1 Esdras 9

¹Then Ezra rose and went from the court of the temple to the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib,

²and spent the night there; and he did not eat bread or drink water, for he was mourning over the great iniquities of the multitude.

³And a proclamation was made throughout Judea and Jerusalem to all who had returned from the captivity that they should assemble at Jerusalem,

⁴and that if any did not meet there within two or three days, in accordance with the decision of the ruling elders, their cattle should be seized for sacrifice and the men themselves expelled from the multitude of those who had returned from the captivity.[#9.4 Gk he himself]

⁵Then the men of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within three days; this was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month.

⁶And all the multitude sat in the open square before the temple, shivering because of the bad weather that prevailed.

⁷Then Ezra rose and said to them, “You have broken the law and married foreign women, and so have increased the sin of Israel.

⁸Now then make confession and give glory to the Lord the God of our fathers,

⁹and do his will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from your foreign wives.”

¹⁰Then all the multitude shouted and said with a loud voice, “We will do as you have said.

¹¹But the multitude is great and it is winter, and we are not able to stand in the open air. This is not a work we can do in one day or two, for we have sinned too much in these things.

¹²So let the leaders of the multitude stay, and let all those in our settlements who have foreign wives come at the time appointed,

¹³with the elders and judges of each place, until we are freed from the wrath of the Lord over this matter.”

¹⁴Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah undertook the matter on these terms, and Meshullam and Levi and Shabbethai served with them as judges.[#9.14 Gk Thocanus]

¹⁵And those who had returned from the captivity acted in accordance with all this.

¹⁶Ezra the priest chose for himself the leading men of their fathers' houses, all of them by name; and on the new moon of the tenth month they began their sessions to investigate the matter.

¹⁷And the cases of the men who had foreign wives were brought to an end by the new moon of the first month.

¹⁸Of the priests those who were brought in and found to have foreign wives were:

¹⁹of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren, Maaseiah, Eliezar, Jarib, and Jodan.

²⁰They pledged themselves to put away their wives, and to give rams in expiation of their error.

²¹Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah and Maaseiah and Shemaiah and Jehiel and Azariah.

²²Of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, and Nathanael, and Gedaliah, and Elasah.[#9.22 Gk Salthas or Saloas]

²³And of the Levites: Jozabad and Shimei and Kelaiah, who was Kelita, and Pethahiah and Judah and Jonah.

²⁴Of the temple singers: Eliashib and Zaccur.[#9.24 Gk Bacchurus]

²⁵Of the gatekeepers: Shallum and Telem.[#9.25 Gk Tolbanes]

²⁶Of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Asibias, and Benaiah.

²⁷Of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah and Zechariah, Jehiel and Abdi, and Jeremoth and Elijah.[#9.27 Gk Jezrielus]

²⁸Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Othoniah, Jeremoth, and Zabad and Zerdaiah.[#9.28 Gk Zamoth; #9.28 Gk Eliadas]

²⁹Of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan and Hananiah and Zabbai and Emathis.

³⁰Of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal and Jeremoth.[#9.30 Gk Mani; #9.30 Gk Olamus; #9.30 Gk Mamuchus]

³¹Of the sons of Addi: Naathus and Moossias, Laccunus and Naidus, and Bescaspasmys and Sesthel, and Belnuus and Manasseas.

³²Of the sons of Annan: Elionas and Asaias and Melchias and Sabbaias and Simon Chosamaeus.

³³Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai and Mattattah and Zabad and Eliphelet and Manasseh and Shimei.

³⁴Of the sons of Bani: Jeremai, Maadai, Amram, Joel, Mamdai and Bedeiah and Vaniah, Carabasion and Eliashib and Machnadebai, Eliasis, Binnui, Elialis, Shimei, Shelemiah, Nethaniah. Of the sons of Ezora: Shashai, Azarel, Azael, Shemaiah, Amariah, Joseph.[#9.34 Gk Momdius; #9.34 Gk Maerus; #9.34 Gk Mamnitanemus; #9.34 Gk Samatus; #9.34 Gk Zambris]

³⁵Of the sons of Nebo: Mattithiah, Zabad, Iddo, Joel, Benaiah.[#9.35 Gk Nooma; #9.35 Gk Mazitias]

³⁶All these had married foreign women, and they put them away with their children.

³⁷The priests and the Levites and the men of Israel settled in Jerusalem and in the country. On the new moon of the seventh month, when the sons of Israel were in their settlements,

³⁸the whole multitude gathered with one accord into the open square before the east gate of the temple;

³⁹and they told Ezra the chief priest and reader to bring the law of Moses which had been given by the Lord God of Israel.

⁴⁰So Ezra the chief priest brought the law, for all the multitude, men and women, and all the priests to hear the law, on the new moon of the seventh month.

⁴¹And he read aloud in the open square before the gate of the temple from early morning until midday, in the presence of both men and women; and all the multitude gave attention to the law.

⁴²Ezra the priest and reader of the law stood on the wooden platform which had been prepared;

⁴³and beside him stood Mattathiah, Shema, Anaiah, Azariah, Uriah, Hezekiah, and Baalsamus on his right hand,[#9.43 Gk Ananias]

⁴⁴and on his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Lothasubus, Nabariah, and Zechariah.

⁴⁵Then Ezra took up the book of the law in the sight of the multitude, for he had the place of honor in the presence of all.

⁴⁶And when he opened the law, they all stood erect. And Ezra blessed the Lord God Most High, the God of hosts, the Almighty;

⁴⁷and all the multitude answered, “Amen.” And they lifted up their hands, and fell to the ground and worshiped the Lord.

⁴⁸Jeshua and Anniuth and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah and Kelita, Azariah and Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, taught the law of the Lord, at the same time explaining what was read.[#9.48 Gk Jadinus; #9.48 Gk Maiannas; #9.48 Other authorities add and read the law of the Lord to the multitude]

⁴⁹Then Attharates said to Ezra the chief priest and reader, and to the Levites who were teaching the multitude, and to all,[#9.49 Or the governor]

⁵⁰“This day is holy to the Lord”—now they were all weeping as they heard the law—

⁵¹“so go your way, eat the fat and drink the sweet, and send portions to those who have none;

⁵²for the day is holy to the Lord; and do not be sorrowful, for the Lord will exalt you.”

⁵³And the Levites commanded all the people, saying, “This day is holy; do not be sorrowful.”

⁵⁴Then they all went their way, to eat and drink and enjoy themselves, and to give portions to those who had none, and to make great rejoicing;

⁵⁵because they were inspired by the words which they had been taught. And they came together.[#9.55 The Greek text ends abruptly: compare Nehemiah 8.13]