8 and that whoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the leaders and elders, all his goods would be put under a ban, and himself separated from the assembly of the exiles.
9 Then all the men of Yehuḏah and Binyamin gathered at Yerushalayim within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month. And all the people sat in the open space of the House of Elohim, trembling because of the matter and because of showers of rain.
10 And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You, you have trespassed and have taken foreign women, adding to the guilt of Yisra’ĕl.
11 “And now, make confession to יהוה Elohim of your fathers, and do His desire, and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women.”
12 And all the assembly answered and said with a loud voice, “Right! It is upon us to do according to your word.
13 “But the people are many, and it is the season of showers of rain, and we are not able to stand outside. And the work not of one or two days, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.
14 “Please, let the leaders of all the assembly stand. And let all those in our cities who have taken foreign women come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of their cities, until the burning wrath of our Elohim is turned away from us in this matter.”