¹² But many of the older priests, Levites, and family leaders, who had seen the first temple, wept loudly when they saw the foundation of this house,^(A) but many others shouted joyfully. ¹³ The people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shouting from that of the^[a] weeping,^(B) because the people were shouting so loudly. And the sound was heard far away.

Sending Away Foreign Wives

10 While Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and falling facedown^(A) before the house of God, an extremely large assembly of Israelite men, women, and children gathered around him. The people also wept bitterly.^(B)

⁶ Ezra then went from the house of God and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, where he spent the night.^[a] He did not eat food or drink water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.^(A)