12
Then all the assembly answered and said with a loud voice, "Yes! As you have said, so we must do.
13
But there are many people; it is the season for heavy rain, and we are not able to stand outside. Nor is this the work of one or two days, for there are many of us who have transgressed in this matter.
14
Please, let the leaders of our entire assembly stand; and let all those in our cities who have taken pagan wives come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of their cities, until the fierce wrath of our God is turned away from us in this matter."
15
Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite gave them support.
16
Then the descendants of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain heads of the fathers' households, were set apart by the fathers' households, each of them by name; and they sat down on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
17
By the first day of the first month they finished questioning all the men who had taken pagan wives.
18
And among the sons of the priests who had taken pagan wives the following were found of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
19
And they gave their promise that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they presented a ram of the flock as their trespass offering.
20
Also of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah;
21
of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah;
22
of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.