1   Then ^note Esdras rose from the court of the Temple, and went to the chamber of Ioannan the sonne of Eliasib,

2   And being lodged there, he did eate no bread nor dranke water, but mourned for the great iniquities of the multitude.

3   And there was a proclamation in al Iudea and Ierusalem, to all them that were of the captiuitie, that they should be gathered to Ierusalem,

4   And that all they which shoulde not meete there within two or three dayes, according to the ordinaunce of the Elders, which bare rule, shoulde haue their cattel confiscate to the Temple, and he cast out from among them of the captiuitie.

5   Then all they which were of the tribe of Iuda & Beniamin, came together within three dayes into Ierusalem: this was the ninth moneth, and twentieth day of the moneth.

6   And all the multitude sate in the broad place of the temple shaking, because of the extreme winter.

7   Then Esdras arose and said to them, Yee haue sinned: for ye haue marryed strange wiues, so that ye haue augmented the sinnes of Israel.

8   Now therefore confesse and glorifie the Lord God of our fathers,

9   And doe his will, and separate your selues from the people of the land, and from the strange wiues.

10   Then all the multitude cryed out and sayde with a lowd voyce, We wil do so as thou hast sayd.

11   But because the multitude is great, and the time is winter, so that we cannot stand without, and the worke is not of one day nor of two, seeing that many of vs haue sinned in this matter,

12   Let the chiefe men of the multitude, and all they which haue strange wiues of our families, tarie:

13   And let the Priests and Iudges come out of all places at the day appoynted, til they haue appeased þe; wrath of the Lord against vs for this matter.

14   Then Ionathas Asaels sonne, and ^note Ezecias sonne of ^note Thecan were appoynted concerning these things, and Mosollam and Sabbateus did helpe them.

15   And they which were of the captiuitie, did after all these thinges.

16   Esdras the Priest also chose him certayne men, chiefe of their families, all by name: and they sate together in the first daye of the tenth moneth to examine this matter.

17   And they made an ende of the things pertayning to them that had maryed straunge wiues in the first day of the first moneth.

18   And there were found of the Priestes, which had marryed straunge wiues,

19   Of the sonnes of Iesus, the sonne of Iosedec, and of his brethren, ^note Mathelas, and Eleazar, and Ioribus, and ^note Ionadan.

20   Who also gaue their hands to cast out their wiues, and offred a ram for their reconciliation in their purgation.

21   And of the sonnes of Emmer, ^note Ananias, and Zabdeus, and Canes, and Sameius, and Hiereel, and Azarias.

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

23   And of the Leuites, ^note Iorabadus, and Semis, and Colius, who was called ^note Calitas, and Patheus, and Ooudas, and Ionas.

24   Of the holy singers, ^note Eliazurus, Bacchurus.

25   Of the Porters, ^note Sallumus, and Tolbanes.

26   Of them of Israel, of the sonnes of Phorus, ^note Hiermas, and Eddias, & Melchias, and Maelus, & Eleazar, and Asibias, and ^note Banaias.

27   Of the sonnes of ^note Ela, Matthanias, Zacharias, and ^note Hierielas, and ^note Hieremoth, and Aedias.

28   And of the sonnes of ^note Zamoth, Eliadas, Elisimus, Othonias, Iarimoth, & ^note Sabatus, & Sardeus.

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

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

31   And of the sonnes of ^note Addi, Naathus, Moosias, Laccunus, and Naidus, and Mathanias, and ^note 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 ^note Asom, Altaneus, and ^note Matthias, and Bannaias, Eliphalat, and Manasses, and Semei.

34   And of the sonnes of ^note Maani, Ieremias, Momdis, Omairus, Inel, Mamai, and Paclias, and Amos, Carabasion and Euasibus, and Mamnimatanaius, Elisiasis, Vamus, Eliali, Samis, Selemias, Nathanias, and of the sonnes of Ozoras, Sesis, Esril, Azailus, Samatas, Sambis, Iosipus.

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

36   All these married strange wiues, & put them away with their children.

37   And the Priestes and the Leuites dwelt in Ierusalem, and in the countrey, the first day of the seuenth moneth, and the children of Israel in their owne houses. owne houses.

38   ¶2; ^note Then all the multitude assembled together with one consent into the broade place before the gate of the Temple towarde the East,

39   And spake to Esdras the Priest, and reader, that he should bring the Law of Moyses, which had bene giuen by the Lord God of Israel.

40   Then brought Esdras the chiefe Priest the lawe to all the multitude, both man and woman, and to all the Priests, that they might heare the Lawe the first day of the seuenth moneth.

41   And he read in the first broad place of the gate of the Temple, from morning to midday, before the men and the women, and all the multitude hearkened to the Lawe.

42   So Esdras the Priest and reader of the Lawe, stoode vpon a pulpet of wood that was prepared.

43   And there stoode by him ^note Matgathias, Sammus, Ananias, Azarias, Ourias, Ezecias, Balasamus at his right hand,

44   And at his left hand ^note Paldaius, and Sail, Melchias, Aothasaphus, Nabarias.

45   Then Esdras tooke the booke of the Lawe before the multitude (for hee sate honourably before them all)

46   And they all stoode vpright when hee expounded the Lawe, and Esdras blessed the Lorde the most hie God, the most mighty God of hostes.

47   And the whole multitude cryed, Amen.

48   Then Iesus and ^note Anus, and Sarabias, and Adimus, and Iacobus, Sabataias, Autanias, Maianias and Calitas, Azarias, and Ioazabdus, and Ananias, and Biatas the Leuites lift vp their hands, and fell downe on the grounde, and worshipped the Lord,

49   And taught the Law of the Lord, & stoode also earnestly vpon the reading.

50   Then said ^note Aththarates to Esdras the chiefe Priest and reader, and to the Leuites, that taught the multitude in al things, This day is holy vnto the Lorde, and all haue wept in hearing of the Lawe.

51   Goe therefore and eate the fat meates, and drinke the sweete drinkes, and send presents to them that haue not.

52   For this day is holy to the Lorde, and be not sorie: for the Lord God will glorifie you.

53   So the Leuites commaunded all these things to the people, saying, This day is holy to the Lorde: be not sad.

54   Then they departed all to eate, and drinke, and to reioyce, and to giue presents to them that had not, and to make good cheare.

55   For they were yet filled with the wordes wherewith they were instructed, when they were assembled together.

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