Aramaic Peshitta Bible Repository
Lamsa OT - Ezra
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1 ¶ NOW in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah the prophet might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, 2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which city is in Judah. 3 Who is there 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 to the LORD the God of Israel, he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And whosoever remains in any place where he sojourns, let the men of his place help him with silver and with gold and with goods and with beasts, together with the freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.""
5 ¶ Then rose up the chiefs of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, with every one whose spirit God had stirred, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. 6 And all they that were round about gave them help with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with precious gifts, which they willingly offered. 7 Also Cyrus the king brought out the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had brought forth out of Jerusalem and had given to the house of his gods; 8 Then Cyrus king of Persia brought them out by the hand of Mahderath, the treasurer, and he delivered them to Sheshmazzar, the prince of Judah. 9 And this is the number of them: thirty basins of gold, a thousand basins of silver, twenty-nine vestments, 10 Four hundred and ten bowls of thin silver, and again thirty bowls of gold, and of other vessels a thousand. 11 All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshmazzar bring up with the men of the captivity that were returned from Babylon to Jerusalem.""
2:1 ¶ NOW these are the inhabitants of the province who went up out of the captivity, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon and they returned again to Jerusalem and Judah, every one to his own city; 2 Those who came with Zerubbabel: Joshua, Nehemiah, Seriah, Arelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Minianah, Bigvai, Arhom, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: 3 The descendants of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two. 4 The descendants of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two. 5 The descendants of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five. 6 The descendants of Sholtan-moab, of the descendants of Joshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve. 7 The descendants of Elam, a thousand two hundred and fifty-four. 8 The descendants of Zatiah, nine hundred and forty-five. 9 The descendants of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty. 10 The descendants of Bani, six hundred and forty-two. 11 The descendants of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-three. 12 The descendants of Gadar, a thousand two hundred and twenty-two. 13 The descendants of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six. 14 The descendants of Bigvai, two thousand and fifty-six. 15 The descendants of Adin, four hundred and sixty-four. 16 The descendants of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. 17 The descendants of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-three. 18 The descendants of Judah, a hundred and twelve. 19 The descendants of Hashum, two hundred and twenty-three. 20 The descendants of Gad, ninety-five. 21 The people of Bethlehem, one hundred and twenty-three. 22 The men of Netopah, fifty-six. 23 The men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight. 24 The descendants of Azmoth, forty-two. 25 The people of Koriath-narin, and Capirah, Beeroth, and Tashba, seven hundred and forty-three. 26 The people of Ramtha and Giba, six hundred and twenty-one. 27 The men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two. 28 The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three. 29 The descendants of Nebo, fifty-two. 30 The descendants of Magdash, one hundred and fifty-six. 31 The descendants of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. 32 The descendants of Haram, three hundred and twenty. 33 The descendants of Lod, and Hadar, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-five. 34 The people of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five. 35 The people of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.""
36 ¶ The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah, of the house of Joshua, nine hundred and seventy-three. 37 The descendants of Immer, one thousand two hundred and fifty-two. 38 The descendants of Pashur, one thousand two hundred and seventy-four. 39 The descendants of Haram, one thousand and seventeen. 40 The Levites: the descendants of Joshua of Kadmiel, and of Hodiah, seventy-four. 41 The singers: the descendants of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight. 42 The descendants of Tarael: the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Atar, the children of Altman, the descendants of Jacob, the descendants of Hattota, the descendants of Shobai, in all one hundred and thirty-nine. 43 The Nethinites: the descendants of Seniah, the descendants of Hoshba, the descendants of Tabbaoth, 44 The descendants of Keros, the descendants of Shilah, the children of Paron, 45 The descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Akkub, 46 The descendants of Hagab, the descendants of Shalmai, the descendants of Hanan, 47 The descendants of Gazal the descendants of Hagar, the children of Daiah, 48 The descendants of Dizon the descendants of Deborah, the descendants of Gazam, 49 The descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Patah, the children of Basaz, 50 The descendants of Asnah the descendants of Mathnin, the children of Nephusin, 51 The descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, 52 The descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the children of Harsha, 53 The descendants of Karkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Tamnah, 54 The descendants of Neziah, the descendants of Hatipha. 55 The descendants of Ebar, the descendants of Shalim, the descendants of Satim, the descendants of Aspherot, the descendants of Peruda, 56 The descendants of Jaalah, the children of Tarkon, the descendants of Giddel, 57 The descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattiel, the descendants of Kabroth, the descendants of Hiltha, the descendants of Amar, 58 All the Nethanites, and the descendants of Ebar and Shalim, were three hundred and ninety-two. 59 And these were those who went up from Tel-milkha, Tel-ava, Churbi; then it was said, they who could not show their fathers’ families and their descent, whether they were of Israel: 60 The descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, the children of Nekariah, six hundred and fifty-two. 61 And of the descendants of the priests: the descendants of Habaiah, the descendants of Khoz, the descendants of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called after their name. 62 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found; therefore they were removed from the priesthood. 63 And the leaders of Israel said to them that they should not eat of the most holy things until there should rise up a high priest who would make an inquiry and see about the matter.""
64 ¶ The whole congregation together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, 65 Besides their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and those who ministered to them were two hundred. 66 Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six; their mules, two hundred and forty-five; 67 Their camels, four hundred and thirty-five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. 68 And some of the chiefs of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, took counsel concerning the house of the LORD, and they stood firm and were strengthened. 69 They gave to the treasury of the work sixty-one thousand drams of gold and five thousand pounds of silver and one hundred priests’ garments. 70 So the priests and the Levites and some of the people and the temple ministers and the porters and the Nethanites and those who dwelt in their cities returned every man to his place, and all Israel to their cities.""
3:1 ¶ AND when the seventh month was come and the children of Israel were in their cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to go up to Jerusalem. 2 Then stood Joshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren the priests and Zerubbabel the son of Shelathiel and his brethren, and they built the altar to the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings upon it as it is written in the law of Moses the prophet of God. 3 And they set the altar upon its bases; for fear was upon them because of the peoples who dwelt in the cities, and they offered burnt offerings upon it to the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening. 4 And they kept the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, according to the daily requirements; 5 And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons and of all the feasts of the LORD that were consecrated and of every one who willingly offered a freewill offering to the LORD. 6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid. 7 They gave money to the masons and to the carpenters; and for the food and drink and oil to the Syrians and the Zidonians, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon by the sea to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus king of Persia.""
8 ¶ Now in the second year of their coming to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, in the second month, sent Zerubbabel the son of Shelathiel and Joshua the son of Jozadak and the remnant of their brethren and the priests and the Levites and all they that were come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, and appointed the Levites from twenty years old and upward to look after the work of the house of the LORD in the day time. 9 Then stood Joshua with his brethren and his sons, Kadmiah and his sons, and the sons of Judah, together, to execute the work of the house of the LORD; also the sons of Hendar, with their sons and their brethren, the Levites. 10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the building of the temple of the LORD, the priests stood up in their vestments with trumpets of rams blowing with them, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with large trumpets, to praise the LORD according to the ordinance of David, king of Israel. 11 And they sang together in unison in praising and giving thanks to the LORD because he is good, for his mercy endures for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. 12 But many of the priests and the Levites and the chiefs of the fathers, old men, who had seen the first house in its glory, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice, and many raised their voices with trumpets and with joy, 13 So that the people could not discern the sound of the trumpets from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people blew trumpets with a loud blast and the noise of weeping was heard afar off.""
4:1 ¶ NOW when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people of the captivity were building the temple to the LORD God of Israel, 2 Then they came to Zerubbabel and to the chiefs of the fathers and said to them, Let us also build with you; for we seek your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him since the days of Esarhaddom king of Assyria, who brought us up here. 3 But Zerubbabel and Joshua and the rest of the chiefs of the fathers of Israel said to them, You have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God; for we ourselves together will build a house to the LORD God of Israel, as Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us. 4 Then the Gentiles of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and terrified them that they should not build, 5 And hired objectors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.""
6 ¶ And in the reign of King Akhshirash, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7 And in the days of Artakhshisht, wrote Bishlam, Mahderat, Tabaiel, and the rest of their companions to Artakhshisht king of Persia; and the letter was written in Aramaic and interpreted in Aramaic. 8 Arkhom the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artakhshisht the king according to custom; 9 Then wrote Arkhom the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, the Aspherites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites, 10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnapper carried away and settled in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side of the River (Euphrates), and at such a time. 11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent to him, even to Artakhshisht the king: Your servants the men on this side of the River, and at such a time. 12 Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have come to Jerusalem and they are building the rebellious and wicked city, and have completed its walls and dug out its foundations. 13 Be it known now to the king that, if this city is built and the walls are completed, then you will have no tribute, toll, and custom, and so you shall endanger the revenue of the kings. 14 Now because we have eaten the salt of the palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king’s dishonor, therefore we have sent and informed the king, 15 That the book of the records of your fathers may be read; so shall you find in the book of the records and know that this city is a rebellious city and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that great conflicts have taken place in it of old time; that is why this city was destroyed: 16 We inform the king that, if this city is built and its walls are set up, by this means you shall have no dominion on this side the River.""
17 ¶ Then the king sent an answer: To Arkhom the chancellor and to Shimshai the scribe and to the rest of their companions who dwelt in Samaria and to the rest beyond the River, peace. 18 When the letter which you sent to us arrived it was plainly read before me, 19 And I commanded and search has been made, and it is found that this city of old times has made insurrections against kings and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it. 20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all countries beyond the River; and they thought nothing of the kings of the old time. 21 Now therefore make a decree causing these men to cease, and that this city should not be built until a commandment shall be given by me. 22 Take heed now that you fail not to do this, lest the damage should increase to the hurt of the king. 23 Now when the copy of King Artakhshisht’s letter came, they read it before Arkhom; then the chancellor and Shamshai the scribe and their companions went in haste to Jerusalem against the Jews, and by a strong army made them cease building. 24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is in Jerusalem. And it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.""
5:1 ¶ THEN the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews who were in Jerusalem and Judah in the name of the God of Israel, even concerning them. 2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shelathiel and Joshua the son of Jozadak and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God helping them.""
3 ¶ At that very time came against them Tatnai, the governor on this side the River, and Ashtanbozan and their companions, and said thus to them and to the rest of the people: Who has commanded you to build this house and to erect this wall? 4 Then they spoke to them according to the law, saying, What are the names of the men who are doing this building? 5 But the eye of God was upon the exiles of Judah, and they did not cease till the matter went to Darius; and then they returned an answer concerning this matter. 6 The copy of the letter that Tatnai, the governor on this side of the River, and Ashtanbozan and his companions on this side of the River, sent to Darius the king; 7 They sent a letter to him wherein was written thus: To Darius the king, all peace. 8 Be it known to the king that we went to Judea, to the city of the great God, which is being built with large stones, and much timber is laid in the walls; great works are wrought there, and a great enterprise is prospering in their hands. 9 Then we asked those elders and said to them thus: Who commanded you to build this house and to erect these walls? 10 We also asked them their names, that we might inform you and that we might write the names of the men who were their leaders. 11 And this was the reply they gave us, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and this house that we are rebuilding was built many years ago, and was completed by a king of Israel and his princes. 12 But because our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of the Chaldeans, who destroyed this house and carried the people away into Babylon. 13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Persia. Cyrus the king made a decree that this house of God should be rebuilt. 14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God. which Nebuchadnezzar the king took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought into his temple of Babylon, those vessels Cyrus the king took out of the temple of Babylon and delivered to one whose name was Sheshmazzar, whom he had made governor; 15 And he said to him. Take these vessels, go carry them, and put them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the temple be rebuilt in its place. 16 Then the same Sheshmazzar came and laid the foundation of this temple which is in Jerusalem; and since that time even until now it has been in building, and yet it is not finished. 17 Now therefore, if it please the king, let search be made in the scrolls which are in the king’s treasure house, which is there in Babylon, to see whether it be so that a decree was made by Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.""
6:1 ¶ THEN Darius the king issued a decree, and search was made in the scrolls that were in the house of treasure there in Babylon. 2 And there was found in the city of Akhmathan, which is in the province of Media, a scroll, and in the scroll was written: 3 In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree, and commanded that the house of God which is in Jerusalem shall be rebuilt in the place where they offered sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid; its height shall be sixty cubits and its breadth twenty cubits, 4 With three rows of great stones and doors of new timber: and let the expenses be paid out of the king’s house; 5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple which is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought again to the temple which is in Jerusalem, every one to its place, and you shall store them in the house of God. 6 Now therefore, let Tatnai, governor beyond the River, and Ashtanbozan and their companions the governors who are beyond the River keep away from there; 7 Let the work of the house of God alone: let the Jews and the Jewish exiles build the house of God in its place. 8 Moreover the decree is issued by me; why then do you quarrel with the Jews of the captivity and hinder them from building the house of God? From that which is of the king’s wealth and of the tribute beyond the River forthwith shall the expenses be paid to these men, that they may not be hindered from working. 9 And whatever they wish to have, give it to them, and do not fail them anything, both young bullocks and rams and lambs for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the ordinance of the priests who are at Jerusalem; let it be brought to them day by day without fail, 10 That they may offer sacrifices to the God of heaven, and pray for the king and his sons. 11 Also I have made a decree that whosoever shall alter this ordinance, let a beam be pulled down from his house, and they shall make it a cross for him and they shall crucify him upon it; and let his house be made a dunghill for this. 12 And the God whose name we have found to be there, there shall he dwell, and any king or people who shall stretch out his hand to alter this decree or to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem, I Darius have made a decree that he shall speedily perish.""
13 ¶ Then Tatnai, the governor on this side the River. Ashtanbozan and their companions did speedily according to the decree Darius the king had sent. 14 And the exiles of the Jews did the work, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded and finished it according to the commandment of the God of Israel and according to the commandment of Cyrus and Darius and Artakhshisht king of Persia. 15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar (March), which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. 16 And the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites and the rest of the children of Judah celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. 17 And they offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and twelve he-goats for a sin offering for all Israel, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 And they set the priests in their ministrations and the Levites in their ministrations over the service of the house of God which is in Jerusalem. as it is written in the book of the law of Moses. 19 And the exiles celebrated the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20 For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together, all of them were pure, and they killed the lambs on the passover day for all the people of the captivity and for their brethren the priests and for themselves. 21 And the children of Israel who had come up from the captivity of Babylon, all such who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the Gentiles of the land to pray before the LORD God of Israel, did eat. 22 And they celebrated the feast of the unleavened bread seven days with joy; for the LORD had made them joyful and turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of the LORD God of Israel.""
7:1 ¶ NOW after all these things, in the reign of Artakhshisht king of Persia, came Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, 2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, 3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, 4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Gadai, the son of Bakki, 5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest. 6 This Ezra was a leader who went up from Babylon; and he was a scribe learned in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all his request, that he might walk as he pleased according to the law of the LORD. 7 And there went up some of the children of Israel and of the priests and the Levites, the ministers, and the porters and the Nethinites and of those who had formerly gone up to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artakhshisht the king. 8 And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9 For on the first month they began to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month they came to Jerusalem, according to the hand of God which had been good to them. 10 For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of the LORD and to do it and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.""
11 ¶ Now this is the copy of the letter which King Artakhshisht gave to Ezra the priest, the learned scribe of the words and the commandments of the LORD and of his statutes to all Israel: 12 Artakhshisht, king of kings, to Ezra the priest and scribe, learned in the law of the God of heaven, peace. 13 I have issued a decree and made a statute that any one of the people of Israel and of the priests and Levites in my realm who wishes to go up to Jerusalem with you may go. 14 Moreover I have issued a decree and made a statute and sent some of my friends to inquire concerning the welfare of Judah and Jerusalem, and also to inquire concerning the law of your God which is in your hand; 15 And to carry the king’s silver and gold, which I have freely offered for the house of the LORD whose habitation is in Jerusalem, 16 And all the silver and gold that shall be found in all the province of Babylon shall go with you, and the priests and the Levites and all who wish to go with you may go to the house of God which is in Jerusalem, 17 That you may buy wisely with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meal offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18 And whatsoever shall seem good to you and to your brethren to do with the rest of this money, do according to the will of your God. 19 The vessels also that are given you for the service of the house of your God you shall deliver before the God who is in Jerusalem. 20 And the rest of the vessels which you may need for the service of the house of your God you shall take and give out of the king’s treasure house. 21 And I, Artakhshisht the king, do make a decree to all treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe learned in the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, you shall do it speedily, 22 Up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred measures of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. 23 And everything which is in the decree shall be given, and you shall give it according to the law of the God of heaven; let it be taken and done, that there may not be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons. 24 Also we inform you that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, and the workers of the house of God, it is unlawful for you to interfere with them. 25 And you, Ezra, according to your wisdom which your God has given you, appoint governors and judges, who may judge all the people that are beyond the River, all such as know the law of your God; and him who does not know it, you shall teach. 26 And whosoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be to death or to banishment or to confiscation of goods or to imprisonment.""
27 ¶ Blessed art thou, O LORD God of our fathers, for thou hast put this thing in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem; 28 And hast extended mercy to me before the king and before the king’s mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I chose out of Israel leading men to go up with me.""
8:1 ¶ THESE are the names of the chiefs of their fathers and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylon in the reign of Artakhshisht the king: 2 Of the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom; of the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel; of the descendants of David, Hattush. 3 Of the descendants of Shechaniah and the descendants of Pharaoh, Zechariah, and with him were reckoned by genealogy one hundred and fifty males. 4 Of the descendants of Shultan-moab, Elijah and Khanani the sons of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males. 5 Of the descendants of Shechaniah, Gado the son of Nahaziel, and with him three hundred males. 6 Of the descendants of Gozan, Abdo the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males. 7 Of the descendants of Elam, Isaiah the son of Nethaniah, and with him seventy males. 8 Of the descendants of Shephatiah, Zechariah the son of Michael, and with him eighty males. 9 Of the descendants of Joab, Obadiah the son of Nehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males. 10 Of the descendants of Salmoth, Salmoth the son of Nosiphiah, and with him two hundred and sixty males. 11 And of the descendants of Beki, Zechariah the son of Beki, and with him twenty and eight males. 12 And of the descendants of Azgar, Johanan the son of Zechariah, and with him a hundred and ten males. 13 And of the last descendants of Arhekam whose names are these: Eliphelet, Naiel, and Shemaiah, and with them sixty males. 14 Of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zekor, and with them seventy males. 15 And I gathered them together to the river that runs to Hawa; and there we encamped three days; and I viewed the people and the priests, and found there none of the descendants of Levi. 16 Then I sent for Eleazer, Ariel, Shemiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Eliathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, chieftains; also for Jonadab and Eliathan; these were all leaders. 17 And I commanded them to go to Adai their chief who was at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say to Adai and to his brethren who were encamped at the place Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God. 18 And by the good favor of our God upon us, they brought us a man of understanding, of the descendants of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sheriah, with his brothers and his sons, twelve; 19 And Hashabiah, and with him Isaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty; 20 And also of the men whom David had appointed for the service of the Levites (who were set apart), two hundred and twenty; all of them were called by their names.""
21 ¶ Then I called them and proclaimed a fast at the river Hawa, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a right way for us and for our little ones and for all our substance. 22 For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers, an army and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our God is with all of those who seek him for good; but his power and his wrath are against all who forsake him. 23 So we fasted and besought our God for this; and he hearkened to us""
24 ¶ Then I selected twelve of the elders of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them, 25 And counted to them the silver and the gold and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God which the king and his noblemen and his princes and all Israel there present had offered; 26 And I counted into their hand one hundred and fifty talents of silver, and vessels of silver a hundred talents, and of gold one hundred talents; 27 Also twenty bowls of gold, of one thousand drams; and the vessels of fine Corinthian brass, precious as gold. 28 And I said to them, You are holy to the LORD, and the vessels are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the LORD God of your fathers. 29 Take heed and keep them until you deliver them in the presence of the chiefs of the priests and the Levites and the chiefs of the fathers of Israel at Jerusalem in the chambers of the house of the LORD. 30 So the priests and the Levites took upon themselves to deliver by the weight the silver and the gold and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.""
31 ¶ Then we departed from the river Hawa on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem; and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of our enemies and of such as lay in wait by the way. 32 And we came to Jerusalem and remained there three days. 33 Now on the fourth day we weighed the silver and the gold and the vessels in the house of our God, and delivered them to Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabar the son of Joshua and Jodaiah the son of Bagvai, Levites, 34 By number and by weight of everything; and all the weight of everything was written down at that time. 35 Now these are the descendants of those who had been carried away captive, who had come from captivity, who offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, twelve he-goats for a sin offering; all this was a burnt offering to the LORD. 36 And they delivered the king’s decree to the king’s princes and to the governors on this side the River; and they showed respect to the people and to the house of God.""
9:1 ¶ NOW when these things were completed, the elders came to me, saying, The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Ammonites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have mixed themselves with the people of the lands; and the hand of the elders and the Levites have been first in this iniquity. 3 And when I heard this thing, I tore my garments and my mantle and pulled the hair of my head and of my beard and sat down speechless. 4 Then all those who were diligent concerning the word of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of the exiles, assembled before me; and I sat speechless until the ninth hour.""
5 ¶ And at the ninth hour I rose up from my sorrow; and having torn my garments, I fell upon my knees and spread out my hands in prayer before the LORD God, 6 And said, O my God, we are ashamed to lift up our faces to thee, our God; for our iniquities are increased over our head and our great sins have reached to the very heavens. 7 Since the days of our fathers we have been found in great trespass to this day; because we have committed more sins, both we and our fathers and our kings and our priests; therefore we have been delivered to the sword, to the spoil, to captivity, and to confusion of face, and into the hand of the kings of the lands and into the hand of our enemies, as it is this very day. 8 And now for a little while grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant and to give us a place in his holy land, that our God may lighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage. 9 For we are bondmen; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but our God has granted mercy in the sight of the kings of Persia, and has cared for us today, to set up the house of our God and to repair its ruins and to give us a secure place in Judah and in Jerusalem. 10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after all these things? For we have forsaken thy commandments 11 Which thou hast commanded us by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land which you go to possess is an unclean land with the filthiness of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations which have filled it from one end to another, and with their detestable works. 12 Now therefore give not your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity for ever, that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever. 13 And after all these things that have come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great sins, seeing that thou our God hast purposed to forgive our sins and to give us a remnant in the world, 14 And yet we have been perverse and have broken thy commandments and have gone and joined ourselves with these filthy peoples and have done according to their works, but thou art merciful; be not thou angry with us, but forgive our sins in thy sight; for thou art compassionate. Leave us a remnant in the world, for there is no one like thee, that we may not perish. 15 O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous; for thou hast spared a remnant of us, as it is today; behold, we are standing and confessing before thee our sins; for we have no word to speak before thee because of this.""
10:1 ¶ NOW when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, prostrating himself and weeping before the house of the LORD, there assembled to him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children; for the children wept bitterly. 2 And Shechaniah the son of Nehael, one of the descendants of Elam, answered and said to Ezra the scribe, We have transgressed against our God, and have taken foreign wives of the people of the land; now is there any hope for Israel concerning this thing? 3 Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the alien wives and those who are born of them, according to the counsel of the LORD and of those who tremble at the law of our God and his commandment; do it now and be strong. 4 For this law is decreed for you; for we are with you; be strong and do it. 5 Then Ezra the scribe arose and made the elders of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel to swear that they would do according to this command. And they swore.""
6 ¶ Then Ezra the scribe rose up from before the house of God and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Elisha; and he sat there, but he neither ate bread nor drank water; for he was sorrowful because of the transgression of the people. 7 And they made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the exiles that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem; 8 And that whosoever would not come within three days, it should be done to him according to the counsel of the elders and the chiefs, all his wealth could be forfeited and he himself separated from the people of Israel. 9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the tenth day of the month; and all the people of the LORD assembled in the street of the temple of the LORD, trembling and shuddering because of this matter. 10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, You have transgressed against God, and have taken foreign wives, and thus increased the sins of Israel. 11 Now therefore make confession to the LORD God of your fathers, and do his will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the alien wives. 12 Then all the people answered and said to Ezra with a loud voice, Your words concerning us are good, and we shall accept everything which you say concerning us, and do it truthfully. 13 But now the people are many, and it is the rainy season, and we are not able to stand in the street, neither is this a work of one day or two; for our sins are many in this matter. 14 Let now our elders and all the people stand up, and let all who are in our cities, who have taken foreign wives, come at the time of prayer, and with them the elders of the cities and their judges, till the fierce wrath of our God for this matter is turned from us.""
15 ¶ Only Jonathan the son of Emmanuel and Nehaziah the son of Tikyah were opposed to this matter; and Matai the Levite supported them. 16 And the exiles did so. And Ezra the priest selected ten men, chiefs of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them were called by their names; and they sat down on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. 17 And they finished examining all the men who had taken foreign wives by the first day of the first month. 18 And among the descendants of the priests there were found some who had taken foreign wives, namely, of the sons of Joshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers, Maasiah and Eleazer and Jonadab and Gedaliah. 19 And they also consented that they would put away their wives; so they offered rams of the flock for their sins. 20 And of the sons of Immer, Hanani and Zechariah. 21 And of the sons of Haram, Maasiah and Elijah and Shemaiah and Henanael and Uzziah. 22 And of the sons of Pashhur, Elian, Maasiah, Ishmael, Nathanael, Jozabar, and Elasah. 23 Of the Levites, Jozabar, Shimei, Kelnah, Kelita, Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. 24 And of the ministers, Elishah; and of the porters, Shallum, Etlam, and Udi. 25 Moreover of Israel, of the sons of Parash, Jeremiah, Jezaniah, Malchiah, Benjamin, Eleazer, Malchiah, and Benaiah. 26 And of the sons of Elam, Nethniah, Zechariah, Neiael, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Eliho. 27 And of the sons of Zatiah, Elihnai, Elishah, Nethaniah, Jeremoth, Zabor, and Uzzia. 28 Of the sons of Bebai, Johanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. 29 Of the sons of Bachi, of Tashlom, Malluch, Uzziah, Jashub, Saul, and Jeremoth. 30 And of the sons of Shultan-moab, Gedaliah, Celal, Benaniah, Maasiah, Mattaniah, Bezaliel, and his sons, descendants of Manasseh. 31 And of the sons of Haram, Eliezer, Malchiah, Anshua, Shemaiah, Simeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemaiah. 33 Of the sons of Hashum, Mahnai, Mattathah, Zachar, Eliphelet, Carmi, Manasseh, and Shimai. 34 Of the sons of Bachi, Maadai, Amram, Joel, 35 Benaiah, the son of Chelluh, 36 Nehaiel, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah. Mattenai, and Aoti. 38 And of the sons of Shimei 39 And Shelemiah, Nathan, and Azariah, 40 Makizab, Shishai, Sharai, 41 Ardaei, Memariah, Shemariah, Shallum, 42 Amariah, and Joseph. 43 Of the sons of Nebo, Neboael, Matitha, Zachor, Zebina, Joel, and Benaiah. 44 All these had taken foreign wives; and some of them had wives by whom they had children."