Ezra:10:1-17

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* Now while Ezra was praying , and while he was confessing , weeping , and bowing down before the house of God , a very large assembly of men , women , and children gathered to him from Israel ; for the people wept very bitterly . * And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel , one of the sons of Elam , spoke up and said to Ezra , "We have trespassed against our God , and have taken pagan wives from the peoples of the land ; yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this . * Now therefore , let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and those who have been born to them , according to the advice of my master and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God ; and let it be done according to the law . * Arise , for this matter is your responsibility . We also are with you . Be of good courage , and do it ." * Then Ezra arose , and made the leaders of the priests , the Levites , and all Israel swear an oath that they would do according to this word . So they swore an oath . * Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God , and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib ; and when he came there , he ate no bread and drank no water , for he mourned because of the guilt of those from the captivity . * And they issued a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the descendants of the captivity , that they must gather at Jerusalem , * and that whoever would not come within three days , according to the instructions of the leaders and elders , all his property would be confiscated , and he himself would be separated from the assembly of those from the captivity . * So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered at Jerusalem within three days . It was the ninth month , on the twentieth of the month ; and all the people sat in the open square of the house of God , trembling because of this matter and because of heavy rain . * Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them , "You have transgressed and have taken pagan wives , adding to the guilt of Israel . * Now therefore , make confession to the LORD God of your fathers , and do His will ; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land , and from the pagan wives ." * Then all the assembly answered and said with a loud voice , "Yes ! As you have said , so we must do . * But there are many people ; it is the season for heavy rain , and we are not able to stand outside . Nor is this the work of one or two days , for there are many of us who have transgressed in this matter . * Please , let the leaders of our entire assembly stand ; and let all those in our cities who have taken pagan wives come at appointed times , together with the elders and judges of their cities , until the fierce wrath of our God is turned away from us in this matter ." * Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah opposed this , and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite gave them support . * Then the descendants of the captivity did so . And Ezra the priest , with certain heads of the fathers ' households , were set apart by the fathers ' households , each of them by name ; and they sat down on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter . * By the first day of the first month they finished questioning all the men who had taken pagan wives .

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