The People Admit They Have Sinned
1Ezra was praying and admitting to God that his people had sinned. He was weeping and throwing himself down in front of the house of God. Then a large crowd of Israelites gathered around him. Men, women and children were there. They too wept bitterly. 2Shekaniah spoke to Ezra. Shekaniah was the son of Jehiel. He belonged to the family line of Elam. Shekaniah said, “We haven’t been faithful to our God. We’ve married women from the nations around us. In spite of that, there is still hope for Israel. 3So let’s make a covenant in front of our God. Let’s promise to send away all these women and their children. That’s what you have advised us to do. Those who respect our God’s commands have given us the same advice. We want to do what the Law says. 4Get up, Ezra. This matter is in your hands. Do what you need to. We will be behind you all the way. Be brave and do it.”
5So Ezra got up. He made the leading priests and Levites and all the Israelites make a promise. He made them promise they would do what Shekaniah had suggested. And they made that promise. 6Then Ezra left the house of God. He went to Jehohanan’s room. Jehohanan was the son of Eliashib. While Ezra was there, he didn’t eat any food. He didn’t drink any water. That’s because he was filled with sadness. He mourned because the people weren’t faithful to the Lord’s commands. Those people were the ones who had returned from the land of Babylon.
7Then an announcement was sent all through Judah and Jerusalem. All the people who had returned were told to gather together in Jerusalem. 8They were supposed to come there before three days had passed. If they didn’t, they would lose all their property. They would also be removed from the community of those who had returned. That’s what the officials and elders had decided.
9Before the three days were over, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered together in Jerusalem. It was the 20th day of the ninth month. They were sitting in the open area in front of the house of God. They were very upset by what they knew would happen. And they were upset because it was raining. 10Then Ezra the priest stood up. He said, “You haven’t been faithful to the Lord. You have married women from other lands. So you have added to Israel’s guilt. 11Now honor the Lord, the God of your people. Then do what he wants you to do. Separate yourselves from the nations around you. Send away your wives from other lands.”
12The whole community answered with a loud voice. They said, “You are right! We must do as you say. 13But there are a lot of people here. And it’s the rainy season. So we can’t stand outside. Besides, this matter can’t be taken care of in just a day or two. That’s because we have sinned terribly by what we’ve done. 14Our officials can act for the whole community. Have everyone in our towns who has married a woman from another land come at a certain time. Tell them to come together with the elders and judges of each town. Then our God will no longer be angry with us concerning this whole matter.” 15Only a few men opposed that. They included Jonathan and Jahzeiah. Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite joined them. Jonathan was the son of Asahel. Jahzeiah was the son of Tikvah.
16So those who had returned did what had been suggested. Ezra the priest chose some family leaders. There was one from each family group. All of them were chosen by name. They sat down to check out each case. They started on the first day of the tenth month. 17By the first day of the first month they were finished. They had handled all the cases of the men who had married women from other lands.
A List of Those Who Had Married Women From Other Lands
18Among the family lines of the priests, here are the men who had married women from other lands.
Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah
came from the family line of Joshua and his brothers. Joshua was the son of Jozadak. 19All of them made a firm promise to send their wives away. Each of these men brought a ram from his flock as a guilt offering.
20Hanani and Zebadiah
came from the family line of Immer.
21Maaseiah and Elijah
came from the family line of Harim. So did Shemaiah, Jehiel and Uzziah.
22Elioenai, Maaseiah and Ishmael
came from the family line of Pashhur. So did Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah.
23Among the Levites, here are the men who had married women from other lands.
There were Jozabad, Shimei and Kelaiah. There were also Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer. Kelaiah’s other name was Kelita.
24Eliashib
came from the musicians.
Shallum, Telem and Uri
came from the men who guarded the temple gates.
25Among the other Israelites, here are the men who had married women from other lands.
Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah and Mijamin
came from the family line of Parosh. So did Eleazar, Malkijah and Benaiah.
26Mattaniah, Zechariah and Jehiel
came from the family line of Elam. So did Abdi, Jeremoth and Elijah.
27Elioenai, Eliashib and Mattaniah
came from the family line of Zattu. So did Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza.
28Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai
came from the family line of Bebai.
29Meshullam, Malluk and Adaiah
came from the family line of Bani. So did Jashub, Sheal and Jeremoth.
30Adna, Kelal, Benaiah and Maaseiah
came from the family line of Pahath-Moab. So did Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh.
31Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah and Shimeon
came from the family line of Harim. 32So did Benjamin, Malluk and Shemariah.
33Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad and Eliphelet
came from the family line of Hashum. So did Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei.
34Maadai, Amram and Uel
came from the family line of Bani. 35So did Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, 36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37Mattaniah, Mattenai and Jaasu.
38Shimei
came from the family line of Binnui. 39So did Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40Maknadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42Shallum, Amariah and Joseph.
43Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad and Zebina
came from the family line of Nebo. So did Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah.
44All these men had married women from other lands. Some of them had even had children by those wives.
Bɔneka
1Bere a Ɛsra rebɔ mpae, reka saa bɔne yi no, na ɔresu, de ne ho toto fam wɔ Onyankopɔn Asɔredan no anim, na nnipadɔm a wɔyɛ Israelfo, mmarima, mmea ne mmofra bɛkaa ne ho ne no twaa adwo. 2Na Yehiel babarima Sekania a ɔyɛ Elam aseni no ka kyerɛɛ Ɛsra se, “Yɛpae mu ka sɛ yɛanni yɛn Nyankopɔn nokware, efisɛ yɛawareware abosonsomfo mmea a wɔwɔ asase no so. Nanso eyi akyi no, anidaso wɔ hɔ ma Israel. 3Afei, momma yɛne yɛn Nyankopɔn nyɛ apam, na yennyaa yɛn yerenom abosonsomfo no aware, na yɛmpam wɔne wɔn mma. Yebetie afotu a wo ne afoforo a wodi yɛn Nyankopɔn mmara so no de ama yɛn. Yebedi Onyankopɔn mmara no so. 4Sɔre, na nya akokoduru, efisɛ ɛyɛ wʼasɛde sɛ wokyerɛ yɛn ɔkwan a yɛbɛfa so ama biribiara akɔ so tee, na yɛde yɛn ahoɔden nyinaa bɛboa.”
5Na Ɛsra sɔre gyinae, na ɔhyɛɛ sɛ asɔfo no ntuanofo, Lewifo ne Israelfo nyinaa nka ntam sɛ wɔbɛyɛ nea Sekania aka no. Na wɔn nyinaa kaa ntam a ano yɛ den. 6Na Ɛsra sɔre fii Onyankopɔn Asɔredan no anim kɔɔ Eliasib babarima Yehohanan dan mu. Ɔdaa hɔ, nanso wannidi annom. Na ɔda so di awerɛhow esiane nnommum a wɔasan aba no nokware a wɔanni no nti.
7Afei, wɔbɔɔ dawuru wɔ Yuda ne Yerusalem nyinaa se, nnommum a wɔasan aba no nyinaa mmra Yerusalem. 8Na wɔn a wɔamma nnansa ntam no, sɛ ntuanofo ne mpanyimfo pɛ a, wɔde wɔn nsa bɛto wɔn agyapade so, na wɔapam wɔn afi wɔn mu.
9Nnansa ntam no, na Yudafo ne Benyaminfo aboa wɔn ho ano wɔ Yerusalem. Asɛm yi sii wɔ Kislev ɔsram (bɛyɛ Ɔpɛnimma) da a ɛto so dunkron, na wɔn nyinaa tenatenaa aguabɔbea hɔ wɔ Onyankopɔn Asɔredan no anim. Na wɔn ho repopo, efisɛ nea edi kan no, na asɛm no mu yɛ duru, na nea ɛto so abien no, na osu nso retɔ. 10Na ɔsɔfo Ɛsra sɔre gyina kae se, “Moayɛ bɔne, efisɛ moawareware mmea abosonsomfo. Enti mprempren, yɛwɔ afɔbu a ano yɛ den mu sen kan de no. 11Mompae mu nka mo bɔne nkyerɛ Awurade, mo agyanom Nyankopɔn, na monyɛ nʼapɛde. Montwe mo ho mfi nnipa a wɔwɔ asase no so ne mmea abosonsomfo no ho.”
12Afei bagua no nyinaa maa wɔn nne so ka se, “Ampa, wʼasɛm no yɛ nokware. Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛyɛ nea woaka no. 13Nanso nnipa bebree wɔ ha na ɛyɛ asusow bere, enti yɛrentumi ntena mfikyiri. Bio, yɛrentumi mfa da koro anaa nnaanu nni saa asɛm yi, efisɛ, yɛn mu bebree na saa bɔne kɛse yi ka yɛn. 14Momma yɛn mpanyimfo nsi yɛn anan nyɛ biribiara. Obiara a ɔware ɔbea bosonsomni no ne ntuanofo ne atemmufo a wɔwɔ kurow yi mu behyia bere a wɔahyɛ no sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a Onyankopɔn abufuwhyew a ɛfa saa asɛm yi ho no befi yɛn so.” 15Asahel babarima Yonatan ne Tikwa babarima Yahasia na wotiaa saa asɛm yi mu, na Mesulam ne Sabetai a ɔyɛ Lewini no foaa wɔn so.
16Enti eyi ne nhyehyɛe a wɔfaa so. Ɛsra yii ntuanofo ma wosii wɔn mmusua no anan, na ɔde din bi too ntuanoni biara so. Ɔsram Kislev (bɛyɛ Ɔpɛnimma) da a ɛto so aduonu akron no, ntuanofo no tenaa ase hwehwɛɛ asɛm no mu. 17Afe a edi so no mu, Abib ɔsram (bɛyɛ Ɔbɛnem) da a ɛto so aduonu ason no na wɔawie mmarima a wɔawareware mmea abosonsomfo no nyinaa ho asɛnka.
18Asɔfo a na wɔawareware abosonsomfo no din ni:
Yosadak babarima Yesua ne ne nuabarimanom:
Maaseia, Elieser, Yarib ne Gedalia. 19Wɔkaa ntam sɛ wobegyaa wɔn yerenom, wɔn mu biara gyee nʼafɔdi too mu, na wɔde adwennini bɛbɔɔ afɔdi ho afɔre.
20Imer asefo mu no:
Hanani ne Sebadia.
21Harim asefo mu no:
Maaseia, Elia, Semaia, Yehiel ne Usia.
22Pashur asefo mu no:
Elioenai, Maaseia, Ismael, Netanel, Yosabad ne Elasa.
23Eyinom ne Lewifo a na afɔdi da wɔn so:
Yosabad, Simei, Kelaia, a ɛyɛ Kelita, Petahia, Yuda ne Elieser.
24Nnwontofo a na afɔdi da ne so no yɛ:
Eliasib.
Eyinom ne aponanohwɛfo a na afɔdi da wɔn so:
Salum, Telem ne Uri.
25Eyinom ne nnipa bi a wɔyɛ Israelfo a na afɔdi da wɔn so:
Paros asefo mu no:
Ramia, Yisia, Malkia, Miamin, Eleasar, Malkia ne Benaia.
26Elam asefo mu no:
Matania, Sakaria, Yehiel, Abdi, Yeremot ne Elia.
27Satu asefo mu no:
Elioenai, Eliasib, Matania, Yeremot, Sabad ne Asisa.
28Bebai asefo mu no:
Yehohanan, Hanania, Sabai ne Atlai.
29Bani asefo mu no:
Mesulam, Maluk, Adaia, Yasub, Seal ne Yeremot.
30Pahat-Moab asefo mu no:
Adna, Kelal, Benaia, Maaseia, Matania, Basaleel, Binui ne Manase.
31Harim asefo mu no:
Elieser, Yisia, Malkia Semaia ne Simeon. 32Benyamin, Maluk ne Semaria.
33Hasum asefo mu no:
Matenai, Matata, Sabad, Elifelet, Yeremai, Manase ne Simei.
34Bani asefo mu no:
Maadai, Amram ne Uel, 35Benaia, Bedeia, Keluhi, 36Wania, Meremot, Eliasib, 37Matania, Matenai ne Yaasu.
38Binui asefo mu no:
Simei, 39Selemia, Natan, Adaia, 40Maknadebai, Sasai, Sarai, 41Asarel, Selemia, Semaria, 42Salum, Amaria ne Yosef.
43Nebo asefo mu no:
Yeiel, Matitia, Sabad, Sebina, Yadau, Yoel ne Benaia.
44Na mmarima yi mu biara aware ɔbea bosonsomni a na wɔn mu bi mpo ne wɔn yerenom yi wɔ mma.
