Now when Ezrahad prayed, and when he had confessed, weepingand casting himself downbeforethe houseof God, there assembleduntohim out of Israela verygreatcongregationof menand womenand children: forthe peopleweptvery sore. And Shechaniahthe sonof Jehiel, one of the sonsof Elam, answeredand saidunto Ezra, Wehave trespassedagainst our God, and have takenstrangewivesof the peopleof the land: yet nowthere ishopein Israelconcerningthisthing. Nowtherefore let us makea covenantwith our Godto put awayallthe wives, and such as are bornofthem, according to the counselof my lord, and of those that trembleat the commandmentof our God; and let it be doneaccording to the law. Arise; for this matter belongeth untothee: wealso will be withthee: be of good courage, and do it . Then aroseEzra, and made the chiefpriests, the Levites, and allIsrael, to swearthat they should doaccording to thisword. And they swore. Then Ezrarose upfrom beforethe houseof God, and wentintothe chamberof Johananthe sonof Eliashib: and when he camethither, he did eatnobread, nordrinkwater: forhe mournedbecauseof the transgressionof them that had been carried away. And they made proclamationthroughout Judahand Jerusalemunto allthe childrenof the captivity, that they should gather themselves togetherunto Jerusalem; And that whosoeverwould notcomewithin threedays, according to the counselof the princesand the elders, allhis substanceshould be forfeited, and himselfseparatedfrom the congregationof those that had been carried away. Then allthe menof Judahand Benjamingathered themselves togetherunto Jerusalemwithin threedays. It was the ninthmonth, on the twentieth day of the month; and allthe peoplesatin the streetof the houseof God, tremblingbecauseof this matter, and for the great rain. And Ezrathe prieststood up, and saiduntothem, Yehave transgressed, and have takenstrangewives, to increasethe trespassof Israel. Nowtherefore makeconfessionunto the LORDGodof your fathers, and dohis pleasure: and separate yourselvesfrom the peopleof the land, and fromthe strangewives. Then allthe congregationansweredand saidwith a loudvoice, As thou hast said, somust we do. Butthe people are many, and it is a timeof much rain, and we are notableto standwithout, neither is this a workof onedayortwo: forwe are manythat have transgressedin thisthing. Let nowour rulersof allthe congregationstand, and let allthem whichhave takenstrangewivesin our citiescomeat appointedtimes, and withthem the eldersof every city, and the judgesthereof, untilthe fiercewrathof our Godforthismatterbe turnedfromus. OnlyJonathanthe sonof Asaheland Jahaziahthe sonof Tikvahwere employedaboutthis matter : and Meshullamand Shabbethaithe Levitehelpedthem. And the childrenof the captivitydidso. And Ezrathe priest, with certainchiefof the fathers, after the houseof their fathers, and allof them by their names, were separated, and sat downin the firstdayof the tenthmonthto examinethe matter. And they made an endwith allthe menthat had takenstrangewivesbythe firstdayof the firstmonth. And among the sonsof the prieststhere were foundthathad takenstrangewives: namely , of the sonsof Jeshuathe sonof Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. And they gavetheir handsthat they would put awaytheir wives; and being guilty, they offered a ramof the flockfortheir trespass. And of the sonsof Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah. And of the sonsof Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah. And of the sonsof Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah. Also ofthe Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. Ofthe singersalso; Eliashib: and ofthe porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri. Moreover of Israel: of the sonsof Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah. And of the sonsof Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah. And of the sonsof Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza. Of the sonsalso of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. And of the sonsof Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth. And of the sonsof Pahath-moab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh. And of the sonsof Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. Of the sonsof Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. Of the sonsof Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel, Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh, Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau, And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei, And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. Of the sonsof Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah. Allthesehad takenstrangewives: and some ofthem hadwivesby whom they hadchildren.