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.
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Ezra
Ezra 1
¶1. Now, in the first year of Cyrus the king of Persia, to fulfill the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah, Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus the king of Persia, and he made a proclamation for all his kingdom, and he put it in writing also, saying:
2.“Thus says Cyrus the king of Persia: Jehovah, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a church in Jerusalem which is in Judah.
3.Who is there 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 church 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 with silver and with gold, and with goods and with beasts, along with freewill offerings for the church of the God who is in Jerusalem.”
5. Then chiefs of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin rose up, and the priests and the Levites, all whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the church of Jehovah that is in Jerusalem.
6. And all who were around them helped them with vessels of silver, gold, goods, beasts, and precious things, besides all else that was willingly offered.
7. And Cyrus the king brought out the vessels of the church of Jehovah which Nebuchadnezzar brought out from Jerusalem and had put in the church of his god.
8. And Cyrus the king of Persia brought them out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and he counted them out for Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.
9. And this was the account of them: thirty basins of gold, a thousand basins of silver, twenty-nine utensils[1],
10.thirty bowls of gold, four hundred and ten silver bowls of a second kind, and a thousand other vessels.
11. All the vessels of gold and silver were five thousand four hundred, all which Sheshbazzar brought up with the captivity which went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
Ezra 2
¶1. Now these are the children of the province who came up from exile whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each man to his own city.
2. These came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. 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, of 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 Kirjath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three.
26. The sons of Ramah and Gaba, 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 Elam, 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 Hodaviah, 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: 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 Paseach, the sons of Besai,
50.the sons of Asnah, the sons of Meinim, 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 Tamah,
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, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, and the sons of Ami.
58. All the Nethinim and the sons of Solomon’s servants were three hundred and ninety-two.
¶59. And these were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but they were not able to declare their fathers’ house or their lineage, whether they were of Israel:
60.the sons of Delaiah, the 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 he was called by their name.
62. These sought their record among those who were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found; so, they were excluded from the priesthood as polluted.
63. And the governor told them that they should not eat of the most holy things until there arose a priest with the Urim and Thummim.
64. The whole Assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty,
65.besides their male servants and their female servants. These were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven. And they had two hundred male and female singers.
66. Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six, their mules were two hundred and forty-five,
67.their camels, four hundred and thirty-five, donkeys, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.
¶68. And when they came to the church of Jehovah, which is in Jerusalem, some of the chief of the fathers voluntarily offered towards raising the church of God on its foundation.
69. As they were able, they gave to the treasury for the work sixty one thousand gold drachmas, five thousand silver minas, and one hundred priestly tunics.
70. And the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.
Ezra 3
¶1. And when the seventh month had come, the children of Israel were in the cities and the people gathered as one in Jerusalem.
2. And Jeshua ben-Jozadak arose with his kinsmen the priests, and Zerubbabel ben-Shealtiel with his kinsmen, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God.
3. And they set the altar upon its bases, though fear was on them because of the people of those countries, and they offered burnt offerings on it to Jehovah, burnt offerings each morning and evening.
4. And they kept the Feast of Booths, as it is written, and the daily burnt offering in the number prescribed for each day,
5.and beyond that, the continual burnt offering, and for the new moons, and for all the appointed times of Jehovah that were consecrated, and for every freewill offering anyone made 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 laid.
7. And they gave money to the stonemasons and the craftsmen, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and Tyrians that they should bring cedar trees from Lebanon by the sea to Joppa, according to the grant to them from Cyrus, king of Persia.
¶8. And in the second year of their coming to the church of God in Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel ben-Shealtiel and Jeshua ben-Jozadak, with the rest of their kinsmen, the priests, 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 church of Jehovah.
9. And Jeshua, his sons and his kinsmen, Kadmiel and his sons, sons of Judah, stood as one to supervise the doing of the work in the church of God, sons of Henadad, their sons, and their kinsmen, the Levites.
10. And when the builders of the temple of Jehovah laid the foundation, they stationed the priests, dressed, 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 praise and thanksgiving to Jehovah, “He is good, for 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 church of Jehovah being laid.
12. Now, many of the priests and Levites, and the chiefs of the fathers, the old men who had seen the first church, began weeping with a loud voice when before their eyes the foundation of this church was laid. But many lifted up their voice with a shout of joy,
13.so that people were unable to distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the people weeping because the people were lifting up a great shout, and the sound was heard far off.
Ezra 4
¶1. And when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that those from the exile were building a temple for Jehovah, the God of Israel,
2.they 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, but we have not been sacrificing since the days of Esar-Haddon, king of Assyria, the one who brought us here.”
3. But Zerubbabel and Jeshua, and the rest of the chiefs of the fathers of Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a church for our God, but we ourselves alone will build for Jehovah, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”
4. Then, the people of the land began weakening the hands of the people of Judah, making them afraid to build.
5. And they bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose 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, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7. And in the days of Artahshasta, Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel and the rest of their companions wrote to Artahshasta, king of Persia. Now, the text of the letter was written in Aramaic, and the Aramaic was translated.
¶8. Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artahshasta the king as follows:
9.“From Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues – 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 Asnappar deported and settled in the cities of Samaria, and the rest beyond the River. (And now,
11.this is a copy of the letter that they sent to him.) To Artahshasta the King. Your servants, men beyond the River. And now,
12. let it be it known to the King that the Jews who came up from you to us have come to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations.
13.Now, let it be known to the King that if this city is rebuilt and the walls completed, the tribute, custom, or toll will not be paid, and the treasury of the king will suffer loss.
14.Now, inasmuch as we eat the salt of the palace and it is not appropriate for us to see the King’s dishonor, we, therefore, are sending this to inform the King,
15.so that search may be conducted of the books of records of your fathers. In the books of records, you will learn that this city is a rebellious city, and injurious to kings and provinces, and within it, men have incited sedition from days of old. For this reason, this city was laid waste.
16.We are advising the King that if this city be rebuilt and its walls completed, you will, as a consequence, have no possession 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 the rest beyond the River: “Peace. And now,
18.the letter that you sent to us has been translated and read before me.
19.Therefore, I ordered a search be made, and they found that this city from days of old has risen up against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it.
20.And mighty kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled over all beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid.
21.Therefore, issue a decree that these men cease so that this city is not rebuilt until a judgment is determined by me.
22.Moreover, take heed that you be not slack in this matter. Why should damage grow to the hurt of kings?”
23. Then, when a copy of King Artachshasta’s letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and they made them cease by force and power.
24. Then, the work on the church of God which is in Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius the king of Persia.
Ezra 5
¶1. Then the prophet Haggai, with Zechariah bar-Iddo, the prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, against them.
2. Then, Zerubbabel bar-Shealtiel and Jeshua bar-Jozadak arose and began rebuilding the church of God which is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.
¶3. At that time, Tattenai the governor beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues came against them and said to them: “Who issued a decree for you to rebuild this church and repair this wall?”
4. Then we answered them accordingly. And they said, “What are the names of the men who are building 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 a response in writing be returned concerning it.
¶6. A copy of the letter that Tattenai the governor beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and his colleagues, the officials who were 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.Be it known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to a church for ‘the great God’ which is being built with huge stones, and timber is being set in the walls. Now, this work is being done diligently and prospers in their hands.
9. Then we asked these elders, saying to them: ‘Who issued a decree for you to rebuild this church and repair this wall?’
10.And we also asked them their names, so we could write down the names of their leaders so as to inform you.
11.And they answered us as follows, saying, ‘We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the church that was built many years ago, built and finished by a great king of Israel.
12.But because our fathers enraged the God of heaven, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, and he destroyed this house and carried the people away into Babylon.
13.However, in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to rebuild this church of God.
14.Moreover, the vessels of the church of God which were of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple which was in Jerusalem and brought to the temple in Babylon, these Cyrus the king took from the temple in Babylon, and they were given to one named 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 church of God be rebuilt on its site.”
16.Then this Sheshbazzar came. He laid the foundations of the church of God that is in Jerusalem, and from then until now, it has been in building, and it is not finished.’
17. Now then, if it seems good to the King, let search be made in the royal archives which is there in Babylon, whether a decree was issued by Cyrus the king for the building of this church of God in Jerusalem. And let the King send us his pleasure in this matter.”
Ezra 6
¶1. Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of records, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.
2. And in Achmetha, in the fortress which 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 church of God at Jerusalem. Let the church be built, the place where sacrifices are 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, and let the expense be paid from the house of the king.
5.And also, let the vessels of the church 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 church of God.”
¶6. Darius the king then wrote this letter:
7.Leave the work on this church of God alone! Let the governor of the Jews and the Jews’ elders rebuild this church of God on its site.
8.Moreover, I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this church of God. From the king’s goods, the tribute from beyond the River, the expense is to be paid diligently 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, according to what the priests who are at Jerusalem say, let it be given to them day by day, without fail,
10.so that there may be offerings of sacrifices, a placating aroma for the God of heaven, and prayers for the life of the King and his sons.
11.And I also make a decree that if any man alters this edict, let timber be pulled out of his house and, being raised up, let him be impaled upon it; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.
12.And may the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who shall put forth their hand to alter this in order to destroy this church of God which is in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have made a decree; let it be done diligently!”
¶13. Then, Tattenai the governor beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues, because of what King Darius had sent, did so diligently.
14. And the elders of the Jews built and prospered, according to the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah bar-Iddo. And they built and finished by the decree of the God of Israel and by the decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artahshasta, king of Persia.
15. And the church 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 children of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the rest from the exile, celebrated the dedication of the church of God with joy.
17. And they offered for the dedication of the church of God a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel, for a sin-offering for all 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 those from the exile kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
20. For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves as one – all of them were pure. And they slaughtered the Passover for all the children of the exile, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves.
21. And the children of Israel who had returned from captivity ate, with all who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to seek Jehovah, the God of Israel.
22. And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for Jehovah had made them glad, for He had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to strengthen their hands in the work of the church of God, the God of Israel.
Ezra 7
¶1. Now after these things, in the reign of Artahshasta the king of Persia, Ezra ben-Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,
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. Now, he was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses which Jehovah, the God of Israel, had given. The king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of Jehovah his God was on him.
7. There also went up some of the children of Israel, some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the porters, and the Nethinim to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artahshasta 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 the ascent 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 set his heart to study the law of Jehovah, and to do it, and to teach statute and ordinance in Israel.
11. Now, this is a copy of the letter which Artahshasta the king gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of Jehovah, and of His statutes to Israel:
12.“Artahshasta, King of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven. Perfect peace. And now,
13.by me, a decree has been made that all in my kingdom among the people of Israel, or their priests or Levites, who are willing to go to Jerusalem may go with you.
14.For you are sent from the king and his seven counselors to seek God on behalf of Judah and Jerusalem in accordance with the law of your God which is in your hand,
15.and to carry silver and gold which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,
16.and all the silver and gold that you shall find in the whole province of Babylon, with the freewill offerings of the people and the priests willingly offered for the church of their God that is in Jerusalem.
17.With this money then, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams, lambs, and their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and you shall offer them on the altar of the church 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 church of your God, deliver in full to the God of Jerusalem.
20.And the rest that is needed for the church of your God, which falls to you to provide, provide it out of the King’s treasury.
21.And I, myself, Artahshasta the King, make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River: Whatever Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, let it be done 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 by decree of the God of heaven, let it precisely be done for the church of the God of heaven, for why should wrath come upon the kingdom of the King and his sons?
24.We also inform you concerning all the priests, and Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this church of God, no ruler may impose tribute, tax, or toll upon them.
25.And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges who will be judges for all the people that are beyond the River, all who know the laws of your God, and whoever does not know them, you shall teach.
26.And all who will not obey the law of your God and the law of the King, let the judgment on him be executed speedily, whether death, or banishment, or confiscation of property, or imprisonment.”
¶27. Blessed be Jehovah, the God of our fathers, who put such as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the church of Jehovah, which is in Jerusalem,
28.and who extended to me lovingkindness before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. And I took courage, inasmuch as the hand of Jehovah my God was on me, and I gathered from Israel chief men to go up with me.
Ezra 8
¶1. And these are the heads of their fathers’ houses and those reckoned by genealogy who went up with me from Babylon in the reign of Artahshasta 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. And with him were reckoned one hundred and fifty males.
4.Of the sons of Pahath-moab: Eliehoenai ben-Zerahiah. And with him, two hundred males.
5.Of the sons of Shecaniah: Ben-Jahaziel. And with him, three hundred males.
6.And of the sons of Adin: Ebed ben-Jonathan. And with him, fifty males.
7.And of the sons of Elam: Jeshaiah ben-Athaliah. And with him, seventy males.
8.And of the sons of Shephatiah: Zebadiah ben-Michael. And with him, eighty males.
9.Of the sons of Joab: Obadiah ben-Jehiel. And with him, two hundred and eighteen males.
10.And of the sons of Shelomith: Ben-Josiphiah. And with him, one hundred and sixty males.
11.And of the sons of Bebai: Zechariah ben-Bebai. And with him, twenty eight males.
12.And of the sons of Azgad: Johanan ben-Hakkatan. And with him, one hundred and ten males.
13.And of the later sons of Adonikam, and these are their names: Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah. And with them, sixty males.
14.And of the sons of Bigvai: Uthai and Zabud. And with him, seventy males.
¶15. And I gathered them by the river that comes to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And I observed the people and the priests, and I found none of the sons of Levi there.
16. So, I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, and Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, chief men, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, men of understanding.
17. And I sent them to Iddo, chief in Casiphia Hamakom, and I put words in their mouths to speak to Iddo and his brother: “Those who are stationed at Casiphia Hamakom are to bring us ministers for the church of our God.”
18. And by the good hand of our God on us, they brought us a man of prudence of the sons of Mahli ben-Levi, son of Israel, even Sherebiah, with his sons and brothers, eighteen men.
19. And also Hashabiah, and with him, Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari. His brothers and their sons were twenty men.
20. And of the Nethinim, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim, all of them designated by name.
21. Then I proclaimed a fast there, by 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 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 all those who seek Him, for good, but His power and His wrath are upon all those who forsake Him.”
23. And so, we fasted and sought our God concerning this, and He was entreated of us.
24. And I set apart twelve of the chief priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and with them, ten of their brothers.
25. And I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels, the offering for the church of our God that the king, and his counselors, and his lords, and all Israel who were present had offered.
26. And I weighed out into their hand: silver, six hundred and fifty talents; silver vessels, a hundred talents; gold, a hundred talents;
27.twenty gold bowls, a thousand adarcons; and two vessels of fine, polished bronze, 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 closely until you weigh them before the chief priests and the Levites, and the heads of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the church of Jehovah.”
30. So, the priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver, the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem, to the church 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 ambush along the way.
32. And we came to Jerusalem, and we stayed there three days,
33.and on the fourth day, the silver, the gold, and the vessels were weighed in the church of our God by the hand of Meremoth ben-Uriah the priest, and with him, Eleazar ben-Phinehas, and with them, Jozabad ben-Jeshua and Noadiah ben-Binnui, the Levites,
34.by number and by weight, everything. And the total weight was recorded at that time.
35. The children of the exile 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 male 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 beyond the River, and they aided the people and the church 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 lands with their abominations: the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.
2.Rather, they have taken their daughters for themselves and their sons, and the holy seed have mingled themselves with the peoples of the lands. And the hand of the princes and officials has been foremost in this unfaithfulness.”
3. And when I heard this report, I tore my garment and my robe, and I pulled out hair from my head and my beard, and I sat down, appalled.
4. Then, all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel because of the unfaithfulness of the captivity gathered to me, and I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice.
5. And at the evening sacrifice, I arose from my self-humiliation, and with my garment and my robe torn, I fell on my knees, and spread out my hands to 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 have risen higher than our head, and our guilt has increased to 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 nations, for the sword, for captivity, for plundering, and for shame of face, as at this day.
8.Yet now, for a brief moment, favor has come from Jehovah our God to allow a remnant of us to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes and to grant us a little reviving in our bondage,
9.for we are slaves. Yet, in our slavery, our God has not forsaken us, but has extended lovingkindness to us before the kings of Persia, to grant us a reviving, to set up the church of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall 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 the hand of your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land that you are entering to possess, it is an unclean land because of the filthiness of the peoples of the nations, because of their abominations that have filled it from end to end through their uncleanness.
12.So, do not now give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons. And never seek their peace or prosperity, that you may be strong, and that you may eat the good of the land, and that you may leave it for an inheritance to your sons forever.’
13.And after all that has come upon us because of our evil deeds and our great guiltiness, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us a remnant such 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, so that there be no remnant or escaping?
15.O Jehovah, God of Israel, you are righteous, for we are an escaped remnant, as at this day. Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for no one can stand before you because of this.”
Ezra 10
¶1. And as Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the church 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 Olam, responded, saying to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now, there is hope for Israel in spite of all this.
3.So, let us now make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and what is born of them, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.
4.Arise, for this is your duty, and we are with you; be strong, and do it.”
5. So, Ezra arose, and he made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel swear to do according to this word, and they swore.
6. And Ezra arose from before the church of God and went to the chamber of Jehohanan ben-Eliashib, and he went there neither eating food nor drinking water because he was mourning over the treachery of the captivity.
7. And they proclaimed throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all those from the captivity to assemble at Jerusalem,
8. and anyone who did not come within three days, by order of the officials and the elders, all his property would be forfeited, and he himself banned from the Assembly of the captivity.
9. And all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days, in the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the open before the church 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 been unfaithful and married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt.
11.So, give praise now to Jehovah the God of your fathers, and do His will, and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women!”
12. And all the Assembly answered and said with a great voice, “We will do just as you have said.
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 two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.
14.Let our leaders, we pray you, stand for the whole Assembly. And let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them, elders of each city and its judges, until the fierce anger of our God be turned away from us, until this matter is resolved.”
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 from the captivity did so. And men were designated by Ezra the priest, heads of the fathers, by the house of their fathers, all of them by name. And on the first day of the tenth month, they sat down to examine the matter.
17. And they finished 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] Hebrew uncertain.