Ezra
Chapter 1
1:1Now in the first year of Cyrus King of Persia (that the word of YHWH, spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah, might be accomplished) YHWH stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia,and he made a Proclamation through all his Kingdom,and also by writing, saying,
1:2Thus says Cyrus King of Persia, YHWH Elohim of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth,and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
1:3Who is he among you of all his people with whom his Elohim is? Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah,and build the house of YHWH Elohim of Israel:he is the Elohim, who is in Jerusalem.
1:4And every one that remains in any place (where he sojourns) let the men of his place relieve him with silver and with gold,and with substance,and with cattle,and with a willing offering,for the house of Elohim that is in Jerusalem.
1:5Then the chief fathers of Judah and Benjamin,and the Priests and Levites rose up, with all them whose spirit Elohim had raised to go up, to build the house of YHWH who is in Jerusalem.
1:6And all they that were about them, strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with substance and with cattle,and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.
1:7Also the King Cyrus brought forth the vessels of the house of YHWH, who Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of Jerusalem,and had put them in the house of his god.
1:8Even them did Cyrus King of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer,and counted them to Sheshbazzar the Prince of Judah.
1:9And this is the number of them, thirty basins of gold, a thousand basins of silver, nine and twenty knives,
1:10Thirty bowls of gold,and of silver bowls of the second sort, four hundred and ten,and of other vessels, a thousand.
1:11All the vessels of gold and silver were five thousand and four hundred. Sheshbazzar brought up all with them of the captivity that came up from Babel to Jerusalem.
Chapter 2
2:1These also are the sons of the province,that went up out of the captivity (whom Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel had carried away to Babel) and returned to Jerusalem,and to Judah, every one to his city,
2:2Which came with Zerubbabel, namely, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel was,
2:3The sons of Parosh, two thousand, a hundred seventy and two:
2:4The sons of Shephatiah, three hundred, seventy and two:
2:5The sons of Arah, seven hundred,and seventy and five:
2:6The sons of Pahath-moab, of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand, eight hundred and twelve:
2:7The sons of Elam, a thousand, two hundred and four and fifty:
2:8The sons of Zattu, nine hundred and five and forty:
2:9The sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore:
2:10The sons of Bani, six hundred and two and forty:
2:11The sons of Bebai, six hundred,and three and twenty:
2:12The sons of Azgad a thousand, two hundred and two and twenty:
2:13The sons of Adonikam, six hundred, three score and six:
2:14The sons of Bigvai, two thousand,and six and fifty:
2:15The sons of Adin, four hundred and four and fifty:
2:16The sons of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight:
2:17The sons of Bezai, three hundred and three and twenty:
2:18The sons of Jorah, a hundred and twelve:
2:19The sons of Hashum, two hundred and three and twenty:
2:20The sons of Gibbar, ninety and five:
2:21The sons of Bethlehem, a hundred and three and twenty:
2:22The men of Netophah, six and fifty:
2:23The men of Anathoth, a hundred and eight and twenty:
2:24The sons of Azmaveth, two and forty:
2:25The sons of Kirjath, of Chephirah,and Beeroth, seven hundred and three and forty:
2:26The sons of Ramah and Geba, six hundred,and one and twenty:
2:27The men of Michmas, a hundred and two and twenty:
2:28The sons of Bethel and Ai, two hundred,and three and twenty:
2:29The sons of Nebo, two and fifty:
2:30The sons of Magbish, a hundred and six and fifty:
2:31The sons of the other Elam, a thousand,and two hundred,and four and fifty:
2:32The sons of Harim, three hundred and twenty:
2:33The sons of Hadid,and Ono, seven hundred,and five and twenty:
2:34The sons of Jericho, three hundred and five and forty:
2:35The sons of Senaah, three thousand, six hundred and thirty.
2:36The Priests:of the sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three:
2:37The sons of Immer, a thousand and two and fifty:
2:38The sons of Pashhur, a thousand, two hundred and seven and forty:
2:39The sons of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
2:40The Levites:the sons of Jeshua,and Kadmiel of the sons of Hodaviah, seventy and four.
2:41The Singers:the sons of Asaph, a hundred and eight and twenty.
2:42The sons of the porters:the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai:all were a hundred and nine and thirty.
2:43The Nethinim:the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth,
2:44The sons of Keros, the sons of Siaha, the sons of Padon,
2:45The sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons of Akkub,
2:46The sons of Hagab, the sons of Shalmai, the sons of Hanan,
2:47The sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah,
2:48The sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam,
2:49The sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai,
2:50The sons of Asnah, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephusim,
2:51The sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur,
2:52The sons of Bazluth, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha,
2:53The sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Tamah,
2:54The sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha,
2:55The sons of Solomon's servants:the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Peruda,
2:56The sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel,
2:57The sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth Zebaim, the sons of Ami.
2:58All the Nethinim,and the sons of Solomon's servants were three hundred ninety and two.
2:59And these went up from Melah,and from Harsha, Cherub, Addan,and Immer,but they could not discern their fathers house and their seed, whether they were of Israel.
2:60The sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, six hundred and two and fifty.
2:61And of the sons of the Priests, the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Coz, the sons of Barzillai:which took of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife,and was called after their name.
2:62These sought their writing of the genealogies,but they were not found:therefore were they put from the Priesthood.
2:63And Tirshatha said to them,that they should not eat of the most holy thing, till there rose up a Priest with Urim and Thummim.
2:64The whole Congregation together was two and forty thousand, three hundred and threescore,
2:65Beside their servants and their maids:of whom were seven thousand, three hundred and seven and thirty:and among them were two hundred singing men and singing women.
2:66Their horses were seven hundred,and six and thirty:their mules, two hundred and five and forty:
2:67Their camels four hundred,and five and thirty:their donkeys, six thousand, seven hundred and twenty.
2:68And certain of the chief fathers, when they came to the house of YHWH, who was in Jerusalem, they offered willingly for the house of Elohim, to set it up upon his foundation.
2:69They gave after their ability to the treasure of the work, even one and threescore thousand drams of gold,and five thousand pieces of silver,and a hundred Priests garments.
2:70So the Priests and the Levites,and a certain of the people,and the singers,and the porters,and the Nethinim dwelt in their cities,and all Israel in their cities.
Chapter 3
3:1And when the seventh month was come,and the children of Israel were in their cities, the people assembled themselves as one man to Jerusalem.
3:2Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the Priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and built the altar of the Elohim of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of Elohim,
3:3And they set the altar upon his bases (for fear was among them, because of the people of those countries) therefore they offered burnt offerings on it to YHWH, even burnt offerings in the morning, and at even.
3:4They kept also the Feast of Tabernacles, as it is written, and the burnt offering daily, by number according to the custom day by day,
3:5And afterward the continual burnt offering, both in the new months and in all the feast days that were holy to YHWH, and in all the oblations willingly offered to YHWH.
3:6From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings to YHWH:but the foundation of the Temple of YHWH was not laid.
3:7They gave money also to the masons,and to the workmen,and meat and drink,and oil to them of Sidon and of Cyrus, to bring them cedar wood from Lebanon to the sea to Japho, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus King of Persia.
3:8And in the second year of their coming to the house of Elohim in Jerusalem in the second month began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel,and Jeshua the son of Jozadak,and the remnant of their brethren the Priests and the Levites,and all they that were come out of the captivity to Jerusalem,and appointed the Levites from twenty year old and above, to set forward the work of the house of YHWH.
3:9And Jeshua stood with his sons,and his brethren,and Kadmiel with his sons,and the sons of Judah together to set forward the workmen in the house of Elohim,and the sons of Henadad with their sons,and their brethren the Levites.
3:10And when the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of YHWH, they appointed the Priests in their apparel with trumpets,and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise YHWH, after the ordinance of David King of Israel.
3:11Thus they sang when they gave praise,and when they gave thanks to YHWH,For he is good,for his chesed endures forever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised YHWH, because the foundation of the house of YHWH was laid.
3:12Many also of the Priests and the Levites and the chief of the fathers, ancient men who had seen the first house, (when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes) wept with a loud voice,and many shouted aloud for joy,
3:13So that the people could not discern the sound of the shout for joy, from the noise of the weeping of the people:for the people shouted with a loud cry,and the noise was heard far off.
Chapter 4
4:1But the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard,that the children of the captivity built the Temple to YHWH Elohim of Israel.
4:2And they came to Zerubbabel,and to the chief fathers,and said to them, We will build with you:for we seek the Lord your Elohim as you do,and we have sacrificed to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Asshur, which brought us up here.
4:3Then Zerubbabel,and Jeshua,and the rest of the chief fathers of Israel, said to them, It is not for you,but for us to build the house to our Elohim:for we ourselves together will build it to YHWH Elohim of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.
4:4Therefore the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah,and troubled them in building,
4:5And they hired counselors against them, to hinder their devise, all the days of Cyrus King of Persia, even until the reign of Darius King of Persia.
4:6And in the reign of Ahasuerus (in the beginning of his reign) wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
4:7And in the days of Artahshashte, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabel,and the rest of their companions wrote to Artahshashte king of Persia,and the writing of the letter was the Aramaic writing,and the thing declared was in the Aramaic language.
4:8Rehum the commander,and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artahshashte the King, in this sort.
4:9Then wrote Rehum the chancellor,and Shimshai the scribe,and their companions Dinaites,and Apharsathchites, Tarpelites, Apharsites, Archevites, Babylonians, Shushanchites, Dehavites, Elamites,
4:10And the rest of the people whom the great and noble Osnapper brought over,and set in the cities of Samaria,and others that are beyond the River, and so forth.
4:11This is the copy of the letter that they sent to King Artaxerxes, your servants the men beyond the River, and so forth, salute you.
4:12Be it known to the King that the Jews, which came up from you to us, are come to Jerusalem (a city rebellious and wicked) and build,and lay the foundations of the walls,and have joined the foundations.
4:13Be it known now to the King,that if this city be built,and the foundations of the walls laid, they will not give toll, tribute, nor custom:so shall you hinder the Kings tribute.
4:14Now therefore because we have been brought up in the Kings palace, it was not meet for us to see the Kings dishonor:for this cause have we sent and certified the King,
4:15That one may search in the book of the Chronicles of your fathers,and you shall find in the book of the Chronicles,and perceive that this city is rebellious and harmful to Kings and provinces,and that they have moved sedition of old time,for the which cause this city was destroyed.
4:16We certify the King therefore,that if this city be built,and the foundation of the walls laid, by this means the portion beyond the River shall not be yours.
4:17The King sent an answer to Rehum the Chancellor,and Shimshai the Scribe,and so the rest of their companions that dwelt in Samaria,and to the other beyond the River, Peace, and so forth.
4:18The letter which you sent to us, has been openly read before me,
4:19And I have commanded and they have searched, and found, that this city of old time has made insurrection against kings, and has rebelled, and rebellion has been committed in it.
4:20There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all beyond the River,and toll, tribute,and custom was given to them.
4:21Make you now a decree,that those men may cease,and that the city be not built, till I have given another commandment.
4:22Take heed now that you fail not to do this:why should damage grow to hurt the King?
4:23When the copy of king Haste letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe,and their companions, they went up in all the haste to Jerusalem to the Jews,and caused them to cease by force and power.
4:24Then ceased the work of the house of God, which was in Jerusalem,and did stay to the second year of Darius King of Persia.
Chapter 5
5:1Then Haggai a Prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo a Prophet prophesied to the Jews that were in Judah,and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, even to them.
5:2Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel,and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose,and began to build the house of God at Jerusalem,and with them were the Prophets of God, which helped them.
5:3At the same time came to them Tattenai, which was captain beyond the River,and Shethar-boznai and their companions,and said thus to them, Who has given the commandment to build this house,and to lay the foundations of these walls?
5:4Then said we to them after this manner, What are the names of the men that build this building?
5:5But the eye of their God was upon the Elders of the Jews,that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius:and then they answered by letters thereto.
5:6The copy of the letter,that Tattenai captain beyond the River,and Shethar-boznai and his companions, the Apharsachites, (which were beyond the River) sent to King Darius.
5:7They sent a letter to him, in which it was written thus, TO DARIUS the king, all peace.
5:8Be it known to the King,that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones,and beams are laid in the walls,and this work is worked speedily,and prospers in their hands.
5:9Then asked we those Elders,and said to them thus, Who has given the commandment to build this house,and to lay the foundation of these walls?
5:10We asked their names also,that we might certify you,and that we might write the names of the men that were their rulers.
5:11But they answered us thus,and said, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth,and build the house that was built of old and many years ago, which a great King of Israel built,and founded it.
5:12But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he gave them over into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel the Chaldean,and he destroyed this house,and carried the people away captive to Babel.
5:13But in the first year of Cyrus King of Babel, King Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.
5:14And the vessels of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the Temple,that was in Jerusalem,and brought them into the Temple of Babel, those did Cyrus the king take out of the Temple of Babel,and they gave them to one Sheshbazzar by his name, whom he had made captain.
5:15And he said to him, Take these vessels and go your way,and put them in the Temple that is in Jerusalem,and let the house of God be built in his place.
5:16Then came the same Sheshbazzar and laid the foundation of the house of God, which is in Jerusalem,and since that time even until now, has it been in building, yet is it not finished.
5:17Now therefore if it please the King, let there be search made in the house of the Kings treasures, which is there in Babel, whether a decree has been made by King Cyrus, to build this house of God in Jerusalem,and let the King send his mind concerning this.
Chapter 6
6:1Then King Darius gave commandment,and they made search in the library of the treasures, which were there laid up in Babel.
6:2And there was found in a coffer (in the palace that was in the province of the Media) a volume, and in it was it thus written, as a memorial,
6:3IN THE FIRST year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus made a decree for the house of God in Jerusalem, Let the house be built, even the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the walls of it be joined together: let the height of it be three score cubits, and the breadth of it three score cubits,
6:4Three orders of great stones, and one order of timber, and let the expenses be given of the King's house.
6:5And also let them render the vessels of the house of God (of gold and silver, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the Temple, which was in Jerusalem,and brought to Babel) and let him go to the Temple that is in Jerusalem to his place,and put them in the house of God.
6:6Therefore Tattenai captain beyond the River,and Shethar-boznai Shethar-boznai, (and their companions Apharsecaie, which are beyond the River) be you far from there.
6:7Suffer you the work of this house of God,that the captain of the Jews and the Elders of the Jews may build this house of God in his place.
6:8For I have given a commandment what you shall do to the Elders of these Jews,for the building of this house of God,that of the revenues of the King, who is of the tribute beyond the River, there be incontinently expenses given to these men that they cease not.
6:9And that which they shall have need of, let it be given to them day by day, whether it be young bullocks, or rams, or lambs for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine,and oil, according to the appointment of the Priests that are in Jerusalem,that there be no fault,
6:10That they may have to offer sweet odors to the God of heaven,and pray for the Kings life,and for his sons.
6:11And I have made a decree, that whoever shall alter this sentence, the wood shall be pulled down from his house, and shall be set up, and he shall be hanged on it, and his house shall be made a refuse heap for this.
6:12And the God that has caused his Name to dwell there, destroy all Kings and people that put to their hand to alter,and to destroy this house of God, which is in Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree, let it be done with speed.
6:13Then Tattenai the captain beyond the River,and Shethar-boznai Shethar-boznai and their companions, according to that which Darius had sent, so they did speedily.
6:14So the Elders of the Jews built,and they prospered by the prophesying of Haggai the Prophet,and Zechariah the son of Iddo,and they built and finished it, by the appointment of the God of Israel,and by the commandment of Cyrus and Darius,and Artahshashte king of Persia.
6:15And this house was finished the third day of the month Adar, which was the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
6:16And the children of Israel, the Priests,and the Levites,and the residue of the children of the captivity kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,
6:17And offered at the dedication of this house of God a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs,and twelve goats,for the sin of all Israel, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
6:18And they set the Priests in their order,and the Levites in their courses over the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.
6:19And the children of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
6:20(For the Priests and the Levites were purified altogether) and they killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity,and for their brethren the Priests,and for themselves.
6:21So the children of Israel which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves to them, from the uncleanness of the Heathen of the land, to seek YHWH Elohim of Israel, did eat,
6:22And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy: for YHWH had made them glad, and turned the heart of the King of Asshur to them, to encourage them in the work of the house of Elohim, even the Elohim of Israel.
7:1Now after these things, in the reign of Artahshashte King of Persia, was Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
7:2The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
7:3The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
7:4The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
7:5The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the chief Priest.
7:6This Ezra came up from Babel,and was a Scribe prompt in the Law of Moses, which YHWH Elohim of Israel had given,and the King gave him all his request according to the hand of YHWH his Elohim who was upon him.
7:7And there went up certain of the children of Israel,and of the Priests,and the Levites,and the singers,and the porters,and the Nethinim to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of King Artahshashte.
7:8And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the King.
7:9For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babel,and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his Elohim that was upon him.
7:10For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of YHWH,and to do it,and to teach the precepts and judgments in Israel.
7:11And this is the copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the Priest and scribe, even a writer of the words of the commandments of YHWH,and of his statutes over Israel.
7:12ARTAHSHASHTE King of Kings to Ezra the Priest and perfect scribe of the Law of the God of heaven,and to Heaven.
7:13I have given commandment,that every one,that is willing in my kingdom of the people of Israel,and of the Priests,and Levites to go to Jerusalem with you, shall go.
7:14Therefore are you sent of the King and his seven counselors, to inquire in Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God, which is in your hand,
7:15And to carry the silver and the gold, which the King and his counselors willingly offer to the God of Israel (whose habitation is in Jerusalem)
7:16And all the silver and gold that you can find in all the province of Babel, with the free offering of the people,and that which the Priests offer willingly to the house of their God which is in Jerusalem,
7:17That you may buy speedily with this silver, bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings:and you shall offer them upon the altar of the house of your God, which is in Jerusalem.
7:18And whatever it pleases you and your brethren to do with the rest of the silver,and gold, do you it according to the will of your God.
7:19And the vessels that are given you for the service of the house of your God, those deliver you before God in Jerusalem.
7:20And the residue that shall be needful for the house of your God, which shall be meet for you to bestow, you shall bestow it out of the Kings treasure house,
7:21And I King Artaxerxes have given commandment to all the treasurers which are beyond the River,that whatever Ezra the Priest and Scribe of the Law of the God of heaven shall require of you,that it be done incontinently,
7:22To a hundred talents of silver, to a hundred measures of wheat,and to a hundred baths of wine,and to a hundred baths of oil,and salt without writing.
7:23Whatever is by the commandment of the God of heaven, let it be done speedily for the house of the God of heaven:for why should he be angry against the realm of the King,and his children?
7:24And we certify you,that upon any of the Priests, Levites, singers, porters, Nethinim, or Ministers in this house of God, there shall no governor lay upon them toll, tribute nor custom.
7:25And you Ezra (after the wisdom of your God,that is in your hand) set Judges and arbiters, which may judge all the people that is beyond the River, even all that know the Law of your God,and teach you them that know it not.
7:26And whoever will not do the Law of your God,and the Kings law, let him have judgment without delay, whether it be to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
7:27Blessed be YHWH Elohim of our fathers, which so has put in the King's heart, to beautify the house of YHWH that is in Jerusalem,
7:28And has encouraged chesed toward me, before the King and his counselors,and before all the Kings mighty Princes:and I was comforted by the hand of YHWH my Elohim who was upon me,and I gathered the chief of Israel to go up with me.
Chapter 8
8:1These are now the chief fathers of them,and the genealogy of them that came up with me from Babel, in the reign of King Artahshashte.
8:2Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom:of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel:of the sons of David, Hattush:
8:3Of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah,and with him the count of the males, a hundred and fifty.
8:4Of the sons of Pahath-moab, Eliehoenai, the son of Zerahiah,and with him two hundred males.
8:5Of the sons of Shechaniah, the son of Jahaziel,and with him three hundred males.
8:6And of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan,and with him fifty males.
8:7And of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah,and with him seventy males.
8:8And of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael,and with him fourscore males.
8:9Of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel,and with him two hundred and eighteen males.
8:10And of the sons of Shelomith the son of Josiphiah,and with him a hundred and threescore males.
8:11And of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai,and with him eight and twenty males.
8:12And of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan,and with him a hundred and ten males.
8:13And of the sons of Adonikam,that were the last, whose names are these:Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah,and with them three score males.
8:14And of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai,and Zabbud,and with them seventy males.
8:15And I gathered them to the River that goes toward Ahava,and there abode we three days:then I viewed the people,and the Priests,and found there none of the sons of Levi.
8:16Therefore sent I to Eliezer, to Ariel, to Shemaiah,and to Elnathan,and to Jarib,and to Elnathan,and to Nathan,and to Zechariah,and to Meshullam the chief,and to Joiarib and to Elnathan, men of understanding,
8:17And I gave them commandment, to Iddo the chief at the place of Casiphia,and I told them the words that they should speak to Iddo,and to his brethren the Nethinim at the place of Casiphia,that they should cause the ministers of the house of our Elohim to come to us.
8:18So by the good hand of our Elohim who was upon us, they brought us a man of understanding of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi the son of Israel,and Sherebiah with his sons and his brethren, even eighteen.
8:19Also Hashabiah,and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, with his brethren,and their sons twenty.
8:20And of the Nethinim, whom David had set,and the Princes for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty of the Nethinim, which all were named by name.
8:21And there at the River, by Ahava, I proclaimed a fast,that we might humble ourselves before our Elohim,and seek of him a right way for us,and for our children,and for all our substance.
8:22For I was ashamed to ask of the King an army and horsemen, to help us against the enemy in the way, because we had spoken to the King, saying, The hand of our Elohim is upon all them that seek him in goodness,but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.
8:23So we fasted, and implored our Elohim for this:and he was entreated of us.
8:24Then I separated twelve of the chief of the Priests, Sherebiah,and Hashabiah,and ten of their brethren with them,
8:25And weighed them the silver and the gold,and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our Elohim, who the King and his counselors,and his Princes,and all Israel that were present had offered.
8:26And I weighed to their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver,and in silver vessel, a hundred talents,and in gold, a hundred talents:
8:27And twenty basins of gold, of a thousand drams,and two vessels of shining brass very good,and precious as gold.
8:28And I said to them, You are holy to YHWH, and the vessels are holy, and the gold and the silver are freely offered to YHWH Elohim of your fathers.
8:29Watchand keep them until you weigh them before the chief Priests and the Levites,and the chief fathers of Israel in Jerusalem in the chambers of the house of YHWH.
8:30So the Priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver and of the gold,and of the vessels to bring them to Jerusalem, to the house of our Elohim.
8:31Then we departed from the River of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem,and the hand of our Elohim was upon us,and delivered us from the hand of the enemy,and of such as laid wait by the way.
8:32And we came to Jerusalem,and abode there three days.
8:33And on the fourth day was the silver weighed,and the gold and the vessel in the house of our Elohim by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the Priest,and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas,and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua,and Noadiah the son of Binnui the Levites,
8:34By number and by weight of every one,and all the weight was written at the same time.
8:35Also the children of the captivity, which were come out of captivity, offered burnt offerings to the Elohim of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs,and twelve he goats for sin:all was a burnt offering of YHWH.
8:36And they delivered the Kings commission to the Kings officers,and to the captains beyond the River:and they promoted the people,and the house of Elohim.
Chapter 9
9:1When as these things were done, the rulers came to me, saying, The people of Israel,and the Priests,and the Levites are not separated from the people of the lands (as touching their abominations) namely, of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians,and the Amorites.
9:2For they have taken their daughters to themselves,and to their sons,and they have mixed the holy seed with the people of the lands,and the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass.
9:3But when I heard this saying, I rent my clothes and my garment,and plucked off the hair of my head,and of my beard,and sat down astonished.
9:4And there assembled to me all that feared the words of the Elohim of Israel, because of the transgression of them of the captivity. And I sat down astonished until the evening sacrifice.
9:5And at the evening sacrifice I arose from my heaviness,and when I had rent my clothes and my garment, I fell upon my knees,and spread out my hands to YHWH my Elohim,
9:6And said, O my Elohim, I am confounded and ashamed, to lift up my eyes to you my Elohim:for our iniquities are increased over our head,and our trespass is grown up to the heaven.
9:7From the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass to this day,and for our iniquities have we, our Kings,and our Priests been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, into captivity, into a spoil,and into confusion of face, as appears this day.
9:8And now for a little space grace has been showed from YHWH our Elohim, in causing a remnant to escape,and in giving us a nail in his holy place,that our Elohim may light our eyes,and give us a little reviving in our servitude.
9:9For though we were bondmen, yet our Elohim has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended chesed to us in the sight of the Kings of Persia, to give us life, and to erect the house of our Elohim, and to redress the places of it, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
9:10And now, our Elohim, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments,
9:11Which you have commanded by your servants the Prophets, saying, The land to which you go to possess it, is an unclean land, because of the uncleanness of the people of the lands, which by their abominations, and by their uncleanness have filled it from corner to corner.
9:12Now therefore shall you not give your daughters to their sons,neither shall you take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace nor wealth forever,that you may be strong and eat the goodness of the land,and leave it for an inheritance to your sons forever.
9:13And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds,and for our great trespasses, (seeing that you our Elohim have stayed us from being beneath for our iniquities,and have given us such deliverance)
9:14Should we return to break your commandments,and join in affinity with the people of such abominations? Would not you be angry toward us till you had consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor any escaping?
9:15O YHWH Elohim of Israel, You are just,for we have been reserved to escape, as appears this day:behold, we are before you in our trespass:therefore we can stand before you because of it.
Chapter 10
10:1While Ezra prayed thus,and confessed himself weeping,and falling down before the house of Elohim, there assembled to him of Israel a very great Congregation of men and women and children:for the people wept with a great lamentation.
10:2Then Shechaniah the son of Jehiel one of the sons of Elam answered,and said to Ezra, We have trespassed against our Elohim,and have taken strange wives of the people of the land, yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this.
10:3Now therefore let us make a covenant with our Elohim, to put away all the wives (and such as are born of them) according to the counsel of the Lord,and of those that fear the commandments of our Elohim,and let it be done according to the Law.
10:4Arise:for the matter belongs to you:we also will be with you:be of comfort and do it.
10:5Then arose Ezra,and caused the chief Priests, the Levites,and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word. So they swore.
10:6And Ezra rose up from before the house of Elohim,and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib:he went even there,but he did eat neither bread, nor drunk water:for he mourned, because of the transgression of them of the captivity.
10:7And they caused a proclamation to go throughout Judah and Jerusalem, to all them of the captivity,that they should assemble themselves to Jerusalem.
10:8And whoever would not come within three days according to the counsel of the Princes and Elders, all his substance should be forfeit,and he should be separate from the Congregation of them of the captivity.
10:9Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled themselves to Jerusalem within three days, which was the twentieth day of the ninth month,and all the people sat in the street of the house of Elohim, trembling for this matter,and for the rain.
10:10And Ezra the Priest stood up,and said to them, You have transgressed,and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.
10:11Now therefore give praise to YHWH Elohim of your fathers,and do his will,and separate yourselves from the people of the land,and from the strange wives.
10:12And all the Congregation answered,and said with a loud voice, So will we do according to your words to us.
10:13But the people are many, and it is a rainy weather, and we are not able to stand without, neither is it the work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.
10:14Let our rulers stand therefore before all the Congregation, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities, come at the time appointed, and with them the Elders of every city and the Judges of it, till the fierce wrath of our Elohim for this matter turn away from us.
10:15Then were appointed Jonathan the son of Asahel,and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah over this matter,and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.
10:16And they of the captivity did so,and departed, even Ezra the Priest,and the men that were chief fathers to the family of their fathers by name,and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
10:17And until the first day of the first month they were finishing the business with all the men that had taken strange wives.
10:18And of the sons of the Priests there were men found,that had taken strange wives, namely, of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak,and of his brethren, Maaseiah, Eliezer,and Jarib and Gedaliah.
10:19And they gave their hands,that they would put away their wives,and they that had trespassed, gave a ram for their trespass.
10:20And of the sons of Immer, Hanani,and Zebadiah.
10:21And of the sons of Harim, Maaseiah,and Elijah,and Shemaiah,and Jehiel,and Uzziah.
10:22And of the sons of Pashhur, Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad,and Elasah.
10:23And of the Levites, Jozabad and Shimei,and Kelaiah, (which is Kelita) Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.
10:24And of the singers, Eliashib. And of the porters, Shallum,and Telem,and Uri.
10:25And of Israel:of the sons of Parosh, Ramiah,and Jeziah,and Malchiah,and Mijamin,and Eleazar,and Malchiah,and Benaiah.
10:26And of the sons of Elam, Mattaniah, Zechariah,and Jehiel,and Abdi,and Jeremoth,and Eliah.
10:27And of the sons of Zattu, Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah,and Jeremoth,and Zabad,and Aziza.
10:28And of the sons of Bebai, Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.
10:29And of the sons of Bani, Meshullam, Malluch,and Adaiah, Jashub,and Sheal, Ramoth.
10:30And of the sons of Pahath-moab, Adna,and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel,and Binnui,and Manasseh.
10:31And of the sons of Harim, Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
10:32Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah.
10:33Of the sons of Hashum, Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei.
10:34Of the sons of Bani, Maadai, Amram,and Uel,
10:35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,
10:36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
10:37Mattaniah, Mattenai,and Jaasai,
10:38And Bani,and Binnui, Shimei,
10:39And Shelemiah,and Nathan,and Adaiah,
10:40Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
10:41Azarel,and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
10:42Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.
10:43Of the sons of Nebo, Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai,and Joel, Benaiah.
10:44All these had taken strange wives:and among them were women that had children.