If you want to accept God's
offer in his Son, say a prayer like this:
Jesus, I confess that you are not only the
most important person in history, but you are the Creator and Savior of the
world. Lord Jesus, I need you. I have done wrong. Please forgive me of my sins
and come into my life. I ask you not just to be part of my life, but to guide me
to live according to the words I read in the Bible. Thank you for your mercy and
forgiveness. I am now committed to be your follower.
Amen.
Old Testament
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Old Testament
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The Book of Ezra
Chapter 1
001:001 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of
Persia, that the word
of the LORD
by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled,
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,
001:002 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of
heaven hath
given me all the
kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged
me
to build him an house at
Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
001:003 Who is there among you of all his people? his God
be with him,
and let him go up to
Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and
build
the house of the LORD God of
Israel, (he is the God,) which is
in Jerusalem.
001:004 And whosoever remaineth 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 freewill offering for
the house of God that is in Jerusalem.
001:005 Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah
and Benjamin,
and the priests, and
the Levites, with all them whose
spirit
God had raised, to go up to
build the house of the LORD which
is in Jerusalem.
001:006 And all they that were 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.
001:007 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of
the house of
the LORD, which
Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out
of
Jerusalem, and had put them in
the house of his gods;
001:008 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.
001:009 And this is the number of them: thirty chargers
of gold, a
thousand chargers of
silver, nine and twenty knives,
001:010 Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second
sort four
hundred and ten, and
other vessels a thousand.
001:011 All the vessels of gold and of silver were five
thousand and
four hundred. All
these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them
of
the captivity that were brought
up from Babylon unto
Jerusalem.
002:001 Now these are the children of the province that
went up out of
the captivity, of
those which had been carried away,
whom
Nebuchadnezzar the king of
Babylon had carried away unto
Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every
one
unto his city;
002:002 Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah,
Seraiah,
Reelaiah, Mordecai,
Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum,
Baanah.
The number of the men of
the people of Israel:
002:003 The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred
seventy and
two.
002:004 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
002:005 The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.
002:006 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of
Jeshua and
Joab, two thousand
eight hundred and twelve.
002:007 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
002:008 The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.
002:009 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.
002:010 The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.
002:011 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.
002:012 The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two.
002:013 The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.
002:014 The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.
002:015 The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.
002:016 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
002:017 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.
002:018 The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve.
002:019 The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.
002:020 The children of Gibbar, ninety and five.
002:021 The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three.
002:022 The men of Netophah, fifty and six.
002:023 The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.
002:024 The children of Azmaveth, forty and two.
002:025 The children of Kirjatharim, Chephirah, and
Beeroth, seven
hundred and forty
and three.
002:026 The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.
002:027 The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two.
002:028 The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.
002:029 The children of Nebo, fifty and two.
002:030 The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six.
002:031 The children of the other Elam, a thousand two
hundred fifty
and four.
002:032 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
002:033 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven
hundred twenty and
five.
002:034 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.
002:035 The children of Senaah, three thousand and six
hundred and
thirty.
002:036 The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the
house of Jeshua,
nine hundred
seventy and three.
002:037 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.
002:038 The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred
forty and
seven.
002:039 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
002:040 The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel,
of the
children of Hodaviah,
seventy and four.
002:041 The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred
twenty and
eight.
002:042 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
an
hundred thirty and nine.
002:043 The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children
of Hasupha,
the children of
Tabbaoth,
002:044 The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the
children of
Padon,
002:045 The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah,
the children
of Akkub,
002:046 The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai,
the children
of Hanan,
002:047 The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,
the children of
Reaiah,
002:048 The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,
the children of
Gazzam,
002:049 The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the
children of
Besai,
002:050 The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim,
the children
of Nephusim,
002:051 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha,
the children
of Harhur,
002:052 The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida,
the children
of Harsha,
002:053 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera,
the children
of Thamah,
002:054 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
002:055 The children of Solomon's servants: the children
of Sotai, the
children of
Sophereth, the children of Peruda,
002:056 The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon,
the children
of Giddel,
002:057 The children of Shephatiah, the children of
Hattil, the
children of Pochereth
of Zebaim, the children of Ami.
002:058 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's
servants,
were three hundred
ninety and two.
002:059 And these were they which went up from Telmelah,
Telharsa,
Cherub, Addan, and
Immer: but they could not shew
their
father's house, and their
seed, whether they were of Israel:
002:060 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah,
the children
of Nekoda, six
hundred fifty and two.
002:061 And of the children of the priests: the children
of Habaiah,
the children of Koz,
the children of Barzillai; which took
a
wife of the daughters of
Barzillai the Gileadite, and was
called after their name:
002:062 These sought their register among those that were
reckoned by
genealogy, but they
were not found: therefore were they,
as
polluted, put from the
priesthood.
002:063 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they
should not eat of
the most holy
things, till there stood up a priest with
Urim
and with Thummim.
002:064 The whole congregation together was forty and two
thousand
three hundred and
threescore,
002:065 Beside their servants and their maids, of whom
there were
seven thousand three
hundred thirty and seven: and there
were
among them two hundred
singing men and singing women.
002:066 Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six;
their mules,
two hundred forty and
five;
002:067 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their
asses, six
thousand seven hundred
and twenty.
002:068 And some of the chief of the fathers, when they
came to the
house of the LORD
which is at Jerusalem, offered freely
for
the house of God to set it up
in his place:
002:069 They gave after their ability unto the treasure
of the work
threescore and one
thousand drams of gold, and five
thousand
pound of silver, and one
hundred priests' garments.
002:070 So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the
people, and
the singers, and the
porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt
in
their cities, and all Israel in
their cities.
003:001 And when the seventh month was come, and the
children of
Israel were in the
cities, the people gathered
themselves
together as one man to
Jerusalem.
003:002 Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his
brethren the
priests, and
Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and
his
brethren, and builded the
altar of the God of Israel, to
offer
burnt offerings thereon, as
it is written in the law of Moses
the man of God.
003:003 And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear
was upon them
because of the
people of those countries: and they
offered
burnt offerings thereon
unto the LORD, even burnt
offerings
morning and evening.
003:004 They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is
written, and
offered the daily
burnt offerings by number, according to
the
custom, as the duty of every
day required;
003:005 And afterward offered the continual burnt
offering, both of
the new moons,
and of all the set feasts of the LORD that
were
consecrated, and of every one
that willingly offered a
freewill
offering unto the LORD.
003:006 From the first day of the seventh month began
they to offer
burnt offerings unto
the LORD. But the foundation of
the
temple of the LORD was not yet
laid.
003:007 They gave money also unto the masons, and to the
carpenters;
and meat, and drink,
and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to
them
of Tyre, to bring cedar trees
from Lebanon to the sea of
Joppa,
according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king
of
Persia.
003:008 Now in the second year of their coming unto the
house of God
at Jerusalem, in the
second month, began Zerubbabel the son
of
Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son
of Jozadak, and the remnant of
their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they
that
were come out of the
captivity unto Jerusalem; and
appointed
the Levites, from twenty
years old and upward, to set
forward
the work of the house of
the LORD.
003:009 Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren,
Kadmiel and
his sons, the sons of
Judah, together, to set forward
the
workmen in the house of God:
the sons of Henadad, with their
sons and their brethren the Levites.
003:010 And when the builders laid the foundation of the
temple of the
LORD, they set the
priests in their apparel with trumpets,
and
the Levites the sons of Asaph
with cymbals, to praise the
LORD,
after the ordinance of David king of Israel.
003:011 And they sang together by course in praising and
giving thanks
unto the LORD;
because he is good, for his mercy endureth
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.
003:012 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of
the fathers,
who were ancient men,
that had seen the first house, when
the
foundation of this house was
laid before their eyes, wept with
a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:
003:013 So that the people could not discern the noise of
the shout of
joy from the noise of
the weeping of the people: for the
people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard
afar
off.
004:001 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin
heard that the
children of the
captivity builded the temple unto the LORD
God
of Israel;
004:002 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of
the fathers,
and said unto them,
Let us build with you: for we seek
your
God, as ye do; and we do
sacrifice unto him since the days
of
Esarhaddon king of Assur, which
brought us up hither.
004:003 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the
chief of the
fathers of Israel,
said unto them, Ye have nothing to do
with
us to build an house unto our
God; but we ourselves together
will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the
king
of Persia hath commanded
us.
004:004 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of
the people
of Judah, and troubled
them in building,
004:005 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.
004:006 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning
of his reign,
wrote they unto him
an accusation against the inhabitants
of
Judah and Jerusalem.
004:007 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam,
Mithredath,
Tabeel, and the rest
of their companions, unto Artaxerxes
king
of Persia; and the writing of
the letter was written in the
Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.
004:008 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe
wrote a letter
against Jerusalem
to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
004:009 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the
scribe, and
the rest of their
companions; the Dinaites, the
Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites,
the
Archevites, the Babylonians,
the Susanchites, the Dehavites,
and the Elamites,
004:010 And the rest of the nations whom the great and
noble Asnapper
brought over, and
set in the cities of Samaria, and the
rest
that are on this side the
river, and at such a time.
004:011 This is the copy of the letter that they sent
unto him, even
unto Artaxerxes the
king; Thy servants the men on this
side
the river, and at such a
time.
004:012 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which
came up from
thee to us are come
unto Jerusalem, building the
rebellious
and the bad city, and
have set up the walls thereof, and
joined the foundations.
004:013 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city
be builded,
and the walls set up
again, then will they not pay
toll,
tribute, and custom, and so
thou shalt endamage the revenue of
the kings.
004:014 Now because we have maintenance from the king's
palace, and it
was not meet for us
to see the king's dishonour,
therefore
have we sent and
certified the king;
004:015 That 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 destroyed.
004:016 We certify the king that, if this city be builded
again, and
the walls thereof set
up, by this means thou shalt have
no
portion on this side the
river.
004:017 Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the
chancellor, 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 at such a time.
004:018 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been
plainly read before
me.
004:019 And I commanded, 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.
004:020 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem,
which have
ruled over all
countries beyond the river; and toll,
tribute,
and custom, was paid unto
them.
004:021 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to
cease, and that
this city be not
builded, until another commandment shall
be
given from me.
004:022 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why
should damage
grow to the hurt of
the kings?
004:023 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was
read before
Rehum, and Shimshai
the scribe, and their companions,
they
went up in haste to Jerusalem
unto the Jews, and made them to
cease by force and power.
004:024 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is
at
Jerusalem. So it ceased unto
the second year of the reign of
Darius king of Persia.
005:001 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and
Zechariah the son
of Iddo,
prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah
and
Jerusalem in the name of the
God of Israel, even unto them.
005:002 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and
Jeshua the
son of Jozadak, and
began to build the house of God which
is
at Jerusalem: and with them
were the prophets of God helping
them.
005:003 At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on
this side
the river, and
Shetharboznai and their companions, and
said
thus unto them, Who hath
commanded you to build this house,
and to make up this wall?
005:004 Then said we unto them after this manner, What
are the names
of the men that make
this building?
005:005 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of
the Jews, that
they could not
cause them to cease, till the matter came
to
Darius: and then they returned
answer by letter concerning
this
matter.
005:006 The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on
this side the
river, and
Shetharboznai and his companions the
Apharsachites,
which were on this
side the river, sent unto Darius the king:
005:007 They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written
thus; Unto
Darius the king, all
peace.
005:008 Be it known unto the king, that we went into the
province of
Judea, to the house of
the great God, which is builded
with
great stones, and timber is
laid in the walls, and this work
goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.
005:009 Then asked we those elders, and said unto them
thus, Who
commanded you to build
this house, and to make up these walls?
005:010 We asked their names also, to certify thee, that
we might
write the names of the
men that were the chief of them.
005:011 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are
the servants
of the God of heaven
and earth, and build the house that
was
builded these many years ago,
which a great king of Israel
builded and set up.
005:012 But after that our fathers had provoked the God
of heaven unto
wrath, he gave them
into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the
king
of Babylon, the Chaldean, who
destroyed this house, and
carried
the people away into Babylon.
005:013 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of
Babylon the same
king Cyrus made a
decree to build this house of God.
005:014 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the
house of God,
which Nebuchadnezzar
took out of the temple that was in
Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon,
those
did Cyrus the king take out
of the temple of Babylon, and they
were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom
he
had made governor;
005:015 And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry
them into the
temple that is in
Jerusalem, and let the house of God
be
builded in his place.
005:016 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the
foundation of the
house of God
which is in Jerusalem: and since that time
even
until now hath it been in
building, and yet it is not
finished.
005:017 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let
there be
search made in the king's
treasure house, which is there at
Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus
the
king to build this house of
God at Jerusalem, and let the king
send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.
006:001 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search
was made in the
house of the
rolls, where the treasures were laid up
in
Babylon.
006:002 And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace
that is in the
province of the
Medes, a roll, and therein was a record
thus
written:
006:003 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same
Cyrus the king
made a decree
concerning the house of God at Jerusalem,
Let
the house be builded, the
place where they offered
sacrifices,
and let the
foundations thereof be strongly laid; the
height
thereof threescore cubits,
and the breadth thereof threescore
cubits;
006:004 With three rows of great stones, and a row of new
timber: and
let the expenses be
given out of the king's house:
006:005 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the
house of
God, which Nebuchadnezzar
took forth out of the temple which
is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored,
and
brought again unto the temple
which is at Jerusalem, every one
to his place, and place them in the house of God.
006:006 Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the
river,
Shetharboznai, and your
companions the Apharsachites,
which
are beyond the river, be ye
far from thence:
006:007 Let the work of this house of God alone; let the
governor of
the Jews and the
elders of the Jews build this house of God
in
his place.
006:008 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the
elders of
these Jews for the
building of this house of God: that of
the
king's goods, even of the
tribute beyond the river,
forthwith
expenses be given unto
these men, that they be not hindered.
006:009 And that which they have need of, both young
bullocks, and
rams, and lambs, for
the burnt offerings of the God of
heaven,
wheat, salt, wine, and
oil, according to the appointment
of
the priests which are at
Jerusalem, let it be given them
day
by day without fail:
006:010 That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours
unto the God
of heaven, and pray
for the life of the king, and of his sons.
006:011 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall
alter this
word, let timber be
pulled down from his house, and being
set
up, let him be hanged thereon;
and let his house be made a
dunghill for this.
006:012 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell
there destroy
all kings and
people, that shall put to their hand to
alter
and to destroy this house of
God which is at Jerusalem. I
Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.
006:013 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river,
Shetharboznai,
and their
companions, according to that which Darius the
king
had sent, so they did
speedily.
006:014 And the elders of the Jews builded, 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 Artaxerxes king of
Persia.
006:015 And this house was finished on the third day of
the month
Adar, which was in the
sixth year of the reign of Darius
the
king.
006:016 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the
Levites, and
the rest of the
children of the captivity, kept the
dedication
of this house of God
with joy.
006:017 And offered at the dedication of this house of
God an hundred
bullocks, two
hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a
sin
offering for all Israel,
twelve he goats, according to the
number of the tribes of Israel.
006:018 And they set the priests in their divisions, and
the Levites
in their courses, for
the service of God, which is at
Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.
006:019 And the children of the captivity kept the
passover upon the
fourteenth day
of the first month.
006:020 For the priests and the Levites were purified
together, all of
them were pure,
and killed the passover for all the
children
of the captivity, and for
their brethren the priests, and
for
themselves.
006:021 And the children of Israel, which were come again
out of
captivity, and all such as
had separated themselves unto them
from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek
the
LORD God of Israel, did
eat,
006:022 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days
with joy:
for the LORD had made
them joyful, and turned the heart of
the
king of Assyria unto them, to
strengthen their hands in the
work
of the house of God, the God of Israel.
007:001 Now after these things, in the reign of
Artaxerxes king of
Persia, Ezra
the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the
son
of Hilkiah,
007:002 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
007:003 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
007:004 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
007:005 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son
of Eleazar,
the son of Aaron the
chief priest:
007:006 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a
ready scribe in
the law of Moses,
which the LORD God of Israel had given:
and
the king granted him all his
request, according to the hand of
the LORD his God upon him.
007:007 And there went up some of the children of Israel,
and of the
priests, and the
Levites, and the singers, and the
porters,
and the Nethinims, unto
Jerusalem, in the seventh year of
Artaxerxes the king.
007:008 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month,
which was in the
seventh year of
the king.
007:009 For upon the first day of the first month began
he to go up
from Babylon, and on
the first day of the fifth month came
he
to Jerusalem, according to the
good hand of his God upon him.
007:010 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law
of the LORD,
and to do it, and to
teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
007:011 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king
Artaxerxes
gave unto Ezra the
priest, the scribe, even a scribe of
the
words of the commandments of
the LORD, and of his statutes to
Israel.
007:012 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest,
a scribe of
the law of the God of
heaven, perfect peace, and at such
a
time.
007:013 I make a decree, that all they of the people of
Israel, and of
his priests and
Levites, in my realm, which are minded
of
their own freewill to go up to
Jerusalem, go with thee.
007:014 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of
his seven
counsellors, to enquire
concerning Judah and Jerusalem,
according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;
007:015 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king
and his
counsellors have freely
offered unto the God of Israel,
whose
habitation is in
Jerusalem,
007:016 And all the silver and gold that thou canst find
in all the
province of Babylon,
with the freewill offering of the
people,
and of the priests,
offering willingly for the house of
their
God which is in
Jerusalem:
007:017 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money
bullocks, rams,
lambs, with their
meat offerings and their drink
offerings,
and offer them upon the
altar of the house of your God
which
is in Jerusalem.
007:018 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to
thy brethren,
to do with the rest
of the silver and the gold, that do
after
the will of your God.
007:019 The vessels also that are given thee for the
service of the
house of thy God,
those deliver thou before the God
of
Jerusalem.
007:020 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the
house of thy God,
which thou shalt
have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of
the
king's treasure house.
007:021 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a
decree to all the
treasurers which
are beyond the river, that whatsoever
Ezra
the priest, the scribe of the
law of the God of heaven, shall
require of you, it be done speedily,
007:022 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an
hundred measures
of wheat, and to
an hundred baths of wine, and to an
hundred
baths of oil, and salt
without prescribing how much.
007:023 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let
it be
diligently done for the
house of the God of heaven: for
why
should there be wrath against
the realm of the king and his
sons?
007:024 Also we certify you, that touching any of the
priests and
Levites, singers,
porters, Nethinims, or ministers of
this
house of God, it shall not be
lawful to impose toll, tribute,
or
custom, upon them.
007:025 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that
is in thine
hand, set magistrates
and judges, which may judge all
the
people that are beyond the
river, all such as know the laws
of
thy God; and teach ye them that
know them not.
007:026 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and
the law of
the king, let judgment
be executed speedily upon him,
whether
it be unto death, or to
banishment, or to confiscation of
goods, or to imprisonment.
007:027 Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which
hath put such a
thing as this in
the king's heart, to beautify the house
of
the LORD which is in
Jerusalem:
007:028 And hath extended mercy unto me before the king,
and his
counsellors, and before
all the king's mighty princes. And
I
was strengthened as the hand of
the LORD my God was upon me,
and I
gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up
with
me.
008:001 These are now the chief of their fathers, and
this is the
genealogy of them that
went up with me from Babylon, in
the
reign of Artaxerxes the
king.
008:002 Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of
Ithamar;
Daniel: of the sons of
David; Hattush.
008:003 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of
Pharosh; Zechariah:
and with him
were reckoned by genealogy of the males
an
hundred and fifty.
008:004 Of the sons of Pahathmoab; Elihoenai the son of
Zerahiah, and
with him two hundred
males.
008:005 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel,
and with him
three hundred
males.
008:006 Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of
Jonathan, and with
him fifty
males.
008:007 And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of
Athaliah, and
with him seventy
males.
008:008 And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son
of Michael,
and with him fourscore
males.
008:009 Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel,
and with him
two hundred and
eighteen males.
008:010 And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of
Josiphiah, and with
him an hundred
and threescore males.
008:011 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of
Bebai, and with
him twenty and
eight males.
008:012 And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of
Hakkatan, and
with him an hundred
and ten males.
008:013 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are
these,
Eliphelet, Jeiel, and
Shemaiah, and with them threescore
males.
008:014 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud,
and with them
seventy males.
008:015 And I gathered them together to the river that
runneth to
Ahava; and there abode
we in tents three days: and I
viewed
the people, and the
priests, and found there none of the
sons
of Levi.
008:016 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah,
and for
Elnathan, and for Jarib,
and for Elnathan, and for Nathan,
and
for Zechariah, and for
Meshullam, chief men; also for
Joiarib,
and for Elnathan, men of
understanding.
008:017 And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the
chief at the
place Casiphia, and I
told them what they should say
unto
Iddo, and to his brethren the
Nethinims, at the place
Casiphia,
that they should bring unto us ministers for
the
house of our God.
008:018 And by the good hand of our God upon us they
brought us a man
of understanding,
of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi,
the
son of Israel; and Sherebiah,
with his sons and his brethren,
eighteen;
008:019 And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons
of Merari,
his brethren and their
sons, twenty;
008:020 Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes
had
appointed for the service of
the Levites, two hundred and
twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name.
008:021 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of
Ahava, that we
might afflict
ourselves before our God, to seek of him a
right
way for us, and for our
little ones, and for all our
substance.
008:022 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band
of soldiers
and horsemen to help
us against the enemy in the way:
because
we had spoken unto the
king, saying, The hand of our God
is
upon all them for good that
seek him; but his power and his
wrath is against all them that forsake him.
008:023 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and
he was
intreated of us.
008:024 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the
priests,
Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and
ten of their brethren with them,
008:025 And weighed unto them the silver, and the gold,
and the
vessels, even the offering
of the house of our God, which the
king, and his counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel
there
present, had offered:
008:026 I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and
fifty talents
of silver, and
silver vessels an hundred talents, and of
gold
an hundred talents;
008:027 Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams;
and two
vessels of fine copper,
precious as gold.
008:028 And I said unto them, Ye are holy unto the LORD;
the vessels
are holy also; and the
silver and the gold are a freewill
offering unto the LORD God of your fathers.
008:029 Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them
before the chief
of the priests
and the Levites, and chief of the fathers
of
Israel, at Jerusalem, in the
chambers of the house of the
LORD.
008:030 So took the priests and the Levites the weight of
the silver,
and the gold, and the
vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem
unto
the house of our God.
008:031 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the
twelfth day of
the first month, to
go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our
God
was upon us, and he delivered
us from the hand of the enemy,
and
of such as lay in wait by the way.
008:032 And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.
008:033 Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold
and the
vessels weighed in the
house of our God by the hand of
Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was
Eleazar
the son of Phinehas; and
with them was Jozabad the son of
Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites;
008:034 By number and by weight of every one: and all the
weight was
written at that
time.
008:035 Also the children of those that had been carried
away, which
were come out of the
captivity, offered burnt offerings
unto
the God of Israel, twelve
bullocks for all Israel, ninety
and
six rams, seventy and seven
lambs, twelve he goats for a sin
offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the LORD.
008:036 And they delivered the king's commissions unto
the king's
lieutenants, and to the
governors on this side the river:
and
they furthered the people, and
the house of God.
009:001 Now when these things were done, the princes came
to me,
saying, The people of
Israel, and the priests, and the
Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of
the
lands, doing according to
their abominations, even of the
Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites,
the
Ammonites, the Moabites, the
Egyptians, and the Amorites.
009:002 For they have taken of their daughters for
themselves, and for
their sons: so
that the holy seed have mingled themselves
with
the people of those lands:
yea, the hand of the princes and
rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
009:003 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment
and my mantle,
and plucked off the
hair of my head and of my beard, and
sat
down astonied.
009:004 Then were assembled unto me every one that
trembled at the
words of the God
of Israel, because of the transgression
of
those that had been carried
away; and I sat astonied until the
evening sacrifice.
009:005 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my
heaviness; and
having rent my
garment and my mantle, I fell upon my
knees,
and spread out my hands
unto the LORD my God,
009:006 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to
lift up my face
to thee, my God:
for our iniquities are increased over
our
head, and our trespass is
grown up unto the heavens.
009:007 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a
great trespass
unto this day; and
for our iniquities have we, our kings,
and
our priests, been delivered
into the hand of the kings of the
lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and
to
confusion of face, as it is
this day.
009:008 And now for a little space grace hath been shewed
from the
LORD our God, to leave us
a remnant to escape, and to give
us
a nail in his holy place, that
our God may lighten our eyes,
and
give us a little reviving in our bondage.
009:009 For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not
forsaken us in our
bondage, but
hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of
the
kings of Persia, to give us a
reviving, to set up the house of
our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give
us
a wall in Judah and in
Jerusalem.
009:010 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this?
for we have
forsaken thy
commandments,
009:011 Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the
prophets,
saying, The land, unto
which ye go to possess it, is an
unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the
lands,
with their abominations,
which have filled it from one end
to
another with their
uncleanness.
009:012 Now therefore give not your daughters unto their
sons, neither
take their daughters
unto your sons, nor seek their peace
or
their wealth for ever: that ye
may be strong, and eat the good
of
the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your
children
for ever.
009:013 And after all that is come upon us for our evil
deeds, and for
our great trespass,
seeing that thou our God hast punished
us
less than our iniquities
deserve, and hast given us such
deliverance as this;
009:014 Should we again break thy commandments, and join
in affinity
with the people of
these abominations? wouldest not thou
be
angry with us till thou hadst
consumed us, so that there
should
be no remnant nor escaping?
009:015 O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we
remain yet
escaped, as it is this
day: behold, we are before thee in
our
trespasses: for we cannot
stand before thee because of this.
010:001 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had
confessed, weeping
and casting
himself down before the house of God,
there
assembled unto him out of
Israel a very great congregation
of
men and women and children: for
the people wept very sore.
010:002 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons
of Elam,
answered and said unto
Ezra, We have trespassed against
our
God, and have taken strange
wives of the people of the land:
yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
010:003 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God
to put away
all the wives, and
such as are born of them, according to
the
counsel of my lord, and of
those that tremble at the
commandment of our God; and let it be done according to
the
law.
010:004 Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we
also will be
with thee: be of good
courage, and do it.
010:005 Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the
Levites, and
all Israel, to swear
that they should do according to
this
word. And they sware.
010:006 Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God,
and went into
the chamber of
Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he
came
thither, he did eat no bread,
nor drink water: for he mourned
because of the transgression of them that had been
carried
away.
010:007 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and
Jerusalem unto
all the children of
the captivity, that they should
gather
themselves together unto
Jerusalem;
010:008 And that whosoever would not come within three
days, according
to the counsel of
the princes and the elders, all
his
substance should be forfeited,
and himself separated from the
congregation of those that had been carried away.
010:009 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered
themselves
together unto Jerusalem
within three days. It was the
ninth
month, on the twentieth day
of the month; and all the people
sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because
of
this matter, and for the great
rain.
010:010 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them,
Ye have
transgressed, and have
taken strange wives, to increase
the
trespass of Israel.
010:011 Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God
of your
fathers, and do his
pleasure: and separate yourselves from
the
people of the land, and from
the strange wives.
010:012 Then all the congregation answered and said with
a loud voice,
As thou hast said,
so must we do.
010:013 But the people are many, and it is a time of much
rain, and we
are not able to stand
without, neither is this a work of
one
day or two: for we are many
that have transgressed in this
thing.
010:014 Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand,
and let all
them which have taken
strange wives in our cities come
at
appointed times, and with them
the elders of every city, and
the
judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for
this
matter be turned from us.
010:015 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the
son of Tikvah
were employed about
this matter: and Meshullam and
Shabbethai
the Levite helped
them.
010:016 And the children of the captivity did so. And
Ezra the priest,
with certain
chief of the fathers, after the house of
their
fathers, and all of them by
their names, were separated, and
sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine
the
matter.
010:017 And they made an end with all the men that had
taken strange
wives by the first
day of the first month.
010:018 And among the sons of the priests there were
found that had
taken strange
wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son
of
Jozadak, and his brethren;
Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib,
and Gedaliah.
010:019 And they gave their hands that they would put
away their
wives; and being
guilty, they offered a ram of the flock
for
their trespass.
010:020 And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah.
010:021 And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah,
and Shemaiah,
and Jehiel, and
Uzziah.
010:022 And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah,
Ishmael,
Nethaneel, Jozabad, and
Elasah.
010:023 Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and
Kelaiah, (the
same is Kelita,)
Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
010:024 Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the
porters; Shallum,
and Telem, and
Uri.
010:025 Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh;
Ramiah, and Jeziah,
and Malchiah,
and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah,
and
Benaiah.
010:026 And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah,
and Jehiel, and
Abdi, and
Jeremoth, and Eliah.
010:027 And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib,
Mattaniah, and
Jeremoth, and
Zabad, and Aziza.
010:028 Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah,
Zabbai, and
Athlai.
010:029 And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and
Adaiah,
Jashub, and Sheal, and
Ramoth.
010:030 And of the sons of Pahathmoab; Adna, and Chelal,
Benaiah,
Maaseiah, Mattaniah,
Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.
010:031 And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah,
Malchiah,
Shemaiah, Shimeon,
010:032 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
010:033 Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah,
Zabad, Eliphelet,
Jeremai,
Manasseh, and Shimei.
010:034 Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel,
010:035 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,
010:036 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
010:037 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,
010:038 And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,
010:039 And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,
010:040 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
010:041 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
010:042 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
010:043 Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad,
Zebina, Jadau,
and Joel,
Benaiah.
010:044 All these had taken strange wives: and some of
them had wives
by whom they had
children.