gold, and the vessels which were in Jerusalem, brought them into the temple of the Lord.
61 We left the river Theras on the twelfth day of the first month. We came to Jerusalem by the mighty hand of our Lord which was upon us. The Lord delivered us from from every enemy on the way, and so we came to Jerusalem. 62 When we had been there three days, the silver and gold was weighed and delivered in our Lord’s house on the fourth day to§ Marmoth the priest the son of† Urias. 63 With him was Eleazar the son of Phinees, and with them were Josabdus the son of Jesus and‡ Moeth the son of Sabannus, the Levites. All was delivered to them by number and weight. 64 All the weight of them was recorded at the same hour. 65 Moreover those who had come out of captivity offered sacrifices to the Lord, the God of Israel, even twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, 66 seventy-two lambs, and twelve goats for a peace offering—all of them a sacrifice to the Lord. 67 They delivered the king’s commandments to the king’s stewards and to the governors of Coelesyria and Phoenicia; and they honoured the people and the temple of the Lord.
68 Now when these things were done, the principal men came to me and said, 69 “The nation of Israel, the princes, the priests, and the Levites haven’t put away from themselves the foreign people of the land nor the uncleannesses of the Gentiles—the Canaanites, Hittites, Pherezites, Jebusites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Edomites. 70 For both they and their sons have married with their daughters, and the holy seed is mixed with the foreign people of the land. From the beginning of this matter the rulers and the nobles have been partakers of this iniquity.”
71 And as soon as I had heard these things, I tore my clothes and my holy garment, and plucked the hair from off my head and beard, and sat down sad and full of heaviness. 72 So all those who were moved at the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, assembled to me while I mourned for the iniquity, but I sat still full of heaviness until the evening sacrifice. 73 Then rising up from the fast with my clothes and my holy garment torn, and bowing my knees and stretching out my hands to the Lord, 74 I said, “O Lord, I am ashamed and confounded before your face, 75 for our sins are multiplied above our heads, and our errors have reached up to heaven 76 ever since the time of our fathers. We are in great sin, even to this day. 77 For our sins and our fathers’ we with our kindred, our kings, and our priests were given up to the kings of the earth, to the sword, and to captivity, and for a prey with shame, to this day. 78 Now in some measure mercy has been shown to us from you, O Lord, that there should be left us a root and a name in the place of your sanctuary, 79 and to uncover a light in the house of the Lord our God, and to give us food in the time of our servitude. 80 Yes, when we were in bondage, we were not forsaken by our Lord, but he gave us favour before the kings of Persia, so that they gave us food, 81 glorified the temple of our Lord, and raised up the desolate Zion, to give us a sure dwelling in Judea and Jerusalem.
82 “Now, O Lord, what shall we say, having these things? For we have transgressed your commandments which you gave by the hand of your servants the prophets, saying, 83 ‘The land, which you enter into to possess as an inheritance, is a land polluted with the pollutions of the foreigners of the land, and they have filled it with their uncleanness. 84 Therefore now you shall not join your daughters to their sons, neither shall you take their daughters for your sons. 85 You shall never seek to have peace with them, that you may be strong, and eat the good things of the land, and that you may leave it for an inheritance to your children for evermore.’ 86 All that has happened is done to us for our wicked works and great sins, for you, O Lord, made our sins light, 87 and gave to us such a root; but we have turned back again to transgress your law in mingling ourselves with the uncleanness of the heathen of the land. 88 You weren’t angry with us to destroy us until you had left us neither root, seed, nor name. 89 O Lord of Israel, you are true, for we are left a root this day. 90 Behold, now we are before you in our iniquities, for we can’t stand any longer before you because of these things.”
91 *As Esdras in his prayer made his confession, weeping, and lying flat on the ground before the temple, a very great throng of men, women, and children gathered to him from Jerusalem; for there was great weeping amongst the multitude. 92 Then Jechonias the son of Jeelus, one of the sons of Israel, called out, and said, “O Esdras, we have sinned against the Lord God, we have married foreign women of the heathen of the land, but there is still hope for Israel. 93 Let’s make an oath to the Lord about this, that we will put away all our foreign wives with their children, 94 as seems good to you, and to as many as obey the Lord’s Law. 95 Arise, and take action, for this is your task, and we will be with you to do valiantly.” 96 So Esdras arose, and took an oath from the chief of the priests and Levites of all Israel to do these things; and they swore to it.
9
1 * Then Esdras rose up from the court of the temple and went to the chamber of Jonas the son of Eliasib, 2 and lodged there, and ate no bread and drank no water, mourning for the great iniquities of the multitude. 3 A proclamation was made in all Judea and Jerusalem to all those who returned from captivity, that they should be gathered together at Jerusalem, 4 and that whoever didn’t meet there within two or three days, in accordance with the ruling of the elders, that their livestock would be seized for the use of the temple, and they would be expelled from the multitude of those who returned from captivity.
5 Within three days, all those of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin gathered together at Jerusalem. This was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. 6 All the multitude sat together shivering in the broad place before the temple because of the present foul weather. 7 So Esdras arose up and said to them, “You have transgressed the law and married foreign wives, increasing the sins of Israel. 8 Now make confession and give glory to the Lord, the 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 the whole multitude cried out, and said with a loud voice, “Just as you have spoken, so we will do. 11 But because the multitude is great, and it is foul weather, so that we can’t stand outside, and this is not a work of one day or two, seeing our sin in these things has spread far, 12 therefore let the rulers of the multitude stay, and let all those of our settlements that have foreign wives come at the time appointed, 13 and with them the rulers and judges of every place, until we turn away the wrath of the Lord from us for this matter.”
14 So Jonathan the son of Azael and† Ezekias the son of Thocanus took the matter on themselves. Mosollamus and Levis and Sabbateus were judges with them. 15 Those who returned from captivity did according to all these things.
16 Esdras the priest chose for himself principal men of their families, all by name. On the new moon of the tenth month they met together to examine the matter. 17 So their cases of men who had foreign wives was brought to an end by the new moon of the first month.
18 Of the priests who had come together and had foreign wives, there were found 19 of the sons of Jesus the son of Josedek, and his kindred,‡ Mathelas, Eleazar, and§ Joribus, and† Joadanus. 20 They gave their hands to put away their wives, and to offer rams to make reconciliation for their error. 21 Of the sons of Emmer: Ananias, Zabdeus, ‡Manes, §Sameus, †Hiereel, and ‡Azarias. 22 Of the sons of §Phaisur: Elionas, Massias, Ishmael, Nathanael, †Ocidelus, and ‡Saloas.
23 Of the Levites: Jozabdus, Semeis, §Colius who was called †Calitas, ‡Patheus, Judas, and Jonas. 24 Of the holy singers: §Eliasibus and Bacchurus. 25 Of the gatekeepers: Sallumus and† Tolbanes.
26 Of Israel, of the sons of Phoros:‡ Hiermas,§ Ieddias,† Melchias, Maelus,‡ Eleazar, Asibas, § and Banneas. 27 Of the sons of Ela: Matthanias, Zacharias, † Jezrielus, Oabdius, Hieremoth, and‡ Aedias. 28 Of the sons of §Zamoth: †Eliadas, ‡Eliasimus, §Othonias, Jarimoth, †Sabathus, and‡ Zardeus. 29 Of the sons of Bebai: Joannes, Ananias, §Jozabdus, and †Ematheis. 30 Of the sons of ‡ Mani: §Olamus, †Mamuchus, ‡Jedeus, Jasubas, § Jasaelus, and Hieremoth. 31 Of the sons of Addi: Naathus,