The Plan for Ending Mixed Marriages
1 While Ezra was bowing in prayer in front of the Temple, weeping and confessing these sins, a large group of Israelites—men, women, and children—gathered around him, weeping bitterly. 2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, of the clan of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have broken faith with God by marrying foreign women, but even so there is still hope for Israel. 3 Now we must make a solemn promise to our God that we will send these women and their children away. We will do what you and the others who honor God's commands advise us to do. We will do what God's Law demands. 4 It is your responsibility to act. We are behind you, so go ahead and get it done.”
5 So Ezra began by making the leaders of the priests, of the Levites, and of the rest of the people take an oath that they would do what Shecaniah had proposed. 6 Then he went from in front of the Temple into the living quarters of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, and spent the night there grieving over the unfaithfulness of the exiles. He did not eat or drink anything.
7 A message was sent throughout Jerusalem and Judah that all those who had returned from exile were to meet in Jerusalem 8 by order of the leaders of the people. If any failed to come within three days, all their property would be confiscated, and they would lose their right to be members of the community. 9 Within the three days, on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the men living in the territory of Judah and Benjamin came to Jerusalem and assembled in the Temple square. It was raining hard, and because of the weather and the importance of the meeting everyone was trembling.
10 Ezra the priest stood up and spoke to them. He said, “You have been faithless and have brought guilt on Israel by marrying foreign women. 11 Now then, confess your sins to the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do what pleases him. Separate yourselves from the foreigners living in our land and get rid of your foreign wives.”
12 The people shouted in answer, “We will do whatever you say.” 13 But they added, “The crowd is too big, and it's raining hard. We can't stand here in the open like this. This isn't something that can be done in one or two days, because so many of us are involved in this sin. 14 Let our officials stay in Jerusalem and take charge of the matter. Then let anyone who has a foreign wife come at a set time, together with the leaders and the judges of his city. In this way God's anger over this situation will be turned away.” 15 No one was opposed to the plan except Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, who had the support of Meshullam and of Shabbethai, a Levite.
16 The returned exiles accepted the plan, so Ezra the priest appointed men from among the heads of the clans and recorded their names. On the first day of the tenth month they began their investigation, 17 and within the next three months they investigated all the cases of men with foreign wives.
The Men Who Had Foreign Wives
18 This is the list of the men who had foreign wives:
Priests, listed by clans:Clan of Joshua and his brothers, sons of Jehozadak: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 They promised to divorce their wives, and they offered a ram as a sacrifice for their sins.
20 Clan of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah
21 Clan of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah
22 Clan of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah
23 Levites:Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer
24 Musicians:Eliashib
Temple guards:Shallum, Telem, and Uri
25 Others:Clan of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah
26 Clan of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah
27 Clan of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza
28 Clan of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai
29 Clan of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth
30 Clan of Pahath Moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh
31-32 Clan of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah
33 Clan of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei
34-37 Clan of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu
38-42 Clan of Binnui: Shimei, Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph
43 Clan of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah
44 All these men had foreign wives. They divorced them and sent them and their children away.
Aantu tayi itedhulula
1 Esra manga a li a nyongama megalikano komeho gotempeli, ta lili ye ta hempulula oondjo ndhika, ongundu onene yAaisraeli — aalumentu, aakulukadhi naanona — oye mu gongalele taa lili omahodhi omapyu. 2 Nena Shekania yaJehiel gwomoludhi lwaElam okwa ti kuEsra: “Otwi iteka Kalunga, sho twa ushike aakiintu aakwiilongo. Ihe nando ongeyi, Israel oku na ngaa etegameno. 3 Ngashingeyi natu ningeni euvaneko lya kola kuKalunga ketu kutya tse otatu tidha po aakulukadhi mboka noyana, ya shune. Otatu ka ninga pamayele goye nogaamboka haa simaneke iipango yaKalunga. Otatu ka ninga shoka tashi pulwa kompango yaKalunga. 4 Oshinima shika oshi li moshikaha shoye. Otatu ku pulakene. Kala nomukumo e to ke shi tsakanitha.”
5 Esra okwa tameke okuganitha aawiliki yaayambi, yAalevi noyoshihupe shoshigwana, ya ninge shoka Shekania a faneke. 6 Nena okwa zi ko komeho gotempeli e ta yi mongulu yaJehohanan yaEliashib e ta lala moka uusiku a sa oluhodhi molwokwaaneitaalo kwaantu mboka ya zi muupika. Ina lya ye ina nwa sha.
7 Elaka olya tumwa muJerusalem nomuJuda ashihe kutya ayehe mboka ya galuka muupika, naa tsakanene muJerusalem 8 palombwelo lyaawiliki yoshigwana. Ngele ope na ngoka itee ya ko momasiku gatatu, omaliko ge agehe otaga ka hanagulwa po e ta kondwa mo megongalo lyaamboka ya galuka muupika. 9 Momasiku gatatu, mesiku etimilongombali lyomwedhi omutimugoyi, aasamane ayehe mboka ya li moshikandjo shaJuda naBenjamin, oye ya kuJerusalem e taa gongala mehale lyotempeli. Oya li taa kakama omolwondjundo yoshigongi nomolwomvula yepoola.
10 Omuyambi Esra okwa thikama e te ya uvithile ta ti: “Omwi iteka Kalunga e tamu etele Israel ombedhi, sho mwa hokana aakulukadhi yokiilongo. 11 Ngashingeyi hempululeni ano oondjo dheni kOmuwa, Kalunga koohokulu, ne mu ninge shoka she mu opalela. Iyoololeni ko ne yene kaakwiilongo ya kala mevi lyetu, mu ethe po aakulukadhi yeni aakwiilongo.”
12 Oshigongi ashihe osha yamukula newi enene sha ti: “Otatu ningi shoka to ti. 13 Ihe otu li po oyendji ko ku na wo omvula. Itatu vulu okukala othika mpaka puuyelele. Shika kashi shi wo oshinima tashi ningwa mesiku limwe nenge gaali, oshoka tse oyendji otwa kwatakana nondjo ndjika. 14 Omalenga getu naga kale muJerusalem, opo ga sile oshinima shika oshimpwiyu. Nena shaa ngoka a hokana omukulukadhi omukwiilongo, ne ye mesiku lyu uthwa pamwe naawiliki naatokolihapu yoshilando shaandjawo. Pamukalo nguka ondjahi yaKalunga otayi ke tu gamuka.” 15 Kapwa li ngoka a kondjitha ondunge ndjika, shila oJonatan yaAsahel naJahseia yaTikva, mboka ya kolekwa kuMeshullam nOmulevi Shabbetai.
16 Aagaluki muupika oya taamba epukululo ndika. Omuyambi Esra okwa hogolola aalumentu mokati kaakuluntu yomaludhi e ta tseyitha omadhina gawo. Mesiku lyotango lyomwedhi omutimugoyi oya tameke ekonakono lyawo, 17 nomoomwedhi ndatu dha landula oya konakona aasamane ayehe ye na aakulukadhi yokiilongo.
Aasamane ya hokana aakulukadhi yokiilongo
18 Nguka omusholondondo gwaasamane mboka ya hokana aakulukadhi yokiilongo: Omaluvalo gaayambi pamaludhi gago:
Oludhi lwaJosua yaJehosadak naamwayina: Maaseia, Elieser, Jarib naGedalia. 19 Oyu uvaneke, ya henge po aakulukadhi yawo e taa yamba onzi ondumentu omolwoondjo dhawo.
20 Oludhi lwaImmer: Hanani naSebadia.
21 Oludhi lwaHarim: Maaseia, Elia, Shemaia, Jehiel naUssia.
22 Oludhi lwaPashhur: Elioenai, Maaseia, Ismael, Netanel, Josabad naElasa.
23 Aalevi:
Josabad, Shimei, Kelaia (haku tiwa Kelita), Petahia, Juda naElieser.
24 Aaimbi:
Eliashib.
Aalangeli yotempeli:
Shallum, Telem naUri.
25 Yalwe:
Oludhi lwaParosh: Ramia, Issia, Malkija, Mijamin, Eleasar, Malkija naBenaia.
26 Oludhi lwaElam: Mattania, Sakaria, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremot naElia.
27 Oludhi lwaSattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattania, Jeremot, Sabad naAsisa.
28 Oludhi lwaBebai: Jehohanan, Hanania, Sabbai naAtlai.
29 Oludhi lwaBani: Meshullam, Malluk, Adaia, Jashub, Sheal naJeremot.
30 Oludhi lwaPahat Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaia, Maaseia, Mattania, Bezalel, Binnui naManasse.
31-32 Oludhi lwaHarim: Elieser, Ishija, Malkija, Shemaia, Simeon, Benjamin, Malluk naShemaria.
33 Oludhi lwaHashum: Mattenai, Mattatta, Sabad, Elifelet, Jeremai, Manasse naShimei.
34-37 Oludhi lwaBani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, Benaia, Bedeia, Keluhi, Vania, Meremot, Eliashib, Mattania, Mattanai naJaasu.
38-42 Oludhi lwaBinnui: Shimei, Shelemia, Natan, Adaia, Maknadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Asarel, Shelemia, Shemaria, Shallum, Amaria naJosef.
43 Oludhi lwaNebo: Jeiel, Mattitia, Sabad, Sebina, Jaddai, Joel naBenaia.
44 Aasamane ayehe mbano oya li ya hokana aakulukadhi aakwiilongo. Oye ya henge po e taye ya shunitha pamwe noyana.
