Omeripura wokuyandisa otukupo otuhovekwa
1 Esra ngunda e ripete mongumbiro momurungu wondjuwo ya Muhona, ama riri nu ame rihepura ourende we, otjimbumba otjinene tjOvaisrael, ovarumendu novakazendu novanatje otji ve mu woronganena tjandje mave riri tjinene. 2 Sekania, omuzandu wa Jehiel, wonganda ya Elam, otja tja nai ku Esra: “Eṱe twa kara nokuhinouṱakame ku Ndjambi tji twa kupa ovakazendu wozonganda; nungwari nangarire kutja pe ri nao, inga pe nomaundjiro kOvaisrael. 3 Nambano ngatu tjite omakwizikiro omaṱakame ku Ndjambi wetu kutja matu isa ovakazendu mba novanatje vawo ve yaruke. Eṱe matu tjiti imbi ove na imba mbe yozika omatwako wa Ndjambi mbi mamu tu rongo okutjita. Matu tjiti imbi Omatwako wa Ndjambi mbi maye hee. 4 Otjiṋa hi nga tji rire ourizirira woye. Eṱe matu ku vatere. Panḓipara, nu u ungure!”
5 Esra otja tjita kutja ovapristeri ozohongora nOvalevi notjiwaṋa atjihe ve tjite oruyano rokutja mave yenenisa ondunge ya Sekania. Nowo va yana. 6 Tjazumba eye otja sekama momurungu wondjuwo ya Muhona na kahita metuwo ra Johanan, omuzandu wa Eljasib, na rara mo ouṱuku e hi nokurya nokunwa, tjandje u noruhoze nouhaṱakama wovahuurwa.
7 Ombuze ya hindwa mOjerusalem na mOjuda arihe kutja avehe, mba kotokere okuza kouhuura ve woronganene mOjerusalem. 8 Omarakiza wovanane votjiwaṋa owo nga: Auhe ngu he ere moure womayuva yetatu, ma yekwa ouini we auhe, nu ma kondwa kombongo. 9 Moure womayuva yetatu nga, meyuva oritjamirongo vivari komueze outjamuvyu ovarumendu avehe mba mba turire mehi ra Juda nora Benjamin otji ve ya kOjerusalem, nave woronganene morupanda rwondjuwo ya Muhona. Ombura aa i roko tjinene, nu auhe wa zezerisiwa i ombura na indji onḓengu yombongarero.
10 Omupristeri Esra wa sekama na hungire ku wo a tja: “Eṋe mwa rira ovahaṱakama; mwa eta ondjo kOvaisrael mokukupa ovakazendu wozonganda. 11 Nambano rihepureye omauvi weṋu komurungu wa Muhona, Ndjambi wooiho mukururume, nu mu tjite ombango ye. Kareye peke novandu wozonganda, mba tura mehi retu, nu mu haṋike novakazendu veṋu wozonganda.”
12 Otjiwaṋa tja zira ama tji ravaere nai: “Eṱe matu tjiti ngamwa ihi tji mo tu raere.” 13 Nungwari tja weza atji tja: “Ovandu ovengi tjinene, nombura mai roko nomasa. Katu nokusora okukurama pendje nai. Ihi katjiṋa tji matji sokutjitwa meyuva rimwe poo momayuva yevari, orondu ovengi vetu va tura ondjo motjiṋa hi. 14 Ovahongore vetu ngave kuramenepo ombongarero aihe; owo ngave konḓonone otjiṋa hi. Tjazumba auhe ngu nomukazendu wozonganda nge ye moruveze ndwa tuwa po, pamwe novanane novapangure votjihuro tjawo. Komuhingo mbwi omazenge wa Ndjambi motjiṋa hi otji maye isiwa po.” 15 Kapa ri umwe ngwa kuramena omeripura nga momurungu posi ya Jonatan, omuzandu wa Asahel, na Jakseja, omuzandu wa Tikwa, nowo va vaterwa i Mesulam nOmulevi Sabetai.
16 Ovahuurwa mba kotokere va yakura omeripura nga, nu Esra, omupristeri, arire tja toorora ovarumendu moviuru vyozonganda, na tjanga omana wawo. Meyuva etenga komueze outjamurongo otji va uta omakonḓononeno motjiṋa hi, 17 nu moure womieze vitatu vyokomurungu va konḓonona oviposa avihe vyovarumendu, mba kupire ovakazendu wozonganda.
Omana wovarumendu mba kupire ovakazendu vozonganda
18 Omana wovarumendu, mba kupire ovakazendu vozonganda, owo nga: Ovapristeri va tjangwa otja kozonganda:
Monganda ya Jesua noyovangu ve, imba ovazandu va Josadak, mwa ri ooMaaseja na Elieser na Jarib na Gedalja. 19 Owo va kwizika kutja mave haṋika novakazendu vawo, notji va punguha ondwezu yonḓu i rire ombunguhiro yokuisapo ondjo yawo.
20 Monganda ya Imer mwa ri Hanani na Sebadja.
21 Monganda ya Harim mwa ri ooMaaseja na Elia na Semaja na Jehiel na Usija.
22 Monganda ya Pashur mwa ri ooEljoenai na Maaseja na Ismael na Netanel na Josabad na Elasa. 23 Mozonganda zOvalevi mwa ri ooJosabad na Simi na Kelaja, wina ngu ri Kelita, na Petakja na Juda na Elieser. 24 Mozonganda zovaimbure mwa ri Eljasib, mozonganda zovatjevere vondjuwo ya Muhona mwa ri Salum na Telem na Uri. 25 Mozonganda zOvaisrael ovakwao, monganda ya Paros mwa ri ooRamja na Issija na Malkija na Mijamin na Eleasar na Malkija na Benaja.
26 Monganda ya Elam mwa ri ooMatanja na Sakaria na Jehiel na Abdi na Jeremot na Elia.
27 Monganda ya Satu mwa ri ooEljoenai na Eljasib na Matanja na Jeremot na Sabad na Asisa.
28 Monganda ya Bebai mwa ri ooJohanan na Hananja na Sabai na Atlai.
29 Monganda ya Bani mwa ri ooMesulam na Maluk na Adaja na Jasub na Seal na Jeremot.
30 Monganda ya Pahat-Moab mwa ri ooAdna na Kelal na Benaja na Maaseja na Matanja na Besalel na Binui na Manasse.
31 Monganda ya Harim mwa ri ooElieser na Issija na Malkija na Semaja na Simeon, 32 na Benjamin na Maluk na Semarja.
33 Monganda ya Hasum mwa ri ooMatenai na Matata na Sabad na Elifelet na Jeremai na Manasse na Simi.
34 Monganda ya Bani mwa ri ooMaadai na Amram na Uel, 35 na Benaja na Bedja na Keluhi, 36 na Wanja na Meremot na Eljasib, 37 na Matanja na Matenai na Jaasu.
38 Monganda ya Binui mwa ri ooSimi, 39 na Selemja na Natan na Adaja. 40 Monganda ya Sakai mwa ri ooSasi na Sarai, 41 na Asarel na Selemja na Semarja, 42 na Salum na Amarja na Josef.
43 Monganda ya Nebo mwa ri ooJeiel na Matitja na Sabad na Sebina na Jadai na Joel na Benaja.
44 Ovarumendu avehe mba va kupire ovakazendu wozonganda. Owo va haṋika novakazendu vawo, nave ve hindi puna ovanatje vawo kutja ve yaruke.
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.
