Ezra 9 - Nehemiah 3

Christian Standard Bible

Israel’s Intermarriage

9 After these things had been done, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves^(A) from the surrounding peoples whose detestable practices^(B) are like those of the Canaanites, Hethites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.^(C) ²Indeed, the Israelite men^[a] have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed^(D) has become mixed with the surrounding peoples.^(E) The leaders^[b] and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!” ^(F) ³When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and robe, pulled out some of the hair from my head and beard, and sat down devastated.^(G)

Ezra’s Confession

⁴Everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel^(H) gathered around me, because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles,^(I) while I sat devastated until the evening offering.^(J) ⁵At the evening offering, I got up from my time of humiliation, with my tunic and robe torn. Then I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God.^(K) ⁶And I said:^(L)

My God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face toward you, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads and our guilt is as high as the heavens.^(M) ⁷Our guilt has been terrible from the days of our ancestors until the present. Because of our iniquities we have been handed over, along with our kings and priests, to the surrounding kings, and to the sword, captivity, plundering, and open shame,^(N) as it is today. ⁸But now, for a brief moment, grace has come from the Lord our God to preserve a remnant^(O) for us and give us a stake^(P) in his holy place. Even in our slavery, God has given us a little relief and light to our eyes.^(Q) ⁹Though we are slaves,^(R) our God has not abandoned us in our slavery. He has extended grace to us in the presence of the Persian kings,^(S) giving us relief, so that we can rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins,^(T) to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

¹⁰Now, our God, what can we say in light of^[c] this? For we have abandoned the commands ¹¹you gave through your servants the prophets, saying, “The land you are entering to possess is an impure land. The surrounding peoples have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness by their impurity and detestable practices.^(U) ¹²So do not give your daughters to their sons in marriage or take their daughters for your sons.^(V) Never pursue their welfare or prosperity,^(W) so that you will be strong, eat the good things of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your sons forever.” ¹³After all that has happened to us because of our evil deeds and terrible guilt—though you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve and have allowed us to survive^[d]^(X)— ¹⁴should we break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit these detestable practices?^(Y) Wouldn’t you become so angry with us that you would destroy us, leaving neither remnant nor survivor?^(Z) ¹⁵Lord God of Israel, you are righteous, for we survive as a remnant^(AA) today. Here we are before you with our guilt, though no one can stand in your presence because of this.^(AB)

Sending Away Foreign Wives

10 While Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and falling facedown^(AC) before the house of God, an extremely large assembly of Israelite men, women, and children gathered around him. The people also wept bitterly.^(AD) ²Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel,^(AE) an Elamite, responded to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the surrounding peoples,^(AF) but there is still hope for Israel in spite of this. ³Therefore, let’s make a covenant before our God^(AG) to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God.^(AH) Let it be done according to the law. ⁴Get up, for this matter is your responsibility,^(AI) and we support you. Be strong and take action!” ^(AJ)

⁵Then Ezra got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel take an oath to do what had been said; so they took the oath.^(AK) ⁶Ezra then went from the house of God and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, where he spent the night.^[e] He did not eat food or drink water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.^(AL)

⁷They circulated a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem. ⁸Whoever did not come within three days would forfeit all his possessions,^[f] according to the decision of the leaders and elders, and would be excluded^(AM) from the assembly of the exiles.

⁹So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. On the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God,^(AN) trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain. ¹⁰Then the priest Ezra stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt.^(AO) ¹¹Therefore, make a confession to the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the surrounding peoples and your foreign wives.”

¹²Then all the assembly responded loudly, “Yes, we will do as you say! ¹³But there are many people, and it is the rainy season. We don’t have the stamina to stay out in the open. This isn’t something that can be done in a day or two, for we have rebelled terribly in this matter. ¹⁴Let our leaders represent the entire assembly. Then let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each town, in order to avert the fierce anger of our God^(AP) concerning^[g] this matter.” ¹⁵Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this, with Meshullam^(AQ) and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them.

¹⁶The exiles did what had been proposed. The priest Ezra selected men^[h] who were family heads, all identified by name, to represent^[i] their ancestral families.^[j] They convened on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter, ¹⁷and by the first day of the first month they had dealt with all the men who had married foreign women.

Those Married to Foreign Wives

¹⁸The following were found to have married foreign women from the descendants of the priests:

from the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. ¹⁹They pledged^[k] to send their wives away, and being guilty, they offered a ram from the flock for their guilt;^(AR)

²⁰Hanani and Zebadiah from Immer’s^(AS) descendants;

²¹Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah from Harim’s^(AT) descendants;

²²Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah from Pashhur’s^(AU) descendants.

²³The Levites:^(AV)

Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

²⁴The singers:^(AW)

Eliashib.

The gatekeepers:^(AX)

Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

²⁵The Israelites:^(AY)

Parosh’s descendants:^(AZ) Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah,^[l] and Benaiah;

²⁶Elam’s descendants:^(BA) Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah;

²⁷Zattu’s descendants:^(BB) Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza;

²⁸Bebai’s descendants:^(BC) Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;

²⁹Bani’s descendants:^(BD) Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth;

³⁰Pahath-moab’s descendants:^(BE) Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh;

³¹Harim’s descendants:^(BF) Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, ³²Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah;

³³Hashum’s descendants:^(BG) Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei;

³⁴Bani’s descendants:^(BH) Maadai, Amram, Uel, ³⁵Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, ³⁶Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, ³⁷Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu, ³⁸Bani, Binnui, Shimei, ³⁹Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, ⁴⁰Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, ⁴¹Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, ⁴²Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph;

⁴³Nebo’s descendants:^(BI) Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.

⁴⁴All of these^(BJ) had married foreign women, and some of the wives had given birth to children.^(BK)

1 The words of Nehemiah^(BL) son of Hacaliah:

News from Jerusalem

During the month of Chislev^(BM) in the twentieth year,^(BN) when I was in the fortress city of Susa,^(BO) ²Hanani,^(BP) one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah, and I questioned them about Jerusalem and the Jewish remnant^(BQ) that had survived the exile.^(BR) ³They said to me, “The remnant in the province,^(BS) who survived the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been broken down, and its gates have been burned.”^(BT)

Nehemiah’s Prayer

⁴When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying^(BU) before the God of the heavens.^(BV) ⁵I said,^(BW)

Lord, the God of the heavens, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him^(BX) and keep his commands,^(BY) ⁶let your eyes be open and your ears be attentive^(BZ) to hear your servant’s prayer that I now pray to you day and night^(CA) for your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins^[m] we have committed against you. Both I and my father’s family have sinned.^(CB) ⁷We have acted corruptly toward you and have not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances you gave your servant Moses.^(CC) ⁸Please remember what you commanded your servant Moses: “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples.^(CD) ⁹But if you return to me and carefully observe my commands, even though your exiles were banished to the farthest horizon,^[n] I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I chose to have my name dwell.”^(CE) ¹⁰They are your servants and your people. You redeemed them by your great power and strong hand.^(CF) ¹¹Please, Lord, let your ear be attentive^(CG) to the prayer of your servant and to that of your servants who delight to revere your name. Give your servant success today,^(CH) and grant him compassion in the presence of this man.^[o]^(CI)

At the time, I was the king’s cupbearer.^(CJ)

Nehemiah Sent to Jerusalem

2 During the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,^(CK) when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence, ²so the king said to me, “Why do you look so sad,^(CL) when you aren’t sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.”^(CM)

I was overwhelmed with fear ³and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I^[p] not be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” ^(CN)

⁴Then the king asked me, “What is your request?”

So I prayed to the God of the heavens^(CO) ⁵and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah and to the city where my ancestors are buried,^[q]^(CP) so that I may rebuild it.”^(CQ)

⁶The king, with the queen seated beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you return?” So I gave him a definite time,^(CR) and it pleased the king to send me.

⁷I also said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let me have letters written to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates River,^(CS) so that they will grant me safe passage until I reach Judah.^(CT) ⁸And let me have a letter written to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so that he will give me timber to rebuild the gates of the temple’s fortress,^(CU) the city wall, and the home where I will live.”^[r]^(CV) The king granted my requests, for the gracious hand of my God was on me.^(CW)

⁹I went to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters.^(CX) The king had also sent officers of the infantry and cavalry with me. ¹⁰When Sanballat the Horonite^(CY) and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard that someone had come to pursue the prosperity of the Israelites, they were greatly displeased.^(CZ)

Preparing to Rebuild the Walls

¹¹After I arrived in Jerusalem and had been there three days,^(DA) ¹²I got up at night and took a few men with me. I didn’t tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal I took^[s] was the one I was riding. ¹³I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Serpent’s^[t] Well and the Dung Gate,^(DB) and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire.^(DC) ¹⁴I went on to the Fountain Gate^(DD) and the King’s Pool,^(DE) but farther down it became too narrow for my animal to go through. ¹⁵So I went up at night by way of the valley and inspected the wall. Then heading back, I entered through the Valley Gate^(DF) and returned. ¹⁶The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, for I had not yet told the Jews, priests, nobles, officials, or the rest of those who would be doing the work. ¹⁷So I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned.^(DG) Come, let’s rebuild Jerusalem’s wall,^(DH) so that we will no longer be a disgrace.” ¹⁸I told them how the gracious hand of my God had been on me,^(DI) and what the king had said to me.

They said, “Let’s start rebuilding,” and their hands were strengthened^[u] to do this good work.

¹⁹When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official,^(DJ) and Geshem the Arab^(DK) heard about this, they mocked and despised us, and said, “What is this you’re doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”

²⁰I gave them this reply, “The God of the heavens is the one who will grant us success. We, his servants, will start building, but you have no share, right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”^(DL)

Rebuilding the Walls

3 The high priest Eliashib^(DM) and his fellow priests began rebuilding the Sheep Gate.^(DN) They dedicated it and installed its doors. After building the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel,^(DO) they dedicated it. ²The men of Jericho^(DP) built next to Eliashib,^(DQ) and next to them Zaccur son of Imri built.

Fish Gate

³The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate.^(DR) They built it with beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars.^(DS) ⁴Next to them Meremoth^(DT) son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, made repairs. Beside them Meshullam^(DU) son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel, made repairs. Next to them Zadok son of Baana made repairs. ⁵Beside them the Tekoites^(DV) made repairs, but their nobles did not lift a finger to help^[v] their supervisors.

Old Gate, Broad Wall, and Tower of the Ovens

⁶Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah repaired the Old^[w] Gate.^(DW) They built it with beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. ⁷Next to them the repairs were done by Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, and the men of Gibeon^(DX) and Mizpah, who were under the authority^[x]^(DY) of the governor^(DZ) of the region west of the Euphrates River.^(EA) ⁸After him Uzziel son of Harhaiah, the goldsmith,^(EB) made repairs, and next to him Hananiah son of the perfumer made repairs. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.^(EC)

⁹Next to them Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs. ¹⁰After them Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs across from his house.^(ED) Next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah made repairs. ¹¹Malchijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-moab made repairs to another section, as well as to the Tower of the Ovens.^(EE) ¹²Beside him Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs—he and his daughters.

Valley Gate, Dung Gate, and Fountain Gate

¹³Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and installed its doors, bolts, and bars, and repaired five hundred yards^[y] of the wall to the Dung Gate.^(EF) ¹⁴Malchijah son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem,^(EG) repaired the Dung Gate.^(EH) He rebuilt it and installed its doors, bolts, and bars.

¹⁵Shallun^[z] son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate.^(EI) He rebuilt it and roofed it. Then he installed its doors, bolts, and bars. He also made repairs to the wall of the Pool of Shelah^(EJ) near the king’s garden,^(EK) as far as the stairs that descend from the city of David.^(EL)

¹⁶After him Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur,^(EM) made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David,^(EN) as far as the artificial pool^(EO) and the House of the Warriors.^(EP) ¹⁷Next to him the Levites^(EQ) made repairs under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah,^(ER) made repairs for his district. ¹⁸After him their fellow Levites made repairs under Binnui^[aa] son of Henadad, ruler of half the district of Keilah. ¹⁹Next to him Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, made repairs to another section opposite the ascent to the armory at the Angle.^(ES)

The Angle, Water Gate, and Tower on Ophel

²⁰After him Baruch son of Zabbai^[ab] diligently repaired another section, from the Angle to the door of the house of the high priest Eliashib.^(ET) ²¹Beside him Meremoth^(EU) son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, made repairs to another section, from the door of Eliashib’s^(EV) house to the end of his house. ²²And next to him the priests from the surrounding area made repairs.

²³After them Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs opposite their house. Beside them Azariah son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. ²⁴After him Binnui^(EW) son of Henadad made repairs to another section, from the house of Azariah to the Angle and the corner. ²⁵Palal son of Uzai made repairs opposite the Angle and tower that juts out from the king’s upper palace,^[ac]^(EX) by the courtyard of the guard.^(EY) Beside him Pedaiah son of Parosh ²⁶and the temple servants^(EZ) living on Ophel^(FA) made repairs opposite the Water Gate^(FB) toward the east and the tower that juts out. ²⁷Next to him the Tekoites^(FC) made repairs to another section from a point opposite the great tower that juts out, as far as the wall of Ophel.^(FD)

Horse Gate, Inspection Gate, and Sheep Gate

²⁸Each of the priests made repairs above the Horse Gate,^(FE) each opposite his own house. ²⁹After them Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. And beside him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, guard of the East Gate, made repairs. ³⁰Next to him Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph made repairs to another section.

After them Meshullam son of Berechiah made repairs opposite his room. ³¹Next to him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths,^(FF) made repairs to the house of the temple servants^(FG) and the merchants, opposite the Inspection^[ad] Gate, and as far as the upstairs room on the corner. ³²The goldsmiths^(FH) and merchants made repairs between the upstairs room on the corner and the Sheep Gate.^(FI)

Footnotes

9:2 Lit they
9:2 Lit hand of the leaders
9:10 Lit say after
9:13 Lit and gave us a remnant like this
10:6 1 Esdras 9:2, Syr; MT, Vg read he went
10:8 Lit would set apart all his possessions for destruction
10:14 Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg; other Hb mss read until
10:16 1 Esdras 9:16, Syr; MT, Vg read priest and men were selected
10:16 Lit name, for
10:16 Lit the house of their fathers
10:19 Lit gave their hand
10:25 Some LXX mss, 1 Esdras 9:26 read Hashabiah
1:6 Lit sins of the Israelites
1:9 Lit skies
1:11 = the king
2:3 Lit my face
2:5 Lit city, the house of the graves of my fathers,
2:8 Lit enter
2:12 Lit animal with me
2:13 Or Dragon’s
2:18 Lit they put their hands
3:5 Lit not bring their neck to the work of
3:6 Or Jeshanah
3:7 Or Mizpah, the seat
3:13 Lit 1,000 cubits
3:15 Some Hb mss, Syr read Shallum
3:18 Some Hb mss, Syr, LXX; Neh 3:24; other Hb mss, Vg read Bavvai
3:20 Alt Hb tradition, Vg read Zaccai; Ezr 2:9
3:25 Or and the upper tower that juts out from the palace
3:31 Or Muster

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