Ezra Chapter 10
1 Whiles Ezra prayed thus, and
confessed himself weeping, and falling
down before the house of God, there
assembled unto him of Israel a very
great congregation of men and women
and children: for the people wept with a
great lamentation.
2 Then Shechaniah the son of Jehiel one
of the sons of Elam answered, and said
to 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.
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 the Lord, and of those
that fear the commandments of our God,
and let it be done according to the law.
4 Arise: for the matter belongeth unto
thee: we also will be with thee: be of
comfort and do it.
5 Then arose Ezra, and caused the chief
priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to
swear that they would do according to
this word. So they swear. 6 And Ezra
rose up from before the house of God,
and went into the chamber of Johanan the
son of Eliashib: he went even thither,
but he did eat neither bread, nor drunk
water: for he mourned, because of the
transgression of them of the captivity.
7 And they caused a proclamation to go
throughout Judah and Jerusalem, unto all
them of the captivity, that they should
assemble themselves unto Jerusalem.
8 And whosoever 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.
9 Then all the men of Judah and
Benjamin assembled themselves unto
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 God, trembling for this matter,
and for the rain.
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. 11 Now
therefore give praise unto the Lord God
of your fathers, and do his will, and
separate yourselves from the people of
the land, and from the strange wives.
12 And all the congregation answered,
and said with a loud voice, So will we
do according to thy words unto us.
13 But 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 offended in this thing.
14 Let 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 thereof, till the fierce wrath of
our God for this matter turn away from
us.
15 Then were appointed Jonathan the
son of Asa-hel, and Jahaziah the son of
Tikvah over this matter, and Meshullam
and Shabbethai the Levites helped them.
16 And 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. 17 And until the first
day of the first month they were finishing
the business with all the men that had
taken strange wives.
18 And of the sons of the priests there
were men found, that had taken strange
wives, to wit, of the sons of Jeshua, the
son of Jozadak, and of his brethren,
Maaseiah, Eliezer, and Jarib and
Gedaliah.
19 And they gave their hands, that they
would put away their wives, and they
that had trespassed, gave a ram for their
trespass.
20 And of the sons of Immer, Hanani,
and Zebadiah.
21 And of the sons of Harim, Maaseiah,
and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel,
and Uzziah.
22 And of the sons of Pashur, Elioenai,
Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad,
and Elasah.
23 And of the Levites, Jozabad and
Shimei, and Kelaiah, (which is Kelita)
Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.
24 And of the singers, Eliashib. And of
the porters, Shallum, and Telem, and
Uri.
25 And of Israel: of the sons of Parosh,
Ramiah, and Jesiah, and Malchiah, and
Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Malchiah,
and Benaiah.
26 And of the sons of Elam, Mattaniah,
Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and
Jeremoth, and Eliah.
27 And of the sons of Zattu, Elioenai,
Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and
Zabad, and Aziza.
28 And of the sons of Bebai, Jehohanan,
Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai. 29 And of the
sons of Bani, Meshullam, Malluch, and
Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, Jeremoth.
30 And of the sons of Pahath-Moab,
Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah,
Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and
Manasseh.
31 And of the sons of Harim, Eliezer,
Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32 Benjamin, Malluch, Shamariah.
33 Of the sons of Hashum, Mattenai,
Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai,
Manasseh, Shimei.
34 Of the sons of Bani, Maadai, Amram,
and Uel,
35 Banaiah, Bedaiah, Chelluh,
36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu,
38 And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,
39 And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and
Adaiah,
40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42 Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.
43 Of the sons of Nebo, Jeiel,
Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and
Joel, Benaiah.
44 All these had taken strange wives:
and among them were women that had
children.
Ezra Chapter 9
1 When 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) to
wit, of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the
Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites,
the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the
Amorites.
2 For 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 hath been chief in this
trespass.
3 But when I heard this saying, I rent my
clothes and my garment, and plucked off
the hair of mine head, and of my beard,
and sat down astonied. 4 And there
assembled unto me all that feared the
words of the God of Israel, because of
the transgression of them of the captivity.
And I sat down astonied until the
evening sacrifice.
5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up
from mine heaviness, and when I had
rent my clothes and my garment, I fell
upon my knees, and spread out mine
hands unto the Lord my God,
6 And said, O my God, I am confounded
and ashamed, to lift up mine eyes unto
thee my God: for our iniquities are
increased over our head, and our
trespass is grown up unto the heaven.
7 From 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,
unto the sword, into captivity, into a
spoil, and into confusion of face, as
appeareth this day. 8 And now for a
little space grace hath been showed from
the Lord our God, in causing a remnant
to escape, and in giving us a nail in his
holy place, that our God may light our
eyes, and give us a little reviving in our
servitude. 9 For though we were
bondmen, yet our God hath not forsaken
us in our bondage, but hath inclined
mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of
Persia, to give us life, and to erect the
house of our God, and to redress the
places thereof, and to give us a wall in
Judah and in Jerusalem.
10 And now, our God, what shall we say
after this? For we have forsaken thy
commandments,
11 Which thou hast commanded by thy
servants the prophets, saying, The land
whereunto ye go to possess it, is an
unclean land, because of the filthiness of
the people of the lands, which by their
abominations, and by their uncleanness
have filled it from corner to corner.
12 Now therefore shall ye not give your
daughters unto their sons, neither shall
ye take their daughters unto your sons,
nor seek their peace nor wealth forever,
that ye may be strong and eat the
goodness of the land, and leave it for an
inheritance to your sons forever.
13 And after all that is come upon us for
our evil deeds, and for our great
trespasses, (seeing that thou our God
hast stayed us from being beneath for
our iniquities, and hast given us such
deliverance)
14 Should we return to break thy
commandments, and join in affinitiy with
the people of such abominations?
Wouldest not thou be angry toward us
till thou hadst consumed us, so that there
should be no remnant nor any escaping?
15 O Lord God of Israel, thou art just,
for we have been reserved to escape, as
appeareth this day: behold, we are
before thee in our trespass: therefore we
cannot stand before thee because of it.
Ezra Chapter 8
1 These are now the chief fathers of
them, and the genealogy of them that
came up with me from Babylon, in the
reign of king Artaxerxes.
2 Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom: of
the sons of Ithamar, Daniel: of the sons
of David, Hattush:
3 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons
of Pharosh, Zechariah, and with him the
count of the males, an hundred and fifty.
4 Of the sons of Pahath-Moab,
Elihoenai, the son of Zerahiah, and with
him two hundred males.
5 Of the sons of Shechaniah, the son of
Jahaziel, and with him three hundred
males.
6 And of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son
of Jonathan, and with him fifty males. 7
And of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the
son of Athaliah, and with him seventy
males.
8 And of the sons of Shephatiah,
Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with
him fourscore males.
9 Of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son
of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and
eighteen males.
10 And of the sons of Shelomith the son
of Josiphiah, and with him an hundred
and threescore males.
11 And of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah
the son of Bebai, and with him eight and
twenty males.
12 And of the sons of Azgad, Johanan
the son of Hakkatan, and with him an
hundred and ten males.
13 And of the sons of Adonikam, that
were the last, whose names are these:
Eliphelet, Jeiel and Shemaiah, and with
them threescore males.
14 And of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai, and
Zabbud, and with them seventy males.
15 And I gathered them to the river that
goeth 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.
16 Therefore 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, 17 And I gave
them commandment, to Iddo the chiefest
at the place of Casiphia, and I told them
the words that they should speak to Iddo
, and to his brethren the Nethinims at the
place of Casiphia, that they should cause
the ministers of the house of our God to
come unto us.
18 So by the good hand of our God
which was upon us, they brought us a
man of understanding of the sons of
Mahali the son of Levi the son of Israel,
and Sherebiah with his sons and his
brethren, even eighteen. 19 Also
Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the
sons of Merari, with his brethren, and
their sons twenty.
20 And of the Nethinims, whom David
had set, and the princes for the service
of the Levites, two hundred and twenty
of the Nethinims, which all were named
by name.
21 And there at the river, by Ahava, I
proclaimed a fast, that we might humble
ourselves before our God, and seek of
him a right way for us, and for our
children, and for all our substance.
22 For I was ashamed to require 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 God is upon all them that
seek him in goodness, but his power and
his wrath is against all them that forsake
him. 23 So we fasted, and besought our
God for this: and he was entreated of us.
24 Then I separated twelve of the chief
of the priests,
Sherebiah, and Hashabiah, and ten of
their brethren with them, 25 And
weighed them the silver and the gold,
and the vessels, even the offering of the
house of our God , which the king and
his counselors, and his princes, and all
Israel that were present had offered.
26 And I weighed unto their hand six
hundred and fifty talents of silver, and in
silver vessel, an hundred talents, and in
gold, an hundred talents: 27 And twenty
basins of gold, of a thousand drams, and
two vessels of shining brass very good,
and precious as gold.
28 And I said unto them, Ye are
consecrated unto the Lord, and the
vessels are consecrated, and the gold
and the silver are freely offered unto the
Lord God of your fathers.
29 Watch ye, and keep them until ye
weigh them before the chief priests and
the Levites, and the chief fathers of
Israel in Jerusalem in the chambers of
the house of the Lord.
30 So the priests and the Levites
received the weight of the silver and of
the gold, and of the vessels to bring them
to Jerusalem, unto the house of our God.
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
delivered us from the hand of the enemy,
and of such as laid wait by the way. 32
And we came to Jerusalem, and abode
there three days.
33 And on the fourth day was the silver
weighed, and the gold and the vessel 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 the Levites,
34 By number and by weight of every
one, and all the weight was written at the
same time.
35 Also the children of the captivity,
which were come out of captivity,
offered burnt offerings unto the God 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 the Lord.
36 And they delivered the king's
commission unto the king's officers, and
to the captains beyond the river: and they
promoted the people, and the house of
God.
Ezra Chapter 7
1 Now after these things, in the reign of
Artaxerxes king of Persia, was Ezra the
son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the
son of Hilkiah,
2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok,
the son of Ahitub,
3 The son of Amariah, the son of
Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi,
the son of Bukki,
5 The son of Abishua, the son of
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of
Aaron, the chief priest.
6 This Ezra came up from Babylon, and
was a scribe prompt in the law of
Moses, which the Lord God of Israel
had given, and the king gave him all his
request according to the hand of the Lord
his God which was upon him. 7 And
there went up certain 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 king Artaxerxes.
8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth
month, which was in the seventh year of
the king.
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 that was upon him.
10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to
seek the law of the Lord, and to do it,
and to teach the precepts and judgments
in Israel.
11 And this is the copy of the letter that
king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest
and scribe, even a writer of the words
of the commandments of the Lord, and of
his statutes over Israel.
12 Artaxerxes king of kings to Ezra the
priest and perfect scribe of the law of
the God of heaven, and to Cheeneth.
13 I have given commandment, that
everyone, that is willing in my kingdom
of the people of Israel, and of the
priests, and Levites to go to Jerusalem
with thee, shall go.
14 Therefore art thou sent of the king and
his seven counselors, to inquire in Judah
and Jerusalem, according to the law of
thy God, which is in thine hand, 15 And
to carry the silver and the gold, which
the king and his counselors willingly
offer unto the God of Israel (whose
habitation is in Jerusalem) 16 And all
the silver and gold that thou canst find in
all the province of Babylon, with the
free offering of the people, and that
which the priests offer willingly to the
house of their God which is in
Jerusalem,
17 That thou mayest buy speedily with
this silver, bullocks, rams, lambs, with
their meat offerings and their drink
offerings: and thou shalt offer them upon
the altar of the house of your God, which
is in Jerusalem.
18 And whatsoever it pleaseth thee and
thy brethren to do with the rest of the
silver, and gold, do ye it according to
the will of your God.
19 And the vessels that are given thee
for the service of the house of thy God,
those deliver thou before God in
Jerusalem.
20 And the residue that shall be needful
for the house of thy God, which shall be
meet for thee to bestow, thou shalt
bestow it out of the king's treasure
house,
21 And I king Artaxerxes have given
commandment to all the treasurers which
are beyond the river, that whatsoever
Ezra the priest and scribe of the law of
the God of heaven shall require of you,
that it be done incontinently, 22 Unto an
hundred talents of silver, unto an
hundred measures of wheat, and unto an
hundred baths of wine, and unto an
hundred baths of oil, and salt without
writing.
23 Whatsoever 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 wroth
against the realm of the king, and his
children?
24 And we certify you, that upon any of
the priests, Levites, singers, porters,
Nethinims, or Ministers in this house of
God, there shall no governor lay upon
them toll, tribute nor custom.
25 And thou Ezra (after the wisdom of
thy God, that is in thine hand) set judges
and arbiters, which may judge all the
people that is beyond the river, even all
that know the law of thy God, and teach
ye them that know it not.
26 And whosoever will not do the law
of thy God, and the king's law, let him
have judgment without delay, whether it
be unto death, or to banishment, or to
confiscation of goods, or to
imprisonment.
27 Blessed be the Lord God of our
fathers, which so hath put in the king's
heart, to beautify the house of the Lord
that is in Jerusalem,
28 And hath inclined mercy toward me,
before the king and his counselors, and
before all the king's mighty princes: and
I was comforted by the hand of the Lord
my God which was upon me, and I
gathered the chief of Israel to go up with
me.
Ezra Chapter 6
1 Then king Darius gave commandment,
and they made search in the library of
the treasures, which were there laid up
in Babylon.
2 And there was found in a coffer (in the
palace that was in the province of the
Medes) a volume, and therein was it thus
written, as a memorial, 3 In 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
thereof be joined together: let the height
thereof be threescore cubits, and the
breadth thereof threescore cubits, 4
Three orders of great stones, and one
order of timber, and let the expenses be
given of the king's house.
5 And 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 unto Babylon) and let him go
unto the temple that is in Jerusalem to his
place and put them in the house of God.
6 Therefore Tatnai captain beyond the
river, and Shethar Boznai, (and their
companions Apharsecai, which are
beyond the river) be ye far from thence.
7 Suffer ye 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.
8 For I have given a commandment what
ye shall do to the elders of these Jews,
for the building of this house of God, that
of the revenues of the king, which is of
the tribute beyond the river, there be
incontinently expenses given unto these
men that they cease not.
9 And that which they shall have need
of, let it be given unto 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,
10 That they may have to offer sweet
odors unto the God of heaven, and pray
for the king's life, and for his sons.
11 And I have made a decree, that
whosoever shall alter this sentence, the
wood shall be pulled down from his
house, and shall be set up, and he shall
be hanged thereon, and his house shall
be made a dunghill for this. 12 And the
God that hath 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. 13 Then Tatnai
the captain beyond the river, and Shethar
Boznai and their companions, according
to that which Darius had sent, so they
did speedily. 14 So the elders of the
Jews builded, and they prospered by the
prophesying of Haggai the prophet, and
Zechariah the son of Iddo, and they
builded and finished it, by the
appointment of the God of Israel, and by
the commandment of Cyrus and Darius,
and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
15 And this house was finished the third
day of the month Adar, which was the
sixth year of the reign of king Darius.
16 And 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,
17 And offered at the dedication of this
house of God an 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.
18 And 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. 19 And the
children of the captivity kept the
Passover on the fourteenth day of the
first month.
20 (For the priests and the Levites were
purified all together) and they killed the
Passover for all the children of the
captivity, and for their brethren the
priests, and for themselves.
21 So 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,
22 And they kept the feast of unleavened
bread seven days with joy: for the Lord
had made them glad, and turned the heart
of the king of Asshur [Assyria]
unto them, to encourage them in the work
of the house of God, even the God of
Israel.
Ezra Chapter 5
1 Then Haggai a prophet and Zechariah
the son of Iddo a prophet prophesied
unto the Jews that were in Judah, and
Jerusalem, in the name of the God of
Israel, even unto them.
2 Then 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.
3 At the same time came to them Tatnai,
which was captain beyond the river, and
Shether-boznai and their companions,
and said thus unto them, Who hath given
you commandment to build this house,
and to lay the foundations of these
walls?
4 Then said we unto them after this
manner, What are the names of the men
that build this building?
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 answered by
letters there unto.
6 The copy of the letter, that Tatnai
captain beyond the river, and
Shetherboznai and his companions,
Apharsachites [Persians], (which were
beyond the river) sent unto king Darius.
7 They sent a letter unto him, wherein it
was written thus, Unto Darius the king,
all peace.
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 beams are laid in
the walls, and this work is wrought
speedily, and prospereth in their hands.
9 Then asked we those elders, and said
unto them thus, Who hath given you
commandment to build this house, and to
lay the foundation of these walls?
10 We asked their names also, that we
might certify thee , and that we might
write the names of the men that were
their rulers.
11 But 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 builded,
and founded it.
12 But after that our fathers had
provoked the God of heaven unto wrath,
he gave them over into the hand of
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon the
Chaldean, and he destroyed this house,
and carried the people away captive
unto Babylon.
13 But in the first year of Cyrus king of
Babylon, king Cyrus made a decree to
build this house of God.
14 And 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 Babylon, those did
Cyrus the king take out of the temple of
Babylon, and they gave them unto one
Sheshbazzar by his name, whom he had
made captain.
15 And he said unto him, Take these
vessels and go thy way, and put them in
the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let
the house of God be built in his place.
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, yet is it not finished.
17 Now therefore if it please the king,
let there be search made in the house of
the king's treasures, which is there in
Babylon, whether a decree hath been
made by king Cyrus, to build this house
of God in Jerusalem, and let the king
send his mind concerning this.
Ezra Chapter 4
1 But the adversaries of Judah and
Benjamin heard, that the children of the
captivity builded the temple unto the
Lord God of Israel.
2 And they came to Zerubbabel, and to
the chief fathers, and said unto them, We
will build with you: for we seek the
Lord your God as ye do, and we have
sacrificed unto him since the time of
Esar Haddon king of Asshur, [Assyria]
which brought us up hither.
3 Then Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the
rest of the chief fathers of Israel, said
unto them, It is not for you, but for us to
build the house unto our God: for we
ourselves together will build it unto the
Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the
king of Persia hath commanded us.
4 Wherefore the people of the land
discouraged the people of Judah, and
troubled them in building,
5 And 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. 6 And 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,
Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their
companions wrote when it was peace,
unto Artaxerxes king of Persia, and the
writing of the letter was the Aramites'
[Syrians'] writing, and the thing declared
was in the language of the Aramites
[Syrians]. 8 Rehum the chancellor, and
Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter
against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king,
in this sort.
9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and
Shimshai the scribe, and their
companions Dinai, and Apharsathcai,
Tarpelai, Apharsai, Archevai, Bablai,
Shushanchai, Dehave, Elamai,
10 And the rest of the people whom the
great and noble Asnappar brought over,
and set in the cities of Samaria, and
other that are beyond the river and
Cheeneth.
11 This is the copy of the letter that they
sent unto king Artaxerxes, Thy servants
the men beyond the river and Cheeneth,
salute thee. 12 Be it known unto the king
that the Jews, which came up from thee
to us, are come unto Jerusalem (a city
rebellious and wicked) and build, and
lay the foundations of the walls, and
have joined the foundations.
13 Be it known now unto the king, that if
this city be built, and the foundations of
the walls laid, they will not give toll,
tribute, nor custom: so shalt thou hinder
the king's tribute.
14 Now therefore because we have been
brought up in the king's palace, it was
not meet for us to see the king's
dishonor: for this cause have we sent
and certified the king,
15 That one may search in the book of
the Chronicles of thy fathers, and thou
shalt find in the book of the Chronicles,
and perceive that this city is rebellious
and noise some unto kings and
provinces, and that they have moved
sedition of old time, for the which cause
this city was destroyed.
16 We certify the king therefore, that if
this city be builded, and the foundation
of the walls laid, by this means the
portion beyond the river shall not be
thine. 17 The king sent an answer unto
Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the
scribe, and to the rest of their
companions that dwelt in Samaria, and
unto the other beyond the river, Shelam
and Cheeth.
18 The letter which ye sent unto us, hath
been openly read before me, 19 And I
have commanded and they have
searched, and found, that this city of old
time hath made insurrection against
kings, and hath rebelled, and rebellion
hath been committed therein.
20 There have been mighty kings also
over Jerusalem, which have ruled over
all beyond the River, and toll, tribute,
and custom was given unto them. 21
Make ye now a decree, that those men
may cease, and that the city be not built,
till I have given another commandment.
22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do
this: why should damage grow to hurt the
king?
23 When the copy of king Artaxerxes'
letter was read before Rehum and
Shimshai the scribe, and their
companions, they went up in all the haste
to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and caused
them to cease by force and power. 24
Then ceased the work of the house of
God, which was in Jerusalem, and did
stay unto the second year of Darius king
of Persia.
Ezra Chapter 3
1 And when the seventh month was
come, and the children of Israel were in
their cities, the people assembled
themselves as one man unto Jerusalem. 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 And they set the altar upon his bases
(for fear was among them, because of the
people of those countries) therefore they
offered burnt offerings thereon unto the
Lord, even burnt offerings in the
morning, and at even. 4 They kept also
the feast of the tabernacles, as it is
written, and the burnt offering daily, by
number according to the custom day by
day,
5 And afterward the continual burnt
offering, both in the new months and in
all the feast days that were consecrated
unto the Lord, and in all the oblations
willingly offered unto the Lord.
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 laid. 7 They
gave money also unto the masons, and to
the workmen, and meat and drink, and
oil unto them of Zidon and of Tyre, to
bring them cedar wood from Lebanon to
the sea unto Joppa, according to the
grant that they had of Cyrus king of
Persia.
8 And in the second year of their coming
unto the house of God 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 unto Jerusalem, and appointed
the Levites from twenty year old and
above, to set forward the work of the
house of the Lord.
9 And 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
God, and the sons of Henadad with their
sons, and their brethren the Levites.
10 And when the builders laid the
foundation of the temple of the Lord,
they appointed 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.
11 Thus they sang when they gave
praise, and when they gave thanks unto
the Lord, For he is good, for his mercy
endureth forever 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.
12 Many also of the priests and the
Levites and the chief of the fathers,
ancient men which 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 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.
Ezra Chapter 2
1 These also are the sons of the
province, that went up out of the
captivity (whom Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon had carried away unto
Babylon) and returned to Jerusalem, and
to Judah, every one unto his city,
2 Which came with Zerubbabel, to wit,
Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah,
Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai,
Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men
of the people of Israel was,
3 The sons of Parosh, two thousand, an
hundred seventy and two: 4 The sons of
Shephatiah, three hundred, seventy and
two:
5 The sons of Arah, seven hundred, and
seventy and five:
6 The sons of Pahath Moab, of the sons
of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand, eight
hundred and twelve:
7 The sons of Elam, a thousand, two
hundred and four and fifty: 8 The sons of
Zattu, nine hundred and five and forty:
9 The sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and
threescore:
10 The sons of Bani, six hundred and
two and forty:
11 The sons of Bebai, six hundred, and
three and twenty:
12 The sons of Azgad a thousand, two
hundred and two and twenty: 13 The
sons of Adonikam, six hundred,
threescore and six:
14 The sons of Bigvai, two thousand,
and six and fifty:
15 The sons of Adin, four hundred and
four and fifty:
16 The sons of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety
and eight:
17 The sons of Bezai, three hundred and
three and twenty:
18 The sons of Jorah, an hundred and
twelve:
19 The sons of Hashum, two hundred
and three and twenty:
20 The sons of Gibbar, ninety and five:
21 The sons of Beth-lehem, an hundred
and three and twenty:
22 The men of Netophah, six and fifty:
23 The men of Anothoth, an hundred and
eight and twenty:
24 The sons of Azmaveth, two and forty:
25 The sons of Kirjath-arim, of
Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred
and three and forty:
26 The sons of Ramah and Gaba, six
hundred, and one and twenty: 27 The
men of Michmas, an hundred and two
and twenty:
28 The sons of Beth-el and Ai, two
hundred, and three and twenty: 29 The
sons of Nebo, two and fifty:
30 The sons of Magbish, an hundred and
six and fifty:
31 The sons of the other Elam, a
thousand, and two hundred, and four and
fifty:
32 The sons of Harim, three hundred and
twenty:
33 The sons of Lod-Hadid, and Ono,
seven hundred, and five and twenty: 34
The sons of Jericho, three hundred and
five and forty:
35 The sons of Senaah, three thousand,
six hundred and thirty.
36 The priests: of the sons of Jedaiah of
the house of Jeshua, nine hundred
seventy and three:
37 The sons of Immer, a thousand and
two and fifty:
38 The sons of Pashur, a thousand, two
hundred and seven and forty: 39 The
sons of Harim, a thousand and
seventeen.
40 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, and
Kadmiel of the sons of Hodaviah,
seventy and four.
41 The Singers: the sons of Asaph, an
hundred and eight and twenty. 42 The
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 an hundred and
nine and thirty.
43 The Nethinims: the sons of Ziha, the
sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth,
44 The sons of Keros, the sons of Siaha,
the sons of Padon,
45 The sons of Lebanah, the sons of
Hagabah, the sons of Akkub, 46 The
sons of Hagab, the sons of Shamlai, the
sons of Hanan,
47 The sons of Giddel, the sons of
Gahar, the sons of Reaiah,
48 The sons of Rezin, the sons of
Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam,
49 The sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah,
the sons of Besai,
50 The sons of Asnah, the sons of
Mehunim, the sons of Nephusim, 51 The
sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the
sons of Harhur, 52 The sons of Bazluth,
the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha,
53 The sons of Barkos, the sons of
Sisera, the sons of Thamah,
54 The sons of Neziah, the sons of
Hatipha,
55 The sons of Solomon's servants: the
sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the
sons of Peruda,
56 The sons of Jaalah, the sons of
Darkon, the sons of Giddel,
57 The sons of Shephatiah, the sons of
Hattil, the sons of PocherethHazzebaim,
the sons of Ami. 58 All the Nethinims,
and the sons of Solomon's servants were
three hundred ninety and two.
59 And these went up from Telmelah,
and from Telharsha, Cherub, Addan, and
Immer, but they could not discern their
father's house and their seed, whether
they were of Israel.
60 The sons of Delaiah, the sons of
Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, six hundred
and two and fifty.
61 And of the sons of the priests, the
sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the
sons of Barzillai: which took of the
daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to
wife, and was called after their name.
62 These sought their writing of the
genealogies, but they were not found:
therefore were they put from the
priesthood.
63 And Tirshatha said unto them, that
they should not eat of the most holy
thing, till there rose up a priest with
Urim and Thummim.
64 The whole congregation together was
two and forty thousand, three hundred
and threescore,
65 Beside 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.
66 Their horses were seven hundred,
and six and thirty: their mules, two
hundred and five and forty:
67 Their camels four hundred, and five
and thirty: their asses, six thousand,
seven hundred and twenty.
68 And certain of the chief fathers,
when they came to the house of the Lord,
which was in Jerusalem, they offered
willingly for the house of God, to set it
up upon his foundation.
69 They gave after their ability unto the
treasure of the work, even one and
threescore thousand drams of gold, and
five thousand pieces of silver, and an
hundred priests' garments.
70 So the priests and the Levites, and a
certain of the people, and the singers,
and the porters, and the Nethinims dwelt
in their cities, and all Israel in their
cities.
Ezra Chapter 1
1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of
Persia (that the word of the Lord, spoken
by the mouth of Jeremiah, might be
accomplished) the Lord stirred up the
spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and he
made a proclamation through all his
kingdom, and also by writing, saying,
2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The
Lord God of heaven hath given me all
the kingdoms of the earth, and he hath
commanded me to build him an house in
Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
3 Who is he among you of all his people
with whom his God is? 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.
4 And every one that remaineth in any
place (where he sojourneth) 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 God that is in Jerusalem.
5 Then the chief fathers of Judah and
Benjamin, and the priests and Levites
rose up, with all them whose spirit God
had raised to go up, to build the house of
the Lord which is in Jerusalem.
6 And 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.
7 Also the king Cyrus brought forth the
vessels of the house of the Lord, which
Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of
Jerusalem, and had put them in the house
of his god.
8 Even them did Cyrus king of Persia
bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the
treasurer, and counted them unto
Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9 And
this is the number of them, thirty basins
of gold, a thousand basins of silver, nine
and twenty knives,
10 Thirty bowls of gold, and of silver
bowls of the second sort, four hundred
and ten, and of other vessels, a thousand.
11 All 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 Babylon
to Jerusalem.
