The Plan for Ending Mixed Marriages
1 While Ezra was down on his knees in front of God's temple, praying with tears in his eyes and confessing the sins of the people of Israel, a large number of men, women, and children gathered around him and cried bitterly.
2 Shecaniah son of Jehiel from the family of Elam said:
Ezra, we have disobeyed God by marrying these foreign women. But there is still hope for the people of Israel, 3 if we follow your advice and the advice of others who truly respect the laws of God. We must promise God that we will divorce our foreign wives and send them away, together with their children.
4 Ezra, it's up to you to do something! We will support whatever you do. So be brave!
5 Ezra stood up and made the chief priests, the Levites, and everyone else in Israel swear that they would follow the advice of Shecaniah. 6 Then Ezra left God's temple and went to spend the night in the living quarters of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. He felt sorry because of what the people had done, and he did not eat or drink a thing.
7-8 The officials and leaders sent a message to all who had returned from Babylonia and were now living in Jerusalem and Judah. This message told them to meet in Jerusalem within three days, or else they would lose everything they owned and would no longer be considered part of the people that had returned from Babylonia.
9 Three days later, on the twentieth day of the ninth month, everyone from Judah and Benjamin came to Jerusalem and sat in the temple courtyard. It was a serious meeting, and they sat there, trembling in the rain.
10 Ezra the priest stood up and said:
You have broken God's Law by marrying foreign women, and you have made the whole nation guilty! 11 Now you must confess your sins to the Lord God of your ancestors and obey him. Divorce your foreign wives and don't have anything to do with the rest of the foreigners who live around here.
12 Everyone in the crowd shouted:
You're right! We will do what you say. 13 But there are so many of us, and we can't just stay out here in this downpour. A lot of us have sinned by marrying foreign women, and the matter can't be settled in only a day or two.
14 Why can't our officials stay on in Jerusalem and take care of this for us? Let everyone who has sinned in this way meet here at a certain time with leaders and judges from their own towns. If we take care of this problem, God will surely stop being so terribly angry with us.
15 Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah were the only ones who objected, except for the two Levites, Meshullam and Shabbethai.
16 Everyone else who had returned from exile agreed with the plan. So Ezra the priest chose men who were heads of the families, and he listed their names. They started looking into the matter on the first day of the tenth month, 17 and they did not finish until the first day of the first month of the next year.
The Men Who Had Foreign Wives
18-19 Here is a list of the priests who had agreed to divorce their foreign wives and to sacrifice a ram as a sin offering:
Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah from the family of Joshua son of Jozadak and his brothers; 20 Hanani and Zebadiah from the family of Immer; 21 Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah from the family of Harim; 22 Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah from the family of Pashhur.
23 Those Levites who had foreign wives were: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also known as Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 Eliashib, the musician, had a foreign wife.
These temple guards had foreign wives:
Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 Here is a list of the others from Israel who had foreign wives:
Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, and Benaiah from the family of Parosh;
26 Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah from the family of Elam;
27 Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza from the family of Zattu;
28 Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai from the family of Bebai;
29 Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth from the family of Bani;
30 Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh from the family of Pahath Moab;
31-32 Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah from the family of Harim;
33 Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei from the family of Hashum;
34-37 Maadai, Amram, Uel, Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu from the family of Bani;
38-42 Shimei, Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph from the family of Binnui;
43 Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah from the family of Nebo.
44 These men divorced their foreign wives, then sent them and their children away.
Feeroo meŋ landita ka bantalankoolu futuuñooyaa daŋ
1 Kabiriŋ Esira be duwaa kaŋ, aniŋ ka ì la soŋo yitandi, a be kumboo la, aniŋ ka a faŋ fayi duuma Alla Batudulaa Buŋo* ñaatiliŋo la, Banisirayilankoolu kafu baa, kewolu, musoolu, aniŋ dindiŋolu benta a kunna. Moolu fanaa kumboota kendeke le. 2 Bituŋ Yehiyeli dinkewo Sekaniya, meŋ bota Elamu koomalankoolu kono, ko Esira ye ko, “M̀ badalita ǹ na Alla la karoo la le ka bo niŋ bantala musoolu futuwo la, bari hani wo, jikoo be Banisirayilankoolu ye le, ñiŋ kuwo to. 3 Saayiŋ ǹ ñanta kambeŋo le siti la ǹ na Alla ñaatiliŋo la, ka ǹ na ñiŋ musoolu bee bula, ì niŋ ì diŋolu ye taa. M̀ be ñiŋ ke la ka bo niŋ ite, m maarii la kaŋo le kaŋ, aniŋ moolu la kaŋo kaŋ mennu silata ǹ na Alla la yaamaroolu la. Alla la Luwaa ye meŋ fo, m̀ be wo le ke la. 4 Wuli, kaatu ñiŋ kuwo be ite le bulu, aduŋ ntolu be i maakoyi la le. I si wakiili, i ye kuu ke.”
5 Bituŋ Esira wulita, aduŋ a ye piriisi* kuntiyolu, Lewi lasiloo, aniŋ Banisirayilankoolu bee kalindi ko, ì be baara la ñiŋ kumoo le la. Aduŋ ì ye kaloo ñiŋ taa le.
Bantala musoolu niŋ ì diŋolu fintindita
6 Wo le to Esira bota Alla Batudulaa Buŋo ñaatiliŋo la, a taata Eliyasibu dinkewo Yehohanani la buŋo kono. A tarata jee le suutoo bee, a be sunuriŋ moolu la badaloo la, mennu seyita naŋ ka bo mutoo kono. A maŋ feŋ domo waraŋ ka i miŋ. 7 Bituŋ kankulaaroo keta Yerusalaamu niŋ Yahuuda muumewo kono, ka moolu bee kumandi mennu seyita naŋ ka bo mutoo kono, ka beŋ Yerusalaamu saatewo kono. 8 Ñaatonkoolu niŋ alifaalu ye kaŋo dii le ko, niŋ moo-wo-moo maŋ naa tili saba wucoo kono, a be bono la a la sotofeŋolu bee le to, aduŋ a daa be bondi la moolu la kafoo kono le, mennu muruta naŋ.
9 Bituŋ Yahuuda niŋ Benjamini kewolu bee benta Yerusalaamu saatewo to, tili saba wucoo kono. A keta kari konontonjaŋo tili muwaŋo le la. Moolu bee siita luwo le to, Alla Batudulaa Buŋo ñaatiliŋo la. Ì tarata jarajara kaŋ ne, kuwo ñiŋ kamma la, aniŋ sanji baa meŋ fanaa be ke kaŋ. 10 Bituŋ Piriisi Esira wulita, a ko ì ye ko, “Ali badalita le, ka bantala musoolu futuu, aduŋ ali ye Banisirayilankoolu la boyoo jawuyandi le. 11 Saayiŋ ali tuubiseyi Yaawe* ma, ali mumuñolu la Alla, aduŋ ali si a la lafoo ke. Ali ali faŋolu fatandi banku koteŋolu moolu ma, ali niŋ mennu be siiriŋ, aniŋ bantala musoolu.”
12 Bituŋ kafoo bee ye jaabiroo ke ñoo la santo ko, “Tooñaa le mu. I ye meŋ fo, ǹ ñanta wo le ke la. 13 Bari moo siyaata le, aduŋ samaa le be keriŋ. Ǹ te loo noo la banta. Aduŋ ñiŋ kuwo te bo noo la ñoo to tili kiliŋ doroŋ na, waraŋ tili fula, kaatu m̀ moo jamaa le ye landatamboo ke ñiŋ kuwo to. 14 Ǹ na ñaatonkoolu bula ì ye tu Yerusalaamu, ì ye loo kafoo bee ye ñiŋ kuwo to. Bituŋ moo-wo-moo ye bantala musoo soto, a si naa waati londiriŋo la. A niŋ a bodulaa saatewo alifaalu niŋ kiitindirilaalu si naa ñoo la. Ka bo niŋ ñiŋ na, Alla la kamfaa baa be bo la ñiŋ kuwo to le.” 15 Asaheli dinkewo Yonatani, aniŋ Tikiwa dinkewo Yaaseya doroŋ ne ye ñiŋ soosoo, aduŋ Mesullamu aniŋ Sabetayi Lewi lasili moo laata ì kaŋ ne.
16 Bituŋ moolu mennu seyita naŋ ka bo mutoo kono, ye wo le ke. Wo le to Piriisi Esira ye kewolu tomboŋ, aniŋ bonsuŋolu la alifaalu, ka loo ì la moolu ye. A ye ì bee ke ì faŋ ye le ka bo niŋ ì toolu la. Kari tanjaŋo tili foloo le, ì ye a dati ka kuwo ñiŋ kisikisi. 17 Wo jaaroo kari foloo tili foloo le, ì ye kewolu bee la kuwo baŋ bo la ñoo to, mennu ye bantala musoolu futuu.
Kewolu mennu ye bantala musoolu futuu
18 Mennu bonsuŋolu mu piriisoolu ti, wolu kono ñinnu le ye bantala musoolu futuu:
Yosadaki dinkewo Yesuwa, aniŋ a baadiŋ kewolu koomalankoolu, Maaseya, Eliyesa, Yaribu, aniŋ Kedaliya. 19 Ì ye ì kaŋo dii le ka ì la musoolu bula, aniŋ ka saajiikotoŋo bondi sadaa* ti, ì la junuboolu kafarilaŋo.
20 Immeri koomalankoolu: Hanani aniŋ Sebadiya.
21 Harimu koomalankoolu: Maaseya, Eliya, Semaya, Yehiyeli, aniŋ Usiya.
22 Pasihuri koomalankoolu: Eloyenayi, Maaseya, Isimayila, Netaneli, Yosabadi, aniŋ Elasa.
23 Lewi lasiloo koomalankoolu kono: Yosabadi, Simeyi, Kelaya, meŋ too doo mu Kelita ti, Petahiya, Yahuuda, aniŋ Eliyesa.
24 Suukuulaalaalu: Eliyasibu.
Dundaŋ daa kantalaalu: Sallumu, Telemu, aniŋ Uri.
25 Banisirayilanka doolu kono:
Parosi koomalankoolu: Ramiya, Isiya, Malikiya, Miyamini, Eleyasa, Malikiya, aniŋ Benaya.
26 Elamu koomalankoolu: Mataniya, Jakariya, Yehiyeli, Abudi, Yeremoti, aniŋ Eliya.
27 Satu koomalankoolu: Eloyenayi, Eliyasibu, Mataniya, Yeremoti, Sabadi, aniŋ Asisa.
28 Bebayi koomalankoolu: Yehohanani, Hananiya, Sabayi, aniŋ Atilayi.
29 Bani koomalankoolu: Mesullamu, Malluki, Adaya, Yasubu, Seyali, aniŋ Yeremoti.
30 Pahati-Mowabi koomalankoolu: Adina, Kelali, Benaya, Maaseya, Mataniya, Besaleli, Binnuyi, aniŋ Manase.
31 Harimu koomalankoolu: Eliyesa, Isiya, Malikiya, Semaya, aniŋ Simeyoni, 32 Benjamini, Malluki, aniŋ Semariya.
33 Hasumu koomalankoolu: Matenayi, Matata, Sabadi, Elifeleti, Yeremayi, Manase, aniŋ Simeyi.
34 Bani koomalankoolu: Maadayi, Amuramu, Uweli, 35 Benaya, Bedeya, Keluhi, 36 Waniya, Meremoti, Eliyasibu, 37 Mataniya, Matenayi, aniŋ Yaasu.
38 Binnuyi koomalankoolu: Simeyi, 39 Selemiya, Natani, Adaya, 40 Makinadebayi, Sasayi, Sarayi, 41 Asareli, Selemiya, Semariya, 42 Sallumu, Amariya, aniŋ Yusufa.
43 Nebo koomalankoolu: Yeyeli, Matitiya, Sabadi, Sebina, Yadayi, Yoweli, aniŋ Benaya.
44 Ñinnu bee le ye bantala musoolu futuu, aduŋ doolu ye diŋolu soto ñiŋ musoolu la le.
