The People’s Confession of Sin
1While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. 2Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. 3Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. 4Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.”
5So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath. 6Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.
7A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem. 8Anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.
9Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain. 10Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. 11Now honor10:11 Or Now make confession to the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.”
12The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: “You are right! We must do as you say. 13But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing. 14Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.” 15Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this.
16So the exiles did as was proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, one from each family division, and all of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to investigate the cases, 17and by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women.
Those Guilty of Intermarriage
18Among the descendants of the priests, the following had married foreign women:
From the descendants of Joshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah. 19(They all gave their hands in pledge to put away their wives, and for their guilt they each presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.)
20From the descendants of Immer:
Hanani and Zebadiah.
21From the descendants of Harim:
Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel and Uzziah.
22From the descendants of Pashhur:
Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah.
23Among the Levites:
Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.
24From the musicians:
Eliashib.
From the gatekeepers:
Shallum, Telem and Uri.
25And among the other Israelites:
From the descendants of Parosh:
Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah and Benaiah.
26From the descendants of Elam:
Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth and Elijah.
27From the descendants of Zattu:
Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza.
28From the descendants of Bebai:
Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai.
29From the descendants of Bani:
Meshullam, Malluk, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal and Jeremoth.
30From the descendants of Pahath-Moab:
Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh.
31From the descendants of Harim:
Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32Benjamin, Malluk and Shemariah.
33From the descendants of Hashum:
Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei.
34From the descendants of Bani:
Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, 36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37Mattaniah, Mattenai and Jaasu.
38From the descendants of Binnui:10:37,38 See Septuagint (also 1 Esdras 9:34); Hebrew Jaasu 38 and Bani and Binnui,
Shimei, 39Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40Maknadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42Shallum, Amariah and Joseph.
43From the descendants of Nebo:
Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah.
44All these had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.10:44 Or and they sent them away with their children
Toba Ya Watu
110:1 2Nya 20:9; Dan 9:20Wakati Ezra alipokuwa anaomba na kuungama, huku akilia na kujitupa chini mbele ya nyumba ya Mungu, umati mkubwa wa Waisraeli, wanaume, wanawake na watoto walikusanyika kumzunguka. Nao pia wakalia sana. 210:2 Ezr 9:2; Kut 34:13; Neh 13:27; Kum 30:8-10Kisha Shekania mwana wa Yehieli, mmoja wa wazao wa Elamu, akamwambia Ezra, “Tumekosa uaminifu kwa Mungu wetu kwa kuoa wanawake wa kigeni kutoka mataifa yanayotuzunguka. Lakini pamoja na hili, bado liko tumaini kwa ajili ya Israeli. 310:3 2Fal 11:17; 2Nya 34:31; Kut 34:16; Kum 7:2-3; Ezr 9:4; Za 119:53, 120; Isa 66:2Sasa na tufanye agano mbele za Mungu wetu kuwafukuza hawa wanawake wote pamoja na watoto wao, kulingana na maonyo ya bwana wangu pamoja na wale ambao wanaogopa amri za Mungu wetu. Hili na lifanyike sawasawa na hii Sheria. 410:4 1Nya 28:10; Isa 35:3-4Inuka, suala hili lipo mikononi mwako. Sisi tutaungana nawe, uwe na ujasiri ukatende hili.”
510:5 Neh 5:12; 13:25Basi Ezra akainuka na kuwaapisha makuhani viongozi, Walawi na Israeli yote kufanya lile lililokuwa limependekezwa. Nao wakaapa. 610:6 Kum 9:18; Yn 3:7; Za 102:4Ndipo Ezra akaondoka hapo mbele ya nyumba ya Mungu akaenda kwenye chumba cha Yehohanani mwana wa Eliashibu. Wakati alipokuwa hapo, hakula chakula wala hakunywa maji, kwa sababu aliendelea kuomboleza kuhusu kukosa uaminifu kwa watu wa uhamishoni.
7Ndipo lilipotolewa tangazo Yuda yote na Yerusalemu kwa watu wote waliokuwa uhamishoni kukusanyika Yerusalemu. 810:8 Law 27:28; Yos 6:19Yeyote ambaye hangejitokeza kwa muda wa siku tatu angepoteza mali yake yote, kulingana na uamuzi wa maafisa na wazee, naye mtu huyo angefukuzwa kutoka kusanyiko la watu waliokuwa uhamishoni.
910:9 1Sam 12:18; Ezr 1:5Katika muda wa siku tatu, watu wote wa Yuda na Benyamini wakawa wamekusanyika huko Yerusalemu. Kwenye siku ya ishirini ya mwezi wa tisa, watu wote walikuwa wameketi ndani ya uwanja mbele ya nyumba ya Mungu, wakiwa na majonzi mno kwa tukio hilo na kwa sababu ya mvua kubwa. 10Ndipo Kuhani Ezra aliposimama akawaambia, “Mmekosa uaminifu, mmeoa wanawake wa kigeni, mkaongezea hatia ya Israeli. 1110:11 Kum 24:1; Mit 28:13; Mal 2:10-16; Yer 3:13; Isa 1:16-17; Rum 12:2Sasa tubuni kwa Bwana, Mungu wa baba zenu mkafanye mapenzi yake. Jitengeni na mataifa wanaowazunguka na wake zenu wa kigeni.”
1210:12 Yos 6:5Kusanyiko lote likajibu kwa sauti kubwa: “Uko sawa kabisa! Ni lazima tufanye kama unavyosema. 13Lakini hapa pana watu wengi na ni wakati wa mvua, hivyo hatuwezi kusimama nje. Hata hivyo, shauri hili haliwezi kumalizika kwa siku moja au mbili, kwa sababu tumefanya dhambi kubwa katika jambo hili. 1410:14 Kum 16:18; Hes 25:4; 2Nya 30:8; 2Fal 23:26; 2Nya 28:11-13; 29:10; 30:8; Za 78:38; Isa 12:1Maafisa wetu na wafanye kwa niaba ya kusanyiko lote. Kisha kila mmoja katika miji yetu ambaye ameoa mwanamke wa kigeni aje kwa wakati uliopangwa, akiwa pamoja na wazee na waamuzi wa kila mji, hadi hasira kali ya Mungu wetu katika shauri hili itakapoondolewa kwetu.” 1510:15 Neh 11:16Yonathani mwana wa Asaheli na Yazeya mwana wa Tikwa peke yao, wakiungwa mkono na Meshulamu na Shabethai Mlawi, ndio waliopinga jambo hili.
16Basi watu wa uhamishoni wakafanya kama ilivyokuwa imependekezwa. Kuhani Ezra akachagua wanaume waliokuwa viongozi wa jamaa, mmoja kutoka kila mgawanyo wa jamaa, nao wote wakachaguliwa kwa majina. Katika siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa kumi waliketi kuchunguza mashauri hayo. 17Katika siku ya kwanza ya mwezi wa kwanza wakawa wamemaliza kushughulikia wanaume wote waliokuwa wameoa wanawake wa kigeni.
Wenye Hatia Ya Kuoa Wake Wa Kigeni
1810:18 Ezr 5:2; Amu 3:6; Zek 6:1Miongoni mwa wazao wa makuhani, wafuatao walikuwa wameoa wanawake wa kigeni:
Kutoka wazao wa Yeshua mwana wa Yosadaki na ndugu zake: Maaseya, Eliezeri, Yaribu na Gedalia. 1910:19 2Fal 10:15; Law 5:15; 6:4-6; 1Nya 29:24; 2Nya 30:8; Gal 2:9; Mit 22:26(Wote walitoa nadhiri kwa kuandika kwa mikono yao kuwafukuza wake zao, kwa hatia yao, kila mmoja akatoa kondoo dume kutoka kundini mwake kama sadaka ya hatia.)
2010:20 1Nya 24:14Kutoka wazao wa Imeri:
Hanani na Zebadia.
2110:21 1Nya 24:8Kutoka wazao wa Harimu:
Maaseya, Eliya, Shemaya, Yehieli na Uzia.
2210:22 1Nya 9:12Kutoka wazao wa Pashuri:
Elioenai, Maaseya, Ishmaeli, Nethaneli, Yozabadi na Elasa.
2310:23 Neh 8:7; 9:4Miongoni mwa Walawi:
Yozabadi, Shimei, Kelaya (ndiye Kelita), Pethahia, Yuda na Eliezeri.
2410:24 Neh 3:1; 12:10Kutoka waimbaji:
Eliashibu.
Kutoka mabawabu:
Shalumu, Telemu na Uri.
2510:25 Ezr 3:2; 8:3; Neh 7:13Miongoni mwa Waisraeli wengine:
Kutoka wazao wa Paroshi:
Ramia, Izia, Malkiya, Miyamini, Eleazari, Malkiya na Benaya.
26Kutoka wazao wa Elamu:
Matania, Zekaria, Yehieli, Abdi, Yeremothi na Eliya.
27Kutoka wazao wa Zatu:
Elioenai, Eliashibu, Matania, Yeremothi, Zabadi na Aziza.
28Kutoka uzao wa Bebai:
Yehohanani, Hanania, Zabai na Athlai.
29Kutoka wazao wa Bani:
Meshulamu, Maluki, Adaya, Yashubu, Sheali na Yeremothi.
30Kutoka wazao wa Pahath-Moabu:
Adna, Kelali, Benaya, Maaseya, Matania, Bezaleli, Binui na Manase.
31Kutoka wazao wa Harimu:
Eliezeri, Ishiya, Malkiya, Shemaya, Shimeoni, 32Benyamini, Maluki, na Shemaria.
33Kutoka wazao wa Hashumu:
Matenai, Matata, Zabadi, Elifeleti, Yeremai, Manase na Shimei.
34Kutoka wazao wa Bani:
Maadai, Amramu, Ueli, 35Benaya, Bedeya, Keluhi, 36Vania, Meremothi, Eliashibu, 37Matania, Matenai na Yaasu.
38Kutoka wazao wa Binui:
Shimei, 39Shelemia, Nathani, Adaya, 40Maknadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41Azareli, Shelemia, Shemaria, 42Shalumu, Amaria na Yosefu.
4310:43 Ezr 2:29; Hes 32:38Kutoka wazao wa Nebo:
Yeieli, Matithia, Zabadi, Zebina, Yadai, Yoeli na Benaya.
4410:44 Mwa 6:2-5; Kut 23:2; Kum 7:3Hawa wote walikuwa wameoa wanawake wa kigeni, na baadhi yao walikuwa wamezaa nao watoto.
