Confession of Sin for Intermarriage
2 Ezra 10, verse 1. And as Ezra prayed, and as he confessed, weeping and praying before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept bitterly. 2 Ezra 10, verse 2. Shechaniah son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, “We have broken the covenant with our God and have taken pagan wives from the peoples of the land, yet now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. 2 Ezra 10, verse 3. Now therefore, let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and those who have been born to them, as you advise. Arise and alarm them with the commands of our God, and let it be done according to the law. 2 Ezra 10, verse 4. Arise, for this matter is your responsibility. We also are with you. Be of good courage, and do it.” 2 Ezra 10, verse 5. 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. 2 Ezra 10, verse 6. Then Ezra rose up from in front of the house of God and went over to the treasury of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib and entered there. He ate no bread and drank no water when he arrived, for he mourned because of the unfaithfulness of those of the exile. 2 Ezra 10, verse 7. And they issued a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the descendants of the captivity that they must gather at Jerusalem, 2 Ezra 10, verse 8. 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. 2 Ezra 10, verse 9. 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 the weather. 2 Ezra 10, verse 10. Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have broken the covenant and taken pagan wives, adding to the guilt of Israel. 2 Ezra 10, verse 11. Now therefore, give praise to the Lord God of your fathers, and do His will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the pagan wives.” 2 Ezra 10, verse 12. And all the assembly answered and said, “This word of yours is powerful upon us to do it. 2 Ezra 10, verse 13. 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. 2 Ezra 10, verse 14. 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.” 2 Ezra 10, verse 15. Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite gave them support. 2 Ezra 10, verse 16. 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. 2 Ezra 10, verse 17. By the first day of the first month they finished questioning all the men who had taken pagan wives.
Intermarriages Are Ended
2 Ezra 10, verse 18. And among the sons of the priests who had taken pagan wives, the following were found of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 2 Ezra 10, verse 19. And they gave their promise that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they presented a ram of the flock as their trespass offering. 2 Ezra 10, verse 20. Also of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah; 2 Ezra 10, verse 21. of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah; 2 Ezra 10, verse 22. of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah. 2 Ezra 10, verse 23. Also of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (the same is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. 2 Ezra 10, verse 24. Also of the singers: Eliashib; and of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri. 2 Ezra 10, verse 25. And others of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Jeziah, Malchiah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Asabia, and Benaiah; 2 Ezra 10, verse 26. of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Eliah; 2 Ezra 10, verse 27. of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza; 2 Ezra 10, verse 28. of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai; 2 Ezra 10, verse 29. of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Ramoth; 2 Ezra 10, verse 30. of the sons of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh; 2 Ezra 10, verse 31. of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 2 Ezra 10, verse 32. Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah; 2 Ezra 10, verse 33. of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei; 2 Ezra 10, verse 34. of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 2 Ezra 10, verse 35. Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluh, 2 Ezra 10, verse 36. Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 2 Ezra 10, verse 37. Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasai, 2 Ezra 10, verse 38. Bani, Binnui, Shimei, 2 Ezra 10, verse 39. Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 2 Ezra 10, verse 40. Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 2 Ezra 10, verse 41. Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 2 Ezra 10, verse 42. Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph; 2 Ezra 10, verse 43. of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zebed, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah. 2 Ezra 10, verse 44. All these had taken pagan wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had children.