Ezra
1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of
Persia, that the word of
the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be
fulfilled, the LORD stirred
up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that
he made a proclamation
throughout all his kingdom, and put it also
in writing, saying, 1:2
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD
God of heaven hath given me
all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath
charged me to build him an
house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
1:3 Who is there 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
the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,)
which is in Jerusalem.
1:4 And whosoever remaineth 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, beside the freewill
offering for the house of God
that is in Jerusalem.
1:5 Then rose up the chief of the fathers of
Judah and Benjamin, and
the priests, and the Levites, with all them
whose spirit God had
raised, to go up to build the house of the
LORD which is in Jerusalem.
1:6 And all they that were about them
strengthened their hands with
vessels of silver, with gold, with goods,
and with beasts, and with
precious things, beside all that was
willingly offered.
1:7 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the
vessels of the house of the
LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth
out of Jerusalem, and had
put them in the house of his gods; 1:8 Even
those did Cyrus king of
Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath
the treasurer, and
numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince
of Judah.
1:9 And this is the number of them: thirty
chargers of gold, a
thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty
knives, 1:10 Thirty
basons of gold, silver basons of a second
sort four hundred and ten,
and other vessels a thousand.
1:11 All the vessels of gold and of silver
were five thousand and four
hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up
with them of the captivity
that were brought up from Babylon unto
Jerusalem.
2:1 Now these are the children of the
province that went up out of the
captivity, of those which had been carried
away, whom Nebuchadnezzar
the king of Babylon had carried away unto
Babylon, and came again unto
Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his
city; 2:2 Which came with
Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah,
Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan,
Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of
the men of the people of
Israel: 2:3 The children of Parosh, two
thousand an hundred seventy
and two.
2:4 The children of Shephatiah, three
hundred seventy and two.
2:5 The children of Arah, seven hundred
seventy and five.
2:6 The children of Pahathmoab, of the
children of Jeshua and Joab,
two thousand eight hundred and twelve.
2:7 The children of Elam, a thousand two
hundred fifty and four.
2:8 The children of Zattu, nine hundred
forty and five.
2:9 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred
and threescore.
2:10 The children of Bani, six hundred forty
and two.
2:11 The children of Bebai, six hundred
twenty and three.
2:12 The children of Azgad, a thousand two
hundred twenty and two.
2:13 The children of Adonikam, six hundred
sixty and six.
2:14 The children of Bigvai, two thousand
fifty and six.
2:15 The children of Adin, four hundred
fifty and four.
2:16 The children of Ater of Hezekiah,
ninety and eight.
2:17 The children of Bezai, three hundred
twenty and three.
2:18 The children of Jorah, an hundred and
twelve.
2:19 The children of Hashum, two hundred
twenty and three.
2:20 The children of Gibbar, ninety and
five.
2:21 The children of Bethlehem, an hundred
twenty and three.
2:22 The men of Netophah, fifty and six.
2:23 The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty
and eight.
2:24 The children of Azmaveth, forty and
two.
2:25 The children of Kirjatharim, Chephirah,
and Beeroth, seven
hundred and forty and three.
2:26 The children of Ramah and Gaba, six
hundred twenty and one.
2:27 The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty
and two.
2:28 The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred
twenty and three.
2:29 The children of Nebo, fifty and two.
2:30 The children of Magbish, an hundred
fifty and six.
2:31 The children of the other Elam, a
thousand two hundred fifty and
four.
2:32 The children of Harim, three hundred
and twenty.
2:33 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono,
seven hundred twenty and
five.
2:34 The children of Jericho, three hundred
forty and five.
2:35 The children of Senaah, three thousand
and six hundred and
thirty.
2:36 The priests: the children of Jedaiah,
of the house of Jeshua,
nine hundred seventy and three.
2:37 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty
and two.
2:38 The children of Pashur, a thousand two
hundred forty and seven.
2:39 The children of Harim, a thousand and
seventeen.
2:40 The Levites: the children of Jeshua and
Kadmiel, of the children
of Hodaviah, seventy and four.
2:41 The singers: the children of Asaph, an
hundred twenty and eight.
2:42 The 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 an hundred thirty
and nine.
2:43 The Nethinims: the children of Ziha,
the children of Hasupha, the
children of Tabbaoth, 2:44 The children of
Keros, the children of
Siaha, the children of Padon, 2:45 The
children of Lebanah, the
children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,
2:46 The children of
Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children
of Hanan, 2:47 The
children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,
the children of Reaiah,
2:48 The children of Rezin, the children of
Nekoda, the children of
Gazzam, 2:49 The children of Uzza, the
children of Paseah, the
children of Besai, 2:50 The children of
Asnah, the children of
Mehunim, the children of Nephusim, 2:51 The
children of Bakbuk, the
children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
2:52 The children of
Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the
children of Harsha, 2:53 The
children of Barkos, the children of Sisera,
the children of Thamah,
2:54 The children of Neziah, the children of
Hatipha.
2:55 The children of Solomon's servants: the
children of Sotai, the
children of Sophereth, the children of
Peruda, 2:56 The children of
Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children
of Giddel, 2:57 The
children of Shephatiah, the children of
Hattil, the children of
Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami.
2:58 All the Nethinims, and the children of
Solomon's servants, were
three hundred ninety and two.
2:59 And these were they which went up from
Telmelah, Telharsa,
Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they could not
shew their father's
house, and their seed, whether they were of
Israel: 2:60 The children
of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the
children of Nekoda, six
hundred fifty and two.
2:61 And of the children of the priests: the
children of Habaiah, the
children of Koz, the children of Barzillai;
which took a wife of the
daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and
was called after their name:
2:62 These sought their register among those
that were reckoned by
genealogy, but they were not found:
therefore were they, as polluted,
put from the priesthood.
2:63 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that
they should not eat of the
most holy things, till there stood up a
priest with Urim and with
Thummim.
2:64 The whole congregation together was
forty and two thousand three
hundred and threescore, 2:65 Beside their
servants and their maids, of
whom there were seven thousand three hundred
thirty and seven: and
there were among them two hundred singing
men and singing women.
2:66 Their horses were seven hundred thirty
and six; their mules, two
hundred forty and five; 2:67 Their camels,
four hundred thirty and
five; their asses, six thousand seven
hundred and twenty.
2:68 And some of the chief of the fathers,
when they came to the house
of the LORD which is at Jerusalem, offered
freely for the house of God
to set it up in his place: 2:69 They gave
after their ability unto the
treasure of the work threescore and one
thousand drams of gold, and
five thousand pound of silver, and one
hundred priests' garments.
2:70 So the priests, and the Levites, and
some of the people, and the
singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims,
dwelt in their cities,
and all Israel in their cities.
3:1 And 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.
3:2 Then 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.
3:3 And they set the altar upon his bases;
for fear was upon them
because of the people of those countries:
and they offered burnt
offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt
offerings morning and
evening.
3:4 They kept also the feast of tabernacles,
as it is written, and
offered the daily burnt offerings by number,
according to the custom,
as the duty of every day required; 3:5 And
afterward offered the
continual burnt offering, both of the new
moons, and of all the set
feasts of the LORD that were consecrated,
and of every one that
willingly offered a freewill offering unto
the LORD.
3:6 From the first day of the seventh month
began they to offer burnt
offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation
of the temple of the LORD
was not yet laid.
3:7 They gave money also unto the masons,
and to the carpenters; and
meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of
Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to
bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of
Joppa, according to the
grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.
3:8 Now 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
remnant 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 set forward the work of
the house of the LORD.
3:9 Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his
brethren, Kadmiel and his
sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set
forward the workmen in the
house of God: the sons of Henadad, with
their sons and their brethren
the Levites.
3:10 And when the builders laid the
foundation of the temple of the
LORD, they set the priests in their apparel
with trumpets, and the
Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to
praise the LORD, after the
ordinance of David king of Israel.
3:11 And they sang together by course in
praising and giving thanks
unto the LORD; because he is good, for his
mercy endureth for ever
toward Israel.
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.
3:12 But many of the priests and Levites and
chief of the fathers, who
were ancient 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: 3:13 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.
4:1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and
Benjamin heard that the
children of the captivity builded the temple
unto the LORD God of
Israel; 4:2 Then they came to Zerubbabel,
and to the chief of the
fathers, and said unto them, Let us build
with you: for we seek your
God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him
since the days of
Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us
up hither.
4:3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest
of the chief of the
fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have
nothing to do with us to
build an house unto our God; but we
ourselves together will build unto
the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the
king of Persia hath
commanded us.
4:4 Then the people of the land weakened the
hands of the people of
Judah, and troubled them in building, 4:5
And 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.
4:6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the
beginning of his reign,
wrote they unto him an accusation against
the inhabitants of Judah and
Jerusalem.
4:7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote
Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel,
and the rest of their companions, unto
Artaxerxes king of Persia; and
the writing of the letter was written in the
Syrian tongue, and
interpreted in the Syrian tongue.
4:8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the
scribe wrote a letter
against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in
this sort: 4:9 Then wrote
Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the
scribe, and the rest of their
companions; the Dinaites, the
Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the
Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians,
the Susanchites, the
Dehavites, and the Elamites, 4:10 And the
rest of the nations whom the
great and noble Asnapper brought over, and
set in the cities of
Samaria, and the rest that are on this side
the river, and at such a
time.
4:11 This is the copy of the letter that
they sent unto him, even unto
Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on
this side the river, and
at such a time.
4:12 Be it known unto the king, that the
Jews which came up from thee
to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the
rebellious and the bad
city, and have set up the walls thereof, and
joined the foundations.
4:13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if
this city be builded, and
the walls set up again, then will they not
pay toll, tribute, and
custom, and so thou shalt endamage the
revenue of the kings.
4:14 Now because we have maintenance from
the king's palace, and it
was not meet for us to see the king's
dishonour, therefore have we
sent and certified the king; 4:15 That
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 destroyed.
4:16 We certify the king that, if this city
be builded again, and the
walls thereof set up, by this means thou
shalt have no portion on this
side the river.
4:17 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 unto the rest beyond the river,
Peace, and at such a
time.
4:18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath
been plainly read before
me.
4:19 And I commanded, 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.
4:20 There have been mighty kings also over
Jerusalem, which have
ruled over all countries beyond the river;
and toll, tribute, and
custom, was paid unto them.
4:21 Give ye now commandment to cause these
men to cease, and that
this city be not builded, until another
commandment shall be given
from me.
4:22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do
this: why should damage grow
to the hurt of the kings? 4:23 Now when the
copy of king Artaxerxes'
letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai
the scribe, and their
companions, they went up in haste to
Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made
them to cease by force and power.
4:24 Then ceased the work of the house of
God which is at Jerusalem.
So it ceased unto the second year of the
reign of Darius king of
Persia.
5:1 Then 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, even unto them.
5:2 Then 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.
5:3 At the same time came to them Tatnai,
governor on this side the
river, and Shetharboznai and their
companions, and said thus unto
them, Who hath commanded you to build this
house, and to make up this
wall? 5:4 Then said we unto them after this
manner, What are the
names of the men that make this building?
5:5 But 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 returned answer
by letter concerning this matter.
5:6 The copy of the letter that Tatnai,
governor on this side the
river, and Shetharboznai and his companions
the Apharsachites, which
were on this side the river, sent unto
Darius the king: 5:7 They sent
a letter unto him, wherein was written thus;
Unto Darius the king, all
peace.
5:8 Be it known unto the king, that we went
into the province of
Judea, to the house of the great God, which
is builded with great
stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and
this work goeth fast on,
and prospereth in their hands.
5:9 Then asked we those elders, and said
unto them thus, Who commanded
you to build this house, and to make up
these walls? 5:10 We asked
their names also, to certify thee, that we
might write the names of
the men that were the chief of them.
5:11 And thus they returned us answer,
saying, We are the servants of
the God of heaven and earth, and build the
house that was builded
these many years ago, which a great king of
Israel builded and set up.
5:12 But after that our fathers had provoked
the God of heaven unto
wrath, he gave them into the hand of
Nebuchadnezzar the king of
Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this
house, and carried the
people away into Babylon.
5:13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king
of Babylon the same king
Cyrus made a decree to build this house of
God.
5:14 And the vessels also 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 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; 5:15 And said unto
him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into
the temple that is in
Jerusalem, and let the house of God be
builded in his place.
5:16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and
laid the foundation 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
finished.
5:17 Now 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.
6:1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and
search was made in the
house of the rolls, where the treasures were
laid up in Babylon.
6:2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the
palace that is in the
province of the Medes, a roll, and therein
was a record thus written:
6:3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the
same Cyrus the king made a
decree concerning the house of God at
Jerusalem, Let the house be
builded, the place where they offered
sacrifices, and let the
foundations thereof be strongly laid; the
height thereof threescore
cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore
cubits; 6:4 With three rows
of great stones, and a row of new timber:
and let the expenses be
given out of the king's house: 6:5 And also
let the golden 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 his place, and place them in
the house of God.
6:6 Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond
the river, Shetharboznai,
and your companions the Apharsachites, which
are beyond the river, be
ye far from thence: 6:7 Let 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 his place.
6:8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall
do to the elders of these
Jews for the building of this house of God:
that of the king's goods,
even of the tribute beyond the river,
forthwith expenses be given unto
these men, that they be not hindered.
6:9 And that which they have need of, both
young bullocks, and rams,
and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the
God of heaven, wheat, salt,
wine, and oil, according to the appointment
of the priests which are
at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by
day without fail: 6:10 That
they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours
unto the God of heaven, and
pray for the life of the king, and of his
sons.
6:11 Also I have made a decree, that
whosoever shall alter this word,
let timber be pulled down from his house,
and being set up, let him be
hanged thereon; and let his house be made a
dunghill for this.
6:12 And the God that hath caused his name
to dwell there destroy all
kings and people, that shall put to their
hand to alter and to destroy
this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I
Darius have made a decree;
let it be done with speed.
6:13 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the
river, Shetharboznai, and
their companions, according to that which
Darius the king had sent, so
they did speedily.
6:14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and
they 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
commandment of Cyrus, and Darius,
and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
6:15 And 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.
6:16 And 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.
6:17 And offered at the dedication of this
house of God an 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.
6:18 And 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.
6:19 And the children of the captivity kept
the passover upon the
fourteenth day of the first month.
6:20 For the priests and the Levites were
purified together, all of
them were pure, and killed the passover for
all the children of the
captivity, and for their brethren the
priests, and for themselves.
6:21 And the children of Israel, which were
come again out of
captivity, and all such as had separated
themselves unto them from the
filthiness of the heathen of the land, to
seek the LORD God of Israel,
did eat, 6:22 And kept the feast of
unleavened bread seven days with
joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and
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.
7:1 Now after these things, in the reign of
Artaxerxes king of Persia,
Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah,
the son of Hilkiah, 7:2
The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the
son of Ahitub, 7:3 The son
of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of
Meraioth, 7:4 The son of
Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
7:5 The son of Abishua,
the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the
son of Aaron the chief
priest: 7:6 This Ezra went up from Babylon;
and he was a ready scribe
in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of
Israel had given: and the
king granted him all his request, according
to the hand of the LORD
his God upon him.
7:7 And there went up some of the children
of Israel, and of the
priests, and the Levites, and the singers,
and the porters, and the
Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh
year of Artaxerxes the king.
7:8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth
month, which was in the
seventh year of the king.
7:9 For 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.
7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek
the law of the LORD, and
to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes
and judgments.
7:11 Now this is the copy of the letter that
the king Artaxerxes gave
unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a
scribe of the words of the
commandments of the LORD, and of his
statutes to Israel.
7:12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra
the priest, a scribe of the
law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and
at such a time.
7:13 I make a decree, that all they of the
people of Israel, and of
his priests and Levites, in my realm, which
are minded of their own
freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with
thee.
7:14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king,
and of his seven
counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and
Jerusalem, according to
the law of thy God which is in thine hand;
7:15 And 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, 7:16
And all the silver and gold that thou canst
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: 7:17 That thou mayest buy
speedily with this money
bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat
offerings and their drink
offerings, and offer them upon the altar of
the house of your God
which is in Jerusalem.
7:18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee,
and to thy brethren, to
do with the rest of the silver and the gold,
that do after the will of
your God.
7:19 The vessels also that are given thee
for the service of the house
of thy God, those deliver thou before the
God of Jerusalem.
7:20 And 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.
7:21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do
make a decree to all the
treasurers which 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 speedily, 7:22 Unto an
hundred talents of silver, and
to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an
hundred baths of wine, and
to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without
prescribing how much.
7:23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of
heaven, let it be
diligently done for the house of the God of
heaven: for why should
there be wrath against the realm of the king
and his sons? 7:24 Also
we certify you, that touching any of the
priests and Levites, singers,
porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this
house of God, it shall not be
lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom,
upon them.
7:25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy
God, that is in thine
hand, set magistrates and judges, which may
judge all the people that
are beyond the river, all such as know the
laws of thy God; and teach
ye them that know them not.
7:26 And whosoever will not do the law of
thy God, and the law of the
king, let judgment be executed speedily upon
him, whether it be unto
death, or to banishment, or to confiscation
of goods, or to
imprisonment.
7:27 Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers,
which hath put such a
thing as this in the king's heart, to
beautify the house of the LORD
which is in Jerusalem: 7:28 And hath
extended mercy unto me before the
king, and his counsellors, and before all
the king's mighty princes.
And I was strengthened as the hand of the
LORD my God was upon me, and
I gathered together out of Israel chief men
to go up with me.
8:1 These are now the chief of their
fathers, and this is the
genealogy of them that went up with me from
Babylon, in the reign of
Artaxerxes the king.
8:2 Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the
sons of Ithamar; Daniel:
of the sons of David; Hattush.
8:3 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons
of Pharosh; Zechariah: and
with him were reckoned by genealogy of the
males an hundred and fifty.
8:4 Of the sons of Pahathmoab; Elihoenai the
son of Zerahiah, and with
him two hundred males.
8:5 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of
Jahaziel, and with him three
hundred males.
8:6 Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son
of Jonathan, and with him
fifty males.
8:7 And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the
son of Athaliah, and with
him seventy males.
8:8 And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah
the son of Michael, and
with him fourscore males.
8:9 Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of
Jehiel, and with him two
hundred and eighteen males.
8:10 And of the sons of Shelomith; the son
of Josiphiah, and with him
an hundred and threescore males.
8:11 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the
son of Bebai, and with
him twenty and eight males.
8:12 And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the
son of Hakkatan, and with
him an hundred and ten males.
8:13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose
names are these,
Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with
them threescore males.
8:14 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and
Zabbud, and with them
seventy males.
8:15 And I gathered them together to the
river that runneth to Ahava;
and there abode we in tents three days: and
I viewed the people, and
the priests, and found there none of the
sons of Levi.
8:16 Then 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, men of understanding.
8:17 And I sent them with commandment unto
Iddo the chief at the place
Casiphia, and I told them what they should
say unto Iddo, and to his
brethren the Nethinims, at the place
Casiphia, that they should bring
unto us ministers for the house of our God.
8:18 And by the good hand of our God 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, eighteen; 8:19
And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the
sons of Merari, his
brethren and their sons, twenty; 8:20 Also
of the Nethinims, whom
David and the princes had appointed for the
service of the Levites,
two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of
them were expressed by name.
8:21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the
river of Ahava, that we
might afflict ourselves before our God, to
seek of him a right way for
us, and for our little ones, and for all our
substance.
8:22 For I was ashamed to require 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 for
good that seek him; but his power and his
wrath is against all them
that forsake him.
8:23 So we fasted and besought our God for
this: and he was intreated
of us.
8:24 Then I separated twelve of the chief of
the priests, Sherebiah,
Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with
them, 8:25 And weighed unto
them the silver, and the gold, and the
vessels, even the offering of
the house of our God, which the king, and
his counsellors, and his
lords, and all Israel there present, had
offered: 8:26 I even weighed
unto their hand six hundred and fifty
talents of silver, and silver
vessels an hundred talents, and of gold an
hundred talents; 8:27 Also
twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams;
and two vessels of fine
copper, precious as gold.
8:28 And I said unto them, Ye are holy unto
the LORD; the vessels are
holy also; and the silver and the gold are a
freewill offering unto
the LORD God of your fathers.
8:29 Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh
them before the chief of
the priests and the Levites, and chief of
the fathers of Israel, at
Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of
the LORD.
8:30 So took the priests and the Levites the
weight of the silver, and
the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to
Jerusalem unto the house
of our God.
8:31 Then we departed from the river of
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 of such
as lay in wait by the way.
8:32 And we came to Jerusalem, and abode
there three days.
8:33 Now on the fourth day was the silver
and the gold and the vessels
weighed in the house of our God 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, Levites; 8:34 By number and by
weight of every one: and all
the weight was written at that time.
8:35 Also the children of those that had
been carried away, which were
come out of the captivity, 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 the LORD.
8:36 And they delivered the king's
commissions unto the king's
lieutenants, and to the governors on this
side the river: and they
furthered the people, and the house of God.
9:1 Now when these things were done, the
princes came to me, saying,
The people of Israel, and the priests, and
the Levites, have not
separated themselves from the people 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.
9:2 For they have taken of their daughters
for themselves, and for
their sons: so that the holy seed have
mingled themselves with the
people of those lands: yea, the hand of the
princes and rulers hath
been chief in this trespass.
9:3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my
garment and my mantle, and
plucked off the hair of my head and of my
beard, and sat down
astonied.
9:4 Then were assembled unto me every one
that trembled at the words
of the God of Israel, because of the
transgression of those that had
been carried away; and I sat astonied until
the evening sacrifice.
9:5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up
from my heaviness; and
having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell
upon my knees, and spread
out my hands unto the LORD my God, 9:6 And
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 trespass is grown up
unto the heavens.
9:7 Since the days of our fathers have we
been in a great trespass
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 a spoil, and
to confusion of face, as
it is this day.
9:8 And now for a little space grace hath
been shewed from the LORD
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.
9:9 For we were bondmen; yet our God hath
not forsaken us in our
bondage, but hath extended mercy 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 desolations thereof, and to give
us a wall in Judah and in
Jerusalem.
9:10 And now, O our God, what shall we say
after this? for we have
forsaken thy commandments, 9:11 Which thou
hast commanded by thy
servants the prophets, saying, The land,
unto which ye go to possess
it, is an unclean land with the filthiness
of the people of the lands,
with their abominations, which have filled
it from one end to another
with their uncleanness.
9:12 Now therefore give not your daughters
unto their sons, neither
take their daughters unto your sons, nor
seek their peace or their
wealth 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.
9:13 And after all that is come upon us for
our evil deeds, and for
our great trespass, seeing that thou our God
hast punished us less
than our iniquities deserve, and hast given
us such deliverance as
this; 9:14 Should we again break thy
commandments, and join in
affinity with the people of these
abominations? wouldest not thou be
angry with us till thou hadst consumed us,
so that there should be no
remnant nor escaping? 9:15 O LORD God of
Israel, thou art righteous:
for we remain yet escaped, as it is this
day: behold, we are before
thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand
before thee because of
this.
10:1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he
had confessed, weeping and
casting himself down before the house of
God, there assembled unto him
out of Israel a very great congregation of
men and women and children:
for the people wept very sore.
10:2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one
of the sons of Elam,
answered and said unto Ezra, We have
trespassed against our God, and
have taken strange wives of the people of
the land: yet now there is
hope in Israel concerning this thing.
10:3 Now 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.
10:4 Arise; for this matter belongeth unto
thee: we also will be with
thee: be of good courage, and do it.
10:5 Then arose Ezra, and made the chief
priests, the Levites, and all
Israel, to swear that they should do
according to this word. And they
sware.
10:6 Then Ezra rose up from before the house
of God, and went into the
chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and
when he came thither, he
did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he
mourned because of the
transgression of them that had been carried
away.
10:7 And they made proclamation throughout
Judah and Jerusalem unto
all the children of the captivity, that they
should gather themselves
together unto Jerusalem; 10:8 And that
whosoever would not come within
three days, according to the counsel of the
princes and the elders,
all his substance should be forfeited, and
himself separated from the
congregation of those that had been carried
away.
10:9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin
gathered themselves
together unto Jerusalem within three days.
It was the ninth month, on
the twentieth day of the month; and all the
people sat in the street
of the house of God, trembling because of
this matter, and for the
great rain.
10:10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said
unto them, Ye have
transgressed, and have taken strange wives,
to increase the trespass
of Israel.
10:11 Now therefore make confession unto the
LORD God of your fathers,
and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves
from the people of the
land, and from the strange wives.
10:12 Then all the congregation answered and
said with a loud voice,
As thou hast said, so must we do.
10:13 But 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 are many that have transgressed
in this thing.
10:14 Let now our rulers of all the
congregation stand, and let all
them which have taken strange wives in our
cities come at appointed
times, and with them the elders of every
city, and the judges thereof,
until the fierce wrath of our God for this
matter be turned from us.
10:15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and
Jahaziah the son of Tikvah
were employed about this matter: and
Meshullam and Shabbethai the
Levite helped them.
10:16 And the children of the captivity did
so. And Ezra the priest,
with certain chief of the fathers, after the
house of their fathers,
and all of them by their names, were
separated, and sat down in the
first day of the tenth month to examine the
matter.
10:17 And they made an end with all the men
that had taken strange
wives by the first day of the first month.
10:18 And among the sons of the priests
there were found that had
taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of
Jeshua the son of Jozadak,
and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and
Jarib, and Gedaliah.
10:19 And they gave their hands that they
would put away their wives;
and being guilty, they offered a ram of the
flock for their trespass.
10:20 And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and
Zebadiah.
10:21 And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah,
and Elijah, and Shemaiah,
and Jehiel, and Uzziah.
10:22 And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai,
Maaseiah, Ishmael,
Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
10:23 Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and
Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same
is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
10:24 Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of
the porters; Shallum, and
Telem, and Uri.
10:25 Moreover of Israel: of the sons of
Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah,
and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and
Malchijah, and Benaiah.
10:26 And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah,
Zechariah, and Jehiel, and
Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.
10:27 And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai,
Eliashib, Mattaniah, and
Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.
10:28 Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan,
Hananiah, Zabbai, and
Athlai.
10:29 And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam,
Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub,
and Sheal, and Ramoth.
10:30 And of the sons of Pahathmoab; Adna,
and Chelal, Benaiah,
Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui,
and Manasseh.
10:31 And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer,
Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah,
Shimeon, 10:32 Benjamin, Malluch, and
Shemariah.
10:33 Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai,
Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet,
Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
10:34 Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram,
and Uel, 10:35 Benaiah,
Bedeiah, Chelluh, 10:36 Vaniah, Meremoth,
Eliashib, 10:37 Mattaniah,
Mattenai, and Jaasau, 10:38 And Bani, and
Binnui, Shimei, 10:39 And
Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, 10:40
Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
10:41 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
10:42 Shallum, Amariah, and
Joseph.
10:43 Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel,
Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau,
and Joel, Benaiah.
10:44 All these had taken strange wives: and
some of them had wives by
whom they had children. |
