EZRA
§ Cyrus helps the Jews return to Jerusalem¤1 °1 In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, Yahweh willed to fulfill the word he had said through the prophet Jeremiah, so he moved the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, to issue the following command and send it out in writing to be read aloud everywhere in his kingdom, °2 “Thus speaks Cyrus, king of Persia: Yahweh, the God of heavens, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has ordered me to build him a Temple in Jerusalem, in the land of Judah. °3 To everyone belonging to his people, may his God be with him! Let them go up to Jerusalem with the help of their God and there build the House of Yahweh, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem. °4 In every place where the rest of the people of Yahweh live, let the people of those places help them for their journey with silver, gold and all kinds of goods and livestock. Let them also give them voluntary offerings for the House of Yahweh which is in Jerusalem.” °5 Then they rose up – the heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin, the priests and the Levites, and all those whose spirit God had stirred up – and they decided to go and build the House of Yahweh. °6 And all their neighbors gave them all kinds of help: gold, silver, livestock and precious objects in great quantity, besides every kind of voluntary offering. °7 King Cyrus also brought out the vessels of the House of Yahweh which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. °8 Cyrus, the king, gave them into the hands of Mithredath, the treasurer, who counted them and turned them over to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. °9 This is the list: golden cups for the offering, 30;
silver cups for offering,1000; knives, 29; °10 other
cups of gold, 30; of silver, 410; other vessels, 1,000. °11 Total number of golden and silver vessels: 5,400.
All this was brought out by Sheshbazzar when the exiles were allowed to
return to Jerusalem from Babylon. § The list of the returning exiles
¤2 °1 These
were the people of the province who returned from captivity and exile. After
being deported to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, they returned
to Jerusalem and to Judah, each to his own town. °2 They
arrived with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai,
Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah. The
list of the clans of the people of Israel: °3 the
clan of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two; °4 the clan of Sehphatiah, three hundred and
seventy-two; °5 the clan of Arah, seven hundred and
seventy-five; °6 the clan of Pahathmoab, that is to say
the sons of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve; °7 the clan of Elam, one thousand two hundred and
fifty-four; °8 the clan of Zattu, nine hundred and
forty-five; °9 the clan of Zaccai, seven hundred and
sixty; °10 the clan of Bani, six hundred and
forty-two; °11 the clan of Bebai, six hundred and
twenty-three; °12 the clan of Azgad, one thousand two
hundred and twenty-two; °13 the clan of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six;
°14 the clan of Bigvai, two thousand and
fifty-six; °15 the clan of Adin, four hundred and
fifty-four; °16 the clan of Ater, that is to say of
Hezekiah, ninety-eight; °17 the clan of Bezai, three hundred and
twenty-three; °18 the clan of Jorah, one hundred and
twelve; °19 the clan of Hashum, two hundred and
twenty-three; °20 the clan of Gibbar, ninety-five; °21 people of Bethlehem, one hundred and twenty-three; °22 people of Netophah, fifty-six; °23 people of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight; °24 the clan of Azmaveth, forty-two; °25 people of Kiriath-Jearim, Chephirah and Beeroth,
seven hundred and forty-three; °26
people of Ramah and
Geba, six hundred and twenty-one; °27
people of Michmas,
one hundred and twenty-two; °28 people of Bethel and Ai, two hundred
twenty-three; °29 people of Nebo, fifty-two; °30 people of Magbish, one hundred and fifty-six; °31 people of another Elam, one thousand two hundred and
fifty-four; °32 people of Harim, three hundred and
twenty; °33 people of Lod, Hadid and Ono, seven
hundred and twenty-five; °34 people of Jericho, three hundred and
forty-five; °35 people of Senaah, three thousand six
hundred and thirty. °36 The priests: the clan of Jedaiah, that is to say the
House of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three; °37 the
clan of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two; °38 the
clan of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven; °39 the clan of Harim, one thousand and seventeen. °40 The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel,
of the descendants of Hodaviah, seventy-four. °41 The Temple musicians: the clan of Asaph, one hundred
and twenty-eight. °42 The gatekeepers: the clan of Shallum, the clan of
Ater, the clan of Talmon, the clan of Akkub, the clan of Hatita, the clan of
Shobai: in all, one hundred and thirty-nine. °43 The helpers: the clans of Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, °44 Keros, Siaha, Padon, °45 Lebanah,
Hagabah, Akkub, °46 Hagab, Shamlai, Hanan, °47 Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, °48 Rezin,
Nekoda, Gazzam, °49 Uzza, Paseah, Besai, °50 Asnah, the Meunites, the Nephisites, °51 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, °52 Bazluth,
Mehida, Harsha, °53 Barkos, Sisera, Temah, °54 Neziah, Hatipha. °55 The clans of Solomon’s slaves: Sotai, Hassophereth,
Peruda, °56 Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel, °57 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth-Hazzebaim, Ami. °58 The total of the helpers and the sons of Solomon’s
slaves: three hundred and ninety-two. °59 The following who came from Tel-Melah, Tel-Harsha,
Cherub, Addan and Immer, could not prove that their families and ancestry
were of Israelite origin: °60 the clans of Delaiah, Tobiah, Nekoda: six
hundred and fifty-two. °61 And among the priests: the clans of
Habaiah, Hakkoz, Barzillai, who had married one of the daughters of
Barzillai, the Gileadite, whose name he adopted. °62 These
people searched in their ancestral registers but could not be located in
them, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean °63 and His Excellency forbade them to eat the sacred
foods until a priest could be found for the Urim and Thummim. °64 The whole assembly numbered forty-two thousand three
hundred and sixty people, °65 not counting their slaves and
maidservants to the number of seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven.
They also had two hundred male and female singers. °66 Their
horses numbered seven hundred and thirty-six, their mules two hundred and
forty-five, °67 their camels four hundred and thirty-five
and their donkeys six thousand seven hundred and twenty. °68 When they arrived at the Temple of Yahweh in
Jerusalem, some of the leaders of the clans made voluntary offerings for the
Temple of God, for its rebuilding on its old site. °69 In
accordance with their means they gave to the building fund sixty-one thousand
darics of gold, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priestly
robes. °70 The priests, Levites and part of the people settled
in Jerusalem; the gatekeepers, Temple musicians, workmen and all the other
Israelites, in their own towns. § Rebuilding the altar
¤3 °1 By the
seventh month, the Israelites were already settled in their cities. Then all
the people gathered in Jerusalem. °2 Joshua, son of Jozadak, with his fellow-priests, and
Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, with his brothers, began rebuilding the altar
of the God of Israel, to offer the sacrifices upon it, as it is written in
the Law of Moses, the man of God. °3 They built the altar in the same place, in spite of
the fear they had of the people of the land, and they offered burnt offerings
upon it, and the morning and evening sacrifice. °4 They
celebrated the Feast of the Tabernacles as it is written, and offered burnt
offerings daily according to the established ritual. °5 Then they continued offering the perpetual sacrifice
and the sacrifices on the sabbaths, the new moon and all the solemnities of
Yahweh, besides what everyone would offer voluntarily to Yahweh. °6 They began offering burnt offerings on the first day
of the seventh month, although the foundation of the House of Yahweh had not
yet been laid. °7 They gave money to the masons and the carpenters.
They also gave food, wine and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring
cedar lumber from Lebanon to Joppa by sea, according to the authorization of
Cyrus, king of Persia. °8 In the second year, after their arrival
at the House of God in Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel, son of
Shealtiel, and Joshua, son of Jozadak, with the rest of their brothers, the
priests, the Levites and all who had returned to Jerusalem from exile, began
the work: they appointed the Levites who were twenty years old and upward to
supervise the work in the House of Yahweh. °9 Joshua, his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his
sons, and the sons of Henadad, all together agreed to supervise those who
worked in the House of God. °10 When the workers had laid the foundation
for the sanctuary of Yahweh, the priests, clothed in fine linen, came forward
with trumpets, and the Levites, sons of Asaph, with cymbals, and they sang to
Yahweh according to the ordinance of David, king of Israel. °11 They gave thanks to Yahweh, singing and praising:
“For he is good, for his love for Israel is eternal.” All
the people shouted aloud the praises of Yahweh for the foundation of the
House of Yahweh had now been laid. Many of the priests, Levites and older
heads of the families who have seen the first house wept with great
lamentation as the foundation was laid. °12 But
others raised their voices with shouts of joy, °13 and
the people could not distinguish the shouts of rejoicing from the cries of
weeping, for the people shouted so loudly that the noise was heard afar. § The rebuilding is interrupted¤4 °1 When
the enemies of Judah and Benjamin learned that those who had returned from
exile were building the sanctuary of Yahweh, the God of Israel, °2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the
families, and said to them, “Allow us to help you in the work of
reconstruction for we are also concerned about your God. We have offered him
sacrifices from the time of Esar Haddon, king of Assyria, who brought us
here.” °3 Zerubbabel, Joshua and the heads of the Israelite
families answered them, “We cannot let you join us, for we alone must rebuild
it, as Cyrus, king of Persia, has commanded.” °4 Then the people of the land set about discouraging
the workers of Judah and frightening them to keep them from building. °5 They hired some counselors of the royal court to
make the project fail, and they did this all during the time of Cyrus, king
of Persia, until the reign of Darius, king of Persia. § An unrelated document
°6 In the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, they lodged
a complaint against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. °7 Again in the time of King Artaxerxes, king of
Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues wrote
to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated. So it began
this way: °8 “From Rehum, the governor, and Shimshai, the
secretary, °9 and from the rest of their colleagues,
the judges and the legates, and all Persian officials, the people of Erech,
Babylon and Susa, that is, the Elamites, °10 and
from the rest of the nations whom the great Assurbanipal deported and settled
in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province at the other side of
the River…” °11 This is a copy of the letter they sent to King
Artaxerxes: “Your
servants, the people beyond the River, send greetings. °12 It should be made known to the king that the Jews
who came up from your side to ours and have gone to Jerusalem are now
building this rebellious and wicked city. They are now rebuilding the walls
and have laid the foundation. °13 Be it known, then, to the king, that if
this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, they will no longer pay taxes,
tributes or toll duties, and in the end, this city shall bring harm to the
kings. °14 Now, as we eat the salt of the palace and
we do not wish to see the king dishonored, we are sending this information to
the king. °15 If you look into the records of your
fathers, you will find that this city is a rebellious city. It has disturbed
the kings and the provinces, and has fostered sedition from of old. It is
precisely because of this that it was destroyed. °16 We
make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls restored,
you will soon lose your territories on that side of the River.” °17 The king wrote this in reply: “To
Rehum, the governor; to Shimshai, the secretary; and to the rest of their
colleagues who are in Samaria and in the other places at the other side of
the River: greetings. °18 The letter you sent to me has been read word for
word in my presence. °19 I gave orders to inquire into these
things, and it has been found that from ancient times that city has rebelled
against the kings, and that sedition and rebellions have happened there. °20 There were powerful kings in Jerusalem, masters of
all the land at the other side of the River, to whom tribute taxes and toll
duties were paid. °21 Therefore, order the people to stop work; they shall
not rebuild that city without my authorization. °22 Do not
neglect this grave concern, lest further harm be done to the kingdom.” °23 When the copy of this letter of King Artaxerxes was
read before Rehum, the governor, Shimshai, the secretary, and their
colleagues, they went hurriedly to Jerusalem and they used force and violence
to make the Jews suspend their work. °24 So the work on the House of God in Jerusalem was
interrupted and not begun until the second year of the reign of Darius, king
of Persia. § Work resumes¤5 °1 The
prophets Haggai and Zechariah, son of Iddo, addressed the Jews who lived in
Judea and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was with them. °2 Upon hearing them, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and
Joshua, son of Jozadak, began to rebuild the House of God in Jerusalem. The
prophets of God were with them, supporting them. °3 Then
Tattenai, the governor of the province at the other side of the River, and
Shethar Bozenai came with their counselors and said to them, “Who has ordered
you to build this House and its walls?” °4 And
they also asked, “Who are the men working on the construction of this
building?” °5 But the favor of God was with the leaders of the
Jews, for these people did not oblige the Jews to stop the work while the
matter was being referred to King Darius and they were waiting for his
answer. °6 This is a copy of the joint letter to King Darius
from Tattenai, governor of the province of the other side of the River,
Shethar Bozenai and his counselors, the Persians at the other bank of the
River: °7 “To King Darius, peace. °8 We wish to inform the king that we went to the
province of Judea, to the House of the Great God. They are now building the
Temple with hewn stones and timber to reinforce the walls; the work is being
done with great care and progresses quickly at their hands. °9 We questioned the Elders, and asked them: Who has
ordered you to build this House and finish this Sanctuary? °10 We also asked them their names and wrote down the
names of their leaders for your information. °11 They gave us this answer: We are the servants of the
God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the House that was built many
years ago. A great king of Israel built and finished it. °12 But then, our ancestors angered the God of heaven,
so he gave the children into the hands of the king of Babylon,
Nebuchadnezzar, who destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia. °13 However, in the first year of his reign Cyrus, king
of Babylon, issued a decree that the House of God should be rebuilt. °14 The gold and silver vessels of the House of God,
which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple of Jerusalem, and placed in
the temple of Babylon, were taken from there by Cyrus and turned over to
Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor. °15 He
said to him: Take these vessels, and bring them to the temple of Jerusalem,
and let the House of God be rebuilt in the same place. °16 Then Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of
the house of God in Jerusalem. From that time until now, it is gradually
being rebuilt but is still not finished. °17 Now, if it seems good to the king that inquiries be
made into the royal archives there in Babylon, to verify whether a decree was
indeed issued by King Cyrus for the rebuilding of the House of God in
Jerusalem, then may the king inform us of his will in this matter.” § Darius helps build the Temple
¤6 °1 Then
King Darius commanded that inquiries be made in the house of the archives in
Babylon, where the records were kept. °2 And in
Ecbatana, a fortress in the province of Media, a scroll was found on which
the following was written: °3 “In the first year of his reign, King Cyrus has
issued this decree concerning the House of God in Jerusalem: Let the
foundation of that House be laid and the House be rebuilt in order that
sacrifices be offered in it. The said House shall be thirty meters high and
thirty meters wide, °4 with three layers of hewn stones and one
of wood. The expenses shall be paid for by the house of the king. °5 Moreover, the vessels of gold and silver which
Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple of Jerusalem are to be returned to the
place where these used to be kept in the House of God. °6 Now therefore, I say this to you: Tattenai, governor
of the province at the other side of the River, Shethar, Bozenai, and their
Persian counselors living at the other side of the River, do not interfere in
this matter. °7 Let the governor of the Jews together
with their leaders build the House of God on its former site. °8 This is the command I give as to what you should do
to help those Jewish leaders rebuild the House of God: pay the expenses in
full and without delay, with the income from taxes of the province at the
other side of the River which is allotted to the king. °9 Then, upon the request of the priests of Jerusalem,
give them daily and without fail what is needed for the sacrifices to the God
of Heaven: young bulls, rams, lambs, wheat, salt, wine and oil. °10 With these, they shall offer sacrifices acceptable
to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons. °11 Moreover, I command the following: if anyone opposes
these ordinances, a beam shall be pulled out of his house and he shall be
hung on it, and his house reduced to a heap of ruin as punishment for his
rebellion. °12 And may the God who makes his Name dwell
there crush every rebel, king or people, who goes against this and tries to
destroy the House of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, give this command. Let it
be carried out at once.” °13 Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River,
Shethar Bozenai, and his counselors acted in conformity with the order of
King Darius. °14 And the leaders of the Jews continued to
make progress in building, encouraged by what Haggai, the prophet, and
Zechariah, the son of Iddo, had said; and they finished the work according to
the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus and Darius. °15 The House was finished on the third day of the month
of Adar in the sixth year of the reign of Darius. °16 The children of Israel, the priests and the Levites,
and the rest of those who had returned from exile celebrated the consecration
of this House of God with rejoicing, °17 offering
on this solemnity one hundred young bulls, two hundred rams and four hundred
lambs; and twelve he-goats as a sin-offering for all Israel, according to the
number of the tribes of Israel. °18 Then they installed the priests according to their ranks,
and the Levites according to their classes, for the service of the house of
God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses. °19 Those who had returned from exile celebrated the
Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, °20 for
the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together, and all of them
were clean. So, they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all who had returned
from exile, for their fellow-priests and for themselves. °21 The Israelites who had returned from exile ate the
Passover lamb with all those who had separated themselves from the people of
the land and joined the returned exiles to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel. °22 They celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread
joyfully for seven days; the reason for their joy was that Yahweh had turned
the king of Assyria to look favorably on them so that they had been allowed
to continue the work of rebuilding the House of the God of Israel. § Ezra comes to Jerusalem
¤7 °1 After
this, in the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Ezra, the son of Seraiah,
came from Babylon. He was a descendant of Azariah, Hilkiah, °2 Shallum, Zadik, Ahitub, °3 Amariah,
Azariah, Meraioth, °4 Zerahiah, Uzzi, Bukki, °5 Abishua, Phinehas, Eleazar, and Aaron, the high
priest. °6 This Ezra, well-educated in the law given to Moses
by Yahweh, the God of Israel, went up from Babylon, and as the hand of
Yahweh, his God, was upon him, the king granted him all he asked. °7 Many children of Israel, priests, Levites, singers,
gatekeepers, and temple servants, also came to Jerusalem in the seventh year
of King Artaxerxes. °8 Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month of the
seventh year of the king. °9 He had left Babylon on the first day of
the first month, and arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month,
for the good hand of his God was upon him. °10 Ezra
had indeed dedicated himself with all his heart in putting into action the
Law of Yahweh and teaching his commandments and precepts to Israel. °11 Here is the copy of the letter given by King Artaxerxes
to Ezra, priest and scribe, learned in the commandments and laws Yahweh has
given to Israel. °12 “Artaxerxes, King of kings, to Ezra, priest and
teacher, learned in the Law of the God of heaven, peace. °13 I have given orders so that all the Israelites who
are in my kingdom and are ready to go with you to Jerusalem may leave with
their priests and Levites. °14 As for you, you shall go as the
representative of the king and of his seven counselors to see to it that the
Law of God which is in your hands is observed in Judah and Jerusalem, °15 and to bring there the gold and silver which the
king and his counselors have generously offered to the God of Israel, whose
House is in Jerusalem. °16 You shall also bring all the silver and
gold you can gather in Babylon with the voluntary offerings of the people and
the priests for the House of God in Jerusalem. °17 With this money, take care to buy young bulls, rams,
lambs, and everything needed for the grain offerings and the libations, which
you shall offer upon the altar of the House of your God in Jerusalem. °18 Do whatever seems best to you and your brothers with
the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God. °19 Place before God in Jerusalem the vessels given to
you for the service of the House of your God, °20 and
take from the treasuries of the king whatever is needed to pay for other
expenses for the House of your God. °21 I, King Artaxerxes, command all the treasurers in
the region at the other side of the River to do exactly all that Ezra, priest
and scribe, learned in the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of them, °22 giving him up to a hundred talents of silver, a
hundred sacks of wheat, a hundred measures of wine and a hundred measures of
oil; salt shall be given him without measure. °23 Everything
commanded by the God of heaven should be done with great care for the House
of the God of heaven in order that his wrath may not come upon the kingdom,
the king and his sons. °24 We also make it known that taxes, contributions or
toll duties cannot be collected from any of the priests, Levites, singers,
gatekeepers, ministers and servants of this House of God. °25 And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God,
appoint judges and magistrates to administer justice to all the people at the
other side of the River, to all who know the Law of your God; and teach it to
those who do not know it. °26 Whoever will not fulfill the Law of your God and the
law of the king shall be severely punished with death, banishment, fine or
imprisonment.” °27 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our ancestors, who
inspired the king with this will to exalt and glorify the House of Yahweh in
Jerusalem, °28 and who let me win the favor of the king,
of his counselors and of all his important officers. For my part, I took
courage, since the hand of Yahweh my God was with me, and I gathered together
the leaders of Israel to go up with me. § List of the Jews returning with Ezra¤8 °1 These
are the heads of clans who set out from Babylon with me in the reign of King
Artaxerxes – their predecessors are named: °2 Of the clan of Phinehas: Gershom; of the clan of
Ithamar: Daniel; of the clan of David: Hattush °3 son of
Secaniah; of the clan of Parosh: Zechariah, with whom one hundred and fifty
males were registered; °4 of the clan of Pahath-Moab: Eliehoenai,
son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males; °5 of the
clan of Zattu: Shecaniah, son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males; °6 of the clan of Adin: Ebed, son of Jonathan, and with
him fifty males; °7 of the clan of Elam: Jeshaiah, son of
Athaliah, and with him seventy males; °8 of the
clan of Shephatiah: Zebadiah, son of Michael, and with him eighty males; °9 of the clan of Joab: Obadiah, son of Jehiel, and
with him two hundred and eighteen males; °10 of the
clan of Bani: Shelomith, son of Josiphiah, and with him a hundred and sixty
males; °11 of the clan of Bebai: Zechariah, son of
Bebai, and with him twenty-eight males; °12 of the
clan of Azgad: Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him a hundred and ten males;
°13 of the clan of Adonikam: the younger
sons, whose names are: Eliphelet, Jeiel and Shemaiah, and with them sixty
males; °14 and of the clan of Bigvai: Uthai, son of
Zabud, and with him seventy males. °15 I gathered them by the river that runs to Ahava, and
there we encamped for three days; and having searched among these people, I
did not find anyone from the tribe of Levi. °16 Then I
sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan,
Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who
were wise. °17 I gave them orders concerning Iddo, the
leader who was in Casiphia; I gave them a message to relay to Iddo and his
brothers, the helpers, in Casiphia, to send us ministers for the House of our
God. °18 As the good hand of God was with us, they brought us
Sherebiah, a very sensible man, of the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of
Israel, and with him were his sons and his brothers, numbering eighteen; °19 Hashabiah and with him Isaiah of the sons of Merari,
their brothers and their sons, twenty; °20 and of
the helpers whom David and the leaders had placed at the service of the
Levites, two hundred twenty-two men, all written down by name. °21 There at the banks of the river Ahava, I proclaimed
a fast so we might humble ourselves before our God, to implore him for a safe
journey for ourselves, our children and our goods. °22 I was
ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the
enemy on the way, for we had said to the king, “The hand of our God is for good,
upon all who seek him; and the power of his wrath upon all who abandon him.” °23 So we fasted and prayed to our God for this
intention, and he listened to us. °24 I chose twelve of the leaders of the priests,
besides Sherebiah and Hashabiah and ten of their brothers. °25 I weighed out before them the silver and gold, the
consecrated vessels given by the king, his counselors and his leaders, and by
all the Israelites who were there, for the House of our God. °26 And I entrusted into their hands six hundred and
fifty talents of silver, silver vessels worth a hundred talents, °27 twenty bowls of gold worth a thousand darics, and
two vessels of fine bright bronze as precious as vessels of gold. °28 Then I said to them, “You are consecrated to Yahweh,
these vessels are sacred objects, and the silver and gold are voluntary
offerings made to Yahweh, the God of our ancestors. °29 Take care of them and keep them until you weigh them
before the leaders of the priests, the Levites and the families of Israel in
Jerusalem, in the chambers of the House of Yahweh.” °30 Then, the priests and the Levites received all that
we had weighed: the silver and gold, and the vessels, to bring them to
Jerusalem to the House of our God. °31 We left the banks of the river Ahava to go to
Jerusalem on the twelfth day of the first month. The hand of God was with us
and he kept us from all attacks and ambushes from enemies throughout our
journey. °32 We arrived in Jerusalem where we rested
for three days. °33 On the fourth day, within the house of
our God, the silver, the gold, and the vessels were weighed into the hands of
the priest Meremoth, son of Uriah, and with him was Eleazar, son of Phinehas,
and with them were the Levites, Jozabad, son of Jeshua, and Noadiah, son of
Binnui. °34 After counting and weighing everything
again, the total weight was written down. °35 The Jews who had returned from exile offered
sacrifices to the God of Israel: twelve young bulls for all Israel,
ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and as a sin-offering, twelve he-goats.
All these were burnt offerings to Yahweh. °36 And
the decrees of the king were delivered to his governors and officials of the
province beyond the River, who helped the people and the House of God. § About intermarriages¤9 °1 After
all this was finished, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of
Israel, the priests and the Levites have not departed from the pagan peoples
and are now serving the idols of the Canaanites, the Hittites, Perizzites,
Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. °2 For they took women from among these people for
themselves and for their sons, and mixed their holy race with that of the
pagans. The leaders and magistrates were the first in committing this sin.” °3 When I heard this, I tore my garments and my mantle,
pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down very much grieved. °4 All who remembered the words of the God of Israel
gathered around me; they were afraid because of this sin committed by those
who had returned from exile. °5 I remained seated and dismayed until the
evening sacrifice; and then, at the time for the evening offering, I rose
from my fasting, and with my clothes and mantle torn, I knelt down, spreading
out my hands to Yahweh, my God. °6 I said, “My God! I am ashamed and confused, my God,
I do not dare raise my eyes to you for our sins have increased over our heads
and our crimes reach up to the heavens. °7 From the days of our ancestors to this day, our
guilt has been great. We, our kings and priests have been given into the
hands of foreign kings because of our crimes; we have been delivered to the
sword, to captivity, to plunder, and put to shame as on this day. °8 However, for a brief moment, the mercy of Yahweh,
our God, has been shown to us. He made a remnant of our people survive, and
allowed the survivor to settle once again in his Holy Place; he has given us
joy and life, though we are in bondage. °9 We are
no more than slaves, but in the midst of our slavery, God has not abandoned
us, he has extended a merciful hand over us to support us before the kings of
Persia. He has revived our life, enabled us to rebuild the House of our God,
and to have walls in Jerusalem and in the other cities of Judah. °10 But now, our God, what shall we say when, in spite
of all this, we have abandoned your commandments? °11 You
have said through your servants, the prophets: The land you are entering to
take possession of was defiled by the impurities of its inhabitants; they
made it entirely unclean from one end to the other with their idolatry. °12 Therefore, do not give your daughters as wives for
their sons, nor take their daughters as wives for your sons. Do not work with
them for their prosperity and well-being forever. Be strong, eat the best
fruits of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your children forever. °13 After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds
and our sins, you, our God, have pardoned our wickedness, since you allowed
all who are here to survive. °14 How could we despise your commandments
once more and intermarry with these wretched peoples? Will you not be angry
with us and destroy us without leaving any remnant or survivors? °15 Yahweh, God of Israel, you are just; see that we are
a remnant of survivors. We are here in your presence with our sins, but we
cannot remain so in your presence.” § The foreign wives are cast out¤10 °1 While Ezra bowed before the House of God, weeping,
praying and making this confession, a great crowd of men, women and children
of Israel were gathered around him; and these people wept bitterly. °2 Then Shecaniah, son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam,
said to Ezra, “We have treated our God badly, by marrying foreign women taken
from the peoples of this land, but Israel is not without hope because of
this. °3 Let us make a covenant with our God, and
send these women away with their children according to the statement of my
lord and all of us who respect the commandment of our God. °4 Let the Law be obeyed. You command and we are with
you. Have courage and command.” °5 So Ezra arose and made the leaders of the priests,
the Levites and of all Israel swear that they would do what had just been
said, and so they swore. °6 Then, Ezra withdrew from where he stood,
in front of the House of God and went to the chamber of Jehohanan, son of Eliashib,
but he did not eat bread or drink water there, for he was much afflicted by
the sin of those who had returned from exile. °7 A
proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all who had
returned from exile should assemble in Jerusalem, °8 and if
anyone would not come within three days, according to the decision of the
leaders and of the local elders, all his property would be confiscated and he
himself banned from the assembly of those who had returned from exile. °9 All the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in
Jerusalem within the three days. It was the twentieth day of the ninth month,
and all the people were in the open square of the House of God, trembling
because of this matter and because it was raining. °10 Then the priest Ezra stood up and said, “You have
been rebels in marrying foreign women, and have increased the offense of
Israel. °11 Now then, acknowledge your sin before
Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, and carry out his will; separate
yourselves from the peoples of this land and from your foreign wives.” °12 The whole assembly answered with a loud voice, “Yes,
we shall do as you say. °13 But the people are so numerous and we are
now in the rainy season; we cannot endure the inclement weather, and besides,
this matter cannot be settled in a day or two, for we are many who have
committed this sin. °14 Our leaders can represent the whole
assembly: those in our cities who have married foreign women shall come at
appointed times, accompanied by the local leaders and judges of every city,
until we have turned aside from us the anger of our God because of this
matter.” °15 The only ones who opposed this option were Jonathan,
son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, son of Tikvah, who were supported by the Levites
Meshullam and Shabbethai. °16 But those who had returned from exile
complied. In accordance with what the priest Ezra ordered, they selected a
family head for every family group, each of them designated in a personal
way, and they sat down to resolve the matter on the first day of the tenth
month. °17 On the first day of the first month, they finished
attending to all the cases of Jews who had been married to foreign women. § The list of the guilty°18 In the clan of the priestly clans, these are the
names of those who were found to have married foreign women: among the clan
of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and among his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib
and Gedaliah; °19 they pledged their word to put their
wives away and, for their sin, offered a ram as a sacrifice of reparation; °20 In the clan of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah; °21 In the clan of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah,
Jehiel and Uzziah; °22 In the clan of Pashhur: Elioenia, Maaseiah, Ishmael,
Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah. °23 Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah – that
is, Kelita – Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. °24 Among the Temple musicians: Eliashib and Zaccur. Among
the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem and Uri. °25 And among the Israelites: of
the clan of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah
and Benaiah; °26 of the clan of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel,
Abdi, Meremoth and Elijah; °27 of the clan of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah,
Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza; °28 of the clan of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai,
Athlai; °29 of the clan of Bigvai: Meshullam, Malluch, Jedaiah,
Jashub, Sheal, Jeremoth; °30 of the clan of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah,
Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh; °31 of the clan of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah,
Shemaiah, Shimeon, °32 Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah; °33 of the clan of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad,
Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei; °34 of the clan of Bani: Maadai, Amran, Uel, °35 Benaiah, Bediah, Cheluhi, °36 Vaniah,
Meremoth, Eliashib, °37 Mattaniah, Matenai and Jaasau; °38 of the clan Binnui; Shimei; °39 Shelemiah, Nathan and Adaiah. °40 of the clan Zaccai: Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai °41 Azarel, Shelemiah Shemariah, °42 Shallum, Amariah, Joseph; °43 of the clan of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad,
Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, Benaiah. °44 All these had married of foreign wives;
they put them away, both women and children. The End. |