3rd Ezra 9

CHAPTER 9

¹And Ezra rising up from the fore-porch of the temple, went into the cell of Jehohanan, the son of Eliashib.

²And he harboured there, tasted no bread, nor drank water, for the wickednesses of the multitude.

³And there was made a preaching in all Judea and in Jerusalem, to all that were of the captivity gathered in Jerusalem,

⁴Whosoever again-cometh not to the second or the third day, after the doom of the elder men sitting, his faculties shall be taken away, and he be deemed alien from the multitude of the captivity.

⁵And all, that were of the lineages of Judah and Benjamin, were gathered together, three days in Jerusalem; this is the ninth month, the twentieth day of the month.

⁶And all the multitude sat in the floor of the temple, trembling for winter then being.

⁷And Ezra rising up, said to Israel, Ye have done wickedly, setting to you into matrimony heathen wives, that ye add to the sins of Israel.

⁸And now give ye to the Lord God of our fathers confession, and great worthiness; [And now giveth shrift, and great doing to the Lord God of our fathers;]

⁹and perform ye his will, and goeth away from the heathen folk of the land, and from heathen wives.

¹⁰And all the multitude cried, and they said with a great voice, We shall do, as thou hast said.

¹¹But for the multitude is great, and the time is winter, and we may not stand unholpen [or unhelped] , and this work is not to us of one day, nor of two; much we have sinned in these things;

¹²therefore stand the provosts of the multitude, and all that dwell with us, and how many ever have with them heathen wives;

¹³and stand they nigh in the time that is taken [or in the acceptable time of all places] , priests, and doomsmen, till that they lose the wrath of the Lord, of this need.

¹⁴Jonathan forsooth, the son of Azael, and Hezekiah, the son of Thocanus, took after these things, and Mosollamus, and Levi, and Sabbataeus wrought together with them.

¹⁵And all that were of the captivity stood there , after all these things.

¹⁶And Ezra, priest, chose to him men, great princes, of the fathers of them, after the names; and they sat together, in the new moon of the tenth month, to examine this need.

¹⁷And it is determined of the men, that had heathen wives, unto the new moons of the first month.

¹⁸And there be found mingled among of the priests, that had heathen wives;

¹⁹of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Josedek, and of his brethren, Matthelas, and Eleazar, and Joribus, and Joadanus.

²⁰And they laid their hands, that they should put away their wives, and for to sacrifice a ram, into prayer for their ignorance.

²¹And of the sons of Emmer, Ananias, and Zabdaeus, and Manes, and Samaeus, and Jereel, Azarias;

²²and of the sons of Phaesus, Elionas, Massiah, Ishmael, and Nathanael, and Okidelus, and Saloas.

²³And of the deacons [or Levites] , Jozabadus, and Semis, and Colius, who was called Calitas, and Phathaeus, and Judas, and Jonas.

²⁴And of the hallowed [or sacred] singers, Eliasibus, Bacchurus.

²⁵And of the ushers, Sallumus or Shallum, and Tolbanes or Telem.

²⁶And of Israel, of the sons of Phoros, Jermas, and Jeddias, and Melchias, and Maelus, and Eleazar, and Asibias, and Bannaeas.

²⁷And of the sons of Ela, Matthanias, and Zechariah, Jezrielus, and Jeremoth, and Aedias.

²⁸And of the sons of Zamoth, Eliadas, and Eliasimus, and Othonias, and Jarimoth, and Sabathus, and Zardaeus.

²⁹And of the sons of Bebai, Johannes, and Ananias, and Ozabadus, and Emathis.

³⁰And of the sons of Mani, Olamus, and Mamuchus, and Jedaeus, and Jasubus, and Asaelus, and Jeremoth.

³¹And of the sons of Addi, Naathus, and Moossias, and Laccunus, and Naidus, Matthanias, and Sesthel, and Balnuus, and Manasseas.

³²And of the sons of Annas, Elionas, and Asaeas, and Melchias, and Sab-baeus, and Simon Chosamaeus.

³³And of the sons of Asom, Altan-naeus, Mattathias, and Bannaeus, and Eliphalat, and Manasseh, and Shimei.

³⁴And of the sons of Bani, Jere-miah, and Momdis, and Ismaerus, and Juel, and Mandae, and Paedias, and Anos, Carabasion, and Enasibus, and Mamnitanaemus, and Eliasis, and Bannus, and Eliali, and Somis, and Selemias, and Nathaniah; and of the sons of Ezora, Sessis, and Ezril, and Azael, and Samatus, and Zambris, and Josephus.

³⁵And of the sons of Nooma, Mazitias, and Zabadaeas, and Edaes, and Juel, Banaeas.

³⁶All these joined to them heathen wives, and let them go, with their sons.

³⁷And priests, and deacons [or Levites] , and they that were of Israel, dwelled in Jerusalem in an one region, the new moon of the seventh month; and the sons of Israel were in their abidings.

³⁸And all the multitude gathered together in the floor, that is from the east of the hallowed [or sacred] gate.

³⁹And they said to Ezra, bishop and reader, that he should bring forth the law of Moses, that was given of the Lord God of Israel.

⁴⁰And Ezra, the bishop, brought forth the law to all the multitude of them, from man unto woman, and to all the priests, to hear the law, in the new moon of the seventh month.

⁴¹And he read in the floor, that is before the holy gate of the temple, from the first light of the day unto even, before men and women; and all they gave wit to the law.

⁴²And Ezra, the priest, and reader of the law, stood [up] upon the treen chair, that was made therefore .

⁴³And there stood with him Matta-thiah, and Shema, and Ananias, Azar-iah, Uriah, Hezekiah, and Baalsamus, at the right side;

⁴⁴and at the left side, Phaldaeus, Mishael, Melchias, Lothasubus, Nabariah, and Zechariah.

⁴⁵And Ezra took a book before all the multitude; forsooth he sat before in worship, in the sight of all.

⁴⁶And when he had assoiled or absolved upon the law, all they stood upright. And Ezra blessed the Lord God, alder-Highest God of Sabbath, Almighty or all mighty.

⁴⁷And all the people answered, Amen. And again they raised up their hands, and falling down unto the earth, they honoured or worshipped the Lord.

⁴⁸And Ezra commanded, that these should teach the law, Jeshua, and Annus, and Sarabias, and Jadinus, and Jacubus, and Sabbataeas, and Autaeas, and Maeannas, and Calitas, and Azarias, and Jozabdus, and Anan-ias, and Phiathas, deacons [or Levites] . The which taught the law of the Lord, and in the multitude they read the law of the Lord; and each by himself, that understood the lesson, told it before them.

⁴⁹And Attharates said to Ezra, the bishop and reader, and to the Levites that taught the multitude, saying,

⁵⁰This day is holy to the Lord. And all they wept, when they had heard the law.

⁵¹And Ezra said, Ye therefore, after ye be gone atwain [or Ye then, gone atwain] , eateth all most fat things, and drinketh all most sweet, and send ye gifts to them that have not;

⁵²forsooth this day of the Lord is holy [or holy is this day of the Lord] ; and be ye not sorry, the Lord forsooth shall clarify us.

⁵³And the deacons [or Levites] announced, or showed , openly to all men, saying, This day is holy; will ye not to be sorry.

⁵⁴And then all they went away, to eat, and to drink, and to have plenty of meat, and to give gifts to them that have not, whereof to eat plenteously.

⁵⁵Greatly forsooth they be enhanced in the words, with the which they be taught. And all they were gathered into Jerusalem, to make solemn the gladness, after the testament of the Lord God of Israel.