EZRA
Ezra 1
1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Yahweh by
the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus
king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and
[put it] also in writing, saying,
2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, Yahweh, God of heaven, hath given me all the
kingdoms of the earth; and He hath charged me to build Him an house at
Jerusalem, which [is] in Judah.
3 Who [is there] among you of all His people? his God
be with him, and let him go up to
4 And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver,
and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering
for the house of God that [is] in Jerusalem.
5 Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests,
and the Levites, with all [them] whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build
the house of Yahweh which [is] in Jerusalem.
6 And all they that [were] about them strengthened their hands with vessels of
silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that] was
willingly offered.
7 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of Yahweh, which
Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the
house of his gods;
8 Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.
9 And this [is] the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand
chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,
10 Thirty basins of gold, silver basins of a second [sort] four hundred and
ten, [and] other vessels a thousand.
11 All the vessels of gold and of silver [were] five thousand and four hundred.
All [these] did Sheshbazzar bring up with [them of]
the captivity that were brought up from
1 Now these [are] the children of the province that went up out of the
captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king
of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and
Judah, every one unto his city;
2 Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of
3 The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred
seventy and two.
4 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy
and two.
5 The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and
five.
6 The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua [and] Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.
7 The children of
8 The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.
9 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and
threescore.
10 The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.
11 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.
12 The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred
twenty and two.
13 The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and
six.
14 The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and
six.
15 The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.
16 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and
eight.
17 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and
three.
18 The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve.
19 The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and
three.
20 The children of Gibbar, ninety and five.
21 The children of Beth-lehem, an hundred twenty and
three.
22 The men of Netophah, fifty and six.
23 The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.
24 The children of Azmaveth, forty and two.
25 The children of Kirjath-arim, Chephirah,
and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three.
26 The children of Ramah and Gaba,
six hundred twenty and one.
27 The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two.
28 The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.
29 The children of Nebo, fifty and two.
30 The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six.
31 The children of the other
32 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
33 The children of Lod, Hadid,
and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five.
34 The children of
35 The children of Senaah, three thousand and six
hundred and thirty.
36 The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house
of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
37 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.
38 The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred
forty and seven.
39 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
40 The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah,
seventy and four.
41 The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight.
42 The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the
children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai,
[in] all an hundred thirty and nine.
43 The Nethinims: the children of Ziha,
the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
44 The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon,
45 The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,
46 The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan,
47 The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah,
48 The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam,
49 The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,
50 The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim,
51 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
52 The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
53 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah,
54 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
55 The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai,
the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda,
56 The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
57 The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth
of Zebaim, the children of Ami.
58 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's
servants, [were] three hundred ninety and two.
59 And these [were] they which went up from Tel-melah,
Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan,
[and] Immer: but they could not shew their father's
house, and their seed, whether they [were] of
60 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda,
six hundred fifty and two.
61 And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah,
the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was
called after their name:
62 These sought their register [among] those that were reckoned by genealogy,
but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the
priesthood.
63 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should
not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.
64 The whole congregation together [was] forty and two thousand three hundred
[and] threescore,
65 Beside their servants and their maids, of whom [there were] seven thousand
three hundred thirty and seven: and [there were] among them two hundred singing
men and singing women.
66 Their horses [were] seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred
forty and five;
67 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; [their] asses, six thousand
seven hundred and twenty.
68 And [some] of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of
Yahweh which [is] at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it
up in his place:
69 They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and
one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred
priests' garments.
70 So the priests, and the Levites, and [some] of the people, and the singers,
and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their
cities, and all
1 And when the seventh month was come, and the children of
2 Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak,
and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel,
and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of
Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as [it is] written in the law of
Moses the man of God.
3 And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear [was] upon them because of
the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto
Yahweh, [even] burnt offerings morning and evening.
4 They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as [it is] written, and [offered]
the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every
day required;
5 And afterward [offered] the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons,
and of all the set feasts of Yahweh that were consecrated, and of every one
that willingly offered a freewill offering unto Yahweh.
6 From the first day of the seventh month began they
to offer burnt offerings unto Yahweh. But the foundation of the
7 They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and
drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of
8 Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in
the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel,
and Jeshua the son of Jozadak,
and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they
that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites,
from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of
Yahweh.
9 Then stood Jeshua [with] his sons and his brethren,
Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of
10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the
11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto Yahweh;
because [He is] good, for His mercy [endureth] for ever toward
12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, [who were]
ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house
was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for
joy:
13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the
noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout,
and the noise was heard afar off.
1 Now when the adversaries of Judah
and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded
the temple unto Yahweh, God of Israel;
2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto
them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye [do]; and we have not
sacrificed since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur,
which brought us up hither.
3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the
chief of the fathers of
4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and
troubled them in building,
5 And hired counsellors 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, wrote they [unto him] an accusation against the inhabitants of
7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest
of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of
8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai
the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this
sort:
9 Then [wrote] Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites,
the Tarpelites, the Apharsites,
the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, [and]
the Elamites,
10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnapper
brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest [that are] on this
side the river, and at such a time.
11 This [is] the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, [even] unto
Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a
time.
12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are
come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up
the walls [thereof], and joined the foundations.
13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded,
and the walls set up [again, then] will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom,
and [so] thou shalt endamage the revenue of the
kings.
14 Now because we have maintenance from [the king's] palace, and it was not
meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore
have we sent and certified the king;
15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou
find in the book of the records, and know that this city [is] a rebellious
city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition
within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.
16 We certify the king that, if this city be builded
[again], and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion
on this side the river.
17 [Then] sent the king an answer unto Rehum the
chancellor, and [to] Shimshai the scribe, and [to]
the rest of their companions that dwell in
18 The letter which ye sent unto us had been plainly read before me.
19 And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city
of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and [that] rebellion and
sedition have been made therein.
20 There have been mighty kings also over
21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be
not builded, until [another] commandment shall be
given from me.
22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the
hurt of the kings?
23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter [was] read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe,
and their companions, they went up in haste to
24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which [is] at
1 Then the prophets, Haggai the
prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied
unto the Jews that [were] in
2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which [is] at
3 At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this
side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their
companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath
commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?
4 Then said we unto them after this manner, What are
the names of the men that make this building?
5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not
cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned
answer by letter concerning this [matter].
6 The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on
this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his
companions the Apharsachites, which [were] on this
side the river, sent unto Darius the king:
7 They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king,
all peace.
8 Be it known unto the king, that we went into the
9 Then asked we those elders, [and] said unto them
thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?
10 We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of
the men that [were] the chief of them.
11 And thus they returned us
answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of
heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded
these many years ago, which a great king of
12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, He
gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean,
who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.
13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of
14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which
Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that [was] in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple
of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and
they were delivered unto [one], whose name [was] Sheshbazzar,
whom he had made governor;
15 And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that
[is] in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded
in his place.
16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, [and] laid the
foundation of the house of God which [is] in
17 Now therefore, if [it seem] good to the king, let there be search made in
the king's treasure house, which [is] there at Babylon, whether it be [so],
that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at
Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.
1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the
rolls, where the treasures were laid up in
2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that
[is] in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein [was] a record thus
written:
3 In the first year of Cyrus the king [the same] Cyrus the king made a decree
[concerning] the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let
the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits,
[and] the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
4 [With] three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the
expenses be given out of the king's house:
5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which
Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which [is] at Jerusalem, and
brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which [is]
at Jerusalem, [every one] to his place, and place [them] in the house of God.
6 Now [therefore], Tatnai, governor beyond the river,
Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which [are] beyond the river, be ye far from
thence:
7 Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the
elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.
8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the
building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, [even] of the tribute
beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not
hindered.
9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs,
for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil,
according to the appointment of the priests which [are] at Jerusalem, let it be
given them day by day without fail:
10 That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours
unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.
11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber
be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and
let his house be made a dunghill for this.
12 And the God That hath caused His name to dwell
there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter [and]
to destroy this house of God which [is] at
13 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according to that
which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.
14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they
prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son
of Iddo. And they builded,
and finished [it], according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and
according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of
15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in
the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of
the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,
17 And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two
hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve
he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and
the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which [is] at
19 And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth [day] of the first
month.
20 For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them [were]
pure, and killed the passover
for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and
for themselves.
21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all
such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen
of the land, to seek Yahweh, God of Israel, did eat,
22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for Yahweh had
made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to
strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra
the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah,
the son of Hilkiah,
2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah,
the son of Meraioth,
4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi,
the son of Bukki,
5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of
Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:
6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he [was] a ready scribe in the law of
Moses, which Yahweh, God of Israel, had given: and the king granted him all his
request, according to the hand of Yahweh his God upon him.
7 And there went up [some] of the children of
8 And he came to
9 For upon the first [day] of the first month began he to go up from
10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of Yahweh, and to do [it],
and to teach in
11 Now this [is] the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra
the priest, the scribe, [even] a scribe of the words of the commandments of
Yahweh, and of His statutes to
12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the
God of heaven, perfect [peace], and at such a time.
13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of
14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to
inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which
[is] in thine hand;
15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have
freely offered unto the God of Israel, Whose habitation [is] in Jerusalem,
16 And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of
Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering
willingly for the house of their God which [is] in Jerusalem:
17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money
bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and
offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which [is] in Jerusalem.
18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the
rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.
19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy
God, [those] deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.
20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou
shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow [it] out of the king's treasure house.
21 And I, [even] I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers
which [are] beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of
the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,
22 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and
to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without
prescribing [how much].
23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let
it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there
be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
24 Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers,
porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of
God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that [is] in thine hand, set
magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that [are] beyond the
river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know [them]
not.
26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let
judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether [it be] unto death, or to
banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
27 Blessed [be] Yahweh, God of our fathers, Which hath put [such a thing] as
this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of Yahweh which [is] in
28 And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and
before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of Yahweh
my God [was] upon me, and I gathered together out of
1 These [are] now the chief of
their fathers, and [this is] the genealogy of them that went up with me from
2 Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar;
Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush.
3 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by genealogy
of the males an hundred and fifty.
4 Of the sons of Pahath-moab; Elihoenai
the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males.
5 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males.
6 Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan,
and with him fifty males.
7 And of the sons of
8 And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of
Michael, and with him fourscore males.
9 Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and
with him two hundred and eighteen males.
10 And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him an hundred and threescore males.
11 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males.
12 And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan
the son of Hakkatan, and with him an hundred and ten
males.
13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names
[are] these, Eliphelet, Jeiel,
and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.
14 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.
15 And I gathered them together to the river that runneth
to Ahava; and there abode we
in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there
none of the sons of Levi.
16 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah,
and for Elnathan, and for Jarib,
and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah,
and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of
understanding.
17 And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the
chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what
they should say unto Iddo, [and] to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia,
that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God.
18 And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of
understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi,
the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and
his brethren, eighteen;
19 And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah
of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons,
twenty;
20 Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes
had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name.
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the
22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to
help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king,
saying, The hand of our God [is] upon all them for good that seek Him; but His
power and His wrath [is] against all them that forsake Him.
23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and He was entreated of us.
24 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah,
Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,
25 And weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, [even] the
offering of the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his
lords, and all Israel [there] present, had offered:
26 I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and
silver vessels an hundred talents, [and] of gold an hundred talents;
27 Also twenty basins of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine
copper, precious as gold.
28 And I said unto them, Ye [are] holy unto Yahweh;
the vessels [are] holy also; and the silver and the gold [are] a freewill
offering unto Yahweh, God of your fathers.
29 Watch ye, and keep [them], until ye weigh [them] before the chief of the
priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of
30 So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver, and the gold,
and the vessels, to bring [them] to
31 Then we departed from the
32 And we came to
33 Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the vessels weighed in
the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son
of Uriah the priest; and with him [was] Eleazar the
son of Phinehas; and with them [was] Jozabad the son
of Jeshua, and Noadiah the
son of Binnui, Levites;
34 By number [and] by weight of every one: and all the weight was written at
that time.
35 [Also] the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out
of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve
bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve
he goats [for] a sin offering: all [this was] a burnt offering unto Yahweh.
36 And they delivered the king's commissions unto the king's lieutenants,
and to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the people, and
the house of God.
1 Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The
people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated
themselves from the people of the lands, [doing] according to their
abominations, [even] of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the
Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so
that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of [those] lands:
yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off
the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.
4 Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God
of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away;
and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.
5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my
garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto
Yahweh my God,
6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to Thee, my
God: for our iniquities are increased over [our] head, and our trespass is
grown up unto the heavens.
7 Since the days of our fathers [have] we [been] in a great trespass unto this
day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, [and] our priests, been
delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity,
and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as [it is] this day.
8 And now for a little space grace hath been [shewed] from Yahweh our God, to
leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in His holy place, that our
God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.
9 For we [were] bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken
us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of
10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken Thy
commandments,
11 Which Thou hast commanded by Thy servants the prophets, saying, The land,
unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the
people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end
to another with their uncleanness.
12 Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their
daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that
ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave [it] for an
inheritance to your children for ever.
13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great
trespass, seeing that Thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities
[deserve], and hast given us [such] deliverance as this;
14 Should we again break Thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people
of these abominations? wouldest
not Thou be angry with us till Thou hadst consumed
[us], so that [there should be] no remnant nor escaping?
15 O Yahweh, God of Israel, Thou [art] righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as
[it is] this day: behold, we [are] before Thee in our trespasses: for we cannot
stand before Thee because of this.
1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and
when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of
God, there assembled unto him out of
2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel,
[one] of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed
against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet
now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives,
and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of Yahweh, and of those
that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the
law.
4 Arise; for [this] matter [belongeth] unto thee: we
also [will be] with thee: be of good courage, and do [it].
5 Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all
6 Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and
[when] he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned
because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.
7 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the
children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto
Jerusalem;
8 And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel
of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and
himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.
9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto
10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye
have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of
11 Now therefore make confession unto Yahweh, God of your fathers, and do His
pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the
strange wives.
12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a
loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.
13 But the people [are] many, and [it is] a time of much rain,
and we are not able to stand without, neither [is this] a work of one day or
two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.
14 Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which
have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them
the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our
God for this matter be turned from us.
15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the
son of Tikvah were employed about this [matter]: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the
Levite helped them.
16 And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, [with]
certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them
by [their] names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth
month to examine the matter.
17 And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the
first day of the first month.
18 And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange
wives: [namely], of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah,
and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.
19 And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and [being]
guilty, [they offered] a ram of the flock for their trespass.
20 And of the sons of Immer; Hanani,
and Zebadiah.
21 And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah,
and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai,
Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel,
Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 Also of the Levites; Jozabad,
and Shimei, and Kelaiah,
(the same [is] Kelita,) Pethahiah,
Judah, and Eliezer.
24 Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.
25 Moreover of
26 And of the sons of
27 And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai,
Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.
28 Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan,
Hananiah, Zabbai, [and] 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, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 And [of] the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32 Benjamin, Malluch, [and] Shemariah.
33 Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai,
Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh,
[and] Shimei.
34 Of the sons of Bani; Maadai,
Amram, and Uel,
35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,
36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and
Jaasau,
38 And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,
39 And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,
40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
41 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
42 Shallum, Amariah, [and] Joseph.
43 Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah,
Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah.
44 All these had taken strange wives: and [some] of them had wives by whom they
had children.