| 1:1 |
In the first year of King Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah, wasthe fulfilled. The Lord putroused it into the mindspirit of King Cyrus to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and to put it in writing: |
| 1:2 |
This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “The Lord, the God of heaventhe heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build Himhim a house at Jerusalem in Judah. |
| 1:3 |
WhoeverAny isof his people among His peopleyou, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem. |
| 1:4 |
Let every survivor, wherever he livesresides, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem.” |
| 1:5 |
So the family leadersheads of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites — everyone whose spirit God had motivatedroused — prepared to go up and rebuild the Lord’s house in Jerusalem. |
| 2:2 |
They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of the Israelite men included: |
| 2:21 |
Bethlehem’sspeople people 123 |
| 2:26 |
Ramah’ssand and Geba’s people 621 |
| 2:28 |
Bethel’s and Ai’ssmen men 223 |
| 2:34 |
Jericho’sspeople people 345 |
| 2:36 |
The priests included: Jedaiah’s descendants of the house of Jeshua 973 |
| 2:40 |
The Levites included: Jeshua’s and Kadmiel’s descendants from Hodaviah’s descendants 74 |
| 2:41 |
The singers included: Asaph’ssdescendants descendants128 128 |
| 2:42 |
The gatekeepers’ descendants included: Shallum’s descendants, Ater’s descendants, Talmon’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants, Hatita’s descendants, Shobai’s descendants, in all 139 |
| 2:43 |
The temple servants included: Ziha’s descendants, Hasupha’s descendants, Tabbaoth’s descendants, |
| 2:55 |
The descendants of Solomon’s servants included: Sotai’s descendants, Hassophereth’s descendants, Peruda’s descendants, |
| 2:59 |
The following are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer but were unable to prove that their ancestral families and ancestrytheir lineage were Israelite: |
| 2:61 |
and from the descendants of the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, the descendants of Barzillai — who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and waswho calledbore by their name. |
| 2:65 |
not including their 7,337 male and female slavesservants, and their 200 male and female singers. |
| 2:68 |
After they arrived at the Lord’s house in Jerusalem, some of the family leadersheads gave freewill offerings for the house of God in order to have it rebuilt on its original site. |
| 3:1 |
ByWhen the seventh month arrived, and the Israelites hadwere settled in their towns, and the people gathered togetheras one in Jerusalem. |
| 3:4 |
They celebrated the Festival of BoothsShelters as prescribed, and offered burnt offerings each day, based on the number specified by ordinance for each festival day. |
| 3:7 |
They gave money to the stonecutters and artisans, and gave food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so they couldwould bring cedar wood from Lebanon to Joppa by sea, according to the authorization given them by King Cyrus of Persia. |
| 3:8 |
In the second month of the second year after they arrived at God’s house in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers, including the priests, the Levites, and all who had returned to Jerusalem from the captivity, began to build. They appointed the Levites who were 20twenty years old or more to supervise the work on the Lord’s house. |
| 3:11 |
They sang with praise and thanksgiving to the Lord: “For Hehe is good; Hishis faithful love to Israel endures forever.” Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s house had been laid. |
| 3:12 |
But many of the older priests, Levites, and family leadersheads, who had seen the first temple, wept loudly when they saw the foundation of this housetemple, but many others shouted joyfully. |
| 4:1 |
When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple for Yahwehthe Lord, the God of Israel, |
| 4:2 |
they approached Zerubbabel and the leadersfamily ofheads the families and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we also worship your God and have been sacrificing to Himhim since the time King Esar-haddon of Assyria brought us here.” |
| 4:3 |
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other leadersheads of Israel’s families answered them, “You may have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone mustwill build it for Yahwehthe Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.” |
| 4:9 |
From Rehum the chief deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues — the judges and magistrates from Tripolis, Persia, Erech, Babylon, Susa (that is, the people of Elam), |
| 4:15 |
that a search should be made in your fatherspredecessors’ record books. In these record books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces. There have been revolts in it since ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. |
| 4:20 |
Powerful kings have also ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates River, and tribute, duty, and land tax were paid to them. |
| 4:23 |
As soon as the text of King Artaxerxes’s letter was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they immediately went to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them. |
| 5:11 |
This is the reply they gave us: We are the servants of the God of heaventhe heavens and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished. |
| 5:12 |
But since our fathersancestors angered the God of heaventhe heavens, Hehe handed them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon. |
| 5:13 |
However, in the first year of King Cyrus king of Babylon, he issued a decree to rebuild the house of God. |
| 5:16 |
Then this same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of God’s house in Jerusalem. It has been under construction from that time until now, yetbut it has not been completed. |
| 6:3 |
In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: Let the house be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices, and let its original foundations be retained. Its height is to be 90ninety feet and its width 90ninety feet, |
| 6:8 |
I hereby issue a decree concerning what you mustare to do, so that the elders of the Jews can rebuild the house of God: The cost is to be paid in full to these men out of the royal revenues from the taxes of the region west of the Euphrates River, so that the work will not stop. |
| 6:9 |
Whatever is needed — young bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaventhe heavens, or wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem — let it be given to them every day without fail, |
| 6:10 |
so that they can offer sacrifices of pleasing aroma to the God of heaventhe heavens and pray for the life of the king and his sons. |
| 6:12 |
May the God who caused Hishis name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who dares to harm or interfere with this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued the decree. Let it be carried out diligently. |
| 6:17 |
For the dedication of God’s house they offered 100one hundred bulls, 200two hundred rams, and 400four hundred lambs, as well as 12twelve male goats as a sin offering for all Israel — one for each Israelite tribe. |
| 6:21 |
The Israelites who had returned from exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the Gentiles of the land in order to worship Yahwehthe Lord, the God of Israel. |
| 7:1 |
After these events, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra — Seraiah’s son, Azariah’s son, Hilkiah’s son, |
| 7:5 |
Abishua’s son, Phinehas’s son, Eleazar’s son, Aaron the chief priest Aaron’s son |
| 7:6 |
— came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which Yahwehthe Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he requested because the hand of Yahwehthe Lord his God was on him. |
| 7:12 |
Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of heaventhe heavens: Greetings. |
| 7:17 |
Then you are to be diligent to buy with this money as many bulls, rams, and lambs as needed, along with their grain and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem. |
| 7:19 |
YouDeliver must deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God. |
| 7:21 |
I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers in the region west of the Euphrates River: Whatever Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of heaventhe heavens, asks of you must be provided promptlyin full, |
| 7:23 |
Whatever is commanded by the God of heaventhe heavens must be done diligently for the house of the God of heaventhe heavens, so that wrath will not fall on the realm of the king and his sons. |
| 7:24 |
Be advised that you do not have authority to impose tribute, duty, and land tax must not be imposed on any priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God. |
| 7:26 |
Anyone who does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let athe fairappropriate judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment. |
| 7:27 |
PraiseBlessed Yahwehbe the Lord, the God of our fathersancestors, who has put it into the king’s mind to glorify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, |
| 7:28 |
and who has shown favor to me before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officers. So I took courage because I was strengthened by Yahwehthe hand of the Lord my God, and I gathered Israelite leaders to return with me. |
| 8:1 |
These are the family leadersheads and the genealogical records of those who returned with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes: |
| 8:13 |
these are the last ones, from Adonikam’s descendants, and their names are: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, and 60 men with them; |
| 8:18 |
Since the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah — a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli, a descendant of Levi son of Israel — along with his sons and brothers, 18 men, |
| 8:21 |
I proclaimed a fast by the Ahava River, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Himhim for a safe journey for us, our childrendependents, and all our possessions. |
| 8:22 |
I did this because I was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry to protect us from enemies during the journey, since we had told him, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek Himhim, but Hishis greatfierce anger is against all who abandon Himhim.” |
| 8:23 |
So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and Hehe grantedwas receptive to our requestprayer. |
| 8:24 |
I selected 12twelve of the leading priests, along with Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and 10ten of their brothers. |
| 8:25 |
I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the articles — the contribution for the house of our God that the king, his counselors, his leaders, and all the Israelites who were present had offered. |
| 8:27 |
20twenty gold bowls worth 1,000a thousand gold coins, and two articles of fine gleaming bronze, as valuable as gold. |
| 8:28 |
Then I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, and the articles are holy. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your fathersancestors. |
| 8:31 |
We set out from the Ahava River on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem. We were strengthened by our God, and Hehe protectedkept us from the powergrasp of the enemy and from ambush along the way. |
| 8:33 |
On the fourth day the silver, the gold, and the articles were weighed out in the house of our God into the care of Meremoth the priest, Meremoth son of Uriah. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him. The Levites Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui were also with them. |
| 8:35 |
The exiles who had returned from the captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: 12twelve bulls for all Israel, 96ninety-six rams, and 77seventy-seven lambs, along with 12twelve male goats as a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering for the Lord. |
| 9:1 |
After these things had been done, the leaders approached me and said:, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the surrounding peoples whose detestable practices are like those of the Canaanites, HittitesHethites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. |
| 9:5 |
At the evening offering, I got up from my time of humiliation, with my tunic and robe torn. Then I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to Yahwehthe Lord my God. |
| 9:6 |
And I said: My God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face toward Youyou, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads and our guilt is as high as the heavens. |
| 9:7 |
Our guilt has been terrible from the days of our fathersancestors until the present. Because of our iniquities we have been handed over, along with our kings and priests, to the surrounding kings, and to the sword, captivity, plundering, and open shame, as it is today. |
| 9:8 |
But now, for a brief moment, grace has come from Yahwehthe Lord our God to preserve a remnant for us and give us a stake in Hishis holy place. Even in our slavery, God has given us newa lifelittle relief and light to our eyes. |
| 9:9 |
Though we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our slavery. He has extended grace to us in the presence of the Persian kings, giving us new liferelief, so that we can rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem. |
| 9:11 |
Youyou gave through Youryour servants the prophets, saying:, “The land you are entering to possess is an impure land. The surrounding peoples have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness by their impurity and detestable practices. |
| 9:12 |
So do not give your daughters to their sons in marriage or take their daughters for your sons. Never seekpursue their peacewelfare or prosperity, so that you will be strong, eat the good things of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your sons forever.” |
| 9:13 |
After all that has happened to us because of our evil deeds and terrible guilt — though Youyou, our God, have punished us less than our sinsiniquities deserve and have allowed us to survive — |
| 9:14 |
should we break Youryour commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit these detestable practices? Wouldn’t Youyou become so angry with us that Youyou would destroy us, leaving noneither survivorsremnant nor survivor? |
| 9:15 |
Lord God of Israel, Youyou are righteous, for we survive as a remnant today. Here we are before Youyou with our guilt, though no one can stand in Youryour presence because of this. |
| 10:2 |
Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, responded to Ezra:, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the surrounding peoples, but there is still hope for Israel in spite of this. |
| 10:3 |
LetTherefore, uslet’s therefore make a covenant before our God to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God. Let it be done according to the law. |
| 10:10 |
Then Ezra the priest Ezra stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. |
| 10:11 |
Therefore, make a confession to Yahwehthe Lord, the God of your fathersancestors, and do Hishis will. Separate yourselves from the surrounding peoples and your foreign wives.” |
| 10:12 |
Then all the assembly responded withloudly, a loud voice: “Yes, we will do as you say! |
| 10:16 |
The exiles did what had been proposed. EzraThe the priest Ezra selected men who were family leadersheads, all identified by name, to represent their ancestral housesfamilies. They convened on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter, |