5So Ezra stood up and demanded that the leaders of the priests and the Levites and all the people of Israel swear that they would do as Shecaniah had said. And they all swore a solemn oath.

6Then Ezra left the front of the Temple of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. He spent the night10:6 As in parallel text at 1 Esdras 9:2; Hebrew reads He went. there without eating or drinking anything. He was still in mourning because of the unfaithfulness of the returned exiles.

7Then a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should come to Jerusalem.

8Those who failed to come within three days would, if the leaders and elders so decided, forfeit all their property and be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.

9Within three days, all the people of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. This took place on December 19,10:9 Hebrew on the twentieth day of the ninth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was December 19, 458 b.c.; also see note on 6:15. and all the people were sitting in the square before the Temple of God. They were trembling both because of the seriousness of the matter and because it was raining.

10Then Ezra the priest stood and said to them: “You have committed a terrible sin. By marrying pagan women, you have increased Israel’s guilt.

11So now confess your sin to the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do what he demands. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from these pagan women.”

12Then the whole assembly raised their voices and answered, “Yes, you are right; we must do as you say!”

13Then they added, “This isn’t something that can be done in a day or two, for many of us are involved in this extremely sinful affair. And this is the rainy season, so we cannot stay out here much longer.

14Let our leaders act on behalf of us all. Let everyone who has a pagan wife come at a scheduled time, accompanied by the leaders and judges of his city, so that the fierce anger of our God concerning this affair may be turned away from us.”

15Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this course of action, and they were supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite.

16So this was the plan they followed. Ezra selected leaders to represent their families, designating each of the representatives by name. On December 29,10:16 Hebrew On the first day of the tenth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was December 29, 458 b.c.; also see note on 6:15. the leaders sat down to investigate the matter.

17By March 27, the first day of the new year,10:17 Hebrew By the first day of the first month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was March 27, 457 b.c.; also see note on 6:15. they had finished dealing with all the men who had married pagan wives.

44Each of these men had a pagan wife, and some even had children by these wives.10:44 Or and they sent them away with their children. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.