EZR 1:1 Now in
the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to
fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of
Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus
king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation
throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in
writing, saying,
EZR 1:2 "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, 'The
Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the
kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to
build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
EZR 1:3 'Whoever there is among you of all
His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up
to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and rebuild the
house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God
who is in Jerusalem.
EZR 1:4 'And every survivor, at whatever
place he may live, let the men of that place support
him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle,
together with a freewill offering for the house of
God which is in Jerusalem.' "
EZR 1:5 Then the heads of fathers' households
of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the
Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had
stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord
which is in Jerusalem.
EZR 1:6 And all those about them encouraged
them with articles of silver, with gold, with goods,
with cattle, and with valuables, aside from all that
was given as a freewill offering.
EZR 1:7 Also King Cyrus brought out the
articles of the house of the Lord, which
Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and
put in the house of his gods;
EZR 1:8 and Cyrus, king of Persia, had them
brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer,
and he counted them out to Sheshbazzar, the prince
of Judah.
EZR 1:9 Now this was their number: 30 gold
dishes, 1,000 silver dishes, 29 duplicates;
EZR 1:10 30 gold bowls, 410 silver bowls of a
second kind, and 1,000 other articles.
EZR 1:11 All the articles of gold and silver
numbered 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought them all up with
the exiles who went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
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EZR 2:1 Now these
are the people of the province who came up out of
the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the
king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and
returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city.
EZR 2:2 These came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua,
Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan,
Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of the
men of the people of Israel:
EZR 2:3 the sons of Parosh, 2,172;
EZR 2:4 the sons of Shephatiah, 372;
EZR 2:5 the sons of Arah, 775;
EZR 2:6 the sons of Pahath-moab of the sons
of Jeshua and Joab, 2,812;
EZR 2:7 the sons of Elam, 1,254;
EZR 2:8 the sons of Zattu, 945;
EZR 2:9 the sons of Zaccai, 760;
EZR 2:10 the sons of Bani, 642;
EZR 2:11 the sons of Bebai, 623;
EZR 2:12 the sons of Azgad, 1,222;
EZR 2:13 the sons of Adonikam, 666;
EZR 2:14 the sons of Bigvai, 2,056;
EZR 2:15 the sons of Adin, 454;
EZR 2:16 the sons of Ater of Hezekiah, 98;
EZR 2:17 the sons of Bezai, 323;
EZR 2:18 the sons of Jorah, 112;
EZR 2:19 the sons of Hashum, 223;
EZR 2:20 the sons of Gibbar, 95;
EZR 2:21 the men of Bethlehem, 123;
EZR 2:22 the men of Netophah, 56;
EZR 2:23 the men of Anathoth, 128;
EZR 2:24 the sons of Azmaveth, 42;
EZR 2:25 the sons of Kiriath-arim, Chephirah,
and Beeroth, 743;
EZR 2:26 the sons of Ramah and Geba, 621;
EZR 2:27 the men of Michmas, 122;
EZR 2:28 the men of Bethel and Ai, 223;
EZR 2:29 the sons of Nebo, 52;
EZR 2:30 the sons of Magbish, 156;
EZR 2:31 the sons of the other Elam, 1,254;
EZR 2:32 the sons of Harim, 320;
EZR 2:33 the sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono,
725;
EZR 2:34 the men of Jericho, 345;
EZR 2:35 the sons of Senaah, 3,630.
EZR 2:36 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah of
the house of Jeshua, 973;
EZR 2:37 the sons of Immer, 1,052;
EZR 2:38 the sons of Pashhur, 1,247;
EZR 2:39 the sons of Harim, 1,017.
EZR 2:40 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua and
Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, 74.
EZR 2:41 The singers: the sons of Asaph, 128.
EZR 2:42 The sons of the gatekeepers: the
sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of
Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the
sons of Shobai, in all 139.
EZR 2:43 The temple servants: the sons of
Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth,
EZR 2:44 the sons of Keros, the sons of Siaha,
the sons of Padon,
EZR 2:45 the sons of Lebanah, the sons of
Hagabah, the sons of Akkub,
EZR 2:46 the sons of Hagab, the sons of
Shalmai, the sons of Hanan,
EZR 2:47 the sons of Giddel, the sons of
Gahar, the sons of Reaiah,
EZR 2:48 the sons of Rezin, the sons of
Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam,
EZR 2:49 the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah,
the sons of Besai,
EZR 2:50 the sons of Asnah, the sons of
Meunim, the sons of Nephisim,
EZR 2:51 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of
Hakupha, the sons of Harhur,
EZR 2:52 the sons of Bazluth, the sons of
Mehida, the sons of Harsha,
EZR 2:53 the sons of Barkos, the sons of
Sisera, the sons of Temah,
EZR 2:54 the sons of Neziah, the sons of
Hatipha.
EZR 2:55 The sons of Solomon's servants: the
sons of Sotai, the sons of Hassophereth, the sons of
Peruda,
EZR 2:56 the sons of Jaalah, the sons of
Darkon, the sons of Giddel,
EZR 2:57 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of
Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of
Ami.
EZR 2:58 All the temple servants, and the
sons of Solomon's servants, were 392.
EZR 2:59 Now these are those who came up from
Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but
they were not able to give evidence of their
fathers' households, and their descendants, whether
they were of Israel:
EZR 2:60 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of
Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 652.
EZR 2:61 And of the sons of the priests: the
sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of
Barzillai, who took a wife from the daughters of
Barzillai the Gileadite, and he was called by their
name.
EZR 2:62 These searched among their ancestral
registration, but they could not be located;
therefore they were considered unclean and excluded
from the priesthood.
EZR 2:63 And the governor said to them that
they should not eat from the most holy things until
a priest stood up with Urim and Thummim.
EZR 2:64 The whole assembly numbered 42,360,
EZR 2:65 besides their male and female
servants, who numbered 7,337; and they had 200
singing men and women.
EZR 2:66 Their horses were 736; their mules,
245;
EZR 2:67 their camels, 435; their donkeys,
6,720.
EZR 2:68 And some of the heads of fathers'
households, when they arrived at the house of the
Lord which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for
the house of God to restore it on its foundation.
EZR 2:69 According to their ability they gave
to the treasury for the work 61,000 gold drachmas,
and 5,000 silver minas, and 100 priestly garments.
EZR 2:70 Now the priests and the Levites,
some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers,
and the temple servants lived in their cities, and
all Israel in their cities.
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EZR 3:1 Now when
the seventh month came, and the sons of Israel were
in the cities, the people gathered together as one
man to Jerusalem.
EZR 3:2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and
his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of
Shealtiel, and his brothers arose and built the
altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings
on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man
of God.
EZR 3:3 So they set up the altar on its
foundation, for they were terrified because of the
peoples of the lands; and they offered burnt
offerings on it to the Lord, burnt offerings morning
and evening.
EZR 3:4 And they celebrated the Feast of
Booths, as it is written, and offered the fixed
number of burnt offerings daily, according to the
ordinance, as each day required;
EZR 3:5 and afterward there was a continual
burnt offering, also for the new moons and for all
the fixed festivals of the Lord that were
consecrated, and from everyone who offered a
freewill offering to the Lord.
EZR 3:6 From the first day of the seventh
month they began to offer burnt offerings to the
Lord, but the foundation of the temple of the Lord
had not been laid.
EZR 3:7 Then they gave money to the masons
and carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the
Sidonians and to the Tyrians, to bring cedar wood
from Lebanon to the sea at Joppa, according to the
permission they had from Cyrus king of Persia.
EZR 3:8 Now in the second year of their
coming to the house of God at Jerusalem in the
second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and
Jeshua the son of Jozadak and the rest of their
brothers the priests and the Levites, and all who
came from the captivity to Jerusalem, began the work
and appointed the Levites from twenty years and
older to oversee the work of the house of the Lord.
EZR 3:9 Then Jeshua with his sons and
brothers stood united with Kadmiel and his sons, the
sons of Judah and the sons of Henadad with their
sons and brothers the Levites, to oversee the
workmen in the temple of God.
EZR 3:10 Now when the builders had laid the
foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests
stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the
Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise
the Lord according to the directions of King David
of Israel.
EZR 3:11 And they sang, praising and giving
thanks to the Lord, saying, "For He is good, for His
lovingkindness is upon Israel forever." And all the
people shouted with a great shout when they praised
the Lord because the foundation of the house of the
Lord was laid.
EZR 3:12 Yet many of the priests and Levites
and heads of fathers' households, the old men who
had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice
when the foundation of this house was laid before
their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy;
EZR 3:13 so that the people could not
distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the
sound of the weeping of the people, for the people
shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard
far away.
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EZR 4:1 Now when
the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the
people of the exile were building a temple to the
Lord God of Israel,
EZR 4:2 they approached Zerubbabel and the
heads of fathers' households, and said to them, "Let
us build with you, for we, like you, seek your God;
and we have been sacrificing to Him since the days
of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up
here."
EZR 4:3 But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the
rest of the heads of fathers' households of Israel
said to them, "You have nothing in common with us in
building a house to our God; but we ourselves will
together build to the Lord God of Israel, as King
Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us."
EZR 4:4 Then the people of the land
discouraged the people of Judah, and frightened them
from building,
EZR 4:5 and hired counselors against them to
frustrate their counsel all the days of Cyrus king
of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of
Persia.
EZR 4:6 Now in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the
beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation
against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
EZR 4:7 And in the days of Artaxerxes,
Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his
colleagues, wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and
the text of the letter was written in Aramaic and
translated from Aramaic.
EZR 4:8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the
scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King
Artaxerxes, as follows - -
EZR 4:9 then wrote Rehum the commander and
Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their
colleagues, the judges and the lesser governors, the
officials, the secretaries, the men of Erech, the
Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites,
EZR 4:10 and the rest of the nations which
the great and honorable Osnappar deported and
settled in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of
the region beyond the River. And now
EZR 4:11 this is the copy of the letter which
they sent to him: "To King Artaxerxes: Your
servants, the men in the region beyond the River,
and now
EZR 4:12 let it be known to the king, that
the Jews who came up from you have come to us at
Jerusalem; they are rebuilding the rebellious and
evil city, and are finishing the walls and repairing
the foundations.
EZR 4:13 "Now let it be known to the king,
that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are
finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or
toll, and it will damage the revenue of the kings.
EZR 4:14 "Now because we are in the service
of the palace, and it is not fitting for us to see
the king's dishonor, therefore we have sent and
informed the king,
EZR 4:15 so that a search may be made in the
record books of your fathers. And you will discover
in the record books, and learn that that city is a
rebellious city and damaging to kings and provinces,
and that they have incited revolt within it in past
days; therefore that city was laid waste.
EZR 4:16 "We inform the king that, if that
city is rebuilt and the walls finished, as a result
you will have no possession in the province beyond
the River."
EZR 4:17 Then the king sent an answer to
Rehum the commander, to Shimshai the scribe, and to
the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and
in the rest of the provinces beyond the River:
"Peace. And now
EZR 4:18 the document which you sent to us
has been translated and read before me.
EZR 4:19 "And a decree has been issued by me,
and a search has been made and it has been
discovered that that city has risen up against the
kings in past days, that rebellion and revolt have
been perpetrated in it,
EZR 4:20 that mighty kings have ruled over
Jerusalem, governing all the provinces beyond the
River, and that tribute, custom, and toll were paid
to them.
EZR 4:21 "So, now issue a decree to make
these men stop work, that the city may not be
rebuilt until a decree is issued by me.
EZR 4:22 "And beware of being negligent in
carrying out this matter; why should damage increase
to the detriment of the kings?"
EZR 4:23 Then as soon as the copy of King
Artaxerxes' document was read before Rehum and
Shimshai the scribe and their colleagues, they went
in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them
by force of arms.
EZR 4:24 Then work on the house of God in
Jerusalem ceased, and it was stopped until the
second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
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EZR 5:1 When the
prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son
of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah
and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who
was over them,
EZR 5:2 then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel
and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to
rebuild the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and
the prophets of God were with them supporting them.
EZR 5:3 At that time Tattenai, the governor
of the province beyond the River, and
Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues came to them
and spoke to them thus, "Who issued you a decree to
rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?"
EZR 5:4 Then we told them accordingly what
the names of the men were who were reconstructing
this building.
EZR 5:5 But the eye of their God was on the
elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until
a report should come to Darius, and then a written
reply be returned concerning it.
EZR 5:6 This is the copy of the letter which
Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the
River, and Shethar-bozenai and his colleagues the
officials, who were beyond the River, sent to Darius
the king.
EZR 5:7 They sent a report to him in which it
was written thus: "To Darius the king, all peace.
EZR 5:8 "Let it be known to the king, that we
have gone to the province of Judah, to the house of
the great God, which is being built with huge
stones, and beams are being laid in the walls; and
this work is going on with great care and is
succeeding in their hands.
EZR 5:9 "Then we asked those elders and said
to them thus, 'Who issued you a decree to rebuild
this temple and to finish this structure?'
EZR 5:10 "We also asked them their names so
as to inform you, and that we might write down the
names of the men who were at their head.
EZR 5:11 "And thus they answered us, saying,
'We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth
and are rebuilding the temple that was built many
years ago, which a great king of Israel built and
finished.
EZR 5:12 'But because our fathers had
provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them
into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the
Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and deported the
people to Babylon.
EZR 5:13 'However, in the first year of Cyrus
king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to
rebuild this house of God.
EZR 5:14 'And also the gold and silver
utensils of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar
had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, and brought
them to the temple of Babylon, these King Cyrus took
from the temple of Babylon, and they were given to
one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had
appointed governor.
EZR 5:15 'And he said to him, "Take these
utensils, go and deposit them in the temple in
Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt in
its place."
EZR 5:16 'Then that Sheshbazzar came and laid
the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem;
and from then until now it has been under
construction, and it is not yet completed.'
EZR 5:17 "And now, if it pleases the king let
a search be conducted in the king's treasure house,
which is there in Babylon, if it be that a decree
was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild this house of
God at Jerusalem; and let the king send to us his
decision concerning this matter."
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EZR 6:1 Then King
Darius issued a decree, and search was made in the
archives, where the treasures were stored in
Babylon.
EZR 6:2 And in Ecbatana in the fortress,
which is in the province of Media, a scroll was
found and there was written in it as follows:
"Memorandum - -
EZR 6:3 "In the first year of King Cyrus,
Cyrus the king issued a decree: 'Concerning the
house of God at Jerusalem, let the temple, the place
where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its
foundations be retained, its height being 60 cubits
and its width 60 cubits;
EZR 6:4 with three layers of huge stones, and
one layer of timbers. And let the cost be paid from
the royal treasury.
EZR 6:5 'And also let the gold and silver
utensils of the temple of God, which Nebuchadnezzar
took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to
Babylon, be returned and brought to their places in
the temple in Jerusalem; and you shall put them in
the house of God.'
EZR 6:6 "Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of
the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and
your colleagues, the officials of the provinces
beyond the River, keep away from there.
EZR 6:7 "Leave this work on the house of God
alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders
of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site.
EZR 6:8 "Moreover, I issue a decree
concerning what you are to do for these elders of
Judah in the rebuilding of this house of God: the
full cost is to be paid to these people from the
royal treasury out of the taxes of the provinces
beyond the River, and that without delay.
EZR 6:9 "And whatever is needed, both young
bulls, rams, and lambs for a burnt offering to the
God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine, and anointing
oil, as the priests in Jerusalem request, it is to
be given to them daily without fail,
EZR 6:10 that they may offer acceptable
sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the
life of the king and his sons.
EZR 6:11 "And I issued a decree that any man
who violates this edict, a timber shall be drawn
from his house and he shall be impaled on it and his
house shall be made a refuse heap on account of
this.
EZR 6:12 "And may the God who has caused His
name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who
attempts to change it, so as to destroy this house
of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued this
decree, let it be carried out with all diligence!"
EZR 6:13 Then Tattenai, the governor of the
province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and
their colleagues carried out the decree with all
diligence, just as King Darius had sent.
EZR 6:14 And the elders of the Jews were
successful in building through the prophesying of
Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo.
And they finished building according to the command
of the God of Israel and the decree of Cyrus,
Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
EZR 6:15 And this temple was completed on the
third day of the month Adar; it was the sixth year
of the reign of King Darius.
EZR 6:16 And the sons of Israel, the priests,
the Levites, and the rest of the exiles, celebrated
the dedication of this house of God with joy.
EZR 6:17 And they offered for the dedication
of this temple of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400
lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel 12 male
goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of
Israel.
EZR 6:18 Then they appointed the priests to
their divisions and the Levites in their orders for
the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in
the book of Moses.
EZR 6:19 And the exiles observed the Passover
on the fourteenth of the first month.
EZR 6:20 For the priests and the Levites had
purified themselves together; all of them were pure.
Then they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the
exiles, both for their brothers the priests and for
themselves.
EZR 6:21 And the sons of Israel who returned
from exile and all those who had separated
themselves from the impurity of the nations of the
land to join them, to seek the Lord God of Israel,
ate the Passover.
EZR 6:22 And they observed the Feast of
Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord
had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart
of the king of Assyria toward them to encourage them
in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
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EZR 7:1 Now after
these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of
Persia, there went up Ezra son of Seraiah, son of
Azariah, son of Hilkiah,
EZR 7:2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of
Ahitub,
EZR 7:3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son
of Meraioth,
EZR 7:4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of
Bukki,
EZR 7:5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son
of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest.
EZR 7:6 This Ezra went up from Babylon, and
he was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which
the Lord God of Israel had given; and the king
granted him all he requested because the hand of the
Lord his God was upon him.
EZR 7:7 And some of the sons of Israel and
some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the
gatekeepers, and the temple servants went up to
Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.
EZR 7:8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth
month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
EZR 7:9 For on the first of the first month
he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of
the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, because the
good hand of his God was upon him.
EZR 7:10 For Ezra had set his heart to study
the law of the Lord, and to practice it, and to
teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
EZR 7:11 Now this is the copy of the decree
which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the
scribe, learned in the words of the commandments of
the Lord and His statutes to Israel:
EZR 7:12 "Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra
the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of
heaven, perfect peace. And now
EZR 7:13 I have issued a decree that any of
the people of Israel and their priests and the
Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to
Jerusalem, may go with you.
EZR 7:14 "Forasmuch as you are sent by the
king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning
Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God
which is in your hand,
EZR 7:15 and to bring the silver and gold,
which the king and his counselors have freely
offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in
Jerusalem,
EZR 7:16 with all the silver and gold which
you shall find in the whole province of Babylon,
along with the freewill offering of the people and
of the priests, who offered willingly for the house
of their God which is in Jerusalem;
EZR 7:17 with this money, therefore, you
shall diligently buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with
their grain offerings and their libations and offer
them on the altar of the house of your God which is
in Jerusalem.
EZR 7:18 "And whatever seems good to you and
to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver
and gold, you may do according to the will of your
God.
EZR 7:19 "Also the utensils which are given
to you for the service of the house of your God,
deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem.
EZR 7:20 "And the rest of the needs for the
house of your God, for which you may have occasion
to provide, provide for it from the royal treasury.
EZR 7:21 "And I, even I King Artaxerxes,
issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the
provinces beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the
priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven,
may require of you, it shall be done diligently,
EZR 7:22 even up to 100 talents of silver,
100 kors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of
oil, and salt as needed.
EZR 7:23 "Whatever is commanded by the God of
heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of
the God of heaven, lest there be wrath against the
kingdom of the king and his sons.
EZR 7:24 "We also inform you that it is not
allowed to impose tax, tribute or toll on any of the
priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim, or
servants of this house of God.
EZR 7:25 "And you, Ezra, according to the
wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint
magistrates and judges that they may judge all the
people who are in the province beyond the River,
even all those who know the laws of your God; and
you may teach anyone who is ignorant of them.
EZR 7:26 "And whoever will not observe the
law of your God and the law of the king, let
judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for
death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods
or for imprisonment."
EZR 7:27 Blessed be the Lord, the God of our
fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the
king's heart, to adorn the house of the Lord which
is in Jerusalem,
EZR 7:28 and has extended lovingkindness to
me before the king and his counselors and before all
the king's mighty princes. Thus I was strengthened
according to the hand of the Lord my God upon me,
and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with
me.
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EZR 8:1 Now these
are the heads of their fathers' households and the
genealogical enrollment of those who went up with me
from Babylon in the reign of King Artaxerxes:
EZR 8:2 of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom; of
the sons of Ithamar, Daniel; of the sons of David,
Hattush;
EZR 8:3 of the sons of Shecaniah who was of
the sons of Parosh, Zechariah and with him 150 males
who were in the genealogical list;
EZR 8:4 of the sons of Pahath-moab,
Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah and 200 males with
him;
EZR 8:5 of the sons of Shecaniah, the son of
Jahaziel and 300 males with him;
EZR 8:6 and of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son
of Jonathan and 50 males with him;
EZR 8:7 and of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the
son of Athaliah and 70 males with him;
EZR 8:8 and of the sons of Shephatiah,
Zebadiah the son of Michael and 80 males with him;
EZR 8:9 of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son
of Jehiel and 218 males with him;
EZR 8:10 and of the sons of Shelomith, the
son of Josiphiah and 160 males with him;
EZR 8:11 and of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah
the son of Bebai and 28 males with him;
EZR 8:12 and of the sons of Azgad, Johanan
the son of Hakkatan and 110 males with him;
EZR 8:13 and of the sons of Adonikam, the
last ones, these being their names, Eliphelet, Jeuel,
and Shemaiah and 60 males with them;
EZR 8:14 and of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and
Zabbud and 70 males with them.
EZR 8:15 Now I assembled them at the river
that runs to Ahava, where we camped for three days;
and when I observed the people and the priests, I
did not find any Levites there.
EZR 8:16 So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel,
Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan,
Zechariah, and Meshullam, leading men, and for
Joiarib and Elnathan, teachers.
EZR 8:17 And I sent them to Iddo the leading
man at the place Casiphia; and I told them what to
say to Iddo and his brothers, the temple servants at
the place Casiphia, that is, to bring ministers to
us for the house of our God.
EZR 8:18 And according to the good hand of
our God upon us they brought us a man of insight of
the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of
Israel, namely Sherebiah, and his sons and brothers,
18 men;
EZR 8:19 and Hashabiah and Jeshaiah of the
sons of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, 20
men;
EZR 8:20 and 220 of the temple servants, whom
David and the princes had given for the service of
the Levites, all of them designated by name.
EZR 8:21 Then I proclaimed a fast there at
the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves
before our God to seek from Him a safe journey for
us, our little ones, and all our possessions.
EZR 8:22 For I was ashamed to request from
the king troops and horsemen to protect us from the
enemy on the way, because we had said to the king,
"The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all
those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are
against all those who forsake Him."
EZR 8:23 So we fasted and sought our God
concerning this matter, and He listened to our
entreaty.
EZR 8:24 Then I set apart twelve of the
leading priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and with them
ten of their brothers;
EZR 8:25 and I weighed out to them the
silver, the gold, and the utensils, the offering for
the house of our God which the king and his
counselors and his princes, and all Israel present
there, had offered.
EZR 8:26 Thus I weighed into their hands 650
talents of silver, and silver utensils worth 100
talents, and 100 gold talents,
EZR 8:27 and 20 gold bowls, worth 1,000
darics; and two utensils of fine shiny bronze,
precious as gold.
EZR 8:28 Then I said to them, "You are holy
to the Lord, and the utensils are holy; and the
silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the
Lord God of your fathers.
EZR 8:29 "Watch and keep them until you weigh
them before the leading priests, the Levites, and
the heads of the fathers' households of Israel at
Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the
Lord."
EZR 8:30 So the priests and the Levites
accepted the weighed out silver and gold and the
utensils, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of
our God.
EZR 8:31 Then we journeyed from the river
Ahava on the twelfth of the first month to go to
Jerusalem; and the hand of our God was over us, and
He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the
ambushes by the way.
EZR 8:32 Thus we came to Jerusalem and
remained there three days.
EZR 8:33 And on the fourth day the silver and
the gold and the utensils were weighed out in the
house of our God into the hand of Meremoth the son
of Uriah the priest, and with him was Eleazar the
son of Phinehas; and with them were the Levites,
Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of
Binnui.
EZR 8:34 Everything was numbered and weighed,
and all the weight was recorded at that time.
EZR 8:35 The exiles who had come from the
captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of
Israel: 12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs,
12 male goats for a sin offering, all as a burnt
offering to the Lord.
EZR 8:36 Then they delivered the king's
edicts to the king's satraps, and to the governors
in the provinces beyond the River, and they
supported the people and the house of God.
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EZR 9:1 Now when
these things had been completed, the princes
approached me, saying, "The people of Israel and the
priests and the Levites have not separated
themselves from the peoples of the lands, according
to their abominations, those of the Canaanites, the
Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the
Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the
Amorites.
EZR 9:2 "For they have taken some of their
daughters as wives for themselves and for their
sons, so that the holy race has intermingled with
the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the
princes and the rulers have been foremost in this
unfaithfulness."
EZR 9:3 And when I heard about this matter, I
tore my garment and my robe, and pulled some of the
hair from my head and my beard, and sat down
appalled.
EZR 9:4 Then everyone who trembled at the
words of the God of Israel on account of the
unfaithfulness of the exiles gathered to me, and I
sat appalled until the evening offering.
EZR 9:5 But at the evening offering I arose
from my humiliation, even with my garment and my
robe torn, and I fell on my knees and stretched out
my hands to the Lord my God;
EZR 9:6 and I said, "O my God, I am ashamed
and embarrassed to lift up my face to Thee, my God,
for our iniquities have risen above our heads, and
our guilt has grown even to the heavens.
EZR 9:7 "Since the days of our fathers to
this day we have been in great guilt, and on account
of our iniquities we, our kings and our priests have
been given into the hand of the kings of the lands,
to the sword, to captivity, and to plunder and to
open shame, as it is this day.
EZR 9:8 "But now for a brief moment grace has
been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us an
escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy
place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant
us a little reviving in our bondage.
EZR 9:9 "For we are slaves; yet in our
bondage, our God has not forsaken us, but has
extended lovingkindness to us in the sight of the
kings of Persia, to give us reviving to raise up the
house of our God, to restore its ruins, and to give
us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.
EZR 9:10 "And now, our God, what shall we say
after this? For we have forsaken Thy commandments,
EZR 9:11 which Thou hast commanded by Thy
servants the prophets, saying,' The land which you
are entering to possess is an unclean land with the
uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, with their
abominations which have filled it from end to end
and with their impurity.
EZR 9:12 'So now do not give your daughters
to their sons nor take their daughters to your sons,
and never seek their peace or their prosperity, that
you may be strong and eat the good things of the
land and leave it as an inheritance to your sons
forever.'
EZR 9:13 "And after all that has come upon us
for our evil deeds and our great guilt, since Thou
our God hast requited us less than our iniquities
deserve, and hast given us an escaped remnant as
this,
EZR 9:14 shall we again break Thy
commandments and intermarry with the peoples who
commit these abominations? Wouldst Thou not be angry
with us to the point of destruction, until there is
no remnant nor any who escape?
EZR 9:15 "O Lord God of Israel, Thou art
righteous, for we have been left an escaped remnant,
as it is this day; behold, we are before Thee in our
guilt, for no one can stand before Thee because of
this."
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EZR 10:1 Now
while Ezra was praying and making confession,
weeping and prostrating himself before the house of
God, a very large assembly, men, women, and
children, gathered to him from Israel; for the
people wept bitterly.
EZR 10:2 And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one
of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, "We
have been unfaithful to our God, and have married
foreign women from the peoples of the land; yet now
there is hope for Israel in spite of this.
EZR 10:3 "So now let us make a covenant with
our God to put away all the wives and their
children, according to the counsel of my lord and of
those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and
let it be done according to the law.
EZR 10:4 "Arise! For this matter is your
responsibility, but we will be with you; be
courageous and act."
EZR 10:5 Then Ezra rose and made the leading
priests, the Levites, and all Israel, take oath that
they would do according to this proposal; so they
took the oath.
EZR 10:6 Then Ezra rose from before the house
of God and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the
son of Eliashib. Although he went there, he did not
eat bread, nor drink water, for he was mourning over
the unfaithfulness of the exiles.
EZR 10:7 And they made a proclamation
throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the exiles,
that they should assemble at Jerusalem,
EZR 10:8 and that whoever would not come
within three days, according to the counsel of the
leaders and the elders, all his possessions should
be forfeited and he himself excluded from the
assembly of the exiles.
EZR 10:9 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.
EZR 10:10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and
said to them, "You have been unfaithful and have
married foreign wives adding to the guilt of Israel.
EZR 10:11 "Now, therefore, make confession to
the Lord God of your fathers, and do His will; and
separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and
from the foreign wives."
EZR 10:12 Then all the assembly answered and
said with a loud voice, "That's right! As you have
said, so it is our duty to do.
EZR 10:13 "But there are many people, it is
the rainy season, and we are not able to stand in
the open. Nor can the task be done in one or two
days, for we have transgressed greatly in this
matter.
EZR 10:14 "Let our leaders represent the
whole assembly and let all those in our cities who
have married foreign wives come at appointed times,
together with the elders and judges of each city,
until the fierce anger of our God on account of this
matter is turned away from us."
EZR 10:15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and
Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah opposed this, with
Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them.
EZR 10:16 But the exiles did so. And Ezra the
priest selected men who were heads of fathers'
households for each of their father's households,
all of them by name. So they convened on the first
day of the tenth month to investigate the matter.
EZR 10:17 And they finished investigating all
the men who had married foreign wives by the first
of the first month.
EZR 10:18 And among the sons of the priests
who had married foreign wives were found of the sons
of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers:
Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
EZR 10:19 And they pledged to put away their
wives, and being guilty, they offered a ram of the
flock for their offense.
EZR 10:20 And of the sons of Immer there were
Hanani and Zebadiah;
EZR 10:21 and of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah,
Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah;
EZR 10:22 and of the sons of Pashhur:
Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and
Elasah.
EZR 10:23 And of Levites there were Jozabad,
Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah,
and Eliezer.
EZR 10:24 And of the singers there was
Eliashib; and of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem,
and Uri.
EZR 10:25 And of Israel, of the sons of
Parosh there were Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin,
Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah;
EZR 10:26 and of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah,
Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah;
EZR 10:27 and of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai,
Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza;
EZR 10:28 and of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan,
Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;
EZR 10:29 and of the sons of Bani: Meshullam,
Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth;
EZR 10:30 and of the sons of Pahath-moab:
Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel,
Binnui, and Manasseh;
EZR 10:31 and of the sons of Harim: Eliezer,
Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
EZR 10:32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah;
EZR 10:33 of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai,
Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and
Shimei;
EZR 10:34 of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram,
Uel,
EZR 10:35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
EZR 10:36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
EZR 10:37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu,
EZR 10:38 Bani, Binnui, Shimei,
EZR 10:39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
EZR 10:40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
EZR 10:41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
EZR 10:42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
EZR 10:43 Of the sons of Nebo there were
Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and
Benaiah.
EZR 10:44 All these had married foreign
wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had
children.
