`Ezra

^1:1Now in the first year of Koresh king of Paras, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Yirmeyahu might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Koresh king of Paras, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, ^1:2Thus says Koresh king of Paras, All the kingdoms of the earth has the LORD, the God of heaven, given me; and he has charged me to build him a house in Yerushalayim, which is in Yehudah. ^1:3Whoever there is among you of all his people, his God be with him, and let him go up to Yerushalayim, which is in Yehudah, and build the house of the LORD, the God of Yisra'el (he is God), which is in Yerushalayim. ^1:4Whoever is left, in any place where he sojourns, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with animals, besides the freewill-offering for the house of God which is in Yerushalayim. ^1:5Then rose up the heads of fathers' houses of Yehudah and Binyamin, and the kohanim, and the Levi'im, even all whose spirit God had stirred to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Yerushalayim. ^1:6All those who were round about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with animals, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered. ^1:7Also Koresh the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nevukhadnetzar had brought forth out of Yerushalayim, and had put in the house of his gods; ^1:8even those did Koresh king of Paras bring forth by the hand of Mitredat the treasurer, and numbered them to Sheshbatzer, the prince of Yehudah. ^1:9This is the number of them: thirty platters of gold, one thousand platters of silver, twenty-nine knives, ^1:10thirty bowls of gold, silver bowls of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels one thousand. ^1:11All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbatzer bring up, when they of the captivity were brought up from Bavel to Yerushalayim.

^2:1Now these are the children of the province, who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nevukhadnetzar the king of Bavel had carried away to Bavel, and who returned to Yerushalayim and Yehudah, everyone to his city; ^2:2who came with Zerubbavel, Yeshua, Nechemyah, Serayah, Re`elayah, Mordekhai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rechum, Ba`anah. The number of the men of the people of Yisra'el: ^2:3The children of Par`osh, two thousand one hundred seventy-two. ^2:4The children of Shefatyah, three hundred seventy-two. ^2:5The children of Arach, seven hundred seventy-five. ^2:6The children of Pachat-Mo'av, of the children of Yeshua and Yo'av, two thousand eight hundred twelve. ^2:7The children of `Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four. ^2:8The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty-five. ^2:9The children of Zakkai, seven hundred sixty. ^2:10The children of Bani, six hundred forty-two. ^2:11The children of Bevai, six hundred twenty-three. ^2:12The children of Azgad, one thousand two hundred twenty-two. ^2:13The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty-six. ^2:14The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty-six. ^2:15The children of `Adin, four hundred fifty-four. ^2:16The children of Ater, of Chizkiyahu, ninety-eight. ^2:17The children of Betzai, three hundred twenty-three. ^2:18The children of Yorah, one hundred twelve. ^2:19The children of Chashum, two hundred Twenty-three. ^2:20The children of Gibbar, ninety-five. ^2:21The children of Beit-Lechem, one hundred twenty-three. ^2:22The men of Netofah, fifty-six. ^2:23The men of `Anatot, one hundred twenty-eight. ^2:24The children of `Azmavet, forty-two. ^2:25The children of Kiryat-Arim, Kefirah, and Be'erot, seven hundred forty-three. ^2:26The children of Ramah and Geva, six hundred twenty-one. ^2:27The men of Mikhmas, one hundred twenty-two. ^2:28The men of Beit-El and `Ai, two hundred twenty-three. ^2:29The children of Nevo, fifty-two. ^2:30The children of Magbish, one hundred fifty-six. ^2:31The children of the other `Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four. ^2:32The children of Charim, three hundred twenty. ^2:33The children of Lod, Chadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty-five. ^2:34The children of Yericho, three hundred forty-five. ^2:35The children of Sena'ah, three thousand six hundred thirty. ^2:36The kohanim: the children of Yedayah, of the house of Yeshua, nine hundred seventy-three. ^2:37The children of Immer, one thousand fifty-two. ^2:38The children of Pashchur, one thousand two hundred forty-seven. ^2:39The children of Charim, one thousand seventeen. ^2:40The Levi'im: the children of Yeshua and Kadmi'el, of the children of Hodavyah, seventy-four. ^2:41The singers: the children of Asaf, one hundred twenty-eight. ^2:42The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of `Akkuv, the children of Chatita, the children of Shovai, in all one hundred thirty-nine. ^2:43The temple servants: the children of Tzicha, the children of Chasufa, the children of Tabba`ot, ^2:44the children of Keros, the children of Si`aha, the children of Padon, ^2:45the children of Levanah, the children of Chagava, the children of `Akkuv, ^2:46the children of Chagav, the children of Salmai, the children of Chanan, ^2:47the children of Giddel, the children of Gachar, the children of Re'ayah, ^2:48the children of Retzin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam, ^2:49the children of Uzza, the children of Pase'ach, the children of Besai, ^2:50the children of Asnah, the children of Me`unim, the children of Nefusim, ^2:51the children of Bakbuk, the children of Chakufa, the children of Charchur, ^2:52the children of Batzlut, the children of Mechida, the children of Charsha, ^2:53the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temach, ^2:54the children of Netzi'ach, the children of Chatifa. ^2:55The children of Shlomo's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Soferet, the children of Peruda, ^2:56the children of Ya`alah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, ^2:57the children of Shefatyah, the children of Chattil, the children of Pokheret-Hatzevayim, the children of Ami. ^2:58All the temple servants, and the children of Shlomo's servants, were three hundred ninety-two. ^2:59These were those who went up from Tel-melah, Tel-Charsha, Keruv, Addan, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers' houses, and their seed, whether they were of Yisra'el: ^2:60the children of Delayah, the children of Toviyah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty-two. ^2:61Of the children of the kohanim: the children of Chavayah, the children of Hakkotz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gil`adite, and was called after their name. ^2:62These sought their register among those who were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they deemed polluted and put from the priesthood. ^2:63The governor said to them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, until there stood up a kohen with Urim and with Tummim. ^2:64The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty, ^2:65besides their men-servants and their maid-servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven: and they had two hundred singing men and singing women. ^2:66Their horses were seven hundred thirty-six; their mules, two hundred forty-five; ^2:67their camels, four hundred thirty-five; their donkeys, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. ^2:68Some of the heads of fathers' houses, when they came to the house of the LORD which is in Yerushalayim, offered willingly for the house of God to set it up in its place: ^2:69they gave after their ability into the treasury of the work sixty-one thousand darics of gold, and five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred kohanim' garments. ^2:70So the kohanim, and the Levi'im, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the temple servants, lived in their cities, and all Yisra'el in their cities.

^3:1When the seventh month was come, and the children of Yisra'el were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Yerushalayim. ^3:2Then stood up Yeshua the son of Yotzadak, and his brothers the kohanim, and Zerubbavel the son of She'alti'el, and his brothers, and built the altar of the God of Yisra'el, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the Torah of Moshe the man of God. ^3:3They set the altar on its base; for fear was on them because of the peoples of the countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon to the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening. ^3:4They kept the feast of booths, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required; ^3:5and afterward the continual burnt-offering, and the offerings of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of everyone who willingly offered a freewill-offering to the LORD. ^3:6From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings to the LORD: but the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid. ^3:7They gave money also to the masons, and to the carpenters; and food, and drink, and oil, to them of Tzidon, and to them of Tzor, to bring cedar trees from Levanon to the sea, to Yafo, according to the grant that they had of Koresh king of Paras. ^3:8Now in the second year of their coming to the house of God at Yerushalayim, in the second month, began Zerubbavel the son of She'alti'el, and Yeshua the son of Yotzadak, and the rest of their brothers the kohanim and the Levi'im, and all those who were come out of the captivity to Yerushalayim, and appointed the Levi'im, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the house of the LORD. ^3:9Then stood Yeshua with his sons and his brothers, Kadmi'el and his sons, the sons of Yehudah, together, to have the oversight of the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Chenadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levi'im. ^3:10When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the kohanim in their clothing with trumpets, and the Levi'im the sons of Asaf with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the order of David king of Yisra'el. ^3:11They sang one to another in praising and giving thanks to the LORD, saying, For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever toward Yisra'el. All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. ^3:12But many of the kohanim and Levi'im and heads of fathers' houses, the old men who 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: ^3:13so 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.

^4:1Now when the adversaries of Yehudah and Binyamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to the LORD, the God of Yisra'el; ^4:2then they drew near to Zerubbavel, and to the heads of fathers' houses, and said to them, Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as you do; and we sacrifice to him since the days of Esar-Chaddon king of Ashur, who brought us up here. ^4:3But Zerubbavel, and Yeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses of Yisra'el, said to them, You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, as king Koresh the king of Paras has commanded us. ^4:4Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Yehudah, and troubled them in building, ^4:5and hired counselors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Koresh king of Paras, even until the reign of Daryavesh king of Paras. ^4:6In the reign of Achashverosh, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Yehudah and Yerushalayim. ^4:7In the days of Artachshasta wrote Bishlam, Mitredat, Tav'el, and the rest of his companions, to Artachshasta king of Paras; and the writing of the letter was written in the Arammian character, and set forth in the Arammian language. ^4:8Rechum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Yerushalayim to Artachshasta the king in this sort: ^4:9then wrote Rechum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinites, and the Afarsatkhi, the Tarpelites, the Afarsi, the Arkevi, the Bavlites, the Shushankhites, the Dehites, the Elamites, ^4:10and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the city of Shomron, and in the rest of the country beyond the River, and so forth. ^4:11This is the copy of the letter that they sent to Artachshasta the king: Your servants the men beyond the River, and so forth. ^4:12Be it known to the king, that the Yehudim who came up from you are come to us to Yerushalayim; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and have finished the walls, and repaired the foundations. ^4:13Be it known now to the king that if this city is built, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings. ^4:14Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not appropriate for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and informed the king; ^4:15that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers: 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 they have moved sedition within the same of old time; for which cause was this city laid waste. ^4:16We inform the king that, if this city be built, and the walls finished, by this means you shall have no portion beyond the River. ^4:17Then sent the king an answer to Rechum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who dwell in Shomron, and in the rest of the country beyond the River: Shalom, and so forth. ^4:18The letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me. ^4:19I decreed, and search has been made, and it is found that this city of old time has made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. ^4:20There have been mighty kings also over Yerushalayim, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them. ^4:21Make you now a decree to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built, until a decree shall be made by me. ^4:22Take heed that you not be slack herein: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings? ^4:23Then when the copy of king Artachshasta' letter was read before Rechum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Yerushalayim to the Yehudim, and made them to cease by force and power. ^4:24Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Yerushalayim; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Daryavesh king of Paras.

^5:1Now the prophets, Chaggai the prophet, and Zekharyah the son of `Iddo, prophesied to the Yehudim who were in Yehudah and Yerushalayim; in the name of the God of Yisra'el prophesied they to them. ^5:2Then rose up Zerubbavel the son of She'alti'el, and Yeshua the son of Yotzadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Yerushalayim; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them. ^5:3At the same time came to them Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetar-Bozenai, and their companions, and said thus to them, Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall? ^5:4Then we told them after this manner, what the names of the men were who were making this building. ^5:5But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Yehudim, and they did not make them cease, until the matter should come to Daryavesh, and then answer should be returned by letter concerning it. ^5:6The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetar-Bozenai, and his companions the Afarsekhi, who were beyond the River, sent to Daryavesh the king; ^5:7they sent a letter to him, in which was written thus: To Daryavesh the king, all shalom. ^5:8Be it known to the king, that we went into the province of Yehudah, to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls; and this work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands. ^5:9Then asked we those elders, and said to them thus, Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall? ^5:10We asked them their names also, to inform you that we might write the names of the men who were at the head of them. ^5:11Thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are building the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Yisra'el built and finished. ^5:12But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nevukhadnetzar king of Bavel, the Kasdai, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Bavel. ^5:13But in the first year of Koresh king of Bavel, Koresh the king made a decree to build this house of God. ^5:14The gold and silver vessels also of the house of God, which Nevukhadnetzar took out of the temple that was in Yerushalayim, and brought into the temple of Bavel, those did Koresh the king take out of the temple of Bavel, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbatzer, whom he had made governor; ^5:15and he said to him, Take these vessels, go, put them in the temple that is in Yerushalayim, and let the house of God be built in its place. ^5:16Then came the same Sheshbatzer, and laid the foundations of the house of God which is in Yerushalayim: and since that time even until now has it been in building, and yet it is not completed. ^5:17Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure-house, which is there at Bavel, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Koresh the king to build this house of God at Yerushalayim; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

^6:1Then Daryavesh the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up in Bavel. ^6:2There was found at Achmeta, in the palace that is in the province of Madai, a scroll, and therein was thus written for a record: ^6:3In the first year of Koresh the king, Koresh the king made a decree: Concerning the house of God at Yerushalayim, let the house be built, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let the foundations of it be strongly laid; the height of it sixty cubits, and the breadth of it sixty cubits; ^6:4with three courses of great stones, and a course of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house. ^6:5Also let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nevukhadnetzar took forth out of the temple which is at Yerushalayim, and brought to Bavel, be restored, and brought again to the temple which is at Yerushalayim, everyone to its place; and you shall put them in the house of God. ^6:6Now therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the River, Shetar-Bozenai, and your companions the Afarsekhi, who are beyond the River, be you far from there: ^6:7let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Yehudim and the elders of the Yehudim build this house of God in its place. ^6:8Moreover I make a decree what you shall do to these elders of the Yehudim for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the River, expenses be given with all diligence to these men, that they be not hindered. ^6:9That which they have need of, both young bulls, and rams, and lambs, for burnt offerings to the God of heaven; also wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the kohanim who are at Yerushalayim, let it be given them day by day without fail; ^6:10that they may offer sacrifices of sweet savor to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons. ^6:11Also I have made a decree, that whoever shall alter this word, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this: ^6:12and the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples who shall put forth their hand to alter the same, to destroy this house of God which is at Yerushalayim. I Daryavesh have made a decree; let it be done with all diligence. ^6:13Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shetar-Bozenai, and their companions, because that Daryavesh the king had sent, did accordingly with all diligence. ^6:14The elders of the Yehudim built and prospered, through the prophesying of Chaggai the prophet and Zekharyah the son of `Iddo. They built and finished it, according to the mitzvah of the God of Yisra'el, and according to the decree of Koresh, and Daryavesh, and Artachshasta king of Paras. ^6:15This house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Daryavesh the king. ^6:16The children of Yisra'el, the kohanim, and the Levi'im, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy. ^6:17They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin-offering for all Yisra'el, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Yisra'el. ^6:18They set the kohanim in their divisions, and the Levi'im in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Yerushalayim; as it is written in the book of Moshe. ^6:19The children of the captivity kept the Pesach on the fourteenth day of the first month. ^6:20For the kohanim and the Levi'im had purified themselves together; all of them were pure: and they killed the Pesach for all the children of the captivity, and for their brothers the kohanim, and for themselves. ^6:21The children of Yisra'el who had come again out of the captivity, and all such as had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, ate, ^6:22and kept the feast of matzah seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Ashur to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Yisra'el.

^7:1Now after these things, in the reign of Artachshasta king of Paras, `Ezra the son of Serayah, the son of `Azaryah, the son of Chilkiyah, ^7:2the son of Shallum, the son of Tzadok, the son of Achituv, ^7:3the son of Amaryah, the son of `Azaryah, the son of Merayot, ^7:4the son of Zerachyah, the son of `Uzzi, the son of Bukki, ^7:5the son of Avishua, the son of Pinechas, the son of El`azar, the son of Aharon the chief kohen; ^7:6this `Ezra went up from Bavel: and he was a skilled scribe in the Torah of Moshe, which the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God on him. ^7:7There went up some of the children of Yisra'el, and of the kohanim, and the Levi'im, and the singers, and the porters, and the temple servants, to Yerushalayim, in the seventh year of Artachshasta the king. ^7:8He came to Yerushalayim in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. ^7:9For on the first day of the first month began he to go up from Bavel; and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Yerushalayim, according to the good hand of his God on him. ^7:10For `Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Yisra'el statutes and ordinances. ^7:11Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artachshasta gave to `Ezra the kohen, the Torah-teacher, learned in the words of the mitzvot of the LORD, and of his statutes to Yisra'el: ^7:12Artachshasta, king of kings, to `Ezra the kohen, the Torah-teacher of the law of the God of heaven, perfect and so forth. ^7:13I make a decree, that all those of the people of Yisra'el, and their kohanim and the Levi'im, in my realm, who are minded of their own free will to go to Yerushalayim, go with you. ^7:14Because you are sent of the king and his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Yehudah and Yerushalayim, according to the law of your God which is in your hand, ^7:15and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Yisra'el, whose habitation is in Yerushalayim, ^7:16and all the silver and gold that you shall find in all the province of Bavel, with the freewill-offering of the people, and of the kohanim, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Yerushalayim; ^7:17therefore you shall with all diligence buy with this money bulls, rams, lambs, with their meal-offerings and their drink-offerings, and shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Yerushalayim. ^7:18Whatever shall seem good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do you after the will of your God. ^7:19The vessels that are given you for the service of the house of your God, deliver you before the God of Yerushalayim. ^7:20Whatever more shall be needful for the house of your God, which you shall have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure-house. ^7:21I, even I Artachshasta the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever `Ezra the kohen, the Torah-teacher of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done with all diligence, ^7:22to one hundred talents of silver, and to one hundred measures of wheat, and to one hundred baths of wine, and to one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. ^7:23Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? ^7:24Also we inform you, that touching any of the kohanim and Levi'im, the singers, porters, temple servants, or servants of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll, on them. ^7:25You, `Ezra, after the wisdom of your God who is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges, who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God; and teach you him who doesn't know them. ^7:26Whoever will not do the law of your God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with all diligence, whether it be to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. ^7:27Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Yerushalayim; ^7:28and has extended loving kindness to me before the king, and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty princes. I was strengthened according to the hand of the LORD my God on me, and I gathered together out of Yisra'el chief men to go up with me.

^8:1Now these are the heads of their fathers' houses, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Bavel, in the reign of Artachshasta the king: ^8:2Of the sons of Pinechas, Gershom. Of the sons of Itamar, Daniyel. Of the sons of David, Chattush. ^8:3Of the sons of Shekhanyahu, of the sons of Par`osh, Zekharyah; and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males one hundred fifty. ^8:4Of the sons of Pachat-Mo'av, Elyeho`enai the son of Zerachyah; and with him two hundred males. ^8:5Of the sons of Shekhanyahu, the son of Yachazi'el; and with him three hundred males. ^8:6Of the sons of `Adin, `Eved the son of Yonatan; and with him fifty males. ^8:7Of the sons of `Elam, Yesha`yah the son of `Atalyah; and with him seventy males. ^8:8Of the sons of Shefatyah, Zevadyah the son of Mikha'el; and with him eighty males. ^8:9Of the sons of Yo'av, `Ovadyah the son of Yechi'el; and with him two hundred and eighteen males. ^8:10Of the sons of Shelomit, the son of Yosifyah; and with him one hundred sixty males. ^8:11Of the sons of Bevai, Zekharyah the son of Bevai; and with him twenty-eight males. ^8:12Of the sons of Azgad, Yochanan the son of Katan; and with him one hundred ten males. ^8:13Of the sons of Adonikam, who were the last; and these are their names: Elifelet, Ye`u'el, and Shemayah; and with them sixty males. ^8:14Of the sons of Bigvai, `Utai and Zakkur; and with them seventy males. ^8:15I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava; and there we encamped three days: and I viewed the people, and the kohanim, and found there none of the sons of Levi. ^8:16Then sent I for Eli`ezer, for Ari'el, for Shemayah, and for Elnatan, and for Yariv, and for Elnatan, and for Natan, and for Zekharyah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Yoiariv, and for Elnatan, who were teachers. ^8:17I sent them forth to `Iddo the chief at the place Kasifyah; and I told them what they should tell `Iddo, and his brothers the temple servants, at the place Kasifyah, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God. ^8:18According to the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Machli, the son of Levi, the son of Yisra'el; and Sherevyah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen; ^8:19and Chashavyah, and with him Yesha`yah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty; ^8:20and of the temple servants, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levi'im, two hundred and twenty temple servants: all of them were mentioned by name. ^8:21Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek of him a straight way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. ^8:22For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our God is on all those who seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all those who forsake him. ^8:23So we fasted and begged our God for this: and he was entreated of us. ^8:24Then I set apart twelve of the chiefs of the kohanim, even Sherevyah, Chashavyah, and ten of their brothers with them, ^8:25and weighed to them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, and his counselors, and his princes, and all Yisra'el there present, had offered: ^8:26I weighed into their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels one hundred talents; of gold one hundred talents; ^8:27and twenty bowls of gold, of one thousand darics; and two vessels of fine bright brass, precious as gold. ^8:28I said to them, You are holy to the LORD, and the vessels are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill-offering to the LORD, the God of your fathers. ^8:29Watch you, and keep them, until you weigh them before the chiefs of the kohanim and the Levi'im, and the princes of the fathers' houses of Yisra'el, at Yerushalayim, in the chambers of the house of the LORD. ^8:30So the kohanim and the Levi'im received the weight of the silver and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Yerushalayim to the house of our God. ^8:31Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Yerushalayim: and the hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the bandit by the way. ^8:32We came to Yerushalayim, and abode there three days. ^8:33On the fourth day the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed in the house of our God into the hand of Meremot the son of Uriyah the kohen; and with him was El`azar the son of Pinechas; and with them was Yozavad the son of Yeshua, and No`adyah the son of Binnui, the Levite; ^8:34the whole by number and by weight: and all the weight was written at that time. ^8:35The children of the captivity, who had come out of exile, offered burnt offerings to the God of Yisra'el, twelve bulls for all Yisra'el, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve male goats for a sin-offering: all this was a burnt offering to the LORD. ^8:36They delivered the king's commissions to the king's satraps, and to the governors beyond the River: and they furthered the people and the house of God.

^9:1Now when these things were done, the princes drew near to me, saying, The people of Yisra'el, and the kohanim and the Levi'im, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Kana`anim, the Chitti, the Perizzi, the Yevusi, the `Ammonim, the Mo`avim, the Egyptians, and the Amori. ^9:2For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have mixed themselves with the peoples of the lands: yes, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass. ^9:3When I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded. ^9:4Then were assembled to me everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Yisra'el, because of the trespass of them of the captivity; and I sat confounded until the evening offering. ^9:5At the evening offering I arose up from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn; and I fell on my knees, and spread out my hands to the LORD my God; ^9:6and I said, my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God; for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our guiltiness is grown up to the heavens. ^9:7Since the days of our fathers we have been exceeding guilty to this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our kohanim, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to plunder, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. ^9:8Now for a little moment grace has been shown 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. ^9:9For we are bondservants; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended loving kindness to us in the sight of the kings of Paras, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the ruins of it, and to give us a wall in Yehudah and in Yerushalayim. ^9:10Now, our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken your mitzvot, ^9:11which you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, The land, to which you go to possess it, is an unclean land through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their filthiness: ^9:12now therefore don't give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their shalom or their prosperity forever; that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever. ^9:13After all that is come on us for our evil deeds, and for our great guilt, seeing that you our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such a remnant, ^9:14shall we again break your mitzvot, and join in affinity with the peoples that do these abominations? would not you be angry with us until you had consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor any to escape? ^9:15LORD, the God of Yisra'el, you are righteous; for we are left a remnant that is escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before you in our guiltiness; for none can stand before you because of this.

^10:1Now while `Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there was gathered together to him out of Yisra'el a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very sore. ^10:2Shekhanyahu the son of Yechi'el, one of the sons of `Elam, answered `Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land: yet now there is hope for Yisra'el concerning this thing. ^10:3Now 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 who tremble at the mitzvah of our God; and let it be done according to the law. ^10:4Arise; for the matter belongs to you, and we are with you: be of good courage, and do it. ^10:5Then arose `Ezra, and made the chiefs of the kohanim, the Levi'im, and all Yisra'el, to swear that they would do according to this word. So they swore. ^10:6Then `Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Yehochanan the son of Elyashiv: and when he came there, he ate no bread, nor drink water; for he mourned because of the trespass of them of the captivity. ^10:7They made proclamation throughout Yehudah and Yerushalayim to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Yerushalayim; ^10:8and that whoever didn't 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 assembly of the captivity. ^10:9Then all the men of Yehudah and Binyamin gathered themselves together to Yerushalayim within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month: and all the people sat in the broad place before the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain. ^10:10`Ezra the kohen stood up, and said to them, You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, to increase the guilt of Yisra'el. ^10:11Now therefore make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women. ^10:12Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, As you have said concerning us, so must we do. ^10:13But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand outside: neither is this a work of one day or two; for we have greatly transgressed in this matter. ^10:14Let now our princes be appointed for all the assembly, and let all those who are in our cities who have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges of it, until the fierce wrath of our God be turned from us, until this matter be dispatched. ^10:15Only Yonatan the son of `Asa'el and Yachzeyah the son of Tikvah stood up against this matter: and Meshullam and Shabbetai the Levite helped them. ^10:16The children of the captivity did so. `Ezra the kohen, with certain heads of fathers' houses, after their fathers' houses, and all of them by their names, were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. ^10:17They made an end with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month. ^10:18Among the sons of the kohanim there were found who had married foreign women: namely, of the sons of Yeshua, the son of Yotzadak, and his brothers, Ma`aseyah, and Eli`ezer, and Yariv, and Gedalyahu. ^10:19They gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guilt. ^10:20Of the sons of Immer: Chanani and Zevadyah. ^10:21Of the sons of Charim: Ma`aseyah, and Eliyah, and Shemayah, and Yechi'el, and `Uzziyah. ^10:22Of the sons of Pashchur: Elyo`enai, Ma`aseyah, Yishma'el, Netan'el, Yozavad, and El`asah. ^10:23Of the Levi'im: Yozavad, and Shim`i, and Kelayah (the same is Kelita), Petachyah, Yehudah, and Eli`ezer. ^10:24Of the singers: Elyashiv. Of the porters: Shallum, and Telem, and Uri. ^10:25Of Yisra'el: Of the sons of Par`osh: Ramyah, and Yizziyah, and Malkiyah, and Miyamin, and El`azar, and Malkiyah, and Benayah. ^10:26Of the sons of `Elam: Mattanyah, Zekharyah, and Yechi'el, and `Avdi, and Yeremot, and Eliyah. ^10:27Of the sons of Zattu: Elyo`enai, Elyashiv, Mattanyah, and Yeremot, and Zavad, and Aziza. ^10:28Of the sons of Bevai: Yehochanan, Chananyah, Zakkai, `Atlai. ^10:29Of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Mallukh, and `Adayah, Yashuv, and She'al, Ramot. ^10:30Of the sons of Pachat-Mo'av: `Adna, and Kelal, Benayah, Ma`aseyah, Mattanyah, Betzal'el, and Binnui, and Menasheh. ^10:31of the sons of Charim: Eli`ezer, Yishiyah, Malkiyah, Shemayah, Shim`on, ^10:32Binyamin, Mallukh, Shemaryahu. ^10:33Of the sons of Chashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zavad, Elifelet, Yeremai, Menasheh, Shim`i. ^10:34Of the sons of Bani: Ma`adai, `Amram, and U'el, ^10:35Benayah, Bedeyah, Keluhu, ^10:36Vanyah, Meremot, Elyashiv, ^10:37Mattanyah, Mattenai, and Ya`asai, ^10:38and Bani, and Binnui, Shim`i, ^10:39and Shelemyahu, and Natan, and `Adayah, ^10:40Makhnadvai, Shashai, Sharai, ^10:41`Azar'el, and Shelemyahu, Shemaryahu, ^10:42Shallum, Amaryah, Yosef. ^10:43Of the sons of Nevo: Ye`i'el, Matityah, Zavad, Zevina, Yaddai, and Yo'el, Benayah. ^10:44All these had taken foreign wives; and some of them had wives by whom they had children.