Ezra
American Standard Version, 1901 ed.
Chapter 1
1Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the
word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished,
Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that
he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and [put it]
also in writing, saying, 2Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia,
All the kingdoms of the earth hath Jehovah, the God of heaven,
given me; and he hath charged me to build him a house in
Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3Whosoever there is among you
of all his people, his God be with him, and let him go up to
Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of Jehovah,
the God of Israel (he is God), which is in Jerusalem. 4And
whosoever is left, in any place where he sojourneth, let the men
of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with
goods, and with beasts, besides the freewill-offering for the
house of God which is in Jerusalem. 5Then rose up the heads
of fathers' [houses] of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and
the Levites, even all whose spirit God had stirred to go up to
build the house of Jehovah which is in Jerusalem. 6And all
they that were round about them strengthened their hands with
vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and
with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.
7Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house
of Jehovah, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of
Jerusalem, and had put in the house of his gods; 8even
those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of
Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar,
the prince of Judah. 9And this is the number of them:
thirty platters of gold, a thousand platters of silver, nine and
twenty knives, 10thirty bowls of gold, silver bowls of a
second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.
11All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand
and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when they
of the captivity were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.
Chapter 2
1Now these are the children of the province, that went
up out of the captivity of those that had been carried away,
whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto
Babylon, and that returned unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one
unto his city; 2who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah,
Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum,
Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: 3The
children of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy and two.
4The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
5The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.
6The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua
[and] Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve. 7The
children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. 8
The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five. 9The
children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore. 10The
children of Bani, six hundred forty and two. 11The children
of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three. 12The children of
Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two. 13The
children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six. 14The
children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six. 15The
children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four. 16The
children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. 17The
children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three. 18The
children of Jorah, a hundred and twelve. 19The children of
Hashum, two hundred twenty and three. 20The children of
Gibbar, ninety and five. 21The children of Beth-lehem, a
hundred twenty and three. 22The men of Netophah, fifty and
six. 23The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight.
24The children of Azmaveth, forty and two. 25The
children of Kiriath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred
and forty and three. 26The children of Ramah and Geba, six
hundred twenty and one. 27The men of Michmas, a hundred
twenty and two. 28The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred
twenty and three. 29The children of Nebo, fifty and two.
30The children of Magbish, a hundred fifty and six. 31
The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and
four. 32The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
33The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty
and five. 34The children of Jericho, three hundred forty
and five. 35The children of Senaah, three thousand and six
hundred and thirty. 36The priests: the children of Jedaiah,
of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three. 37
The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two. 38The
children of Pashhur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.
39The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen. 40
The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children
of Hodaviah, seventy and four. 41The singers: the children
of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight. 42The children of the
porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the
children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of
Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all a hundred thirty and
nine. 43The Nethinim: the children of Ziha, the children of
Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth, 44the children of Keros,
the children of Siaha, the children of Padon, 45the
children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of
Akkub, 46the children of Hagab, the children of Shamlai,
the children of Hanan, 47the children of Giddel, the
children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah, 48the children
of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam, 49
the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of
Besai, 50the children of Asnah, the children of Meunim, the
children of Nephisim, 51the children of Bakbuk, the
children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, 52the children
of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
53the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the
children of Temah, 54the children of Neziah, the children
of Hatipha. 55The children of Solomon's servants: the
children of Sotai, the children of Hassophereth, the children of
Peruda, 56the children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon,
the children of Giddel, 57the children of Shephatiah, the
children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the
children of Ami. 58All the Nethinim, and the children of
Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two. 59
And these were they that went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha,
Cherub, Addan, [and] Immer; but they could not show their
fathers' houses, and their seed, whether they were of Israel:
60the children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the
children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two. 61And of the
children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children
of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the
daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their
name. 62These sought their register [among] those that were
reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were
they deemed polluted and put from the priesthood. 63And the
governor said unto them, that they should not eat of the most
holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with
Thummim. 64The whole assembly together was forty and two
thousand three hundred and threescore, 65besides their
men-servants and their maid-servants, of whom there were seven
thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two
hundred singing men and singing women. 66Their horses were
seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and
five; 67their camels, four hundred thirty and five; [their]
asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. 68And some of
the heads of fathers' [houses], when they came to the house of
Jehovah which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for the house
of God to set it up in its place: 69they gave after their
ability into the treasury of the work threescore and one
thousand darics of gold, and five thousand pounds of silver, and
one hundred priests' garments. 70So the priests, and the
Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the
porters, and the Nethinim, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel
in their cities.
Chapter 3
1And when the seventh month was come, and the children
of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves
together as one man to Jerusalem. 2Then stood up Jeshua the
son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the
son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the
God of Israel, to offer burnt-offerings thereon, as it is
written in the law of Moses the man of God. 3And they set
the altar upon its base; for fear was upon them because of the
peoples of the countries: and they offered burnt-offerings
thereon unto Jehovah, even burnt-offerings morning and evening.
4And they kept the feast of tabernacles, as it is written,
and [offered] the daily burnt-offerings by number, according to
the ordinance, as the duty of every day required; 5and
afterward the continual burnt-offering, and [the offerings] of
the new moons, and of all the set feasts of Jehovah that were
consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a
freewill-offering unto Jehovah. 6From the first day of the
seventh month began they to offer burnt-offerings unto Jehovah:
but the foundation of the temple of Jehovah was not yet laid.
7They gave money also unto the masons, and to the
carpenters; and food, and drink, and oil, unto them of Sidon,
and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar-trees from Lebanon to the
sea, unto Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus
king of Persia. 8Now in the second year of their coming
unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began
Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak,
and the rest of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and
all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem, and
appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have
the oversight of the work of the house of Jehovah. 9Then
stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his
sons, the sons of Judah, together, to have the oversight of the
workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their
sons and their brethren the Levites. 10And when the
builders laid the foundation of the temple of Jehovah, they set
the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the
sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise Jehovah, after the order
of David king of Israel. 11And they sang one to another in
praising and giving thanks unto Jehovah, [saying], For he is
good, for his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever toward Israel.
And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised
Jehovah, because the foundation of the house of Jehovah was
laid. 12But many of the priests and Levites and heads of
fathers' [houses], the old men that 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: 13
so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of
joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people
shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.
Chapter 4
1Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard
that the children of the captivity were building a temple unto
Jehovah, the God of Israel; 2then they drew near to
Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers' [houses], and said unto
them, Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as ye do; and
we sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of
Assyria, who brought us up hither. 3But Zerubbabel, and
Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' [houses] of
Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us in
building a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will
build unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of
Persia hath commanded us. 4Then the people of the land
weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in
building, 5and hired counsellors against them, to frustrate
their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until
the reign of Darius king of Persia. 6And in the reign of
Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an
accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7
And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel,
and the rest of his companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia;
and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian
[character], and set forth in the Syrian [tongue]. 8Rehum
the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against
Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort: 9then
[wrote] Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the
rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites,
the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians,
the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites, 10and the
rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought
over, and set in the city of Samaria, and in the rest [of the
country] beyond the River, and so forth. 11This is the copy
of the letter that they sent unto Artaxerxes the king: Thy
servants the men beyond the River, and so forth. 12Be it
known unto the king, that the Jews that came up from thee are
come to us unto Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and
the bad city, and have finished the walls, and repaired the
foundations. 13Be it known now unto the king, that, if this
city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay
tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful unto
the kings. 14Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and
it is not meet for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have
we sent and certified the king; 15that search may be made
in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in
the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious
city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have
moved sedition within the same of old time; for which cause was
this city laid waste. 16We certify the king that, if this
city be builded, and the walls finished, by this means thou
shalt have no portion beyond the River. 17[Then] sent the
king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the
scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in
Samaria, and in the rest [of the country] beyond the River:
Peace, and so forth. 18The letter which ye sent unto us
hath been plainly read before me. 19And I decreed, and
search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old
time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion
and sedition have been made therein. 20There have been
mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all [the
country] beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was
paid unto them. 21Make ye now a decree to cause these men
to cease, and that this city be not builded, until a decree
shall be made by me. 22And take heed that ye be not slack
herein: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings? 23
Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before
Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went
in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by
force and power. 24Then ceased the work of the house of God
which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of
the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Chapter 5
1Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the
son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and
Jerusalem; in the name of the God of Israel [prophesied they]
unto them. 2Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel,
and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of
God which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of
God, helping them. 3At the same time came to them Tattenai,
the governor beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and their
companions, and said thus unto them, Who gave you a decree to
build this house, and to finish this wall? 4Then we told
them after this manner, what the names of the men were that were
making this building. 5But the eye of their God was upon
the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease, till
the matter should come to Darius, and then answer should be
returned by letter concerning it. 6The copy of the letter
that Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and
Shethar-bozenai, and his companions the Apharsachites, who were
beyond the River, sent unto Darius the king; 7they sent a
letter unto him, wherein was written thus: Unto Darius the king,
all peace. 8Be it known unto the king, that we went into
the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is
builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls; and
this work goeth on with diligence and prospereth in their hands.
9Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who
gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?
10We asked them their names also, to certify thee, that we
might write the names of the men that were at the head of them.
11And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the
servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are building the
house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king
of Israel builded and finished. 12But after that our
fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them
into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean,
who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into
Babylon. 13But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon,
Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God. 14
And the gold and silver vessels also of the house of God, which
Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and
brought into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king
take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto
one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;
15and he said unto him, Take these vessels, go, put them in
the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be
builded in its place. 16Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and
laid the foundations of the house of God which is in Jerusalem:
and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and
yet it is not completed. 17Now therefore, if it seem good
to the king, let there be search made in the king's
treasure-house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so,
that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of
God at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us
concerning this matter.
Chapter 6
1Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made
in the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up
in Babylon. 2And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace
that is in the province of Media, a roll, and therein was thus
written for a record: 3In the first year of Cyrus the king,
Cyrus the king made a decree: Concerning the house of God at
Jerusalem, let the house be builded, the place where they offer
sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid;
the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof
threescore cubits; 4with three courses of great stones, and
a course of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the
king's house. 5And also let the gold and silver vessels of
the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the
temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be
restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at
Jerusalem, every one to its place; and thou shalt put them in
the house of God. 6Now therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond
the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your companions the
Apharsachites, who are beyond the River, be ye far from thence:
7let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor
of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God
in its place. 8Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to
these elders of the Jews for the building of this house of God:
that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the River,
expenses be given with all diligence unto these men, that they
be not hindered. 9And that which they have need of, both
young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for burnt-offerings to the
God of heaven; [also] wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to
the word of the priests that are at Jerusalem, let it be given
them day by day without fail; 10that they may offer
sacrifices of sweet savor unto the God of heaven, and pray for
the life of the king, and of his sons. 11Also I have made a
decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let a beam be
pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened
thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this: 12
and the God that hath caused his name to dwell there overthrow
all kings and peoples that shall put forth their hand to alter
[the same], to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem.
I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with all diligence.
13Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River,
Shethar-bozenai, and their companions, because that Darius the
king had sent, did accordingly with all diligence. 14And
the elders of the Jews builded and prospered, through the
prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo.
And they builded and finished it, according to the commandment
of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus, and
Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. 15And this house was
finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the
sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. 16And the
children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest
of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this
house of God with joy. 17And they offered at the dedication
of this house of God a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four
hundred lambs; and for a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve
he-goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
18And they set the priests in their divisions, and the
Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at
Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses. 19And the
children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth
[day] of the first month. 20For the priests and the Levites
had purified themselves together; all of them were pure: and
they killed the passover for all the children of the captivity,
and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. 21
And the children of Israel that were come again out of the
captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them
from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek Jehovah,
the God of Israel, did eat, 22and kept the feast of
unleavened bread seven days with joy: for Jehovah had made them
joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto
them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God,
the God of Israel.
Chapter 7
1Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king
of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son
of Hilkiah, 2the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son
of Ahitub, 3the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son
of Meraioth, 4the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son
of Bukki, 5the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son
of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest; 6this Ezra
went up from Babylon: and he was a ready scribe in the law of
Moses, which Jehovah, the God of Israel, had given; and the king
granted him all his request, according to the hand of Jehovah
his God upon him. 7And there went up some of the children
of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers,
and the porters, and the Nethinim, unto Jerusalem, in the
seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. 8And he came to
Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of
the king. 9For upon the first [day] of the first month
began he to go up from Babylon; and on the first [day] of the
fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of
his God upon him. 10For Ezra had set his heart to seek the
law of Jehovah, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes
and ordinances. 11Now this is the copy of the letter that
the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even
the scribe of the words of the commandments of Jehovah, and of
his statutes to Israel: 12Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto
Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven,
perfect and so forth. 13I make a decree, that all they of
the people of Israel, and their priests and the Levites, in my
realm, that are minded of their own free will to go to
Jerusalem, go with thee. 14Forasmuch as thou art sent of
the king and his seven counsellors, to inquire concerning Judah
and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thy
hand, 15and to carry the silver and gold, which the king
and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel,
whose habitation is in Jerusalem, 16and all the silver and
gold that thou shalt find in all the province of Babylon, with
the freewill-offering of the people, and of the priests,
offering willingly for the house of their God which is in
Jerusalem; 17therefore thou shalt with all diligence buy
with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meal-offerings
and their drink-offerings, and shalt offer them upon the altar
of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18And
whatsoever shall seem good to thee and to thy brethren to do
with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do ye after the
will of your God. 19And the vessels that are given thee for
the service of the house of thy God, deliver thou before the God
of Jerusalem. 20And whatsoever more shall be needful for
the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow,
bestow it out of the king's treasure-house. 21And I, even I
Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers that
are beyond the River, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the
scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it
be done with all diligence, 22unto a hundred talents of
silver, and to a hundred measures of wheat, and to a hundred
baths of wine, and to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without
prescribing how much. 23Whatsoever is commanded by the God
of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of
heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the
king and his sons? 24Also we certify you, that touching any
of the priests and Levites, the singers, porters, Nethinim, or
servants of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose
tribute, custom, or toll, upon them. 25And thou, Ezra,
after the wisdom of thy God that is in thy hand, appoint
magistrates and judges, who may judge all the people that are
beyond the River, all such as know the laws of thy God; and
teach ye him that knoweth them not. 26And whosoever will
not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment
be executed upon him with all diligence, whether it be unto
death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to
imprisonment. 27Blessed be Jehovah, the God of our fathers,
who hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to
beautify the house of Jehovah which is in Jerusalem; 28and
hath extended lovingkindness unto me before the king, and his
counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was
strengthened according to the hand of Jehovah my God upon me,
and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
Chapter 8
1Now these are the heads of their fathers' [houses], and
this is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon,
in the reign of Artaxerxes the king: 2Of the sons of
Phinehas, Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons
of David, Hattush. 3Of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons
of Parosh, Zechariah; and with him were reckoned by genealogy of
the males a hundred and fifty. 4Of the sons of Pahath-moab,
Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah; and with him two hundred males.
5Of the sons of Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel; and with
him three hundred males. 6And of the sons of Adin, Ebed the
son of Jonathan; and with him fifty males. 7And of the sons
of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah; and with him seventy
males. 8And of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of
Michael; and with him fourscore males. 9Of the sons of
Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel; and with him two hundred and
eighteen males. 10And of the sons of Shelomith, the son of
Josiphiah; and with him a hundred and threescore males. 11
And of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai; and with
him twenty and eight males. 12And of the sons of Azgad,
Johanan the son of Hakkatan; and with him a hundred and ten
males. 13And of the sons of Adonikam, [that were] the last;
and these are their names: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah; and
with them threescore males. 14And of the sons of Bigvai,
Uthai and Zabbud; and with them seventy males. 15And I
gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and
there we encamped three days: and I viewed the people, and the
priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi. 16Then
sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan,
and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for
Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and
for Elnathan, who were teachers. 17And I sent them forth
unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia; and I told them what
they should say unto Iddo, [and] his brethren the Nethinim, at
the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for
the house of our God. 18And according to the good hand of
our God upon us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons
of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah,
with his sons and his brethren, eighteen; 19and Hashabiah,
and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and
their sons, twenty; 20and of the Nethinim, whom David and
the princes had given for the service of the Levites, two
hundred and twenty Nethinim: all of them were mentioned by name.
21Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that
we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek of him a
straight way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our
substance. 22For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of
soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way,
because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God
is upon all them that seek him, for good; but his power and his
wrath is against all them that forsake him. 23So we fasted
and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us.
24Then I set apart twelve of the chiefs of the priests,
even Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,
25and weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the
vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the
king, and his counsellors, and his princes, and all Israel there
present, had offered: 26I weighed into their hand six
hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels a
hundred talents; of gold a hundred talents; 27and twenty
bowls of gold, of a thousand darics; and two vessels of fine
bright brass, precious as gold. 28And I said unto them, Ye
are holy unto Jehovah, and the vessels are holy; and the silver
and the gold are a freewill-offering unto Jehovah, the God of
your fathers. 29Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh
them before the chiefs of the priests and the Levites, and the
princes of the fathers' [houses] of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the
chambers of the house of Jehovah. 30So the priests and the
Levites received the weight of the silver and the gold, and the
vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God.
31Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth
[day] of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of
our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the
enemy and the lier-in-wait by the way. 32And we came to
Jerusalem, and abode there three days. 33And on the fourth
day the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed 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 was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of
Binnui, the Levite; 34the whole by number and by weight:
and all the weight was written at that time. 35The children
of the captivity, that were come out of exile, offered
burnt-offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all
Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve
he-goats for a sin-offering: all this was a burnt-offering unto
Jehovah. 36And they delivered the king's commissions unto
the king's satraps, and to the governors beyond the River: and
they furthered the people and the house of God.
Chapter 9
1Now when these things were done, the princes drew near
unto me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests and the
Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the
lands, [doing] according to their abominations, even of the
Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the
Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 2
For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for
their sons, so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with
the peoples of the lands: yea, the hand of the princes and
rulers hath been chief in this trespass. 3And when I heard
this thing, I rent my garment and my robe, and plucked off the
hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded. 4
Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words
of the God of Israel, because of the trespass of them of the
captivity; and I sat confounded until the evening oblation.
5And at the evening oblation I arose up from my
humiliation, even with my garment and my robe rent; and I fell
upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto Jehovah my God;
6and I said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my
face to thee, my God; for our iniquities are increased over our
head, and our guiltiness is grown up unto the heavens. 7
Since the days of our fathers we have been exceeding guilty unto
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, to captivity, and to plunder, and to confusion of
face, as it is this day. 8And now for a little moment grace
hath been showed from Jehovah our God, to leave us a remnant to
escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God
may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our
bondage. 9For we are bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken
us in our bondage, but hath extended lovingkindness unto us in
the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set
up the house of our God, and to repair the ruins thereof, and to
give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. 10And now, O our
God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy
commandments, 11which thou hast commanded by thy servants
the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it,
is an unclean land through the uncleanness of the peoples of the
lands, through their abominations, which have filled it from one
end to another with their filthiness: 12now therefore give
not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters
unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity for
ever; that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and
leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever. 13
And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for
our great guilt, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less
than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such a remnant,
14shall we again break thy commandments, and join in
affinity with the peoples that do these abominations? wouldest
not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that
there should be no remnant, nor any to escape? 15O Jehovah,
the God of Israel, thou art righteous; for we are left a remnant
that is escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee
in our guiltiness; for none can stand before thee because of
this.
Chapter 10
1Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and
casting himself down before the house of God, there was gathered
together unto him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and
women and children; for the people wept very sore. 2And
Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered
and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have
married foreign women of the peoples of the land: yet now there
is hope for Israel concerning this thing. 3Now therefore
let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives,
and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my
lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God;
and let it be done according to the law. 4Arise; for the
matter belongeth unto thee, and we are with thee: be of good
courage, and do it. 5Then arose Ezra, and made the chiefs
of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they
would do according to this word. So they sware. 6Then Ezra
rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber
of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib: and [when] he came thither, he
did eat no bread, nor drink water; for he mourned because of the
trespass of them of the captivity. 7And they made
proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the
children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves
together unto Jerusalem; 8and that whosoever came not
within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and
the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself
separated from the assembly of the captivity. 9Then 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. 10And Ezra the priest
stood up, and said unto them, Ye have trespassed, and have
married foreign women, to increase the guilt of Israel. 11
Now therefore make confession unto Jehovah, the God of your
fathers, and do his pleasure; and separate yourselves from the
peoples of the land, and from the foreign women. 12Then
all the assembly answered and said with a loud voice, As thou
hast said concerning us, so must we do. 13But the people
are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to
stand without: neither is this a work of one day or two; for we
have greatly transgressed in this matter. 14Let now our
princes be appointed for all the assembly, and let all them that
are in our cities that have married foreign women come at
appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the
judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God be turned from
us, until this matter be despatched. 15Only Jonathan the
son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against
this [matter]: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped
them. 16And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra
the priest, [with] certain heads of fathers' [houses], after
their fathers' houses, and all of them by their names, were set
apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to
examine the matter. 17And they made an end with all the
men that had married foreign women by the first day of the first
month. 18And among the sons of the priests there were
found that had married foreign women: [namely], of the sons of
Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brethren, Maaseiah, and
Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19And they gave their
hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty,
[they offered] a ram of the flock for their guilt. 20And
of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah. 21And of the
sons of Harim: Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel,
and Uzziah. 22And of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai,
Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah. 23And of
the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (the same is
Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. 24And of the
singers: Eliashib. And of the porters: Shallum, and Telem, and
Uri. 25And of Israel: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, and
Izziah, and Malchijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah,
and Benaiah. 26And of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah,
Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27And of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah,
and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza. 28And of the sons of
Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai. 29And of the
sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal,
Jeremoth. 30And of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, and
Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, and Binnui, and
Manasseh. 31And [of] the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah,
Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32Benjamin, Malluch,
Shemariah. 33Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah,
Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei. 34Of the sons
of Bani: Maadai, Amram, and Uel, 35Benaiah, Bedeiah,
Cheluhi, 36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37Mattaniah,
Mattenai, and Jaasu, 38and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,
39and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, 40
Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41Azarel, and Shelemiah,
Shemariah, 42Shallum, Amariah, Joseph. 43Of the sons
of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, and Joel,
Benaiah. 44All these had taken foreign wives; and some of
them had wives by whom they had children.
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