¶ And when Esdras prayed after this manner, and knowledged, wept, and lay before the house of God, there resorted unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women, and children: For the people wept very sore. And Sechaniah the son of Iehiel, one of the children of Elam, answered, and said unto Esdras: We have trespassed against the Lord our God, in that we have taken strange wives of the people of the land. Now there is hope yet in Israel concerning this, therefore let us make a covenant now with our God, that we shall put away all the wives (and such as are born of them) according to the counsel of my lord, and of them that fear the commandment of our God, that we may do according to the law. Get thee up therefore, for the matter belongeth unto thee. We will be with thee, be of good comfort, and do it. Then rose Esdras, and took an oath of the rulers, priests, and Levites, and all of Israel, that they should do according to this word: and they sware.
¶ And Esdras stood up before the house of God, and went in to the chamber of Iohanan the son of Eliasib. And when he came thither, he ate no bread, nor drank water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been in captivity. And they caused a proclamation be made thorowout Iudah and Ierusalem, unto all the children which had been in captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Ierusalem: And that whosoever came not within three days, according to the device of the rulers and Elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and be put out from the congregation of the captive. Then all the men of Iudah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Ierusalem in three days, that is on the twentieth day of the ninth month: and all the people sat in the street before of the house of God, and trembled because of this matter, and for the rain. And Esdras the priest stood up, and said unto them: Ye have transgressed, that have taken strange wives, to make the trespass of Israel yet more: confess now therefore unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure, and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. Then answered all the congregation and said with a loud voice: Let it be done as thou hast said. But the people are many, and it is a rainy weather, and they can not stond here without, neither is this a work of one day or two, for we are many that have offended in this transgression. Let us appoint our rulers therefore in all the congregation, that all they which have taken strange wives in our cities, may come at the time appointed, and the elders of every city and their judges with them, till the wrath of our God be turned away from us for this offense.
¶ Then were appointed Ionathan the son of Asahel and Iahasia the son of Thekuah over this matter: And Mosollam and Sabathai the Levites helped them. And the children of the captivity did even so. And Esdras the priest, and the ancient heads thorow the house of their fathers, and all that were now rehearsed by name, separated themselves, and sat them down on the first day of the tenth month to examine this matter. And of the first day of the first month they made an end of all the men that had taken strange wives. And among the children of the priests there were men found that had taken strange wives, namely among the children of Iesua the son of Iosedec and of his brethren, Maasiah, and Eliezer, and Iarib, and Godoliah. And they gave their hands there upon, that they would put away their wives: and for their trespass offering to give a ram for their trespass. Among the children of Emer, Hanani, and Zabadiah. Among the children of Harim, Maasiah, and Eltah, and Semeiah, Iehiel, and Osiah. Among the children of Phashur, Elioenai, Maasiah, Ismael, Nathanael, Iosabed, and Eleasah. Among the Levites, Iosabed, Semei, and Kelaiah, which same is Kalithah, Pathahiah, Iudah and Eleazar. Among the singers, Eliasib. Among the porters, Selum, Telem, and Uri. Of Israel; Among the children of Pharos, Remiah, and Iesiah, and Melchiah, Miamin, and Eleazar, Melchiah, and Banaiah. Among the children Elam, Mathaniah, Zachary, Iehiel, Abdi, Ierimoth and Eliah. Among the children of Zethua, Elioenai, Eliasib, Mathaniah, Ierimoth, Zabad and Aziza. Among the children of Bebai, Iehohanan, Hananiah, Zabai, and Athalai. Among the children of Beoni, Mosolam, Maluch, Adaiah, Iasub, Saal, and Ierimoth. Among the children of Pahath Moab, Edna, Calal, Banaiah, Maasia, Mathaniah, Bezeleel, Benui and Manasseh. Among the children of Harim, Eliezer, Iesiah, Melchiah, Semeiah, Simeon, Ben Iamin, Malluch, and Samariah. Among the children of Hasem, Mathnai, Mathathah, Zabed, Eliphelet, Ieremi, Manasseh, and Semei. Among the children of Bani, Madai, Amram, Huel, Baneah, Cheluhi, Badaiah, Uaniah, Maremoth, Eliasib, Mathaniah, Mathanai, Iaasan, Bani, Benui, Semeiah, Salamiah, Nathan, Adaiah, Machnadabai, Sasai, Sarai, Asarael, Selemiahu, Samariah, Selum, Amariah, and Ioseph. Among the children of Nebo, Iaiel, Mathathiah, Zabed, Zabina, Iedai, Ioel, Banaiah. All these had taken strange wives. And among the same wives there were some, that had born children.