עזרא Ꭼ Ꮓ Ꭱ Ꭺ 1 Now in the first year of Cyrus | salem, and had put them in the house king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying: Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD, the God of heaven, given me; and He hath charged me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whosoever there is among you of all His people-his God be with him- let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel, He is the God who is in Jerusalem. And whosoever is left, in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewilloffering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.' of his gods; even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. And this is the number of them: thirty basins of gold, a thousand basins of silver, nine and twenty knives; 10thirty bowls of gold, silver bowls of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand. "All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when they of the captivity were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem. 2 Now these are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and that returned unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city; who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: Then rose up the heads of fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, even all whose spirit God had stirred to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. And all they that were round about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered. Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the "The children of Pahath-moab, of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchad- children of Jeshua and Joab, two thounezzar had brought forth out of Jeru-sand eight hundred and twelve. "The children of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy and two. "The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two. "The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five. "The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. "The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five. "The children of Zaccai, seven hurdred and threescore. 10The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two. "The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three. 12The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two. 13The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six. 14The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six. 15The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four. 16The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. 17The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three. 18The children of Jorah, a hundred and twelve. 19The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three. 20 The children of Gibbar, ninety and five. 21The children of Beth-lehem, a hundred twenty and three. 22The men of Netophah, fifty and six. 23The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight. The children of Azmaveth, forty and two. 25The children of Kiriath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three. 26The children of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty and one. 27The men of Michmas, a hundred twenty and two. 28 The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty and three. 29The children of Nebo, fifty and two. "The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight. 42 The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all a hundred thirty and nine. 43 The Nethinim: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth; "the children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon; "the children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub; "the children of Hagab, the children of Salmai, the children of Hanan; "the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the they should not eat of the most children of Reaiah; the children of holy things, till there stood up a Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the priest with Urim and with Thummim. children of Gazzam; "the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai; 50the children of Asnah, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephusim; the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur; the children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha; the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah; the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, beside their men-servants and their maid-servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven; and they had two hundred singing men and singing women. 66Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five; their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. 68 And some of the heads of fathers' houses, when they came to the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for the house of God to set it up in its place; they gave after their ability into the treasury of the work threescore and one thousand darics of gold, and five thousand pounds of silver, and one hundred priests' tunics. 70So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities. 3 And when the seventh month 59 And these were they that went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer; but they could not tell their fathers' houses, and their seed, whether they were of Israel: 60the children of Delaiah, the children was come, and the children of of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, Israel were in the cities, the people six hundred fifty and two. And of gathered themselves together as one the children of the priests: the chil- man to Jerusalem. Then stood up dren of Habaiah, the children of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel who took a wife of the daughters of the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, Barzillai the Gileadite, and was and builded the altar of the God of called after their name. 62 These Israel, to offer burnt-offerings thereon, sought their register, that is, the as it is written in the Law of Moses genealogy, but it was not found; the man of God. And they set the therefore were they deemed polluted altar upon its bases; for fear was upon and put from the priesthood. 63And them because of the people of the the Tirshatha said unto them, that countries, and they offered burnt • That is, governor. offerings thereon unto the LORD, Levites the sons of Asaph with cymeven burnt-offerings morning and bals, to praise the LORD, according evening. And they kept the feast to the direction of David king of of tabernacles, as it is written, and Israel. "And they sang one to offered the daily burnt-offerings by another in praising and giving thanks number, according to the ordinance, unto the LORD: 'for He is good, as the duty of every day required; for His mercy endureth for ever toand afterward the continual burnt- ward Israel.' And all the people offering, and the offerings of the new shouted with a great shout, when moons, and of all the appointed they praised the LORD, because the seasons of the LORD that were hal- foundation of the house of the LORD lowed, and of every one that willingly was laid. 12But many of the priests offered a freewill-offering unto the and Levites and heads of fathers' LORD. From the first day of the houses, the old men that had seen the seventh month began they to offer first house standing on its foundation, burnt-offerings unto the LORD; but wept with a loud voice, when this the foundation of the temple of the house was before their eyes; and many LORD was not yet laid. "They gave shouted aloud for joy; so that the money also unto the hewers, and to people could not discern the noise of the carpenters; and food, and drink, the shout of joy from the noise of the and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to weeping of the people; for the people them of Tyre, to bring cedar-trees shouted with a loud shout, and the from Lebanon to the sea, unto Joppa, noise was heard afar off. according to the grant that they had 4 Now when the adversaries of of Cyrus king of Persia. 3But Judah and Benjamin heard that Now in the second year of their the children of the captivity_were coming unto the house of God at building a temple unto the LORD, Jerusalem, in the second month, the God of Israel; then they drew began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and of fathers' houses, and said unto the rest of their brethren the priests them: 'Let us build with you; for and the Levites, and all they that were we seek your God, as ye do; and we come out of the captivity unto do sacrifice unto Him since the days Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the house of the LORD. Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, and Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to have the over-unto our God; but we ourselves tosight of the workmen in the house of God; the sons of Henadad also, with their sons and their brethren the Levites. 10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the who brought us up hither.' Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses of Israel, said unto them: 'Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house gether will build unto the LORD, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.' 'Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and harried them while they were building, and hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. "And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. "And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Aramaic character, and set forth in the Aramaic tongue. Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort then wrote Rehum the commander, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinites, and the Apharesattechites, the Tarpelites, the Apharesites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehites, the Elamites, 10and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asenappar brought over, and set in the city of Samaria, and the rest that are in the country beyond the River:-'And now-"this is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king-thy servants the men beyond the River-and now 12be it known unto the king, that the Jews that came up from thee are come to us unto Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and have finished the walls, and are digging out the foundations. 13Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, impost, or toll, and so thou wilt endamage the revenue of the kings. 14Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and announced to the king, 15that search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers; so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time; for which cause was this city laid waste. 16We announce to the king that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, by this means thou shalt have no portion beyond the River.' 17Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the commander, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the River: 'Peace, and now 18the letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me. 19And I decreed, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. 20There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, impost, and toll, was paid unto them. Make ye now a decree to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until a decree shall be made by me. 22And take heed that ye be not slack herein; why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?' 23Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power. 24Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. L |