Ezra 10:9
New International Version
Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain.

New Living Translation
Within three days, all the people of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. This took place on December 19, and all the people were sitting in the square before the Temple of God. They were trembling both because of the seriousness of the matter and because it was raining.

English Standard Version
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.

Berean Standard Bible
So within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem, and on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God, trembling regarding this matter and because of the heavy rain.

King James Bible
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

New King James Version
So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered at Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month; and all the people sat in the open square of the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of heavy rain.

New American Standard Bible
So all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month on the twentieth of the month, and all the people sat in the public square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and the heavy rain.

NASB 1995
So all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month on the twentieth of the month, and all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and the heavy rain.

NASB 1977
So all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month on the twentieth of the month, and all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and the heavy rain.

Legacy Standard Bible
So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month on the twentieth of the month, and all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and the heavy rain.

Amplified Bible
So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered at Jerusalem within three days. It was the twentieth [day] of the ninth month, and all the people sat in the open square in front of the house of God, trembling because of [the seriousness of] this matter and because of the heavy rain.

Christian Standard Bible
So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. On the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. On the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.

American Standard Version
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within the three days (it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month); and all the people sat in the broad place before the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

Contemporary English Version
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.

English Revised Version
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month: and all the people sat in the broad place before the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered within three days in Jerusalem. On the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the courtyard of God's temple. They were trembling because of this matter and shivering because of the heavy rain.

Good News Translation
Within the three days, on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the men living in the territory of Judah and Benjamin came to Jerusalem and assembled in the Temple square. It was raining hard, and because of the weather and the importance of the meeting everyone was trembling.

International Standard Version
Less than three days later, all of the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered together on the twentieth day of the ninth month. Everyone sat in the plaza of the Temple of God, trembling because of everything that was happening, and also because it was raining heavily.

Majority Standard Bible
So within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem, and on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God, trembling regarding this matter and because of the heavy rain.

NET Bible
All the men of Judah and Benjamin were gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. (It was in the ninth month, on the twentieth day of that month.) All the people sat in the square at the temple of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the rains.

New Heart English Bible
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month: and all the people sat in the broad place before God's house, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, and the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

World English Bible
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the wide place in front of God’s house, trembling because of this matter, and because of the great rain.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And all the men of Judah and Benjamin are gathered to Jerusalem by the third day, it [is] the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month, and all the people sit in the broad place of the house of God, trembling on account of the matter and of the showers.

Young's Literal Translation
And gathered are all the men of Judah and Benjamin to Jerusalem by the third day, it is the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month, and all the people sit in the broad place of the house of God, trembling on account of the matter and of the showers.

Smith's Literal Translation
And all the men of Judah and Benjamin will gather together at Jerusalem in three days. It was the ninth month, in the twentieth in the month, and all the people will sit in the broad place of the house of God, trembling for the word, and from the heavy showers.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then all the men of Juda, and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within three days, in the ninth month, the twentieth day of the month: and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of the sin, and the rain.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so, all the men of Judah and of Benjamin convened in Jerusalem within three days. This was in the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of the sin and the rain.

New American Bible
All the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered together in Jerusalem within the three-day period: it was in the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. All the people, sitting in the open place before the house of God, were trembling both over the matter at hand and because it was raining.

New Revised Standard Version
Then all the people of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. All the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the tenth day of the month; and all the people of the LORD assembled in the street of the temple of the LORD, trembling and shuddering because of this matter.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And all the men of Yehuda and Benjamin assembled to Jerusalem within three days in the ninth month on the tenth of the month, and all the people of LORD JEHOVAH gathered in the street of the temple of LORD JEHOVAH, shaking and fearful for the matter.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the broad place before the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
So all the men of Juda and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. This was the ninth month: on the twentieth day of the month all the people sat down in the street of the house of the Lord, because of their alarm concerning the word, and because of the storm.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The People's Confession of Sin
8Whoever failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, according to the counsel of the leaders and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles. 9So within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem, and on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God, trembling regarding this matter and because of the heavy rain. 10Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to the guilt of Israel.…

Cross References
Nehemiah 8:1-3
At that time all the people gathered together in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. / On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could listen and understand. / So Ezra read it aloud from daybreak until noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate, in front of the men and women and those who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

Nehemiah 9:1-3
On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, with dust on their heads. / Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all the foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. / While they stood in their places, they read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and they spent another quarter of the day in confession and worship of the LORD their God.

2 Chronicles 20:3-4
Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah. / So the people of Judah gathered to seek the LORD, and indeed, they came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him.

Joel 2:15-17
Blow the ram’s horn in Zion, consecrate a fast, proclaim a sacred assembly. / Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the aged, gather the children, even those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. / Let the priests who minister before the LORD weep between the portico and the altar, saying, “Spare Your people, O LORD, and do not make Your heritage a reproach, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

Acts 2:1-4
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. / Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. / They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ...

Acts 15:6-7
So the apostles and elders met to look into this matter. / After much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you that the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.

1 Samuel 7:5-6
Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD on your behalf.” / When they had gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted, and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.

2 Kings 23:1-3
Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. / And he went up to the house of the LORD with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the prophets—all the people small and great—and in their hearing he read all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD. / So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of the covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.

Matthew 18:20
For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them.”

Acts 13:44
On the following Sabbath, nearly the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 5:4-5
When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, along with the power of the Lord Jesus, / hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.

2 Chronicles 15:9-15
And he assembled all Judah and Benjamin, along with those from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them, for great numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. / So they gathered together in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. / At that time they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep from all the plunder they had brought back. ...

Acts 19:18-20
Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds. / And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone. When the value of the books was calculated, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. / So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail.

2 Chronicles 30:13-14
In the second month, a very great assembly gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. / They proceeded to remove the altars in Jerusalem and to take away the incense altars and throw them into the Kidron Valley.

Acts 4:31
After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.


Treasury of Scripture

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.

Ezra 7:8,9
And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king…

Esther 2:16
So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

trembling

1 Samuel 12:17,18
Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king…

Jeremiah 10:10,13
But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation…

great rain.

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Ezra 10
1. Ezra encouraged to reform the strange marriages
6. Ezra assembles the people
9. The people repent, and promise amendment
15. The care to perform it
18. The names of them which had married strange wives














So within the three days
This phrase indicates a sense of urgency and obedience among the people. The Hebrew root for "three days" (שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים, sheloshet yamim) often signifies completeness or a significant period of time in the Bible. Historically, this reflects the people's willingness to respond promptly to Ezra's call, demonstrating their commitment to rectifying their disobedience.

all the men of Judah and Benjamin
The tribes of Judah and Benjamin were the primary constituents of the post-exilic community in Jerusalem. This highlights the unity and collective responsibility of the people. Historically, these tribes were central to the Southern Kingdom, and their gathering signifies a communal effort to restore covenant faithfulness.

had gathered in Jerusalem
Jerusalem, the spiritual and political center of Israel, serves as the backdrop for this significant assembly. The gathering in Jerusalem underscores the importance of the city as a place of divine encounter and decision-making. Archaeologically, Jerusalem was the heart of Jewish worship, and this assembly reflects the centrality of the Temple and the city in Jewish life.

And on the twentieth day of the ninth month
This specific date marks a moment of decision and action. The ninth month, Kislev, corresponds to late autumn, a time of rain and cold in Israel. The specificity of the date emphasizes the historical accuracy and the solemnity of the occasion.

all the people sat in the square
The public square was a place of assembly and judgment in ancient cities. This setting indicates transparency and communal involvement in the proceedings. It reflects the biblical principle of public accountability and the importance of community in addressing sin.

before the house of God
The "house of God" refers to the Temple, the focal point of Jewish worship and sacrifice. Being before the Temple signifies the people's recognition of God's authority and their submission to His will. It is a reminder of the centrality of worship and repentance in the life of God's people.

trembling because of this matter
The trembling of the people indicates a deep sense of conviction and fear of the Lord. The Hebrew root for "trembling" (רָעַד, ra'ad) conveys a physical manifestation of spiritual and emotional distress. This reflects the biblical theme of the fear of the Lord as the beginning of wisdom and the seriousness with which they approached their sin.

and because of the heavy rain
The mention of "heavy rain" adds a vivid, physical dimension to the scene, emphasizing the discomfort and urgency of the situation. The rain, a symbol of God's provision and sometimes judgment, underscores the gravity of the assembly's purpose. It serves as a reminder of the natural and divine elements at play in the narrative.

Verse 9. - All the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem. This is of course to be understood with certain necessary or natural exceptions, as of the sick, the aged and infirm, and the youths under full age. Still it would be a vast gathering, doubling probably for the time the population of the city. It was the ninth month. The month Chisleu, corresponding nearly to our December. All the people sat in the street of the house of God. The word translated "street" means any broad open space, and is probably used here to designate the great court of the temple (Patrick). By "all the people" we must understand as many as the court would conveniently hold. If the court had the dimensions given it by Hecataeus of Abdera, it may have accommodated the whole body of the country Jews. The great rain. December is a rainy month in Palestine; and the incidental mention of "the great rain" is one of those small touches which stamp the writer as an eyewitness. ADDRESS OF EZRA, AND CONSENT OF THE PEOPLE TO PUT AWAY THE STRANGE WIVES (vers. 10- 14). Hitherto Ezra seems to have allowed the leading part in the matter to be taken by the civil authorities, whom he had found established in Jerusalem on his arrival (Ezra 9:1-8). Now he came forward boldly, denouncing the sin committed, and as supreme governor commanding the repudiation of the strange wives. The assembled multitude consented, but urged that the matter required time; that the season was unsuitable for a prolonged stay of the whole body of country Jews at Jerusalem, and that the business would be most conveniently carried through by a standing commission consisting of the chief authorities of the city of Jerusalem, who should take the case of each country town separately, and, in conjunction with the elders and judges of each town, investigate the alleged mixed marriages of each locality, and adjudicate upon them. By this arrangement the bulk of the country Jews would be allowed at once to return home; and the case of each locality being taken separately, only a small number would at any given time be suffering the inconvenience of a compulsory absence from their residences, and the expense of a stay of some duration in the capital. The proposal was reasonable, and it appears to have approved itself to Ezra and his advisers, and to have been at once adopted.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So within the three
לִשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת (liš·lō·šeṯ)
Preposition-l | Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

days,
הַיָּמִ֗ים (hay·yā·mîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3117: A day

all
כָל־ (ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the men
אַנְשֵֽׁי־ (’an·šê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

of Judah
יְהוּדָה֩ (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

and Benjamin
וּבִנְיָמִ֨ן ׀ (ū·ḇin·yā·min)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1144: Benjamin -- 'son of the right hand', youngest son of Jacob, also the name of two other Israelites

assembled
וַיִּקָּבְצ֣וּ (way·yiq·qā·ḇə·ṣū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6908: To gather, collect

in Jerusalem,
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם (yə·rū·šā·lim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel

and on the twentieth day
בְּעֶשְׂרִ֣ים (bə·‘eś·rîm)
Preposition-b | Number - common plural
Strong's 6242: Twenty, twentieth

of the ninth
הַתְּשִׁיעִ֖י (hat·tə·šî·‘î)
Article | Number - ordinal masculine singular
Strong's 8671: Ninth (an ordinal number)

month,
חֹ֥דֶשׁ (ḥō·ḏeš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2320: The new moon, a month

all
כָל־ (ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the people
הָעָ֗ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

sat
וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ (way·yê·šə·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

in the square
בִּרְחוֹב֙ (bir·ḥō·wḇ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7339: A broad open place, plaza

at the house
בֵּ֣ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of God,
הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

trembling
מַרְעִידִ֥ים (mar·‘î·ḏîm)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7460: To tremble, quake

regarding
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

this matter
הַדָּבָ֖ר (had·dā·ḇār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

and because of the heavy rain.
וּמֵהַגְּשָׁמִֽים׃ (ū·mê·hag·gə·šā·mîm)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1653: Rain, shower


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OT History: Ezra 10:9 Then all the men of Judah (Ezr. Ez)
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