The First Book of Esdras

⭑ King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

⮜ Back | Contents | Next ⮞

- Chapter 9 -

Then Esdras rising from the court of the temple went to the chamber of Joanan the son of Eliasib,

And remained there, and did eat no meat nor drink water, mourning for the great iniquities of the multitude.

And there was a proclamation in all Jewry and Jerusalem to all them that were of the captivity, that they should be gathered together at Jerusalem:

And that whosoever met not there within two or three days according as the elders that bare rule appointed, their cattle should be seized to the use of the temple, and himself cast out from them that were of the captivity.

And in three days were all they of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin gathered together at Jerusalem the twentieth day of the ninth month.

And all the multitude sat trembling in the broad court of the temple because of the present foul weather.

So Esdras arose up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed the law in marrying strange wives, thereby to increase the sins of Israel.

And now by confessing give glory unto the Lord God of our fathers,

And do his will, and separate yourselves from the heathen of the land, and from the strange women.

Then cried the whole multitude, and said with a loud voice, Like as thou hast spoken, so will we do.

But forasmuch as the people are many, and it is foul weather, so that we cannot stand without, and this is not a work of a day or two, seeing our sin in these things is spread far:

Therefore let the rulers of the multitude stay, and let all them of our habitations that have strange wives come at the time appointed,

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

Then Jonathan the son of Azael and Ezechias the son of Theocanus accordingly took this matter upon them: and Mosollam and Levis and Sabbatheus helped them.

And they that were of the captivity did according to all these things.

And Esdras the priest chose unto him the principal men of their families, all by name: and in the first day of the tenth month they sat together to examine the matter.

So their cause that held strange wives was brought to an end in the first day of the first month.

And of the priests that were come together, and had strange wives, there were found:

Of the sons of Jesus the son of Josedec, and his brethren; Matthelas and Eleazar, and Joribus and Joadanus.

And they gave their hands to put away their wives and to offer rams to make reconcilement for their errors.

And of the sons of Emmer; Ananias, and Zabdeus, and Eanes, and Sameius, and Hiereel, and Azarias.

And of the sons of Phaisur; Elionas, Massias Israel, and Nathanael, and Ocidelus and Talsas.

And of the Levites; Jozabad, and Semis, and Colius, who was called Calitas, and Patheus, and Judas, and Jonas.

Of the holy singers; Eleazurus, Bacchurus.

Of the porters; Sallumus, and Tolbanes.

Of them of Israel, of the sons of Phoros; Hiermas, and Eddias, and Melchias, and Maelus, and Eleazar, and Asibias, and Baanias.

Of the sons of Ela; Matthanias, Zacharias, and Hierielus, and Hieremoth, and Aedias.

And of the sons of Zamoth; Eliadas, Elisimus, Othonias, Jarimoth, and Sabatus, and Sardeus.

Of the sons of Babai; Johannes, and Ananias and Josabad, and Amatheis.

Of the sons of Mani; Olamus, Mamuchus, Jedeus, Jasubus, Jasael, and Hieremoth.

And of the sons of Addi; Naathus, and Moosias, Lacunus, and Naidus, and Mathanias, and Sesthel, Balnuus, and Manasseas.

And of the sons of Annas; Elionas and Aseas, and Melchias, and Sabbeus, and Simon Chosameus.

And of the sons of Asom; Altaneus, and Matthias, and Baanaia, Eliphalet, and Manasses, and Semei.

And of the sons of Maani; Jeremias, Momdis, Omaerus, Juel, Mabdai, and Pelias, and Anos, Carabasion, and Enasibus, and Mamnitanaimus, Eliasis, Bannus, Eliali, Samis, Selemias, Nathanias: and of the sons of Ozora; Sesis, Esril, Azaelus, Samatus, Zambis, Josephus.

And of the sons of Ethma; Mazitias, Zabadaias, Edes, Juel, Banaias.

All these had taken strange wives, and they put them away with their children.

And the priests and Levites, and they that were of Israel, dwelt in Jerusalem, and in the country, in the first day of the seventh month: so the children of Israel were in their habitations.

And the whole multitude came together with one accord into the broad place of the holy porch toward the east:

And they spake unto Esdras the priest and reader, that he would bring the law of Moses, that was given of the Lord God of Israel.

So Esdras the chief priest brought the law unto the whole multitude from man to woman, and to all the priests, to hear law in the first day of the seventh month.

And he read in the broad court before the holy porch from morning unto midday, before both men and women; and the multitude gave heed unto the law.

And Esdras the priest and reader of the law stood up upon a pulpit of wood, which was made for that purpose.

And there stood up by him Mattathias, Sammus, Ananias, Azarias, Urias, Ezecias, Balasamus, upon the right hand:

And upon his left hand stood Phaldaius, Misael, Melchias, Lothasubus, and Nabarias.

Then took Esdras the book of the law before the multitude: for he sat honourably in the first place in the sight of them all.

And when he opened the law, they stood all straight up. So Esdras blessed the Lord God most High, the God of hosts, Almighty.

And all the people answered, Amen; and lifting up their hands they fell to the ground, and worshipped the Lord.

Also Jesus, Anus, Sarabias, Adinus, Jacubus, Sabateas, Auteas, Maianeas, and Calitas, Asrias, and Joazabdus, and Ananias, Biatas, the Levites, taught the law of the Lord, making them withal to understand it.

Then spake Attharates unto Esdras the chief priest. and reader, and to the Levites that taught the multitude, even to all, saying,

This day is holy unto the Lord; (for they all wept when they heard the law:)

Go then, and eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send part to them that have nothing;

For this day is holy unto the Lord: and be not sorrowful; for the Lord will bring you to honour.

So the Levites published all things to the people, saying, This day is holy to the Lord; be not sorrowful.

Then went they their way, every one to eat and drink, and make merry, and to give part to them that had nothing, and to make great cheer;

Because they understood the words wherein they were instructed, and for the which they had been assembled.

(a) 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(b) 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,(c) Mathelas, Eleazar, and(d) Joribus, and(e) 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, (f)Manes, (g)Sameus, (h)Hiereel, and (i)Azarias.

Of the sons of (j)Phaisur: Elionas, Massias, Ishmael, Nathanael, (k)Ocidelus, and (l)Saloas.

Of the Levites: Jozabdus, Semeis, (m)Colius who was called (n)Calitas, (o)Patheus, Judas, and Jonas.

Of the holy singers: (p)Eliasibus and Bacchurus.

Of the gatekeepers: Sallumus and(q) Tolbanes.

Of Israel, of the sons of Phoros:(r) Hiermas,(s) Ieddias,(t) Melchias, Maelus,(u) Eleazar, Asibas, (v) and Banneas.

Of the sons of Ela: Matthanias, Zacharias, (w) Jezrielus, Oabdius, Hieremoth, and(x) Aedias.

Of the sons of (y)Zamoth: (z)Eliadas, (aa)Eliasimus, (ab)Othonias, Jarimoth, (ac)Sabathus, and(ad) Zardeus.

Of the sons of Bebai: Joannes, Ananias, (ae)Jozabdus, and (af)Ematheis.

Of the sons of (ag) Mani: (ah)Olamus, (ai)Mamuchus, (aj)Jedeus, Jasubas, (ak) Jasaelus, and Hieremoth.

Of the sons of Addi: Naathus, Moossias, Laccunus, Naidus, Matthanias, Sesthel, Balnuus, and Manasseas.

Of the sons of Annas: Elionas, Aseas, Melchias, Sabbeus, and Simon Chosameus.

Of the sons of Asom: (al)Maltanneus, (am)Mattathias, (an)Sabanneus, Eliphalat, Manasses, and Semei.

Of the sons of Baani: Jeremias, Momdis, Ismaerus, Juel, Mamdai, Pedias, Anos, Carabasion, Enasibus, Mamnitamenus, Eliasis, Bannus, Eliali, Someis, Selemias, and Nathanias. Of the sons of Ezora: Sesis, Ezril, Azaelus, Samatus, Zambri, and Josephus.

Of the sons of Nooma: Mazitias, Zabadeas, Edos, Juel, and Banaias.

All these had taken foreign wives, and they put them away with their children.

The priests and Levites, and those who were of Israel, lived in Jerusalem and in the country, on the new moon of the seventh month, and the children of Israel in their settlements.

(ao)The whole multitude gathered together with one accord into the broad place before the porch of the temple toward the east.

They said to Esdras the priest and reader, “Bring the law of Moses that was given by the Lord, the God of Israel.”

So Esdras the chief priest brought the law to the whole multitude both of men and women, and to all the priests, to hear the law on the new moon of the seventh month.

He read in the broad place before the porch of the temple from morning until midday, before both men and women; and all the multitude gave attention to the law.

Esdras the priest and reader of the law stood up upon the pulpit of wood which had been prepared.

Beside him stood Mattathias, Sammus, Ananias, Azarias, Urias, (ap)Ezekias, and Baalsamus on the right hand,

and on his left hand, (aq)Phaldeus, Misael, Melchias, (ar)Lothasubus, Nabarias, and Zacharias.

Then Esdras took the book of the law before the multitude, and sat honorably in the first place before all.

When he opened the law, they all stood straight up. So Esdras blessed the Lord God Most High, the God of armies, the Almighty.

All the people answered, “Amen.” Lifting up their hands, they fell to the ground and worshiped the Lord.

Also Jesus, Annus, Sarabias, Iadinus, Jacubus, Sabateus, (as)Auteas, Maiannas, Calitas, Azarias, Jozabdus, Ananias, and Phalias, the Levites, taught the law of the Lord, (at)and read to the multitude the law of the Lord, explaining what was read.

Then Attharates said to Esdras the chief priest and reader, and to the Levites who taught the multitude, even to all,

“This day is holy to the Lord—now they all wept when they heard the law—

go then, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing;

for the day is holy to the Lord. Don’t be sorrowful, for the Lord will bring you to honor.”

So the Levites commanded all things to the people, saying, “This day is holy. Don’t be sorrowful.”

Then they went their way, every one to eat, drink, enjoy themselves, to give portions to those who had nothing, and to rejoice greatly,

because they (au)understood the words they were instructed with, and for which they had been assembled.

Footnotes

(a)9:1 ℘ Ezra 10:6

(b)9:14 Another reading is, Ezias.

(d)9:19 Jarib.

(e)9:19 Gedaliah

(f)9:21 Harim

(g)9:21 Maaseiah.

(h)9:21 Jehiel.

(i)9:21 Uzziah.

(j)9:22 Pashhur.

(k)9:22 Jozabad.

(l)9:22 Elasah.

(m)9:23 Kelaiah.

(n)9:23 Kelita.

(o)9:23 Pethahiah.

(p)9:24 Eliashib.

(q)9:25 Telem.

(r)9:26 Parosh.

(s)9:26 Ramiah

(t)9:26 Izziah.Another reading is, Iezias

(u)9:26 Mijamin.

(v)9:26 Malchijah.

(w)9:27 Jehiel.

(x)9:27 Abdi.

(y)9:28 Zattu.

(z)9:28 Elioenai.

(aa)9:28 Eliashib.

(ab)9:28 Mattaniah.

(ac)9:28 Zabad.

(ad)9:28 Aziza.

(ae)9:29 Zabbai.

(af)9:29 Athlai.

(ag)9:30 Bani.

(ah)9:30 Meshullam.

(ai)9:30 Malluch.

(aj)9:30 Adaiah.

(ak)9:30 Sheal.

(al)9:33 Mattenai.

(am)9:33 Mattattah.

(an)9:33 Zabad.

(ao)9:38 ℘ Nehemiah 8:1

(ap)9:43 Hilkiah.

(aq)9:44 Pedaiah.

(ar)9:44 Hashuin.

(as)9:48 Hodiah.

(at)9:48 Some authorities omit and read...Lord.

(au)9:55 Or, were inspired by