1 Esdras 9

1 Then Ezra rose up from the court of the temple and went to the room of Johanan son of Eliashib, [a] 2 and he lodged there and tasted no bread and drank no water, mourning over the great lawless deeds of the multitude.

3 And a proclamation went out through all Judea and Jerusalem, to all those from the captivity, that they should gather at Jerusalem; 4 and that whoever did not present himself within two or three days, by the judgment of the elders who presided, his cattle would be given over to the temple, and he himself would be separated from the multitude of those from the captivity. [b]

5 And those of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin gathered at Jerusalem within three days — this was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month — [c] 6 and the whole multitude sat together in the open square of the temple, trembling because of the winter that had set in.

7 And Ezra stood up and said to them, “You have broken the law and have taken foreign wives, adding sin to Israel. 8 And now, acknowledge him openly and give glory to the Lord, the God of our fathers, 9 and do his will, and separate yourselves from the nations of the land and from the foreign wives.”

10 And the whole multitude cried out and said with a loud voice, “As you have said, so we will do. 11 But the multitude is many, and the season is winter, and we have no strength to stand out in the open, and we have found nothing; and this work is not for one day or two, for we have sinned greatly in these things. [d] 12 Let the leaders of the multitude stand, and let all in our settlements who have foreign wives come at an appointed time, 13 and with them the elders and the judges of each place, until the anger of the Lord over this matter is turned away from us.”

14 Jonathan son of Azael and Jeziah son of Thocanus took the matter up accordingly, and Meshullam and Levis and Shabbethai worked alongside them. [e] 15 And those from the captivity did according to all these things. 16 And Ezra the priest chose out for himself men who were leaders of their fathers’ houses, all of them by name; and on the new moon of the tenth month they sat down together to examine the matter. [f] 17 And the case of the men who were holding foreign wives was brought to an end by the new moon of the first month.

18 And of the priests, these were found among those gathered who had foreign wives: 19 of the sons of Jeshua son of Jozadak and of his brothers — Maaseiah and Eleazar and Joribus and Jodanus; [g] 20 and they gave their hands to put away their wives, and rams as atonement for their sin done in ignorance. [h]

21 And of the sons of Immer: Hananiah and Zabdeus and Manes and Shemaiah and Jeiel and Azariah. 22 And of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael and Nethanel and Okidelus and Salthas. [i] 23 And of the Levites: Jozabad and Shimei and Colius — he is Calitas — and Pathaeus and Oudas and Jonas. 24 Of the temple singers: Eliashib, Bacchurus. [j] 25 Of the gatekeepers: Shallum and Tolbanes.

26 Of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Hiermas and Jeziah and Malchijah and Miamin and Eleazar and Hashabiah and Benaiah; [k] 27 of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah and Zechariah, Jezrielus and Obadiah and Jeremoth and Elijah; [l] 28 and of the sons of Zamoth: Eliadas, Eliasimus, Othonias, Jarimoth and Sabathus and Zerdaias; 29 and of the sons of Bebai: Johanan and Hananiah and Zabdus and Emathis; [m] 30 and of the sons of Mani: Olamus, Mamuchus, Jedaius, Jasubus and Asahel and Jeremoth;

31 and of the sons of Addi: Naathus and Moossias, Laccunus and Naidus and Beskaspasmys and Sesthel and Balnuus and Manasseh; [n] 32 and of the sons of Annan: Elioenai and Asaias and Malchijah and Sabbaias and Simon Chosamaeus; 33 and of the sons of Hashum: Maltannaeus and Mattathias and Sabannaeus and Eliphelet and Manasseh and Shimei; 34 and of the sons of Bani: Jeremiah, Momdius, Maerus, Joel, Mamdai and Pedias and Anos, Carabasion and Eliashib and Mamnitanaemus, Eliasis, Bannus, Elialis, Someis, Shelemiah, Nathanias; and of the sons of Ezora: Sessis, Ezril, Azaelus, Samatus, Zambris, Joseph; [o] 35 and of the sons of Nooma: Mazitias, Zabadaias, Edais, Joel, Benaiah. [p]

36 All these had taken foreign wives, and they sent them away, together with their children. [q]

37 And the priests and the Levites and those of Israel settled in Jerusalem and in the country. On the new moon of the seventh month — the children of Israel being in their settlements — 38 the whole multitude gathered with one accord in the open square before the temple gate that faces east, 39 and they told Ezra the chief priest and reader to bring the law of Moses that had been handed down by the Lord God of Israel. [r] 40 And Ezra the chief priest brought the law to the whole multitude, from man to woman, and to all the priests, so that they might hear the law, on the new moon of the seventh month. † 41 And he read in the open square before the temple gate from dawn until midday, in front of both men and women; and the whole multitude gave their mind to the law.

42 And Ezra the priest and reader of the law stood on the wooden platform that had been built for it, 43 and there stood beside him, on the right hand, Mattathias, Sammus, Hananiah, Azariah, Uriah, Hezekiah, Baalsamus, 44 and on the left hand Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Lothasubus, Nabarias, Zechariah. [s]

45 And Ezra took up the book of the law before the multitude — for he sat in the place of honor in front of them all — 46 and when he unrolled the law they all stood upright. And Ezra blessed the Lord, God Most High, God of armies, the Almighty; [t] † 47 and the whole multitude called out, “Amen.” And lifting up their hands they fell to the ground and bowed down to the Lord. 48 And Jeshua and Anniuth and Sherebiah, Jadinus, Jacubus, Shabbethai, Autaias, Maiannas and Calitas, Azariah and Jozabad, Hananiah, Phalias, the Levites, taught the law of the Lord, and they read the law of the Lord to the multitude, putting the sense of it into them as they read. [u]

49 And Attarates said to Ezra the chief priest and reader, and to the Levites who were teaching the multitude, in the hearing of them all, [v] 50 “This day is holy to the Lord” — for they were all weeping as they heard the law — 51 “so go your way, eat rich food and drink what is sweet, and send shares to those who have nothing; 52 for the day is holy to the Lord. And do not be grieved, for the Lord will bring you honor.”

53 And the Levites charged all the people, saying, “This day is holy. Do not be grieved.” 54 And they all went off to eat and to drink and to make merry and to send shares to those who had nothing, and to make great gladness, 55 because they had taken in the words in which they had been taught. And they were gathered together. [w]