Benaiah, each carrying a piece of their ancestor's legacy.

All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children.

All these men had married foreign women, and some even had children with them.