10Ezra was praying and admitting to God that his people had sinned. He was sobbing and throwing himself down in front of the house of God. Then a large crowd gathered around him. Men, women and children were there. They too sobbed bitterly.

²Shecaniah spoke to Ezra. Shecaniah was the son of Jehiel. He belonged to the family line of Elam. Shecaniah said, “We haven’t been faithful to our God. We’ve gotten married to women from the nations that are around us. In spite of that, there is still hope for Israel. ³So let’s make a covenant in the sight of our God. Let’s promise to send away all of those women and their children. That’s what you have advised us to do. Those who respect our God’s commands have given us the same advice. We want to do what the Law says.

⁴“Get up, Ezra. This matter is in your hands. Do what you need to. We will be behind you all the way. Be brave and do it.”

⁵So Ezra got up. He made the leading priests and Levites and all of the people of Israel take an oath. He made them promise they would do what Shecaniah had suggested. And they took the oath.

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Ezra 10:4: Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it…