Chapter 1
1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the Lord, that he had said Through the mouth of Jeremiah, Yahweh stirred the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, who made this proclamation orally and in writing throughout his kingdom:
2 » Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia: Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has told me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
3 Who among you belongs to his people? May his God be with him, and may he go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of Yahweh, the God of Israel! He is the God who is in Jerusalem.
4 To all those who remain of Judah, In all their sojourns, the people of that sojourn provide assistance with money, gold, goods, and livestock, along with voluntary contributions, for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.«
5 The heads of families of Judah and Benjamin, the priests and the Levites, all those whose spirit God stirred up, arose to go and build the house of Yahweh, which is in Jerusalem.
6 All their neighbors helped them with articles of silver, gold, goods, livestock, and precious things, besides all the voluntary offerings.
7 King Cyrus removed the utensils from the house of Yahweh, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his god.
8 Cyrus, king of Persia, entrusted them to the hands of Mithridates, the treasurer, who transmitted to the counting in Sassabasar, the prince of Judah.
9 Here is the number: thirty gold basins, one thousand silver basins, twenty-nine knives,
10 thirty gold bowls, four hundred and ten second-rate silver bowls, and a thousand other utensils.
11 All the gold and silver objects were number of five thousand four hundred. Sasabasar took everything with him when the exiles were brought back from Babylon to Jerusalem.
Chapter 2
1 These are the people from the province who returned from exile, — those whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had taken captive to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own city, —
2 who returned with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Saraiah, Rachelaiah, Mordecai, Belshan, Meshphar, Begai, Rehum, Baanah:
Number of the men of the people of Israel:
3 the sons of Pharos, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two;
4 the sons of Saphatias, three hundred and seventy-two;
5 the sons of Area, seven hundred and seventy-five;
6 the sons of Phahath-Moab, sons of Joshua And of Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve;
7 the sons of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;
8 the sons of Zethua, nine hundred and forty-five;
9 the sons of Zechariah, 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 Adonicham, six hundred and sixty-six;
14 the sons of Begai, two thousand fifty-six;
15 the sons of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four;
16 the sons of Ater, of the family of Hezekiah, ninety-eight;
17 the sons of Besai, three hundred and twenty-three;
18 the sons of Jora, one hundred and twelve;
19 the sons of Hasum, two hundred and twenty-three;
20 the sons of Gebbar, ninety-five;
21 the sons of Bethlehem, one hundred and twenty-three;
22 the people of Netophah, fifty-six;
23 the people of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight;
24 the sons of Azmaveth, forty-two;
25 the sons of Cariatharia, Cephirah and Beroth, seven hundred and forty-three;
26 the sons of Ramah and Gibeah, six hundred and twenty-one;
27 the people of Machmas, one hundred and twenty-two;
28 the people of Bethel and Hai, two hundred and twenty-three;
29 the sons of Nebo, fifty-two;
30 the sons of Megbis, 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 Priests: the sons of Iadaiah, of the house of Joshua, nine hundred and seventy-three;
37 the sons of Emmer, one thousand fifty-two;
38 the sons of Phashur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven;
39 the sons of Harim, one thousand seventeen.
40 Levites: the sons of Joshua and of Cedmiel, of the sons of Oduyah, seventy-four.
41 Singers: the sons of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight.
42 Sons of the gatekeepers: the sons of Sellum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Telmon, the sons of Accub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Sobai, in all one hundred and thirty-nine.
43 Nathinehs: the sons of Siha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth,
44 the sons of Ceros, the sons of Siaa, the sons of Phadon,
45 the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Acub,
46 the sons of Hagab, the sons of Selmai, the sons of Hanan,
47 the sons of Gaddel, the sons of Gaher, the sons of Ra'aia,
48 the sons of Rasin, the sons of Necodah, the sons of Gazam,
49 the sons of Aza, the sons of Phasea, the sons of Beseus,
50 the sons of Azena, the sons of Munim, the sons of Nephusim,
51 the sons of Bacbuc, the sons of Hacupha, the sons of Harhur,
52 the sons of Besluth, the sons of Mahida, the sons of Harsa,
53 the sons of Bercos, the sons of Sisara, the sons of Tema,
54 the sons of Nasiah, the sons of Hatiphah.
55 The sons of Solomon's servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Pharuda,
56 the sons of Jala, the sons of Dercon, the sons of Geddel,
57 the sons of Shaphatia, the sons of Hatil, the sons of Phochereth-Ashebaim, the sons of Ami.
58 Total of the Nathanaeans and the sons of Solomon’s servants: three hundred and ninety-two.
59 These are the ones who departed from Thel-Mela, Thel-Harsa, Cherub, Addon, Emmer, and who could not make known their ancestral house and their lineage, to show that they were from Israel:
60 the sons of Dalaiah, the sons of Tobias, the sons of Necod, six hundred and fifty-two.
61 And among the sons of the priests: the sons of Hobiah, the sons of Accos, the sons of Berzelai, who had taken as his wife one of the daughters of Berzelai the Gileadite, and was called by their name.
62 They sought their title attesting to their genealogies, but it was not found; they were declared impure. and excluded of the priesthood,
63 and the governor forbade them to eat most holy things until a priest stood up to consult God by the Urim and the Thummim.
64 The entire assembly numbered forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty people,
65 not counting their male and female servants, who were number of seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; among them were two hundred male and female singers.
66 They had seven hundred and thirty-six horses, two hundred and forty-five mules,
67 four hundred and thirty-five camels and six thousand seven hundred and twenty donkeys.
68 Several Heads of families, when they arrived at the house of Yahweh, which is in Jerusalem, made freewill offerings for the house of God, so that it might be rebuilt in its place.
69 They gave to the treasury of the work, according to their means, sixty-one thousand darics of gold, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priestly tunics.
70 This is how the priests and Levites, people The singers, the gatekeepers, and the Nathanaeans settled in their cities, and all Israel lived in their cities.
Chapter 3
1 The seventh month having arrived, and the children of Israel being established In the cities, the people gathered together as one in Jerusalem.
2 Joshua, son of Josedec, with his brothers, the priests, and Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, with his brothers, arose and built the altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings on it, according to what is written in the law of Moses, the man of God.
3 They set up the altar on its old foundations, for they were in terror before the peoples of the land, and they offered burnt offerings there to Yahweh, the burnt offerings of the morning and of the evening.
4 They celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles, as it is written, and they offered day by day the holocausts, according to the number prescribed by law for each day.
5 After that, they offered the perpetual holocaust, the holocausts of the new moons and all the festivals consecrated to Yahweh, and those of whoever made a voluntary offering to Yahweh.
6 From the first day of the seventh month, they had begun to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh, but the foundations of the temple of Yahweh had not yet been laid.
7 Money was given to the stonecutters and carpenters; we also gave food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and Tyrians, so that they may bring by sea until’cedar woods in Joppa Lebanon, according to the authorization that we had of Cyrus, king of Persia.
8 In the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Joshua, son of Josedek, with the rest of their brothers, the priests and the Levites, and all those who had returned from captivity to Jerusalem, set to work and appointed the Levites twenty years old and above to direct the work of the house of Yahweh.
9 Joshua, with his sons and brothers, Cedmiel, with his sons, sons of Judah, unanimously prepared to direct those who were working on the task in the house of God; likewise the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers, they were all Levites.
10 When the workers laid the foundations of the temple of Yahweh, the priests in their vestments were brought in with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise Yahweh, according to the ordinances of David, king of Israel.
11 They began to celebrate and praise Yahweh: »For he is good, for his mercy toward Israel endures forever!» And all the people shouted with a great shout to praise Yahweh, because the foundation of the house of Yahweh was laid.
12 Many priests and Levites, and heads of families of old age, who had seen the first house, wept aloud as the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes; and many shouted for joy and gladness.
13 And the people could not distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of the groans of the people, for the people were shouting loudly, and the sound of them could be heard far away.
Chapter 4
1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the captives were building a temple to Yahweh, the God of Israel,
2 They came to Zerubbabel and the heads of families and said to them, »Let us build with you, for we, like you, honor your God and have been offering sacrifices to him since the time of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, who brought us up here.«
3 But Zerubbabel, Joshua And the other heads of the families of Israel answered them, »It is not fitting that you and we should build…” together the house of our God; but we there We alone will build for Yahweh, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, King of Persia, commanded us.«
4 Then the people of the land began to discourage the people of Judah, intimidating them in their work.
5 He bought advisors against him to sabotage his enterprise. And so it was. throughout the life of Cyrus, king of Persia, and until the reign of Darius, king of Persia.
6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, at the beginning of his reign, they wrote a letter of accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 And in the time of Artaxerxes, Bezalam, Mithridates, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions wrote to Artaxerxes, king of Persia; the text of the letter was written in character Aramaic and translated into Aramaic.
8 Rehum, the governor, and Samsai, the secretary, wrote to Artaxerxes concerning Jerusalem, a letter worded as follows:
9 » Then Rehum the governor, Samsai the secretary, and the rest of their companions, those from Din, Apharsathah, Terphal, Apharsah, Erchua, Babylon, Susa, Deha, and Elam,
10 and the rest of the peoples whom the great and illustrious Ashnaphar transported and settled in the city of Samaria and other places beyond the river, etc.«
11 Here is a copy of the letter they sent to King Artaxerxes:
»"Your servants, the people from beyond the river, etc.".
12 »Let the king know that the Jews who came up from you to us have come to Jerusalem; they are rebuilding the rebellious and wicked city, raising up its walls and restoring its foundations.
13 Let the king know therefore that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will pay neither tax, nor tribute, nor toll, which will cause damage to the kings.
14 Now, since we eat the salt of the palace and it does not seem proper to us to see the king despised, we send information to the king about this matter.
15 Let them search in the book of the annals of your fathers, and you will find in the book of the annals and you will know that this city is a rebellious city, causing damage to kings and provinces, and that people have been in it since ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.
16 We inform the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, you will thereby possess nothing beyond the river.«
17 The king sent this A reply to Rehum, the governor, to Samsai, the secretary, and to the rest of their companions, living in Samaria and the others places from beyond the river:
»"Hi, etc.".
18 "The letter you sent us was read distinctly in front of me.
19 I gave an order, and an investigation was carried out, and it was found that, from ancient times, this city had risen up against kings and had given itself up to sedition and revolt.
20 There were powerful kings in Jerusalem, masters of all the country of’beyond the river; and they paid them tax, tribute and toll.
21 Accordingly, give orders to stop the work of these people, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I give an order concerning it.
22 Beware of being negligent in this matter, lest the harm increase to the detriment of kings.«
23 So, as soon as the copy of King Artaxerxes' letter had been read before Rehum, Samsai the secretary, and their companions, they went with haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and they made them stop the work by violence and force.
24 Then the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped, and it was interrupted until the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia.
Chapter 5
1 The prophets Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Addo prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was on them.
2 Then Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Joshua, sons of Josedec, arose and began to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem, and with them were the prophets of God who assisted them.
3 At the same time, Thathanai, governor of the region beyond the river, Stharbuzanai, and their companions came to them and said, »Who gave you permission to build this house and raise these walls?«
4 Then we spoke to them, telling them the names of the men who were building this structure.
5 But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they were not made to stop the works until the report reached Darius and a letter about it was returned.
6 Copy of the letter that Stharbuzanai and their companions from Arphasach sent to King Darius Thathanai, governor beyond the river, residing beyond the river.
7 They sent him a report, and this is what was written in it:
»"To King Darius, perfect greetings!"
8 Let the king know that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built with huge stones, and timbers are being laid in the walls; this work is being carried out diligently and prospers under their hands.
9 So we questioned these elders and said to them, »Who gave you permission to build this house and raise these walls?«
10 We also asked them their names to... THE to make known, in order to put in writing the names of the men who are at their head.
11 This is the answer they gave us: »We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built long ago, There is many years, and which a great king of Israel had built and completed.
12 But after our fathers angered the God of heaven, he delivered them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and took the people captive to Babylon.
13 However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree allowing to rebuild this house of God.
14 And even King Cyrus removed from the temple in Babylon the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought to the temple in Babylon; they were given to the man named Sasabasar, whom he appointed governor.
15 And he said to him, “Take these utensils and go and place them in the temple which is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its site.”.
16 Then this Sasabasar came, And He laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem; from then until now it is being built, and it is not yet finished.«
17 Now, if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the king's treasury there in Babylon, to know if there is a decree issued by King Cyrus, allowing to build this house of God in Jerusalem. Then, let the king convey to us his will in this matter.»
Chapter 6
1 Then King Darius issued a decree and a search was made in the house of archives, where the treasures were stored, in Babylon.
2 And a scroll was found in Ecbatana, the fortress which is in the province of Media, on which was written the document following :
3 »In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued this order: that the house of God who is in Jerusalem, that this house to be rebuilt to be a place where sacrifices are offered, and that the foundations be solidly laid down. Its height will be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits.
4 There will be three rows of dressed stone and one row of wood; the expense will be paid by the king's household.
5 Furthermore, the gold and silver articles from the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, shall be returned and brought back to the temple in Jerusalem, to the place where they were, and you THE you will deposit in the house of God.«
6 »…Now, Tattenai, governor of beyond the river, and Stharbuzanai and your companions of Apharsah, who are beyond the river, stay away from there,
7 and leave continue the work on this house of God; that the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its ancient location.
8 This is the order I give concerning what you must do with these Jewish elders to rebuild this house of God: from the king's property, coming taxes from beyond the river, the expense will be paid exactly to these men, so that there is no interruption.
9 As needed for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven—young bulls, rams, and lambs, wheat, salt, wine, and oil—according to the ordinance of the priests in Jerusalem, it shall be given to them daily without fail,
10 so that they may offer pleasing aroma sacrifices to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
11 I also give this order: If anyone changes this word, let a beam be taken from his house, let him be hung on it and fastened, and let his house be made a heap of refuse for this reason.
12 May the God who has placed his name there overthrow every king and All people who would extend their hand to change this decree and Destroy this house of God which is in Jerusalem! I, Darius, have given this order: be carried out promptly.«
13 Then Thathanai, governor of beyond the river, Stharbuzanai, and their companions punctually complied with the’order that King Darius their had sent.
14 And the elders of Israel began to build and made progress, supported by the prophecies of Haggai the prophet, and of Zechariah, son of Addo. They built and finished, according to the command of the God of Israel and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, king of Persia.
15 This house was completed on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
16 The children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the sons of the captivity, joyfully dedicated this house of God.
17 They offered, for the dedication of this house of God, one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and, as sin offerings for all Israel, twelve goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
18 They appointed the priests according to their divisions and the Levites according to their classes to serve the God who is in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.
19 The sons of the captivity celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
20 For the priests and the Levites without exception had purified themselves; all were clean; and they sacrificed the Passover for all the sons of the captivity, for their brothers the priests and for themselves.
21 The Israelites who returned from captivity ate Easter, as well as all those who had separated themselves from the impurity of the nations of the land to join them in order to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel.
22 They celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread with joy for seven days; for Yahweh had made them glad by turning the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
Chapter 7
1 After these events, during the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Ezra, son of Saraias, son of Azariah, son of Helkiah,
2 sons of Shellum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitob,
3 sons of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Maraioth,
4 sons of Zarahias, son of Uzi, son of Bocci,
5 sons of Abisue, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the high priest, —
6 This Ezra came up from Babylon; he was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. Like the hand of the Lord his God, was The king granted him everything he had asked for.
7 Many of the children of Israel, priests and Levites, singers, gatekeepers and Nathanaeans also went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.
8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king.
9 This is the first day of the first month that he began to go up from Babylon, and that was the first day in the fifth month he arrived in Jerusalem, the benevolent hand of his God being upon him.
10 For Ezra had devoted his heart to the study of the law of the Lord, there to put into practice, and to teach in Israel the precepts and ordinances.
11 This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest And the scribe, scribe educated the words of the law of Yahweh and his precepts concerning Israel:
12 » Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra, priest and scribe versed in the law of the God of heaven, etc.
13 I gave orders that all the people of Israel, their priests and Levites, resident in my kingdom, who desire to go to Jerusalem, y go with you.
14 For you are sent by the king and his seven advisors to inspect Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God, which is in your hand,
15 and to carry the silver and gold that the king and his advisors have spontaneously offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling place is in Jerusalem,
16 as well as all the gold and silver that you find in all the province of Babylon, with the voluntary gifts of the people and the priests, freely offered for the house of their God in Jerusalem.
17 Therefore you will be careful to buy bulls, rams, lambs, and with this money what is necessary for offerings and libations Who THE accompany, and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God, which is in Jerusalem.
18 With the rest of the silver and gold you shall do whatever seems good to you and your brothers, in accordance with the will of your God.
19 Lay down before the God of Jerusalem the utensils that have been given to you for the service of the house of your God.
20 And the rest of what is needed for the house of your God, which you are required to provide, you shall provide after receiving it from the king's treasure house.
21 And I, King Artaxerxes, command all the treasurers beyond the river that everything Ezra, priest and scribe, poured In the law of the God of heaven, he will ask you, be exactly executed:
22 up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred horns of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and salt in abundance.
23 Let everything commanded by the God of heaven be diligently carried out for the house of the God of heaven, so that its May not wrath come upon the kingdom of the king and his sons.
24 We would also like to inform you that’Regarding all the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nathinaeans, and servants any from this house of God, it is not permitted to levy on them any tax, tribute, or toll.
25 And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God, which is in your hand, appoint judges and officials who will administer justice to all the people beyond the river, to all those who know the laws of your God, and teach them to those who do not know them.
26 Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let justice be exacted upon him, whether by death, banishment, a fine, or the prison.«
27 Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who has put it into the king's heart to glorify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem,
28 and who turned to me the favor of the king, his advisors, and all the more powerful officers of the king!
And I took courage because the hand of Yahweh my God was upon me, and I gathered the leaders of Israel, so that they might go with me.
Chapter 8
1 These are the heads of families — with their genealogy — of those who came up with me from Babylon, during the reign of King Artaxerxes.
2 Of the sons of Phinehas, Gersom; of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel; of the sons of David, Hattus,
3 who descended from Shecheniah; from the sons of Pharos, Zechariah, and with him one hundred and fifty males registered in the family register.
4 Of the sons of Phahath-Moab, Elioenai, son of Zerehias, and with him two hundred males;
5 of the sons of Shekeniah, son of Ezekiel, and with him three hundred males;
6 of the sons of Adin, Abed, son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males;
7 of the sons of Elam, Isaiah, son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males;
8 of the sons of Shaphatias, Zebediah, son of Michael, and with him eighty males;
9 of the sons of Joab, Obediah, son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males;
10 of the sons of Selomith, son of Josephiah, and with him one hundred and sixty males;
11 of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah, son of Bebai, and with him twenty-eight males;
12 of the sons of Azgad, Johanan, son of Eccetan, and with him one hundred and ten males;
13 of the sons of Adonicham, the last, whose names were: Eliphelet, Jehiel and Samaiah, and with them sixty males;
14 of the sons of Begai, Uthai and Zachur, and with them seventy males.
15 I gathered them together near the river that flows to Ahava, and we camped there for three days. Having looked over the people and the priests, I found none of the sons of Levi there.
16 Then I summoned the chiefs Eliezer, Ariel, Shemeiah, Elnathan, Jarib, another Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Mosollam, as well as the doctors Joiarib and Elnathan.
17 I sent them to Chief Eddo, to the place called Chasphia, and I put into their mouths the words they were to say to Eddo and to his brothers the Nathinaeans who were at the place called Chasphia, so that they may bring us ministers for the house of our God.
18 And because the gracious hand of our God was upon us, they brought us an intelligent man from among the sons of Moholi, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, know Sarabias, and with him his sons and brothers number of eighteen ;
19 Hasabiah, and with him Isaiah, one of the sons of Merari,
20 his brothers and their sons number of twenty; and from among the Nathanaeans, whom David and the chiefs had given for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nathanaeans, all named individually.
21 I proclaimed a fast there by the river Ahava, to grieve before our God, to implore him for a safe journey for us, for our children, and for all that belonged to us.
22 For I would have been ashamed to ask the king for an escort and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, »The hand of our God is upon us.” their of course all those who seek him, but his strength and his anger are on all those who abandon him.«
23 And because of this we fasted and called upon our God; and he answered us.
24 I chose twelve chief priests, Sarabiah and Hasabiah, and ten of their brothers.
25 I weighed out before them the silver, the gold, and the utensils, the offering that the king, his advisors, his officials, and all the Israelites who were present had brought for the house of our God. there ;
26 and I weighed, in putting them back between their hands, six hundred and fifty talents of silver, silver utensils of the value of a hundred talents, a hundred talents of gold,
27 twenty gold cups of the value of a thousand darics, and two vases of beautiful shining bronze, as precious as gold.
28 And I said to them, »You are holy before Yahweh, and these utensils are holy, this silver and this gold are a freewill offering to Yahweh, the God of your fathers.
29 Be careful to keep them safe until you have weighed them before the chief priests and Levites, and before the heads of the families of Israel, in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the Lord.«
30 And the priests and Levites received by weight the silver, the gold, and the utensils, for THE to be brought to Jerusalem, to the house of our God.
31 We set out from the Ahava River on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem.
The hand of our God was upon us, and saved us from the hands of the enemy and from the ambushes along the way.
32 When we arrived in Jerusalem, we rested there for three days.
33 On the fourth day, the silver, the gold, and the utensils were weighed in the house of our God in the hands of Merimuth, son of Uriah, the priest; there was with him Eleazar, son of Phinehas, and with them the Levites Jozabad, son of Joshua, and Noadias, son of Bennui.
34 The whole thing was delivered according to the number and according to the weight; and the total weight was recorded at that time.
35 Those who returned from exile, the sons of the captivity, offered as a burnt offering to the God of Israel twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, twelve male goats for sin, all as a burnt offering to Yahweh.
36 They transmitted the king's orders to the king's satraps and to the governors beyond the river, and these supported the people and the house of God.
Chapter 9
1 When these things were finished, the leaders approached me, saying, »The people of Israel, the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of these countries; they imitate their abominations, those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.
2 For they took some of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, and the holy race allied itself with the peoples of these countries; and the hand of the leaders and magistrates was first in this transgression.«
3 When I heard about this, I tore my clothes and my cloak, I pulled out the hair from my head and my beard, and I sat down in dismay.
4 All those who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, at the transgression, gathered around me. threads of captivity; and I remained seated, dismayed, until the evening offering.
5 Then, at moment From the evening offering, I arose from my affliction, with my clothes and cloak torn, and falling to my knees, my hands outstretched toward Yahweh, my God,
6 I said, »My God, I am too full of shame and confusion to lift up my face to you, my God; for our iniquities have multiplied above our heads, and our guilt has ascended to heaven.
7 From the days of our fathers until this day, we have been greatly guilty; and It is because of our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests were handed over to the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to shame, as we still are Today.
8 And now, Yahweh our God has shown us mercy for a little while, leaving us a remnant and granting us shelter in his holy place, so that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a little life in the midst of our bondage.
9 For we are slaves; but our God has not abandoned us in our bondage. He directed the favor of the kings of Persia toward us, to restore our lives, so that we might build the house of our God and raise up its ruins, and to give us a secluded dwelling place in Judah and Jerusalem.
10 Now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have abandoned your commandments.
11 which you had commanded us through your servants the prophets, saying: The land into which you are entering to possess is an impure land, soiled by the impurities of the peoples of these countries, by the abominations with which they filled it from one end to the other with their impurities.
12 And now, do not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, and do not ever worry about their prosperity or their well-being, so that you may become strong, eat the good produce of this land, and pass it on forever as an inheritance to your children…
13 After all that has happened to us because of our evil deeds and our great sins—though you have spared us, O our God, more than they didn't deserve it our iniquities, and that you have left us such a remnant as this, —
14 Could we again violate your commandments and ally ourselves with these abominable peoples? Would you not be angry with us until you destroyed us, leaving neither remnant nor survivors?
15 Yahweh, God of Israel, you are just, for we born are today that’a remnant of survivors; here we are before you with our sin; for because of it we cannot stand before you.«
Chapter 10
1 While Ezra, weeping and prostrating himself before the house of God, was this prayer and this confession, a very large assembly of Israelites, men, women and children, had gathered around him; for the people were shedding many tears.
2 Then Shekeniah, son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, »We have sinned against our God by establishing at our place foreign women, belonging to the people of the country. And now, in this regard, there remains hope for Israel.
3 Let us now make a covenant with our God, to send back all women and the children born to them, according to the advice of my lord and of those who fear the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the Law.
4 Get up, for it is yours to take control This matter. We will be with you. Courage, and get to work!«
5 Ezra arose and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel swear to do as had just been said; and they THE swore.
6 Then Ezra withdrew from the presence of the house of God and went to the chamber of Johanan son of Eliashib. When he entered, he neither ate bread nor drank water, because he was mourning over the sin. threads from captivity.
7 A proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem, that all the sons of the captivity should gather together in Jerusalem;
8 and, according to the advice of the leaders and elders, whoever does not’y If he hadn't arrived in three days, all his property would have been confiscated and he himself would be excluded from the assembly threads from captivity.
9 All the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem within three days; it was the twentieth day of the ninth month. All the people were standing in the square of the house of God, trembling because of the occasion, and because it was raining.
10 Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, »You have sinned by establishing at your place foreign women, thus adding to Israel's sin.
11 And now, confess your fault to Yahweh, the God of your fathers, and do his will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women.«
12 The whole assembly responded, saying in a loud voice, »We must do as you have said!”
13 But the people are numerous, and it is the time of the rains, and it is not possible to remain outside; Besides, This is not a matter of a day or two, because we have committed a grave sin in this matter.
14 Let our leaders remain for the whole assembly; and let all those who have established in our cities at their home Foreign women will come at the appointed times, along with the elders and judges of each city, until the fiery wrath of our God concerning this matter has been averted from us.«
15 Only Jonathan son of Azahel and Jaasiah son of Tekuah opposed this advice; and Mosollam and Shebethai the Levite supported them.
16 But the sons of captivity did as it had been said. Ezra, the priest, And men, heads of families according to their households, all designated They called themselves by name and sat apart on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
17 They had finished on the first day of the first month with all the men who had established at their home foreign women.
18 Among the sons of the priests, there were some who had established at their home foreign women, know : threads of Joshua, son of Josedec, and his brothers: Maasias, Eliezer, Jarib and Godolias;
19 They gave their word that they would send their wives away, and, declaring guilty, of’to offer a ram for the expiation of It's their fault.
20 Of the sons of Emmer: Hanani and Zebediah.
21 Of the sons of Harim: Maaziah, Elijah, Shemeiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 Of the sons of Pashur: Elioenai, Maaziah, Ishmael, Nathanael, Jozabed and Elasa.
23 — Among the Levites: Jozabed, Shemei, Zelaiah, the same as Zelitah, Phataiah, Judah and Eliezer.
24 — Among the singers: Eliasib. — Among the gatekeepers: Selum, Telem and Uri.
25 Among those of Israel: Of the sons of Perez: Remeiah, Jeziah, Melkiah, Minyan, Eliezer, Melkiah and Benaiah;
26 of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jerumoth and Elijah;
27 of the sons of Zethua: Elioenai, Eliasib, Mattaniah, Jerimoth, Zabad and Aziza;
28 of the sons of Bebai: Johanan, Ananiah, Zebbai, Athalai;
29 of the sons of Bani: Mosollam, Melluch, Adaiah, Jasub, Saal and Ramoth;
30 of the sons of Phahath-Moab: Ednah, Halal, Banaiah, Maaziah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Bennu, and Manasseh;
31 of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Jesiah, Melkiah, Shemeiah, Simeon,
32 Benjamin, Melluch, Samarias;
33 of the sons of Hasom: Mathanai, Mathatha, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jermai, Manasseh, Shemei;
34 of the sons of Bani: Maaddi, Amram, Uel,
35 Banaiahs, Badaiahs, Sheliau,
36 Vanias, Merimuth, Eliasib,
37 Mathanias, Mathanai, Jasi,
38 Bani, Bennui, Séméï,
39 Salmias, Nathan, Adaïas,
40 Mechnedebai, Sisai, Sarai,
41 Ezrel, Shelemiah, Semerias,
42 Sellum, Amarias, Joseph;
43 of the sons of Nebo: Jehiel, Mattathias, Zabad, Zabina, Jeddu, Joel and Banaiah.
44 All these men had taken foreign wives, and several of them had children by them.
