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.
Anthu Avomereza Tchimo Lawo
1Pamene Ezara ankapemphera ndi kuvomereza tchimo lawo, akulira ndipo atadzigwetsa pansi ku Nyumba ya Mulungu, anthu ambiri anabwera kwa iye kudzasonkhana naye. Panali amuna, akazi ndi ana, kuchokera mʼdziko lonse la Israeli ndipo ankalira kwambiri. 2Ndipo Sekaniya, mwana wa Yehieli, wa fuko la Elamu, anawuza Ezara kuti, “Ife takhala osakhulupirika kwa Mulungu wathu ndipo takhala tikukwatira akazi achilendo a mayiko akunowa. Koma ngakhale zili chomwechi, chikhulupiriro chilipobe pakati pa Aisraeli. 3Tsopano tiyeni tichite naye pangano Mulungu wathu, kuti tichotse akazi onsewa ndi ana awo, potsata malangizo a inu mbuye wanga ndi wa anthu amene amaopa malamulo a Mulungu wathu. Lolani kuti zichitike motsatira malamulo. 4Tsono dzukani, imeneyi ndi ntchito yanu. Ife tikuthandizani. Limbani mtima ndipo gwirani ntchitoyi.”
5Choncho Ezara anayimirira ndipo analumbiritsa akulu a ansembe, Alevi ndi Aisraeli onse, kuti adzachitedi monga Sekaniya ananenera. Tsono onse analumbira. 6Ezara anachoka ku Nyumba ya Mulungu napita ku chipinda cha Yehohanani, mwana wa Eliyasibu. Anatandala kumeneko usiku wonse ndipo sanadye chakudya kapena kumwa madzi popeza ankalira chifukwa cha kusankhulupirika kwa anthu obwera ku ukapolo.
7Tsono anthu analengeza mʼdziko lonse la Yuda ndi mʼmizinda yonse ya Yerusalemu kwa onse ochokera ku ukapolo aja kuti asonkhane ku Yerusalemu. 8Ananena kuti wina aliyense amene saonekera pakutha pa masiku atatu, adzalandidwa katundu wake, potsata malangizo a nduna ndi akuluakulu, ndipo adzachotsedwa mʼgulu la anthu obwerako ku ukapolo.
9Choncho anthu onse a mʼdziko la Yuda ndi a mʼdziko la Benjamini anasonkhana ku Yerusalemu asanathe masiku atatu. Limeneli linali tsiku la 20 la mwezi wa 9. Anthu onse anakhala pansi pa bwalo la Nyumba ya Mulungu akunjenjemera chifukwa cha mvula yambiri imene inagwa. 10Ndipo wansembe Ezara anayimirira nawuza anthuwo kuti, “Inu mwachimwa pomakwatira akazi achikunja ndi kumawonjezera pa tchimo la Aisraeli. 11Tsopano lapani kwa Yehova, Mulungu wa makolo anu ndi kuchita zimene akufuna. Dzipatuleni kwa anthu a mayiko enawa ndi kwa akazi achikunjawa.”
12Gulu lonse la anthu linayankha ndi mawu ofuwula kuti, “Nʼzoona! Tichita monga mwaneneramu. 13Koma pano pali anthu ambiri ndiponso mvula ikugwa kwambiri, choncho sitingakayime panja. Ndiponso ntchitoyi si ya tsiku limodzi kapena awiri, chifukwa tachimwa kwambiri pa zimene tachitazi. 14Tsono mulole kuti atsogoleri athu ayimirire mʼmalo mwa anthu onse. Aliyense wa mʼmizinda yathu amene anakwatira mkazi wachikunja abwere pa nthawi imene inu munene, ndipo abwere pamodzi ndi akuluakulu ndi oweruza a mzindawo. Choncho mkwiyo wa Mulungu wathu udzatichoka.” 15Koma Yonatani yekha mwana wa Asaheli ndi Yahazieli mwana wa Tikiva ndiwo anatsutsapo pa zimenezi. Tsono Mesulamu ndi Mlevi Sebetai anawayikira kumbuyo.
16Choncho anthu obwerako ku ukapolo aja anachita zimene zimafunika. Ndipo wansembe Ezara anasankha amuna amene anali atsogoleri a mabanja potsata mafuko awo ndipo onsewo analembedwa mayina awo. Tsiku loyamba la mwezi wa khumi anayambapo kuyifufuza nkhani imeneyi. 17Ndipo pofika tsiku loyamba la mwezi woyamba anali atathana nawo anthu amene anakwatira akazi achilendo aja.
Okwatira Akazi Achilendo
18Nawu mʼndandanda wa ansembe amene anakwatira akazi achikunja:
Pa banja la Yesuwa ndi abale ake, ana a Yozadaki, panali awa: Maaseiya, Eliezara, Yaribu ndi Gedaliya. 19Iwo anatsimikiza zochotsa akazi awo ndipo chifukwa cha kulakwa kwawo aliyense anapereka nkhosa yayimuna ngati nsembe yopepesera machimo.
20Pa banja la Imeri panali awa:
Hanani ndi Zebadiya.
21Pa banja la Harimu panali awa:
Maseya, Eliya, Semaya, Yehieli ndi Uziya.
22Pa banja la Pasuri panali awa:
Eliyoenai, Maseya, Ismaeli, Netaneli, Yozabadi ndi Eleasa.
23Pakati pa Alevi panali:
Yozabadi, Simei, Kelaya (ndiye kuti, Kelita). Petaya, Yuda ndi Eliezara.
24Pakati pa oyimba nyimbo panali
Eliyasibu.
Ochokera kwa alonda a zipata:
Salumu, Telemu ndi Uri.
25Ochokera pakati pa Aisraeli ena:
a fuko la Parosi anali
Ramiya, Iziya, Malikiya, Miyamini, Eliezara, ndi Benaya.
26A fuko la Elamu anali
Mataniya, Zekariya, Yehieli, Abidi, Yeremoti ndi Eliya.
27A fuko la Zatu anali
Eliyoenai, Eliyasibu, Mataniya, Yeremoti, Zabadi ndi Aziza.
28A fuko la Bebai anali
Yehohanani, Hananiya, Zabayi ndi Atilayi.
29A fuko la Bani anali
Mesulamu, Maluki, Adaya, Yasubu, Seali ndi Yeremoti.
30A fuko la Pahati-Mowabu anali
Adina, Kelali, Benaya, Maseya, Mataniya, Bezaleli, Binuyi ndi Manase.
31A fuko la Harimu anali
Eliezara, Isiya, Malikiya, Semaya, Simeoni, 32Benjamini, Maluki ndi Semariya.
33A fuko la Hasumu anali
Mataneyi, Matata, Zabadi, Elifeleti, Yeremayi, Manase ndi Simei.
34A fuko la Bani anali
Madai, Amramu, Uweli, 35Benaya, Bediya, Keluhi, 36Vaniya, Meremoti, Eliyasibu, 37Mataniya, Matenayi ndi Yasu.
38A fuko la Binuyi anali
Simei, 39Selemiya, Natani, Adaya, 40Makinadebayi, Sasai, Sarai, 41Azaleli, Selemiya, Semariya, 42Salumu, Amariya ndi Yosefe.
43A fuko la Nebo anali
Yeiyeli, Matitiya, Zabadi, Zebina, Yadai, Yoweli ndi Benaya.
44Onsewa anakwatira akazi achilendo. Tsono anawasudzula akaziwo ndi kuwatumiza kwawo pamodzi ndi ana awo.
