Ezra 10)
1 Now when Ezra had prayed (note the change to the 3rd person. This does not imply another authorship. Such changes are common. Cp. Isa. 6:5-8; 7:3; 37:6 with other passages. Also Jer. 20:1-6 with v.7; and 21:1 and 28:1,5), and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of the [true] God,
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there assembled to him out of Israel (see 1 Kings 12:17) a very great assembly of men and women and little one: for the people wept very sore. (See Gen. 26:28)
2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam (cp. v.21), confessed and said to Ezra, "We have acted treacherously against our God, and have taken strange wives of the peoples of the land: yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.
3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them (it does not appear that Shechaniah's proposal was carried out. Cp. vv. 11,14), according to the counsel of my Lord (see Ps. 33:11; 73:24; 106;13. Prov. 8:14; 19:21. Isa. 46:10,11), and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. (See Deut. 24:1,2)
4 Arise (it would seem that Ezra continued kneeling); for this matter belongs to you: we also will be with you: be of good courage, and do it."
5 Then arose Ezra, and made the princes of the priests (cp. 2 Chron. 36:14), and the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they swore.
6 Then Ezra rose up (in response to Shecheniah) from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib (the high priest who succeeded Joiakim, the successor of Jeshua [Neh. 12:10,23]): and when he lodged there, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned (cp. the 1st occ. Gen. 37:34) because of the unfaithfulness of them that had been carried away.
7 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the sons of the exile, that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem;
8 And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be devoted, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been into captivity.
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9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin (yet spoken of as containing representatives of all Israel.) gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the broad place of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said to them, "You have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.
11 Now therefore make confession to the LORD God of your fathers, and do His pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives."
12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, "According to you word, so must we do."
13 But the people are many, and it is the rainy season, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have rebelled in this thing.
14 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.
15 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.
16 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.
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17 And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.
18 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.
19 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.
20 And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah.
21 And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.
25 Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.
26 And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.
27 And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.
28 Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29 And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.
30 And of the sons of Pahathmoab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel,
35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,
36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,
38 And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,
39 And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,
40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43 Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah.
44 All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children.