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Ezra Ezra one in the first year of Cyrus, King

of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the

mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled.

The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus.

King of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout

all his kingdom, and also put it in writing.

Thus says Cyrus King of Persia, the Lord, the God

of Heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth,

and he has charged me to build him a house

at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you

of all his people, may his God be with him,

and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah,

and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel.

He is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let

each survivor in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by

the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods,

and with beasts. Besides free will offerings for the House

of God that is in Jerusalem.

Then rose up the heads of the Father's houses of Judah,

and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose

spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the

house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, and all

who were about them aided them with vessels of silver,

with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares.

Besides all that was freely offered. Cyrus the King also

brought out the vessels of the House of the Lord

that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in

the house of his gods. Cyrus, king of Persia, brought

these out in the charge of Mithradath, the treasurer, who

counted them out to Sheshbazar, the Prince of Judah. And

this was the number of them, thirty basins of gold,

one thousand basins of silver, twenty nine censors, thirty bowls

of gold, four hundred ten bowls of silver, and one

thousand other vessels. All the vessels of gold and of

silver were five thousand, four hundred. All these did Shecheesbazar

bring up when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia

to Jerusalem.

Ezra II.

Now these were the people of the province who came

up out of the captivity of those exiles whom nebuchad Nezar,

the King of Babylon, had carried captive to Babylonia. They

returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town.

They came with Zorobibil, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Sireea, RhE Eliah, Mordecai,

Bill Shan, Mispar, big vy Reheim, and Bayona. The number

of the men of the people of Israel. The sons

of Peirosh two thousand, one hundred seventy two, the sons

of Shefetaiah three hundred seventy two, the sons of Ahra

seven hundred seventy five, the sons of Paieth Moeb namely

the sons of Jeshua and Joeb two thousand, eight hundred twelve,

the sons of Elim one thousand, two hundred fifty four,

the sons of Zatub nine hundred forty five, the sons

of Zachai seven hundred sixty the sons of Benai six

hundred forty two, the sons of Bibai six hundred twenty three,

the sons of Asgad one thousand, two hundred twenty two,

the sons of Adanaikim six hundred sixty six, the sons

of big Vai two thousand fifty six, the son of

Aidan four hundred fifty four, the sons of Ater, namely

of Hezekiah ninety eight, the sons of Bezi three hundred

twenty three, the sons of Jori one hundred twelve, the

sons of Haitiam two hundred twenty three, the sons of

Gibbar ninety five, the sons of Bethlehem one hundred twenty three,

the men of Nedethah fifty six, the men of Anathoth

one hundred twenty eight, the sons of asthmaveth forty two,

the sons of Kirieth, Aram, Kephira and Beerrath seven hundred

forty three, the sons of Rama and Giba six hundred

twenty one, the men of Micmass one hundred twenty two,

the men of Bethel and Ai two hundred twenty three,

the sons of Nebo fifty two, the sons of Magbish

one hundred fifty six, the sons of the other Elam

one thousand, two hundred fifty four, the sons of Harem

three hundred twenty the sons of Laud, Hayded, and Ono

seven hundred twenty five, the sons of Jericho three hundred

forty five, the sons of Senea three thousand, six hundred

thirty the priests, the sons of Jedea, of the House

of Jeshua nine hundred seventy three, the sons of Immer

one thousand, fifty two, the sons of Pasher one thousand,

two hundred forty seven, the sons of Harem one thousand seventeen,

the Levites, the sons of Jeshua and Cadmil of the

sons of Hodevayah seventy four, the singers, the sons of

Asaf one hundred twenty eight, the sons of the Gatekeepers,

the sons of Shalem, the sons of Air, the sons

of Taalman, the sons of Acob, the sons of Hataita,

and the sons of Shobai.

In all one hundred thirty nine.

The temple servants, the sons of Zaiha, the sons of Hasufa,

the sons of Tabath, the sons of Kiros, the sons

of Sayaha, the sons of Paiden, the sons of Lebena,

the sons of Hageba, the sons of Akab, the sons

of Hegab, the sons of sham Lai, the sons of Hanan,

the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons

of Rhea, the sons of Reason, the sons of Nikota,

the sons of Gazem, the sons of Uza, the sons

of Passiah, the sons of Bisai, the sons of Asna,

the sons of Meuni, the sons of Nephisim, the sons

of Bachbuk, the sons of Hakufah, the sons of Harhr,

the sons of Baslath, the sons of Mahida, the sons

of Harsha, the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera,

the sons of Tima, the sons of Naziah, and the

sons of Hattaiphah, the sons of Solomon's servants, the sons

of Sotai, the sons of Jsathareth, the sons of Peruda,

the sons of Jayelah, the sons of Darkhan, the sons

of Giddel, the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hatel,

the sons of Pokaith, Hazebaeum, and the sons of Ami.

All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon's servants

were three hundred ninety two. The following were those who

came up from Telmila, Telharsha, kirib Adam, and Immer, though

they could not prove their father's houses or their descent,

whether they belonged to Israel. The sons of Deleah, the

sons of Tobiah, and the sons of Nakota six hundred

fifty two. Also of the sons of the priests, the

sons of Hebea, the sons of Hakkas, the sons of Barzilai,

who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzilai

the Gilead Dight, and was called by their name. These

sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but

they were not found there, and so they were excluded

from the priesthood as unclean. The governor told them that

they were not to partake of the most Holy food

until there should be a priest to.

Consult Urim and Thummim.

The whole assembly together was forty two thousand, three hundred

sixty besides their male and female servants, of whom there

were seven thousand, three hundred thirty seven, and they had

two hundred male and female singers. Their horses were seven

hundred thirty six, their mules were two hundred forty five,

their camels were four hundred thirty five, and their donkeys

were six thousand, seven hundred twenty. Some of the heads

of families, when they came to the House of the Lord,

that is in Jerusalem, made free will offerings for the

House of God to erect it on its site according

to their ability.

They gave to the Treasury of.

The Work sixty one thousand derrecks of gold, five thousand

minas of silver, and one hundred priests garments. Now the priests,

the levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers,

and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all

the rest of Israel in their towns. Ezra three. When

the seventh month came and the children of Israel were

in the towns, the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem.

Then arose Jeshua the son of Josephek with his fellow priests,

and Zerobable the son of Schieltel 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 Law of Moses, the man of God. They

set the altar in its place, for fear was on

them because of the peoples of the lands, and they

offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, burnt offerings

morning and evening. And they kept the feast of Booths

as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings

by number according to the rule, as each day required,

and after that the regular burnt offerings, the offerings at

the new moon, and at all the appointed feasts of

the Lord, and the offerings of everyone who made a

free will offering to the Lord. From the first day

of the seventh month, they began to offer burnt offerings

to the Lord. But the foundation of the Temple of

the Lord was not yet laid. So they gave money

to the Masons and the carpenters, and food, drink and

oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar

trees from Lebanon to the sea to Joppa, according to

the grant that they had from Cyrus, king of Persia.

Now in the second year after their coming to the

House of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zorobabo,

the son of Shiltl and Jeshua the son of Jozdac

made a beginning together with the rest of their kinsmen,

the priests and the Levites, and all who had come

to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites from

twenty years old and upward to supervise the work of

the House of the Lord, and Jeshua with his sons

and his brothers, and Cadneil and his sons, the sons

of Judah together supervise the workmen in the House of God,

along with the sons of Hanedad, and the Levites their

sons and brothers. And when the builders laid the foundation

of the Temple of the Lord, the priests and their

vestments came forward with trumpets, and the Levites the sons

of Asaf with symbols to praise the Lord, according to

the directions of David, King of Israel. And they sang

received bonsily, praising and giving thanks to the Lord.

For he is good, for his steadfast love endures for

averageward 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. But many of the priests

and levites and heads of father's houses. Old men who

had seen the first house wept with a loud voice

when they saw the foundation of this house being laid,

though many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people

could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from

the sound.

Of the people's weeping.

For the people shouted with a great shout, and the

sound was.

Heard far away. Ezra four.

Now, when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that

the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord,

the God of Israel, they approached Zerubbabel and the heads

of Father's houses and said to them, let.

Us build with you, for we worship your God as

you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever

since the days of Esarhad and King of Assyria, who

brought us here.

But Zorobabel, Jeshua and the rest of the heads of

Father's houses in Israel said to them, you.

Have nothing to do with us in building a house

to our God.

But we alone will build to the Lord the God.

Of Israel, as King Sirius, the King of Persia, has

commanded us.

Then the people of the land discouraged the people of

Judah and made them afraid to build, and bribed counselors

against them to frustrate their purpose. All the days of Cyrus,

King of Persia, even until the reign of Drias, King

of Persia, and in the reign of a Hagariris, in

the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against

the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. In the days of

Art Dexerxes, Bishlem and Mithradeth and Tabil and the rest

of their associates wrote to Art Dexerxes, King of Persia.

The letter was written in Aramaic and translated. Rheum the

Commander and Shimshai the Scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem

to Oar de Xerxes the King, as follows.

Rhem the Commander, Shimshai the Scribe, and the rest of

their associates, the judges, the governors, the officials, the Persians,

the men of Erik, the Babylonians, the men of Susa,

that is, the Elamites, and the rest of the nations

whom the great and noble Osnapper deported and settled in

the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the

province beyond the river. This is a copy of the

letter that they sent to Artaxerxes, the King, your servants,

the men of the province beyond the river, send greeting.

And now be it known.

To the King that the Jews who came up from

you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding

that rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the walls

and repairing the foundations. Now be it known to the

King that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished,

they will not pay tribute, custom or toll, and the

royal revenue will be impaired. Now because we eat the

salt of the palace, and it is not fitting for

us to witness the king's dishonor. Therefore we send and

inform the King in order that search may be made

in the book of the Records.

Of your fathers.

You will find in the book of the records and.

Learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to

kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in

it from of old. That was why this city was

laid waste.

We make known to.

The King that if this city is rebuilt and its

wall was finished, you will then have no possession in

the province beyond the river.

The king sent an.

Answer to Rehum the Commander and Shimshi the Scribe and

the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and

in the rest of the province beyond the river, greeting.

And now the letter that you sent to us has

been plainly read before me, and I made a decree,

and search has been made, and it has been found

that this city from of old has risen against kings,

and the rebellion and sedition have been made in it,

and mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over

the whole province beyond the river, to whom tribute, custom

and toll were paid. Therefore, make a decree that these

men be made to cease, and that this city be

not rebuilt until a decree.

Is made by me.

And take care not to be slack in this matter.

Why should damage grow to the hurt.

Of the king.

Then, when the copy of King Artaxerxei's letter was read

before Rhem and Shimshai the Scribe and their associates, they

went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem, and by

force and power made them cease. Then the work on

the House of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and

it ceased until the second year of the reign of Drius,

King of Persia.

Ezra five.

Now the prophets Hagai and Zechariah, the son of Ido

prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem

in the name of the God of Israel, who was

over them. Then Zerubbable the son of Schiltio, and Jeshua,

the son of Jozdek arose and began to rebuild the

House of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets

of God were with them supporting them. At the same time, Tatanai,

the governor of the province beyond the river, and sheith

Ar Bazanai and their associates came to them and spoke

to them, thus.

Who gave you a decree to build this house and

to finish this structure?

They also asked them this, what.

Are the names of the men who are building this building?

But the eye of their God was on the elders

of the Jews, and they did not stop them until

the report should reach Drias, and then an answer be

returned by letter concerning it. This is a copy of

the letter that Tatanai, the governor of the province beyond

the river and sheath Our Basani and his associates, the

governors who were in the province beyond the river, sent

to Derias the King. They sent him a report in

which was written as followers.

To Drias the King.

All peace.

Be it known to the King that we went to

the province of Judah, to the house of the Great God.

It is being built with huge stones, and timber is

laid in the walls. This work goes on diligently and

prospers in their hands. Then we asked those elders and

spoke to them thus, who gave you a decree to

build this house and to finish the structure. We also

asked them their names for your information, that we might

write down the names of their leaders.

And this was their reply to us.

We are the servants of the God of Heaven and Earth,

and we are rebuilding the house that was built many

years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.

But because our fathers had angered the God of Heaven,

them into the hand of Nebuchad Nezar, king of Babylon,

the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried away the

people to Babylonia. However, in the first year of Cyrus,

King of Babylon, Cyrus the King made a decree that

this House of God should be rebuilt, and the gold

and silver vessels of the House of God which Nebuchadnezzar

had taken out of the temple that was in Jerusalem

and brought into the Temple of Babylon. These Cyrus the

King took out of the Temple of Babylon, and they

were delivered to one whose name was chees Bazar, whom

he had made governor. 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. Then this shes Bazar came and

laid the foundations of the House of God that is

in Jerusalem. And from that time until now it has

been in building, and it is not yet finished.

Therefore, if it seems good to the King, let search

be made in the royal archives there in Babylon to

see whether a decree was issued by Cyrus the King

for the rebuilding of this House of God in Jerusalem.

And let the king sent us his pleasure in this matter.

Ezra six.

Then Dius the King made a decree, and search was

made in Babylonia in the house of the Archives where

the documents were stored, and in Egbatana, the capital that

is in the province of Media a scroll was found

on which this was written a record.

In the first year of Cyrus the king. Cyrus the

King issued a decree concerning the House of God at Jerusalem.

Let the house be rebuilt a place where sacrifices were offered,

and let its foundations be retained. It shall be sixty cubits,

and its breath sixty cubits, with three layers of great

stones and one layer of timber. Let the cost be

paid from the royal treasury. And also let the gold

and silver vessels of the House of God, which Nevchadnezzar

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. You

shall put them in the House of God. Now therefore, Tatnai,

governor of the province beyond the river Sheithar Basnai, and

your associates, the governors who are in the province beyond

the river keep away. Let the work on this House

of God alone. Let the Governor of the Jews and

the elders of the Jews rebuild this House of God

on its site. Moreover, I make a decree regarding what

you shall do for these elders of the Jews for

the rebuilding of this house of God. The cost is

to be paid to these men in full and without delay,

from the royal revenue, the tribute of the ovens from

beyond the river, and whatever is needed bulls, rams or

sheep for burnt offerings to the God of Heaven, wheat, salt, wine,

or oil. As the priests at Jerusalem require, let that

be given to them day by day without fail, that

they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of Heaven

and pray for the life of the king and his sons. Also,

I make a decree that if anyone alters this edict,

a beam shall be pulled out of his house, and

he shall be impaled on it, and his house shall

be made at Dunghill. May the God who has caused

his name to dwell there overthrow any king or people

who shall put out a hand to alter this or

to destroy this House of God that is in Jerusalem.

Idrias make a decree, let it be done with all diligence.

Then, according to the words sent by Durias the King,

Tatan I, the governor of the province beyond the river

Sheithar Bazani and their associates did with all diligence what

Darias the King had ordered, and the elders of the

Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Hagi the

Prophet and Zechariah, the son of Ita. They finished their

building by decree of the God of Israel, and by

decree of Cyrus and Darias and Artaxerxes, king of Persia.

And this house was finished on the third day of

the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the

reign of Darias, the King and the people of Israel,

the priests and the Levites and the rest of the

returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God

with joy. They offered at the dedication of this house

of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs,

and as a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male

goats according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

They set the priests and their divisions, and the Levites

in their divisions, for the service.

Of God at Jerusalem.

As it is written in the Book of Moses, on

the fourteenth day of the first month, the returned exiles

kept the passover for the priests and the levites had

purified themselves together, all of them were clean. So they

slaughtered the passover lamb for all the return to exiles,

for their fellow priests.

And for themselves.

It was eaten by the people of Israel who had

returned from exile, and also by everyone who had joined

them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples

of the land, to worship the Lord, the God of Israel.

And they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days

with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and

had turned the heart of the King of Assyria to them,

so that he aided them in the work of the

house of God, the God of Israel.

Ezra.

Seven Now after this, in the reign of our Deserxes,

King of Persia, Ezra the son of Sareeah, son of Azariah,

son of Hilkiah, son of Shalem, son of Zadok, son

of Ahitub, son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Moreath,

son of Zarahiah, son of Uzi, son of Buckeye, son

of Abaishua, son of Phineas, son of Eliezer, son of Erin,

the chief priest. This Ezra went up from Babylonia. He

was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, that

the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. And the

King granted him all that he asked. For the hand

of the Lord his God was on him. And there

went up also to Jerusalem in the seventh year of

Artaxerxes the King, some of the people of Israel, and

some of the priests and levites, the singers and gatekeepers,

and the temple servants. And Ezra came to Jerusalem in

the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of

the king. For on the first day of the first

month he began to go up from Babylonia. And on

the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem.

For the good hand of his God was on him.

For Ezra had set his heart to study the law

of the Lord and to do it, and to teach

his statutes and rules in Israel. This is a copy

of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the Priest,

the Scribe, a man learned in manners of the commandments

of the Lord and his statutes for Israel.

Artaxerxes, King of Kings, to Ezra the Priest, the Scribe

of the Lord of the God of Heaven.

Peace.

Yes, and now I make a decree that anyone of

the people of Israel or their priests, all levites in

my kingdom, who freely offers to go to Jerusalem, may.

Go with you.

For you are sent by the King and his seven

counselors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to

the law of your God, which is in your hand,

and also to carry the silver and gold that the

King and his counselors have freely offered to the God

of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, with all the

silver and gold that you shall find in the whole

province of Babylonia, and with the free will offerings of

the people and the priests vowed willingly for the House

of their God that is in Jerusalem. With this money,

then you shall with all diligence by bulls, ram and lambs,

with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and you

shall offer them on the altar of the House of

your God that is in Jerusalem. Whatever seems good to

you and your brothers to do with the rest of

the silver and gold, you may do, according to the

will of your God. The vessels that have been given

you for the service of the House of your God,

you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem. And whatever

else is required for the House of your God, which

it falls to you to provide, you may provide it

out of the King's treasury. And I are to Xerxes

the King, make a decree to all the treasurers in

the province beyond the river, whatever Ezra the priests the

scribe of the Law of the God of Heaven requires

of you, let it be done with all diligence, up

to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred cares of wheat,

one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil

and salt, without prescribing how much. Whatever is decreed by

the God of Heaven, let it be done in full

for the House of the God of Heaven, lest his

wrath be against the realm of the King and his sons.

We also notify you that it shall not be lawful

to impose tribute, custom, or toll on any one of

the priests, the levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants,

or other servants of this house of God. And you, Ezra,

according to the wisdom of your God that is in

your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all

the people in the province beyond the river, all such

as know the laws of your God, and those who

do not know them. You shall teach whoever will not

obey the law of your God and the law of

the King. Let judgment be strictly executed on him, whether

for death or for banishment, or for confiscation of his goods,

or for imprisonment.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who

put such a thing as this into the heart of

the King to beautify the house of the Lord that

is in Jerusalem, and who extended to me his steadfast

love before the King and his counselors, before all the

King's mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of

the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered

leading men from Israel to go up with me.

Ezra.

Eight these are the heads of their father's houses. And

this is the genealogy of those who went up with

me from Babylonia in the reign of Artaxerxes the.

King, of the sons of Finnihas Gersham, of the sons

of Ithamar Daniel, of the sons of David Hattish, of

the sons of Shekhaniah, who was of the sons of

Parish Zechariah, with whom were registered one hundred and fifty

men men of the sons of Paieth moab Eliah, Hoenai,

the son of Zarahiah, and with him two hundred men

of the sons of Zatu Shekaniah the son of Jeheseel,

and with him three hundred men of the sons of

Aidan Ibid the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty

men of the sons of Elim Jeshiah the son of Athaliah,

and with him seventy men of the sons of Shephatiah,

Zebidah the son of Michael, and with him eighty men

of the sons of joab Obadiah, the son of Jehiel

and with him two hundred eighteen men of the sons

of Beini Sheelamuth the son of Josephiah, and with him

one hundred and sixty men of the sons of Bibi Zechariah,

the son of Bibi, and with him twenty eight men

of the sons of Asgad Johanan, the son of Hakatan,

and with him one hundred ten men of the sons

of adanaikm those who came later, their names being Litholet, Jayuel,

and Shimeah, and with them sixty men of the sons

of big By, Youthai and Zachar, and with them seventy men.

I gathered them to the river that runs to a HAVEVII,

and there we camped three days. As I reviewed the

people and the priests, I found their of the sons

of Levi. Then I sent for eliezers Ario, Shameyah, El Nathan, Jereb,

el Nathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Mishulum leading men, and for

joyiib and al Nathan, who were men of insight, and

sent them to Ido, the leading man at the place Kassifia,

telling them what to say to Ido and his brothers

and the temple servants at the place Cassifia, namely to

send us ministers for the house of our God. And

by the good hand of our God on us, they

brought us a man of discretion of the sons of Malai,

the son of Levi, son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with

his sons and kinsman eighteen also Hashebiah, and with him

Jeshiah of the sons of Maurai, with his kinsmen and

their sons. Twenty besides two hundred and twenty of the

temple servants whom David and his officials had set apart

to attend the Levites. We're all mentioned by name. Then

I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava, that

we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from

him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all

our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the King

for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us

against the enemy in our way, since we had told.

The King the hand of our God is for good

on all who seek him, and the power of his

wrath is against all who forsake him.

So we fasted and implored our God for this, and

he listened to our entreaty. Then I set apart twelve

of the leading priests Cherebiah Hashebiah, and ten of their

kinsmen with them, 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 there present had offered.

I waded out into their head and six hundred and

fifty talents of silver and silver vessels worth two hundred talents,

and one hundred talents of gold, twenty bowls of gold

worth one thousand derens, and two vessels of fine bright bronze,

as precious as gold. And I said to them, you

are holy to the Lord, and the vessels are holy,

and the silver and the gold are a free will

offering to the Lord, the God of your fathers. Guard

them and keep them until you weigh them before the

chief priests and the Levites and the heads of fathers

houses in Israel at Jerusalem, within the chambers of the

House of the Lord. So the priests and the levites

took over the weight of the silver and the gold

and the vessels to bring them to Jerusalem, to the

House of our God. Then we departed from the river

Aheva on the twelfth day of the first month to

go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was honest,

and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy

and from ambushes. By the way we came to Jerusalem,

and there we remigned three days. On the fourth day,

within the House of our God, the silver and the

gold and the vessels were weighed into the hands of Merimath,

the priest, son of Uriah, and with him was Eliezar,

the son of Finnihas. And with them were the Levites

josephab the son of Jeshua, and Noahdiah, the son of Benui.

The whole was counted and weighed, and the weight of

everything was recorded. At that time, those who had come

from captivity, the returned exiles offered burnt offerings to the

God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety six rams,

seventy seven lambs, and as a sin offering, twelve male goats.

All of this was a burnt offering to the Lord.

They also delivered the king's commissions to the king's satraps

and to the governors of the province be On the river,

and they aided the people in the house.

Of God Ezra. Nine.

After these things had been done, the officials approached me

and said.

The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites

have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands

with their abominations, from the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizites,

the Jebuzites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

For they have taken some of their daughters to be

wise for themselves and for their sons, so that the

Holy Race has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands.

And in this faithlessness the hand of the officials and

chief men has been foremost.

As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment

and my cloak, and pulled hair from my head and beard,

and sat appalled. Then all who trembled at the words

of the God of Israel because of the faithlessness of

the returned exiles gathered around me while I sat appalled

until the evening sacrifice. And at the evening sacrifice, I

rose from my fasting, with my garment and my cloak torn,

and fell upon my knees and spread out my hands

to the Lord my God, saying, Oh, my God, I

am ashamed and blushed, to lift my face to you,

my God, For our iniquities have risen higher than our heads,

and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. From

the days of our fathers to this day we have

been in great guilt. 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

captiv to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today.

But now, for a brief moment, favor has been shown

by the Lord, our God, to leave us a remnant

and to give us a secure hold within his holy place,

that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us

a little reviving in our slavery, for we are slaves.

Yet Our God is not forsakenness in our slavery, but

has extended to us his steadfast love 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. And now, o,

our God, what shall we say after this? For we

have forsaken your commandments, which you commanded by your servants,

the prophet saying, the land that you are entering to

take possession of it 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. Therefore,

do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take

their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace

or prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the

good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance

to your children forever, and after all that has come

upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt.

Seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than

our iniquities deserved, and have given us such a remnant

as this, shall we break your commandments again and enter

mary with the peoples who practice these abominations. Would you

not be angry with us until you consumed us, so

that there should be no remnant nor any to escape, O, Lord,

the God of Israel, you are just, for we are

left a remnant that has escaped as it is today. Behold,

we are before you and our guilt, for none can

stand before you because of this, Ezra.

Ten. While 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, and Shekinaiah, the

son of Jehiel of the sons of Elim, addressed.

Ezra, we have broken faith with our God and have

married foreign women from the peoples of the land. But

even now there's hope for Israel in spite of this. Therefore,

let us make a cove 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 let it be done

according to the law. Arise, for it is your task

and we are with you. Be strong and do it.

Then Ezra arose and made the leading priests and Levites

and all Israel take oath that they would do as

had been said.

So they took the oath.

Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and

went to the chamber of Jehohanan, the son of Eliashib,

where he spent the night, neither eating bread nor drinking water,

for he was mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles.

And a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to

all the returned exiles, that they should assemble at Jerusalem,

and that if anyone did not come within three days,

by order of the officials and the elders, all his

property should be forfeited, and he himself banned from the

congregation of the exiles. Then all the men of Judah

and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within.

The three days.

It was the ninth month. On the twentieth day of

the month, and all the people sat in the open

square before the House of God, trembling because of this matter,

and because of the heavy rain and ezra. The priests

stood up and said to them.

You have broken faith and married foreign women, and so

increased the guilt of Israel. Now, then make confession to

the Lord, the God of your fathers, and do his

will separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and

from the foreign wives.

Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, it.

Is so, we must do as you have said. But

the people are many, and it is a time of

heavy rain, whom we cannot stand in the open nor

is this a task for one day or for two

For we have greatly transgressed in this matter. Let our

officials stand for the whole assembly. Let all in our

cities who have taken foreign wives come at a point

of times, and with them the elders and judges of

every city, until the fierce wrath of our God over

this matter is turned away from us.

Only Jonathan, the son of Asahel and Josiah the son

of Tikva opposed this, and Mishulem and Shabbathai the Levites

supported him. Then the return to exiles did so Ezra.

The priests selected men heads of father's houses according to

their father's houses, each of them designated by name. On

the first day of the tenth month, they sat down

to examine the matter, and by the first day of

the first month they had come to the end of

all the men who had married foreign women. Now there

were found some of the sons of the priests who

had married foreign women, Eliezer, Jereb, and Gedeliah, some of

the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak and his brothers.

They pledged themselves to put away their wives and their guilt,

offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt.

Of the sons of Immer, anne and I and Zebediah.

Of the sons of Heram, Mayosiah, Elijah, Semeiah, Jehiel and Usiah.

Of the sons of Pasher, elio Eni, Mayosiah, Ishmael Nathanil,

Joseabad and Elisa. Of the Levites josephad Shimii, Kaliah that

is Callita, Pathaliah, Judah and Eliezer of the Singers Eliahshiv,

of the Gatekeepers Shalem, Teelam and Uri and of Israel.

Of the sons of Parish Ramiah, Isiah, Malchija, Midgemen, Eliezar,

Hashebayah and Benaiah. Of the sons of Elim, Mattanayah, Zechariah,

jehiel Abdai, Jeremov and Elijah. Of the sons of Zatu,

elio en I, Eliashib, matt Nayah, Jeremov, Zabad and Desaizah.

Of the sons of Bibi were j Johanan Hananiah, Zavi

and Athlai. Of the sons of Beini were Meshulem, malik Adeya, Jayshab,

Shiel and Jeremov of the sons of Peef moab aDNA

keelaal Bneia, Mayasiah, matt Andyah, Bezeleel, Binui and Manassa. Of

the sons of Haram eliezer Ishaijah Malchijah, Shimeya, Shimian, Benjamin,

Malik and Shamariah. Of the sons of Haitiam, mattin I, Madeta,

Zabad Eliphalet, Jeremi, Manassa and Simii. Of the sons of

Beini Mayadi, Amram, Yule Banaya, Badiah, Kellhi Vaniah, merramoth Eliashib, Mattanayah, Mattini, Jayasu.

Of the sons of Benuai, Shimii, Sleemiah, nathan Adeah, Mcnadobi, Sheshai, Shaerai, Azarel, Shelmiah, Shamariah, Shalem,

Amariah and Joseph.

Of the sons of Nebo.

Jail, Mattithiah, Zebad, Zebinah, Jedi Joel and Benaia. All these

had married foreign women, and some of the women had

even born children.