1 And when Esdras prayed after this maner, and knowledged, wept, and lay before the house of God, there resorted vnto hym out of Israel a very great congregation, of men, and women, and children: and the people wept very sore.
2 And Sechania the sonne of Iehiel, one of the children of Elam, aunswered, and sayde vnto Esdras: We haue trespassed against our God, & haue taken straunge wyues of the people of the lande: Yet nowe there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
3 For nowe we will make a couenaunt with our God, and put away all the wiues and such as are borne of them, according to the counsel of the Lorde: and we wil be in the feare of the commaundementes of our God, that we may do according to the lawe.
4 Get thee vp, for this matter belongeth vnto thee, we also will be with thee: be of good comfort therfore, and do it.
5 Then rose Esdras, and toke an oth of the chiefe priestes and Leuites, and of all Israel, that they should do according to this worde: And they sware.
6 And Esdras rose vp from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Iohanan the sonne of Eliasib: and when he came thyther, he dyd eate no bread, nor dronke water: for he mourned, because of the transgression of the people that had ben in captiuitie.
7 And they caused a proclamation to go throughout Iuda & Hierusalem vnto al them of the captiuitie, that they shoulde gather them selues together vnto Hierusalem:
8 And that whosoeuer came not within three dayes, according to the deuice of the rulers and elders, all his substaunce should be forfayted, and he should be put out from the congregation of them of the captiuitie.
9 Then all the men of Iuda and Beniamin gathered them selues together vn- Hierusalem within three dayes, euen the twentith day of the nynth moneth: & all the people sate in the streete of the house of God, and trembled, because of this matter, and for the rayne.
10 And Esdras the priest stoode vp, and sayd vnto them: Ye haue transgressed, & haue taken straunge wyues, to make the trespasse of Israel yet more.
11 Confesse now therfore vnto the Lord God of our fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate your selues from the people of the lande, and from the straunge wyues.