Ezra


1:1   In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the
word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king
of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in
writing:  
1:2  "This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:  "`The LORD, the God of
heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me
to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. 
1:3  Anyone of his people among you--may his God be with him, and let him go
up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of
Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem. 
1:4  And the people of any place where survivors may now be living are to
provide him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with
freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.'"  
1:5   Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and
Levites--everyone whose heart God had moved--prepared to go up and build the
house of the LORD in Jerusalem. 
1:6  All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold,
with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the
freewill offerings. 
1:7  Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple
of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had
placed in the temple of his god. {[7] Or <gods>} 
1:8  Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who
counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 
1:9   This was the inventory:  
          gold dishes  30 
          silver dishes  1,000 
          silver pans  29 {[9] The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is
uncertain.} 
1:10      gold bowls  30 
          matching silver bowls  410 
          other articles  1,000  
1:11   In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar
brought all these along when the exiles came up from Babylon to Jerusalem. 

2:1   Now these are the people of the province who came up from the
captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken
captive to Babylon (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own
town, 
2:2  in company with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah,
Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah):  The list of the men
of the people of Israel:  
2:3       the descendants of Parosh  2,172 
2:4       of Shephatiah  372 
2:5       of Arah  775 
2:6       of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab)  2,812 
2:7       of Elam  1,254 
2:8       of Zattu  945 
2:9       of Zaccai  760 
2:10      of Bani  642 
2:11      of Bebai  623 
2:12      of Azgad  1,222 
2:13      of Adonikam  666 
2:14      of Bigvai  2,056 
2:15      of Adin  454 
2:16      of Ater (through Hezekiah)  98 
2:17      of Bezai  323 
2:18      of Jorah  112 
2:19      of Hashum  223 
2:20      of Gibbar  95  
2:21      the men of Bethlehem  123 
2:22      of Netophah  56 
2:23      of Anathoth  128 
2:24      of Azmaveth  42 
2:25      of Kiriath Jearim, {[25] See Septuagint (see also Neh. 7:29);
Hebrew <Kiriath Arim.>} Kephirah and Beeroth  743 
2:26      of Ramah and Geba  621 
2:27      of Micmash  122 
2:28      of Bethel and Ai  223 
2:29      of Nebo  52 
2:30      of Magbish  156 
2:31      of the other Elam  1,254 
2:32      of Harim  320 
2:33      of Lod, Hadid and Ono  725 
2:34      of Jericho  345 
2:35      of Senaah  3,630  
2:36      The priests:  
          the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua)  973 
2:37      of Immer  1,052 
2:38      of Pashhur  1,247 
2:39      of Harim  1,017  
2:40      The Levites:  
          the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (through the line of 
          Hodaviah)  74  
2:41      The singers:  
          the descendants of Asaph  128  
2:42      The gatekeepers of the temple:  
          the descendants of 
          Shallum, Ater, Talmon, 
          Akkub, Hatita and Shobai  139  
2:43      The temple servants:  
          the descendants of 
          Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, 
2:44      Keros, Siaha, Padon, 
2:45      Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub, 
2:46      Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan, 
2:47      Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, 
2:48      Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, 
2:49      Uzza, Paseah, Besai, 
2:50      Asnah, Meunim, Nephussim, 
2:51      Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, 
2:52      Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, 
2:53      Barkos, Sisera, Temah, 
2:54      Neziah and Hatipha  
2:55      The descendants of the servants of Solomon:  
          the descendants of 
          Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda, 
2:56      Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, 
2:57      Shephatiah, Hattil, 
          Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Ami  
2:58      The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of 
          Solomon  392  
2:59   The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub,
Addon and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended
from Israel:  
2:60      The descendants of 
          Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda  652  
2:61      And from among the priests:  
          The descendants of 
          Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter 
          of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name). 
2:62   These searched for their family records, but they could not find them
and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 
2:63  The governor ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until
there was a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.  
2:64   The whole company numbered 42,360, 
2:65  besides their 7,337 menservants and maidservants; and they also had
200 men and women singers. 
2:66  They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 
2:67  435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.  
2:68   When they arrived at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the
heads of the families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the
house of God on its site. 
2:69  According to their ability they gave to the treasury for this work
61,000 drachmas {[69] That is, about 1,100 pounds (about 500 kilograms)} of
gold, 5,000 minas {[69] That is, about 3 tons (about 2.9 metric tons)} of
silver and 100 priestly garments. 
2:70   The priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple
servants settled in their own towns, along with some of the other people,
and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns. 

3:1   When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their
towns, the people assembled as one man in Jerusalem. 
3:2  Then Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of
Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel
to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in
the Law of Moses the man of God. 
3:3  Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on
its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the
morning and evening sacrifices. 
3:4  Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Feast of
Tabernacles with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each
day. 
3:5  After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon
sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred feasts of the
LORD, as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the LORD. 
3:6  On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt
offerings to the LORD, though the foundation of the LORD's temple had not
yet been laid. 
3:7   Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and gave food and
drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring
cedar logs by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus king of
Persia. 
3:8   In the second month of the second year after their arrival at the
house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of
Jozadak and the rest of their brothers (the priests and the Levites and all
who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work, appointing
Levites twenty years of age and older to supervise the building of the house
of the LORD. 
3:9  Jeshua and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants
of Hodaviah {[9] Hebrew <Yehudah,> probably a variant of <Hodaviah>}) and
the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers--all Levites--joined
together in supervising those working on the house of God. 
3:10   When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the
priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of
Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by
David king of Israel. 
3:11  With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: 
          "He is good; 
          his love to Israel endures forever." And all the people gave a
great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of
the LORD was laid. 
3:12  But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had
seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this
temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. 
3:13  No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound
of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard
far away. 

4:1   When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were
building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, 
4:2  they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, "Let
us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been
sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought
us here." 
4:3   But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the families of
Israel answered, "You have no part with us in building a temple to our God.
We alone will build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the
king of Persia, commanded us." 
4:4   Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah
and make them afraid to go on building. {[4] Or <and troubled them as they
built>} 
4:5  They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans
during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of
Darius king of Persia. 
4:6   At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, {[6] Hebrew <Ahasuerus,> a
variant of Xerxes' Persian name} they lodged an accusation against the
people of Judah and Jerusalem. 
4:7   And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath,
Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The
letter was written in Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language. {[7] Or
<written in Aramaic and translated>} {[7] The text of Ezra 4:8--6:18 is in
Aramaic.} 
4:8   Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter
against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:  
4:9  Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with
the rest of their associates--the judges and officials over the men from
Tripolis, Persia, {[9] Or <officials, magistrates and governors over the men
from>} Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa, 
4:10  and the other people whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal {[10]
Aramaic <Osnappar,> a variant of <Ashurbanipal>} deported and settled in the
city of Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates.  
4:11   (This is a copy of the letter they sent him.)  To King Artaxerxes, 
From your servants, the men of Trans-Euphrates:  
4:12   The king should know that the Jews who came up to us from you have
gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They
are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations. 
4:13   Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its
walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and the
royal revenues will suffer. 
4:14  Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper
for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the
king, 
4:15  so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In
these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome
to kings and provinces, a place of rebellion from ancient times. That is why
this city was destroyed. 
4:16  We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are
restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.  
4:17   The king sent this reply:  To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai
the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and
elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates:  Greetings.  
4:18   The letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence. 
4:19  I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this
city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of
rebellion and sedition. 
4:20  Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of
Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them. 
4:21  Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will
not be rebuilt until I so order. 
4:22  Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to
the detriment of the royal interests?  
4:23   As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to
Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately
to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.  
4:24   Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill
until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. 

5:1   Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, a descendant of
Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God
of Israel, who was over them. 
5:2  Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak set to work
to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with
them, helping them. 
5:3   At that time Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and
Shethar-Bozenai and their associates went to them and asked, "Who authorized
you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?" 
5:4  They also asked, "What are the names of the men constructing this
building?" {[4] See Septuagint; Aramaic <[4] We told them the names of the
men constructing this building.>} 
5:5  But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and
they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written
reply be received. 
5:6   This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor of
Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates, the officials of
Trans-Euphrates, sent to King Darius. 
5:7  The report they sent him read as follows:  To King Darius:  Cordial
greetings.  
5:8   The king should know that we went to the district of Judah, to the
temple of the great God. The people are building it with large stones and
placing the timbers in the walls. The work is being carried on with
diligence and is making rapid progress under their direction. 
5:9   We questioned the elders and asked them, "Who authorized you to
rebuild this temple and restore this structure?" 
5:10  We also asked them their names, so that we could write down the names
of their leaders for your information. 
5:11   This is the answer they gave us:   "We are the servants of the God of
heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years
ago, one that a great king of Israel built and finished. 
5:12  But because our fathers angered the God of heaven, he handed them over
to Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean, king of Babylon, who destroyed this temple
and deported the people to Babylon. 
5:13   "However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus
issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. 
5:14  He even removed from the temple {[14] Or <palace>} of Babylon the gold
and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from
the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple {[14] Or <palace>} in
Babylon.  "Then King Cyrus gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had
appointed governor, 
5:15  and he told him, `Take these articles and go and deposit them in the
temple in Jerusalem. And rebuild the house of God on its site.' 
5:16  So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God
in Jerusalem. From that day to the present it has been under construction
but is not yet finished."  
5:17   Now if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal
archives of Babylon to see if King Cyrus did in fact issue a decree to
rebuild this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his
decision in this matter. 

6:1   King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives
stored in the treasury at Babylon. 
6:2  A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media,
and this was written on it:   Memorandum:  
6:3   In the first year of King Cyrus, the king issued a decree concerning
the temple of God in Jerusalem:   Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to
present sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid. It is to be ninety feet
{[3] Aramaic <sixty cubits> (about 27 meters)} high and ninety feet wide, 
6:4  with three courses of large stones and one of timbers. The costs are to
be paid by the royal treasury. 
6:5  Also, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which
Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, are
to be returned to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; they are to be
deposited in the house of God.  
6:6   Now then, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai
and you, their fellow officials of that province, stay away from there. 
6:7  Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor
of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site. 
6:8   Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the
Jews in the construction of this house of God:  The expenses of these men
are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of
Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop. 
6:9  Whatever is needed--young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings
to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and oil, as requested by the
priests in Jerusalem--must be given them daily without fail, 
6:10  so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and
pray for the well-being of the king and his sons. 
6:11   Furthermore, I decree that if anyone changes this edict, a beam is to
be pulled from his house and he is to be lifted up and impaled on it. And
for this crime his house is to be made a pile of rubble. 
6:12  May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or
people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in
Jerusalem.  I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence. 

6:13   Then, because of the decree King Darius had sent, Tattenai, governor
of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates carried it out
with diligence. 
6:14  So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the
preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They
finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel
and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia. 
6:15  The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar, in the
sixth year of the reign of King Darius. 
6:16   Then the people of Israel--the priests, the Levites and the rest of
the exiles--celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy. 
6:17  For the dedication of this house of God they offered a hundred bulls,
two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering for all
Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel. 
6:18  And they installed the priests in their divisions and the Levites in
their groups for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is
written in the Book of Moses. 
6:19   On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles celebrated the
Passover. 
6:20  The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were all
ceremonially clean. The Levites slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the
exiles, for their brothers the priests and for themselves. 
6:21  So the Israelites who had returned from the exile ate it, together
with all who had separated themselves from the unclean practices of their
Gentile neighbors in order to seek the LORD, the God of Israel. 
6:22  For seven days they celebrated with joy the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
because the LORD had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the
king of Assyria, so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God,
the God of Israel. 

7:1   After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia,
Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, 
7:2  the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, 
7:3  the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, 
7:4  the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, 
7:5  the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of
Aaron the chief priest-- 
7:6  this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law
of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted
him everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him. 
7:7  Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers,
gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh
year of King Artaxerxes. 
7:8   Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of
the king. 
7:9  He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first
month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for
the gracious hand of his God was on him. 
7:10  For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of
the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. 
7:11   This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the
priest and teacher, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and
decrees of the LORD for Israel:  
7:12  Artaxerxes, king of kings,  To Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law
of the God of heaven:  Greetings.  {[12] The text of Ezra 7:12-26 is in
Aramaic.}  
7:13   Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including
priests and Levites, who wish to go to Jerusalem with you, may go. 
7:14  You are sent by the king and his seven advisers to inquire about Judah
and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand. 
7:15  Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king
and his advisers have freely given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is
in Jerusalem, 
7:16  together with all the silver and gold you may obtain from the province
of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for
the temple of their God in Jerusalem. 
7:17  With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs, together
with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and sacrifice them on the
altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem. 
7:18   You and your brother Jews may then do whatever seems best with the
rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God. 
7:19  Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for
worship in the temple of your God. 
7:20  And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you may have
occasion to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury. 
7:21   Now I, King Artaxerxes, order all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates
to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law of
the God of heaven, may ask of you-- 
7:22  up to a hundred talents {[22] That is, about 3 3/4 tons (about 3.4
metric tons)} of silver, a hundred cors {[22] That is, probably about 600
bushels (about 22 kiloliters)} of wheat, a hundred baths {[22] That is,
probably about 600 gallons (about 2.2 kiloliters)} of wine, a hundred baths
{[22] That is, probably about 600 gallons (about 2.2 kiloliters)} of olive
oil, and salt without limit. 
7:23  Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with
diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should there be wrath
against the realm of the king and of his sons? 
7:24  You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes,
tribute or duty on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple
servants or other workers at this house of God. 
7:25   And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you
possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the
people of Trans-Euphrates--all who know the laws of your God. And you are to
teach any who do not know them. 
7:26  Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must
surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or
imprisonment.  
7:27   Praise be to the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put it into
the king's heart to bring honor to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem in
this way 
7:28  and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his
advisers and all the king's powerful officials. Because the hand of the LORD
my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go
up with me. 

8:1   These are the family heads and those registered with them who came up
with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:  
8:2  of the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom; of the descendants of Ithamar,
Daniel; of the descendants of David, Hattush 
8:3  of the descendants of Shecaniah;  of the descendants of Parosh,
Zechariah, and with him were registered 150 men; 
8:4  of the descendants of Pahath-Moab, Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with
him 200 men; 
8:5  of the descendants of Zattu, {[5] Some Septuagint manuscripts (also 1
Esdras 8:32); Hebrew does not have <Zattu.>} Shecaniah son of Jahaziel, and
with him 300 men; 
8:6  of the descendants of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men; 
8:7  of the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him 70
men; 
8:8  of the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him
80 men; 
8:9  of the descendants of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him 218
men; 
8:10  of the descendants of Bani, {[10] Some Septuagint manuscripts (also 1
Esdras 8:36); Hebrew does not have <Bani.>} Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and
with him 160 men; 
8:11  of the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him 28
men; 
8:12  of the descendants of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him 110
men; 
8:13  of the descendants of Adonikam, the last ones, whose names were
Eliphelet, Jeuel and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men; 
8:14  of the descendants of Bigvai, Uthai and Zaccur, and with them 70 men. 

8:15   I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava, and we camped
there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found
no Levites there. 
8:16  So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan,
Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan,
who were men of learning, 
8:17  and I sent them to Iddo, the leader in Casiphia. I told them what to
say to Iddo and his kinsmen, the temple servants in Casiphia, so that they
might bring attendants to us for the house of our God. 
8:18  Because the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us
Sherebiah, a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son
of Israel, and Sherebiah's sons and brothers, 18 men; 
8:19  and Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari,
and his brothers and nephews, 20 men. 
8:20  They also brought 220 of the temple servants--a body that David and
the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by
name. 
8:21   There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might
humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and
our children, with all our possessions. 
8:22  I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us
from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, "The gracious hand
of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against
all who forsake him." 
8:23  So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our
prayer. 
8:24   Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, together with
Sherebiah, Hashabiah and ten of their brothers, 
8:25  and I weighed out to them the offering of silver and gold and the
articles that the king, his advisers, his officials and all Israel present
there had donated for the house of our God. 
8:26  I weighed out to them 650 talents {[26] That is, about 25 tons (about
22 metric tons)} of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents, {[26] That
is, about 3 3/4 tons (about 3.4 metric tons)} 100 talents {[26] That is,
about 3 3/4 tons (about 3.4 metric tons)} of gold, 
8:27  20 bowls of gold valued at 1,000 darics, {[27] That is, about 19
pounds (about 8.5 kilograms)} and two fine articles of polished bronze, as
precious as gold. 
8:28   I said to them, "You as well as these articles are consecrated to the
LORD. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the LORD, the God of
your fathers. 
8:29  Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the
house of the LORD in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites
and the family heads of Israel." 
8:30  Then the priests and Levites received the silver and gold and sacred
articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in
Jerusalem. 
8:31   On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal
to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from
enemies and bandits along the way. 
8:32  So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days. 
8:33   On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out the silver
and gold and the sacred articles into the hands of Meremoth son of Uriah,
the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, and so were the Levites
Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui. 
8:34  Everything was accounted for by number and weight, and the entire
weight was recorded at that time. 
8:35   Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt
offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six
rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering, twelve male goats.
All this was a burnt offering to the LORD. 
8:36  They also delivered the king's orders to the royal satraps and to the
governors of Trans-Euphrates, who then gave assistance to the people and to
the house of God. 

9:1   After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said,
"The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept
themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable
practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites,
Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. 
9:2  They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and
their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And
the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness." 
9:3   When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head
and beard and sat down appalled. 
9:4  Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered
around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there
appalled until the evening sacrifice. 
9:5   Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my
tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the
LORD my God 
9:6  and prayed:   "O my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my
face to you, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our
guilt has reached to the heavens. 
9:7  From the days of our forefathers until now, our guilt has been great.
Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to
the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign
kings, as it is today. 
9:8   "But now, for a brief moment, the LORD our God has been gracious in
leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our
God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. 
9:9  Though we are slaves, our God has not deserted us in our bondage. He
has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us
new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has
given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem. 
9:10   "But now, O our God, what can we say after this? For we have
disregarded the commands 
9:11  you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: `The land
you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its
peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their
impurity from one end to the other. 
9:12  Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or
take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with
them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land
and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.' 
9:13   "What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great
guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins have
deserved and have given us a remnant like this. 
9:14  Shall we again break your commands and intermarry with the peoples who
commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to
destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? 
9:15  O LORD, God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a
remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one
of us can stand in your presence." 
10:1   While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself
down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites--men, women and
children--gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. 
10:2  Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to
Ezra, "We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the
peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. 
10:3  Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women
and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those
who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. 
10:4  Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take
courage and do it." 
10:5   So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all
Israel under oath to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath. 
10:6  Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room
of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank
no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the
exiles. 
10:7   A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all
the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem. 
10:8  Anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his
property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and
would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.  
10:9   Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered
in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people
were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by
the occasion and because of the rain. 
10:10  Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have been
unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel's guilt. 
10:11  Now make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do his
will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign
wives." 
10:12   The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: "You are right! We
must do as you say. 
10:13  But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we
cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day
or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing. 
10:14  Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in
our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the
elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this
matter is turned away from us." 
10:15  Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by
Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this. 
10:16   So the exiles did as was proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who
were family heads, one from each family division, and all of them designated
by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to investigate
the cases, 
10:17  and by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with
all the men who had married foreign women.  
10:18  Among the descendants of the priests, the following had married
foreign women:  From the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his
brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah. 
10:19  (They all gave their hands in pledge to put away their wives, and for
their guilt they each presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.) 
10:20  From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah. 
10:21  From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel and
Uzziah. 
10:22  From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael,
Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah.  
10:23  Among the Levites:  Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita),
Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer. 
10:24  From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem and
Uri.  
10:25  And among the other Israelites:  From the descendants of Parosh:
Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah and Benaiah. 
10:26  From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi,
Jeremoth and Elijah. 
10:27  From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah,
Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza. 
10:28  From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and
Athlai. 
10:29  From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub,
Sheal and Jeremoth. 
10:30  From the descendants of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah,
Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh. 
10:31  From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah,
Shimeon, 
10:32  Benjamin, Malluch and Shemariah. 
10:33  From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad,
Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei. 
10:34  From the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 
10:35  Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, 
10:36  Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 
10:37  Mattaniah, Mattenai and Jaasu. 
10:38  From the descendants of Binnui: {[37,38] See Septuagint (also 1
Esdras 9:34); Hebrew <Jaasu [38] and Bani and Binnui,>} Shimei, 
10:39  Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 
10:40  Macnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 
10:41  Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 
10:42  Shallum, Amariah and Joseph. 
10:43  From the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina,
Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah.  
10:44   All these had married foreign women, and some of them had children
by these wives. {[44] Or <and they sent them away with their children>} 
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