¶ ^† Then Esdras rose up from the court of the temple and went to the chamber of Jonas the son of Eliasib,

and lodged there, and ate no bread and drank no water, mourning for the great iniquities of the multitude.

A proclamation was made in all Judea and Jerusalem to all those who returned from captivity, that they should be gathered together at Jerusalem,

and that whoever didn’t meet there within two or three days, in accordance with the ruling of the elders, that their livestock would be seized for the use of the temple, and they would be expelled from the multitude of those who returned from captivity.

¶Within three days, all those of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin gathered together at Jerusalem. This was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month.

All the multitude sat together shivering in the broad place before the temple because of the present foul weather.

So Esdras arose up and said to them, “You have transgressed the law and married foreign wives, increasing the sins of Israel.

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

and do his will, and separate yourselves from the heathen of the land, and from the foreign women.”

¶Then the whole multitude cried out, and said with a loud voice, “Just as you have spoken, so we will do.

But because the multitude is great, and it is foul weather, so that we can’t stand outside, and this is not a work of one day or two, seeing our sin in these things has spread far,

therefore let the rulers of the multitude stay, and let all those of our settlements that have foreign wives come at the time appointed,

and with them the rulers and judges of every place, until we turn away the wrath of the Lord from us for this matter.”

¶ So Jonathan the son of Azael and^* Ezekias the son of Thocanus took the matter on themselves. Mosollamus and Levis and Sabbateus were judges with them.

Those who returned from captivity did according to all these things.

¶Esdras the priest chose for himself principal men of their families, all by name. On the new moon of the tenth month they met together to examine the matter.

So their cases of men who had foreign wives was brought to an end by the new moon of the first month.

¶Of the priests who had come together and had foreign wives, there were found

of the sons of Jesus the son of Josedek, and his kindred,^* Mathelas, Eleazar, and^* Joribus, and^* Joadanus.

They gave their hands to put away their wives, and to offer rams to make reconciliation for their error.

Of the sons of Emmer: Ananias, Zabdeus, ^*Manes, ^*Sameus, ^*Hiereel, and ^*Azarias.

Of the sons of ^*Phaisur: Elionas, Massias, Ishmael, Nathanael, ^*Ocidelus, and ^*Saloas.

¶Of the Levites: Jozabdus, Semeis, ^*Colius who was called ^*Calitas, ^*Patheus, Judas, and Jonas.

Of the holy singers: ^*Eliasibus and Bacchurus.

Of the gatekeepers: Sallumus and^* Tolbanes.

¶Of Israel, of the sons of Phoros:^* Hiermas,^* Ieddias,^* Melchias, Maelus,^* Eleazar, Asibas, ^* and Banneas.

Of the sons of Ela: Matthanias, Zacharias, ^* Jezrielus, Oabdius, Hieremoth, and^* Aedias.

Of the sons of ^*Zamoth: ^*Eliadas, ^*Eliasimus, ^*Othonias, Jarimoth, ^*Sabathus, and^* Zardeus.

Of the sons of Bebai: Joannes, Ananias, ^*Jozabdus, and ^*Ematheis.

Of the sons of ^* Mani: ^*Olamus, ^*Mamuchus, ^*Jedeus, Jasubas, ^* Jasaelus, and Hieremoth.