1   Then Esdras rising fr&obar; the court of the temple, went to the chamber of Ioannan, the sonne of Eliasib,

2   And remayned there and did eate no meate, nor dronke ^note drinke, weepyng for the great wickednesse of the people.

3   And there was made a proclamation in all Iury, and at Hierusalem, for all them that were of the captiuitie, that they shoulde gather together at Hierusalem,

4   And that whosoeuer met not there within two or three dayes, according as the elders that bare rule appoynted, their cattell shoulde de seased to the vse of the temple, and he be excluded from them that were of the captiuitie.

5   And in three dayes were all they of the tribe of Iuda and Beniamin gathered together at Hierusalem, the twentith day of the ninth moneth.

6   And the whole multitude sat tremblyng in the ^note court of the temple, for it was wynter.

7   So Esdras arose vp, and sayde vnto them: Ye haue done vnrighteously, in that ye haue taken ^note outlandishe wiues to mariage, and so to encrease the sinnes of Israel. B   

8   And nowe knowledge the same, and geue prayse vnto the Lorde God of our fathers:

9   And perfourme his wyll, departing from the heathen of the land, and from the ^note outlandishe wiues.

10   Then cryed the whole multitude, and sayd with a loude voyce: Lyke as thou hast spoken, so wyll we do.

11   But forsomuche as the people are many, and wynter season, so that we may not stande without the house: and because this worke is not a thing that can be finished in a day or two, seing we be many that haue sinned in these thinges:

12   Ordayne therefore that the rulers of the multitude, and they of our families that haue straunge wyues, tarry.

13   And let the priestes and iudges come out of euery place in their time appoynted, tyll they swage the wrath of the Lorde in this businesse.

14   Then Ionathas the sonne of Azaiel, and Ezechias the sonne of Thecan, receaued the charge of this matter, and Mosollam, and Leuis, and Sabatheus helped them therto.

15   And they that were of the captiuitie, dyd according to all these thinges.

16   And Esdras the priest chose vnto him the principall men from among the fathers, and them all by name: and in the first day of the tenth moneth they sat together, to examine this matter.

17   And so the matter was a determining concerning the men that had maryed straunge wyues vntyll the new moone of the first moneth:

18   &rhand; ‘ [And of the priestes that had mixt them selues with ^note outlandishe wyues, there were founde,

19    ^noteOf the sonnes of Iesu the sonne of Iosedec and his brethren, Mathelas, Eleazar, Ioribus, and Ioadanus:

20   Whiche offered them selues to put away their wiues, and to offer a ramme vnto reconcilement for their purgation. D   

21   And of the sonnes of Emmer, Ananias, and Zabdeus, and Canes, and Samaius, and Hiereel, and Azarias.

22   And of the sonnes of Phaisu, Ellionas, Massias, Esmaelus, and Nathanael, and Ocidelus, and Talsas.

23   And of the Leuites, Iorabadus, and Semis, ∧ Colius, who was called Calitas, and Patheus, and Doudas, and Ionas.

24   Of the holy singers, Eliazurus, Bacchurus.

25   Of the porters, Sallumus, and Tolbants.

26   Of them of Israel, of the sonnes of Phorus, Hiermas, and Eddias, ∧ Melchias, and Maelus, and Eleasar, and Asibias, and Banaias.

27   Of the sonnes of Ela, Matthanias, Zacharias, and Hiericlas, and Hieremoth, and Aedias. E   

28   And of the sonnes of Zamoth, Eliadas, Elisimus, Othonias, Iarimoth, and Sabatus, and Sardeus.

29   Of the sonnes of Bebai, Ioannes, ∧ Ananias, and Iosabad, ∧ Ematheas.

30   Of the sonnes of Mani, Olamus, Mamuchus, Iedaias, Iasubus, Iasael, and Ieremoth.

31   And of the sonnes of Addi, Naathus, Moosias, Laccunus, and Naidus, and Matthanias, and Seschel, and Balnuus, and Manasseas.

32   And of the sonnes of Annas, Elionas, and Aseas, and Melchias, and Sabbeus, and Simon a Chosamite.

33   And of the sonnes of Asom, Altaneus, and Matthias, and Banaias, Eliphalet, and Manasses, and Semi.

34   And of the sonnes of Maani, Ieremias, Momdis, Omairus, Inel, Mamai, and Paclias, and Amos, Carabasion and Euasibus, ∧ Mamnimata Naius, Elisiasis, Uamus, Eliali, Sanus, Selemias, Nathanias: ∧ of the sonnes of Ozoras, Sesis, Esril, Ezailus, Samatas, Sambis, Iosiphus. F   

35   And of the sonnes of Ethna, Mazitias, Zabadias, Ethes, Inel, Banaias.

36   All these had taken ^note outlandishe women to mariage, and they put them away with their chyldren.] ‘ &lhand;

37   And the priestes and Leuites, and [all] they that were of Israel, dwelt at Hierusalem, and throughout all the lande, in the ^note newe moone of the seuenth moneth: and the chyldren of Israel were in their ^note dwellinges.

38   And the whole multitude came together with one accorde into the wyde place before the east gate of the temple.

39   And they spake vnto Esdras the hye priest and reader, that he woulde bryng the lawe of Moyses which had ben geuen of the Lorde God of Israel.

40   So Esdras the hye priest brought the law vnto the whole multitude, to man, and woman, and to al priestes, that they myght heare the lawe, ^note in the ^note newe moone of the seuen moneth. G   

41   And he read in the first wyde place that is before the port of the temple, from the morning early vnto midday before men and women: And they applyed their minde all vnto the lawe.

42   And Esdras the priest and reader of the lawe stoode vp vpon a pulpit of wood whiche was made therfore:

43   And vpon his right hand there stoode by hym Mathathias, Samus, Ananias, Azarias, Urias, Ezechias, and Balasan:

44   Upon his left hande stoode Faldeus, Sael, Melchias, Aothasuphus, and Nabarias.

45   Then toke Esdras the booke of the lawe before the whole multitude (for he was the principall, and had in most honour of them all.)

46   And when he expounded the lawe, they stoode all straight vpon their feete. So Esdras ^note praysed the Lord the most hye God, the almightie God of hoastes.

47   And al the people aunswered, Amen.

48   And Iesus, Anus, Sarabias, Adimus, Iacobus, Battaias, Autamas, Maianias, Calitas, Azarias, Iohasabdus, Ananias, and Biatas, the Leuites, lyft vp their handes, and fell downe on the grounde, and worshipped the Lord,

49   And taught the lawe of the Lord, and were earnestly occupied together in the reading thereof.

50   Then spake Atharates vnto Esdras the hye priest and reader, and to the Leuites that taught the multitude, saying:

51   This day is holy vnto the Lord: and all when they hearde the lawe, wept.

52   [So Esdras sayde:] ^note Depart your way therfore, and eate the fat meates, and drinke the sweete drinkes, and sende gyftes vnto them that haue nothing.

53   For this day is holy vnto the Lorde, and be not ye sory: for the Lorde wyll bryng you to honour.

54   So the Leuites ^note published all these thinges to the people, saying: This day is holy to the Lorde, be not sory:

55   Then went they their way euery one to eate and drinke, and were mery, and sent presents to them that had nothing, and made very good cheare:

56   For they were as yet ^note filled with the wordes that had ben taught them, and for the whiche they had ben assembled. ¶2; The ende of the thirde booke of Esdras.

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