Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
Bible Translation
Select a book to read:
Complete TranslationPJV Translation pdf
Chapter:
Ezra
Ezra 1
¶1. In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, in order for Jehovah’s word by the mouth of Jeremiah to be fulfilled, Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, and he caused a proclamation to go out (spread) in all his kingdom and also put it in writing, saying:
2.“Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia: Jehovah, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has commissioned me to build a house for Him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
3.Who remains among you of all his people? May 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 the God who is in Jerusalem.
4.And let every survivor, from every place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place there with silver and with gold, and with goods and with beasts, along with freewill offerings for the house of God who is in Jerusalem.”
5. Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses from Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, all whose spirit God had stirred to go up to build the house of Jehovah that is in Jerusalem.
6. And all who were around them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, besides all else that was voluntarily offered.
7. And Cyrus the king brought out the vessels from the house of Jehovah which Nebuchadnezzar brought out from Jerusalem and had put in a house of his god.
8. And King Cyrus of Persia brought them out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and he counted them for Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.
9. And these were the number of them: thirty basins of gold, a thousand basins of silver, twenty-nine knives,
10.thirty bowls of gold, four hundred and ten matching silver bowls, and a thousand other vessels.
11. All the vessels of gold and silver were five thousand four hundred, all the which Sheshbazzar brought up with the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem.
Ezra 2
¶1. Now these are the children of the province who went up from the exiles that had been carried to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. And they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each man to his city.
2. These came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rechum, and Baanah. This is the number of the men of the people of Israel:
3. The sons of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two.
4. The sons of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two.
5. The sons of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five.
6. The sons of Pahath-moab, the sons of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.
7. The sons of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four.
8. The sons of Zattu, nine hundred and forty-five.
9. The sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty.
10. The sons of Bani, six hundred and forty-two.
11. The sons of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-three.
12. The sons of Azgad, one thousand two hundred and twenty-two.
13. The sons of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six.
14. The sons of Bigvai, two thousand and fifty-six.
15. The sons of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four.
16. The sons of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety-eight.
17. The sons of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-three.
18. The sons of Jorah, one hundred and twelve.
19. The sons of Hashum, two hundred and twenty-three.
20. The sons of Gibbar, ninety-five.
21. The sons of Bethlehem, one hundred and twenty-three.
22. The men of Netophah, fifty-six.
23. The men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight.
24. The sons of Azmaveth, forty-two.
25. The sons of Kiriath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three.
26. The sons of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one.
27. The men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two.
28. The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three.
29. The sons of Nebo, fifty-two.
30. The sons of Magbish, one hundred and fifty-six.
31. The sons of the other Eilam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four.
32. The sons of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
33. The sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-five.
34. The sons of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five.
35. The sons of Senaah, three thousand six hundred and thirty.
36. The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three.
37. The sons of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two.
38. The sons of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven.
39. The sons of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.
40. The Levites: the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodavyah, seventy-four.
41. The singers: the sons of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight.
¶42. The sons of the gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, and the sons of Shobai, in all, one hundred and thirty-nine.
¶43. The Nethinim (temple slaves): the sons of Ziha, 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, sons of Paseach, the sons of Besai,
50.the sons of Asnah, sons of Meh-inim, the sons of Nephisim,
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 Temah,
54.the sons of Neziah, and the sons of Hatipha.
55. The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Hassophereth, the sons of Peruda,
56.the sons of Jaalah, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel,
57.the sons of Shephatiah, sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, and the sons of Ami.
58. All the Nethinim (temple slaves) and sons of Solomon’s servants were three hundred and ninety-two.
¶59. And these were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but they were not able to prove their fathers’ house, or their ancestry (seed), whether they were of Israel:
60. The sons of Delaiah, sons of Tobiah, and the sons of Nekoda, six hundred and fifty-two.
61. And of the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name.
62. These sought their documents among the geological records, but could not find them, and were excluded (by impurity) from the priesthood.
63. And the governor told them that they should not eat of the most holy things until there arose a priest with Urim and Thummim.
64. The whole congregation together numbered forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty,
65.besides their servants and maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and among them were two hundred men and women singers.
66. Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six, their mules were two hundred and forty-five,[1]
67.their camels were four hundred and thirty-five, and their asses were six thousand seven hundred and twenty.
¶68. And when they came to the house of Jehovah, which is in Jerusalem, those from heads of the fathers voluntarily offered towards raising the house of God on its foundation.
69. As they were able, they gave to the treasury of the work: sixty one thousand gold drachmas, five thousand silver minehs, and one hundred priest’s garments.
70. And the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim (temple slaves) dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.
Ezra 3
¶1. And when the seventh month arrived, the sons of Israel were in the cities and the people gathered as one in Jerusalem.
2. And Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose with his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel with his kinsmen, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as written in the law of Moses, the man of God.
3. And they set the altar upon his bases, for fear was on them because of the peoples of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings on it to Jehovah, burnt offerings morning and evening.
4. And they kept the feast of booths, as it is written, and offered, day by day, the burnt offerings by the number prescribed as each day required.
5. And after that, the continual burnt offering at the new moon and at all the appointed times of Jehovah; the consecrated things of all who voluntarily made a freewill offering to Jehovah.
6. From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to Jehovah. But the foundation of the temple of Jehovah was not yet laid.
7. And they gave silver to the stonemasons and the craftsmen, and food, and drink, and oil to the Sidonians and those of Tyre to bring cedar trees from the Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant unto them from Cyrus king of Persia.
¶8. And in the second year of their coming to the house of Jehovah in Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel ben-Shealtiel and Jeshua ben-Jozadak together with the rest of their kinsmen, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity began the work. They appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward to supervise the work of the house of Jehovah.
¶9. And Jeshua with his sons and his brothers, and Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, stood together to supervise the work in the house of God, the sons of Henadad, their sons, and the kinsmen of the Levites.
10. And when the builders of the temple of Jehovah laid the foundation, they stationed the priests, dressed and with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with the cymbals for praising Jehovah according to the directions of David, king of Israel.
11. And they sang responsively with praise and thanksgiving to Jehovah, “He is good and His mercy endures forever toward Israel.” And all the people raised a great shout of joy when praise was offered to Jehovah for the foundation of the temple of Jehovah being laid.
12. Now, many of the priests and Levites, and the heads of the fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first temple, began weeping with a loud voice when before their eyes the foundation of this temple was laid. But many lifted up their voice with a shout of joy and gladness,
13.so that people were unable to distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the people weeping because the younger people were lifting up a great shout of joy, and the sound was heard far off.
Ezra 4
¶1. And when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the sons (children) of the exiles built a temple for Jehovah, the God of Israel,
2.they then came to Zerubbabel, and to the chiefs of the fathers, and said to them: “Let us build with you, because like you, we seek your God, and have been sacrificing to him since the days of Esar-Hadon, king of Assyria, the one who brought us here.”
3. But Zerubbabel and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers in Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves will build to Jehovah, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us to.”
4. Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, to make them afraid to build.
5. And they bribed counselors against them to frustrate their plans all the days of Cyrus, king of Persia even until the days of Darius, king of Persia.
6. And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7. And in the days of Artachshashta, Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel and the rest of their companions wrote to Artachshashta, king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic, having been interpreted into Aramaic.
¶8. Rehum the head commander and Shimshai a scribe wrote a single letter against Jerusalem to Artachshashta the king thusly:
9. From Rehum the head commander, and Shimshai a scribe, and the rest of their companions - the judges, the governors, the officials, the Persians, the men of Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites,
10.and the rest of the peoples, whom the great and honorable Osnappar brought into exile and caused to dwell in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province beyond the River,
11. (This is a copy of the letter that they sent to him.): “To Artaxerxes the king: Your servants, men of the province beyond the River, send greeting. Now,
12. Let it be it known to the king that the Jews which came up from you to us in Jerusalem are rebuilding a rebellious and wicked city. They are rebuilding the walls and repairing the foundations.
13.Now let it be known to the king if this city is built, and the walls completed, the tax-tribute and tolls will not be paid, and the treasury of the king will suffer loss.
14.Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not fitting that the king be dishonored, we send this to inform the king,
15.so that inquiry of the minute-books of your fathers be made. In the minute-books you will learn that this city is a rebellious city, injurious to kings and provinces, and revolt has been made in its midst from days of old, and because of this, the city was destroyed.
16.We make known to the king that if this city be built and its walls finished, you will have no possession in the region beyond the River.”
¶17. The king sent an answer to Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their colleagues who dwelt in Samaria and in the rest of the region beyond the River, “Peace! Now
18.the letter that you sent to us has been translated and read before me.
19.And I ordered a search be made, and they found that this city from ancient time has risen against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it.
20.And mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over the whole region beyond the River, unto whom tribute, tax, and toll were paid.
21.Therefore, command these men to cease so that this city will not be built until I make a judgment.
22.And take care not to be slack in this matter. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?”
23. Then, when a copy of King Artachshashta’s letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem, and by force and power, made them cease.
24. Then, the work on the house of God which is in Jerusalem stopped, and discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia.
Ezra 5
¶1. And the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, the son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them.
2. Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began rebuilding the house of God which is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.
3. At that time, against them came Tattenai (governor of the province beyond the River), Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues, and told them thus, “Who commanded you to rebuild this house and complete this structure?”
4. Then we said to them accordingly: “What are the names of the men who are constructing this building?”
5. But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them stop until the report should come before Darius and then an answer be returned in writing concerning it.
¶6. (Here is) a copy of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the province beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and his colleagues, the governors who were in the province beyond the River, sent to Darius the king.
7. They sent a report to him in which was written as follows: To Darius the king, all peace.
8. Let it be known to the king that we went to the the province of Judah, to house of the great God, which is being built with great stones, and timber is being laid in the walls. And this work is being done diligently and prospers in their hands.
9. Then we asked these elders thus, saying to them: “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to complete this structure?”
10. And we also asked them their names, so we could write down the names of their leaders.
11. And thus they returned an answer, saying “We are the servants of God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, built and finished by a great king of Israel.
12.But because our fathers enraged the God of the heavens, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried the people away into Babylon.
13.However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to rebuild this house of God.
14.Moreover, the vessels of the house of God which were gold and silver, Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple which was in Jerusalem and brought them to the temple of Babylon, these Cyrus the king took out of the temple of Babylon, and gave them to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;
15.And he said to him, ‘Take these vessels, go and put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its site.’
16.So this same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and from then until now it has been in building, and it is not yet finished.
17. Now then, if it seems good to the king, let search be made in the royal archives which is there in Babylon, to see whether a decree was issued by Cyrus the king for the building of this house of God in Jerusalem. And let the king send us his pleasure in this matter.”
Ezra 6
¶1. Then King Darius made a decree, and search was made in the house of archives, among the treasure houses there in Babylon.
2. And in Achmetha, the fortress that is in the province of Media, one scroll was found with this record written on it:
3. In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree: “Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem. Let the house be built, the place where sacrifices were offered, and let its foundations be laid. Its height shall be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits,
4.with three layers of great stones and one layer of new timber. Let the expense be paid from the treasury of the king.
5.And also, the vessels of the house of God, which are of gold and silver, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought back to the temple that is in Jerusalem, each to its place, and deposit them in the house of God.
6.So now, Tattenai, governor of the territory beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your colleagues, the officials in the region beyond the River, stay far away from there!
7.Let the work on this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the Jews’ elders rebuild this house of God on its site.
8.And so, I make this decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God. From out of the king’s treasury, out of the tribute of the province from beyond the River, the cost is to be paid in full to these men, without ceasing.
9.And what things are needed, young bulls, and rams, and sheep for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as the priests need which are at Jerusalem, let that be given to them day by day, without ceasing
10.so that they can offer sacrifices of pleasing aroma to God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
11.And I also make a decree that if any man alters this word, a beam of wood shall be pulled out of his house, and he shall be impaled upon it, and his house shall be made a dunghill because of this.
12.And may the God that hath caused his name to dwell there overthrow any king or people that shall put forth a hand to alter this, or to destroy this house of God which is in Jerusalem. I Darius make a decree; let it be done with all diligence.”
13. Then Tattenai governor of the region beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues diligently carried out what King Darius had ordered.
14. And the elders of the Jews built and prospered according to the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished at the command of the God of Israel and by the command of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes, king of Persia.
15. And this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
¶16. And the sons of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned sons of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.
17. And they offered for the dedication of this house of God a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; a sin-offering for all Israel: twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
18. And they set the priests in their divisions 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 sons of the exiles kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
20. For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together—all of them were pure. And they killed the passover lamb for all the sons of the exiles, for their brothers, the priests, and for themselves.
21. And the sons of Israel ate, which had returned from captivity, and all who had joined them and had separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land, to worship Jehovah, the God of Israel.
22. And they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; for Jehovah had made them glad by turning the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
Ezra 7
¶1. Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Ezra ben-Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkijah,
2.son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,
3. son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,
4. son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,
5. son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest:
6. this Ezra went up from Babylon. And he was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that Jehovah, the God of Israel, had given. The king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the Jehovah his God was on him.
7. And there went up from among the sons of Israel, some 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.
8. And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king;
9.for in the first day of the first month, he began to go up from Babylon, and in the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was upon him.
10. For Ezra had fixed his heart to study the law of the Jehovah, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances.
11. Now this is a 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 Jehovah, and of his statutes to Israel:
12. Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, [perfect, and so forth,?]
13.I decree that all in my kingdom among the people of Israel, or their priests or Levites, who, of his own free will, chooses to go with you to Jerusalem, may go with you.
14. For from before the king and his seven counselors you are sent to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand,
15.and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose house is in Jerusalem,
16.and all the silver and gold that you shall find in the whole province of Babylon, and with the freewill offerings of the people and the priests, willingly for the house of their God that is in Jerusalem.
17. With this money then, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and you shall offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
18. Whatever seems good to you and your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, that do, according to the good pleasure of your God.~
19. And the vessels that have been given you for the service of the house of your God, deliver to the God of Jerusalem.
20. And the rest that is needed for the house of your God, which you have occasion to provide, give it out of the king’s treasury.
21. And I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers in the province beyond the River: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, do it with diligence,
22.up to a hundred talents of silver, and up to one hundred cors of wheat, and up to a hundred baths of wine, and up to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without limit.
23. Whatever is decreed by the God of heaven, let it be done diligently for the house of the God of heaven, for why should wrath be upon the kingdom of the king and his sons?
24. We also inform you that all the priests, and the Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God shall not have tribute, taxes and tolls cast on them.
25. And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint men to judge and rulers who will judge all the people in the province beyond the River, all who know the laws of your God, and those who do not know, you teach.
26. And all who will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, execute judgment on him speedily, whether to death, whether banishment, whether confiscation of his property, or for imprisonment.
¶27. Blessed be Jehovah, the God of our fathers, who put such as this in the king’s heart, to glorify the house of Jehovah, which is in Jerusalem.
28.and who extended to me goodness from before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. And I took courage, for the hand of Jehovah my God was on me, and I gathered from Israel, leading men to go up with me.
Ezra 8
¶1. And these are the heads of their fathers’ houses, and those registered who went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king:
2.Of the sons of Phinehas: Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar: Daniel. Of the sons of David: Hattush.
3. Of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh: Zechariah, with whom were registered one hundred and fifty males.
4. Of the sons of Pahath-moab: Eliehoenai, son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males.
5. Of the sons of Shecaniah, 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. 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 eighty 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 one hundred and sixty males.
11. And of the sons of Bebai: Zechariah, the son of Bebai, and with him twenty eight males.
12. And of the sons of Azgad: Johanan, the son of Hakkatan, and with him one hundred and ten males.
13. And of the sons of Adonikam (those who came later), their names being Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, and with them sixty males.
14. And of the sons of Bigvai: Uthai and Zabbud (or Zachur), and with them seventy males.
15. And I gathered them to the river that comes to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And I surveyed among the people and the priests, and I found none of the sons of Levi there.
16. So I sent for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, the chief men; and for Joiarib and for Elnathan, who were men of discernment.
17. And I sent them to Iddo, the leading man at the place Casiphia, telling them what to say to Iddo and his brothers and the temple servants at the place Casiphia, that they should bring for us ministers for the house of our God.
18. And they brought us, by the good hand of our God on us, a man of prudence, of the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel, and Sherebiah with his sons and brothers, eighteen men.
19. And also Hashabiah, and with Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, along with his brothers and their sons, twenty men.
20. And of the Nethinim, whom David and the leaders had given for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim: all of them were designated by name.
21. Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the River Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek of Him a safe journey for ourselves, and for our little ones, and for all our goods.
22. For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, for we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon those who seek Him, for good, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.”
23. And so, we fasted and sought our God for this, and He was entreated of us.
24.And I set apart twelve of the leading priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers.
25. And I weighed out to them the silver and the gold and the vessels, the offering for the house of our God that the king, and his counselors, and his lords, and all Israel present there had offered.
26. And I weighed out into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels worth a hundred talents, and a hundred talents of gold,
27.and twenty bowls of gold, worth a thousand darics, and two vessels of good gleaming bronze, as precious as gold.
28. And I said to them, “You are holy to Jehovah, and the vessels are holy, and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering for Jehovah, God of your fathers.
29.Guard them and keep them until you weigh them before the chief priests and the Levites, and the heads of fathers in Israel at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of Jehovah.”
30. So the priests and the Levites took the weight of the silver and the gold and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem, to the house of our God.
¶31. And we set out from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. And the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes by the way.
32. And we came to Jerusalem, and we stayed there three days.
33. And on the fourth day the silver and the gold and the vessels were to be weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth ben-Uriah the priest. And with him was Eleazar ben-Phinehas. And with them was Jozabad ben-Jeshua, and Noadiah ben-Binnui, the Levites.
34. By quantity and by weight, all was recorded, the total weight at that time.
¶35. The children of the exiles, who came from captivity brought burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve young bulls for all Israel, ninety six rams, seventy seven lambs, and twelve he-goats as a sin offering; all this was a burnt offering for Jehovah.
¶36. And they also delivered the king’s decrees to the king’s satraps and to the governors of the province beyond the River, and they supported the people and the house of God.
Ezra 9
¶1. Now after these things had been done, the rulers approached me, saying, “The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the surrounding lands with their abominations: the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians and the Amorites.
2.Rather, they have taken their daughters for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has been mingled with the peoples of the lands. And the hand of the rulers and governors has been foremost in this unfaithfulness.”
3. And when I heard this report, I tore my garment and my robe, and I pulled hair out of my head and my beard and sat down, appalled.
4. And then, all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the treachery of the returned exiles, and I, sat appalled until the evening sacrifice.
5. And at the evening sacrifice, I arose up from my humiliation, and with my garment and my robe torn, and I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto Jehovah my God.
6. And I said: “O my God, I am ashamed and humiliated to lift my face toward You, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads, and our guilt is as high as the heavens.
7.From the days of our fathers we have been in great guiltiness to this day. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests, have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today.
8.And now, for a brief moment, favor has come from Jehovah our God to allow a remnant to escape, and to give us a small peg in His holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes, and revive us a little in our slavery.
9.For we are slaves. And in our slavery our God has not forsaken us, but has extended to us his loving kindness before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem.
10.And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments
11.which you commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land that you are coming in to take possession of, is a land impure with the impurity of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations that have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness.
12.So do not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons. And do not seek their peace or prosperity ever, that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your sons for ever.’
13.And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guiltiness, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such a remnant as this,
14.shall we break your commandments again, and intermarry with the peoples who commit these abominations? Would you not be angry with us until you consume us, and so no remnant could escape?
¶15.O Jehovah, God of Israel, you are righteous; for we are left a remnant that is escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before you in our guiltiness; for none can stand before you because of this.”
Ezra 10
¶1. And as Ezra prayed, and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly.
2. And Shecaniah ben-Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, responded, saying to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful with our God, and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel after all this.
3.And now, let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and do what the law says should be done.
4. Arise, for this is your duty, and we are with you; take courage, and do it.”
5. And Ezra arose, and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel swear to do according to this word, and they swore.
6. And Ezra then went from the house of God, and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan ben-Eliashib, went there neither eating food or drinking water, because he was mourning over the treachery of the exiles.
7. And a proclamation was caused to be made in Judah and Jerusalem to all the sons of the exiles, that they should assemble at Jerusalem.
8. And that if anyone did not come within three days, by order of the officials and the elders, he would forfeit all his property, and he himself banned from the congregation of the exiles.
9. And all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days, on the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the open space before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.
¶10. And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have acted faithlessly and married foreign women, adding greatly to Israel’s guilt.
11.So now make confession unto Jehovah, the God of your fathers, and do what He desires and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women.”
12. And all the assembly responded with a great voice: “Yes, as you have said, we will do!
13. However the people are many, and it is a time of heavy rain and we cannot stand here outside. Nor is this a work for one day or for two; for we have greatly sinned in this matter.
14.Let our leaders each stand for the whole assembly. Let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each town and city, until the anger of our God be turned away in this matter.”
15. So Jonathan ben-Asahel and Jahzeiah ben-Tikvah were appointed over this, with Meshullam, and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them.
16. And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest selected men, heads of fathers’ houses, according to their fathers’ houses, each of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to examine the matter.
17. And they finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month.
¶18. And there were found some of the sons of the priests who had married foreign women: from the sons of Jeshua ben-Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.
19. And they gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their wrongdoing.
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 Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23. And of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (he is also Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24. And of the singers: Eliashib. And of the doorkeepers: Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.
25. And of Israel, of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, and Izziah, and Malchiah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Hashabiah, and Benaiah.
26. And of the sons of Elam: Mataniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27. Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattanyah, 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, and Ramoth.
30. And of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattanyah, Bezalel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.
31. And of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshiah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon.
32. Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33. Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34. Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
35.Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
36.Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37.Mattanyah, Mattenai, and Jaasai,
38.and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,
39.and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,
40.Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41.Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42.Shallum, Amariah, Joseph.
43. Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, and Joel, Benaiah.
44. All these had married foreign wives; and there were some wives who had borne them sons.
Footnotes
[1] See Nehemiah 7:68