Open English Translation G ESD Chapter 5

5 After this, the chiefs of fathers’ houses were chosen to go up according to their tribes, with their wives, sons, and daughters, with their male servants and female servants, and their livestock. 2 Dareyavesh (Darius) sent with them one thousand cavalry to bring them back to Yerushalem with peace, with musical instruments, drums, and flutes. 3 All their kindred were making merry, and he made them go up together with them.

4 These are the names of the men who went up, according to their families among their tribes, after their several divisions. 5 The priests, the sons of Pinhas, the sons of Aharon (Aaron): Yeshua (Jesus) the son of Yotsadak, the son of Serayah, and Yoyakim the son of Zorobabel, the son of Salathiail, of the house of David, of the lineage of Perets, of the tribe of Yehudah (Judah), 6 who spoke wise words before Dareyavesh the king of Paras (Persia) in the second year of his reign, in the month Nisan, which is the first month.

7 These are the of Yehudim (Jews) who came up from the captivity, where they lived as foreigners, whom Nevukadnetsar (Nebuchadnezzar) the king of Bavel (Babylon) had carried away to Bavel.[ref] 8 They returned to Yerushalem and to the other parts of Yehudah, every man to his own city, who came with Zorobabel, with Yeshua, Nehemyah (Nehemiah), Serayah,[fn] Resaias, Eneneus,[fn] Mordekai, Bilshan, Mispar,[fn] Re’elayah,[fn] Roimus, and Ba’ana, their leaders.

9 The number of them of the nation and their leaders: the sons of Par’osh, two thousand and one hundred and seventy two; the sons of[fn] Saphat, four hundred and seventy two; 10 the sons of[fn] Arah, seven hundred and fifty six; 11 the sons of[fn] Pahat-Moav, of the sons of Yeshua and Yoav (Joab), two thousand and eight hundred and twelve; 12 the sons of Eylam, one thousand and two hundred and fifty four; the sons of[fn] Zatu, nine hundred and forty five; the sons of[fn] Zakay, seven hundred and five; the sons of Bani, six hundred and forty eight; 13 the sons of Bevay, six hundred and twenty three; the sons of[fn] Azgad,[fn] one thousand and three hundred and twenty two; 14 the sons of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty seven; the sons of[fn] Bigvay, two thousand and sixty six; the sons of[fn] Adin, four hundred and fifty four; 15 the sons of[fn] Ater, of Hizkiyah (Hezekiah), ninety two; the sons of Kilan and Azetas, sixty seven; the sons of[fn] Azaru, four hundred and thirty two; 16 the sons of[fn] Annis, one hundred and one; the sons of Arom, the sons of[fn] Betsay, three hundred and twenty three; the sons of Arsiphurith, one hundred and twelve; 17 the sons of Baiterus, three thousand and five; the sons of[fn] Beyt-Lehem (Bethlehem), one hundred and twenty three; 18 those from Netofah, fifty five; those from Anatot, one hundred and fifty eight; those from[fn] Azmavet, forty two; 19 those from Kiryat-Yearim,[fn] twenty five: those from Kefirah and Be’erot, seven hundred and forty three; 20 the Chadiasai and Ammidioi, four hundred and twenty two; those from Ramah[fn] and Geva,[fn] six hundred and twenty one; 21 those from Mikmas,[fn] one hundred and twenty two; those from Beyt-El (Bethel),[fn] fifty two; the sons of Magbish,[fn] one hundred and fifty six; 22 the sons of Calamolalus[fn] and Ono,[fn] seven hundred and twenty five; the sons of Yeriho (Jericho),[fn] three[fn] hundred and forty five; 23 and the sons of Sena’ah,[fn] three thousand and three hundred and thirty.

24 The priests: the sons of Yedayah,[fn] the son of Yeshua (Jesus), among the sons of Sanasib, nine hundred and seventy two; the sons of Imer,[fn] one thousand and fifty two; 25 the sons of Pashhur,[fn] one thousand and two hundred and forty seven; and the sons of Harim,[fn] one thousand and seventeen. 26 The Levites: the sons of Yeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, and Hodavyah, seventy four. 27 The holy singers: the sons of Asaf, one hundred and twenty eight. 28 The gatekeepers: the sons of[fn] Shalum, the sons of[fn] Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of[fn] Akuv, the sons of[fn] Hatita, the sons of[fn] Shovay, in all one hundred and thirty nine.

29 The temple servants: the sons of[fn] Esav (Esau), the sons of[fn] Hasufa, the sons of Tabaeot, the sons of[fn] Keyros, the sons of[fn] Siea, the sons of[fn] Padon, the sons of Levana, the sons of[fn] Hagava. 30 the sons of[fn] Akuv, the sons of Uta, the sons of Ketab, the sons of[fn] Hagav, the sons of[fn] Shamlay, the sons of[fn] Anan, the sons of[fn] Gidel, the sons of[fn] Gahar, 31 the sons of[fn] Yair, the sons of[fn] Retsin, the sons of[fn] Nekoda, the sons of Chaseba, the sons of[fn] Gazam, the sons of[fn] Ozias, the sons of[fn] Paseah, the sons of Asara, the sons of[fn] Besay, the sons of[fn] Asnah, the sons of[fn] Meunim, the sons of[fn] Nafish, the sons of[fn] Bakbuk, the sons of[fn] Hakufa, the sons of[fn] Harhur, the sons of Pharakim, the sons of[fn] Batslut, 32 the sons of[fn] Mehida, the sons of Cutha, the sons of[fn] Harsha, the sons of[fn] Barkos, the sons of[fn] Sisera, the sons of[fn] Temah, the sons of[fn] Netsiah, the sons of Hatifa.

33 The sons of Shelomoh’s (Solomon’s) servants: the sons of[fn] Soferet, the sons of[fn] Perida, the sons of[fn] Ya’alah, the sons of[fn] Darkon, the sons of[fn] Isdael, the sons of[fn] Shefatyah, 34 the sons of[fn] Hatil, the sons of[fn] Pokeret-Hatsvayim, the sons of Sabie, the sons of Sarothie, the sons of[fn] Masias, the sons of Gas, the sons of Addus, the sons of Subas, the sons of Apherra, the sons of Barodis, the sons of Saphat, the sons of Alon.

35 All the temple-servants and the sons of Shelomoh’s servants were three hundred and seventy two. 36 These came up from[fn] Tel-Melah, and[fn] Tel-Harsha,[fn] Charaathalan leading them, and Allar; 37 and they couldn’t show their families, nor their stock, how they were of Yisrael (Israel): the sons of[fn] Delayah the son of[fn] Ban, the sons of[fn] Nekoda, six hundred and fifty two.

38 Of the priests, those who usurped the office of the priesthood and weren’t found: the sons of[fn] Havayah, the sons of[fn] Hakots, the sons of Jaddus, who married Augia one of the daughters of[fn] Barzilay, and was called after his name. 39 When the description of the kindred of these men was searched for in the register and wasn’t found, they were removed from executing the office of the priesthood; 40 for Nehemyah (Nehemiah) and Attharias told them that they shouldn’t be partakers of the holy things until a high priest wearing[fn] Urim and Tumim should arise.

41 So all those of Yisrael, from twelve years old and upward, beside male servants and women servants, were in number forty two thousand and three hundred and sixty. 42 Their male servants and handmaids were seven thousand and three hundred and thirty and seven; the minstrels and singers, two hundred and forty five; 43 four hundred and thirty and five camels, seven thousand and thirty six horses, two hundred and forty five mules, and five thousand and five hundred and twenty five animals of burden.

44 And some of the chief men of their families, when they came to God’s temple that’s in Yerushalem (Jerusalem), vowed to set up the house again in its own place according to their ability, 45 and to give into the holy treasury of the works one thousand minas[fn] of gold, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priestly vestments.

46 The priests and the Levites and some of the people lived in Yerushalem and the country. The holy singers also and the gatekeepers and all Yisrael lived in their villages.

47 But when the seventh month was at hand, and when the Israeli people were each in their own place, they all came together with one purpose into the broad place before the first porch which is towards the east. 48 Then Yeshua the son of Yotsadak, his kindred the priests, Zorobabel the son of Salathiail, and his kindred stood up and made the altar of the god of Yisrael ready 49 to offer burnt sacrifices on it, in accordance with the express commands in the book of Mosheh (Moses) the man of God. 50 Some people joined them out of the other nations of the land, and they erected the altar onto its own place, because all the nations of the land were hostile to them and oppressed them; and they offered sacrifices at the proper times and burnt offerings to the master both morning and evening. 51 They also held the feast of tabernacles, as it’s commanded in the law, and offered sacrifices daily, as appropriate. 52 After that, they offered the continual oblations and the sacrifices of the Sabbaths, of the new moons, and of all the consecrated feasts. 53 All those who’d made any vow to God began to offer sacrifices to God from the new moon of the seventh month, although God’s temple wasn’t yet built. 54 They gave money, food, and drink to the masons and carpenters. 55 They also gave carts to the people of Tsidon (Sidon) and Tsor (Tyre), that they should bring cedar trees from Levanon, and convey them in rafts to the harbour of Yafo (Joppa), according to the commandment which was written for them by Koresh (Cyrus) king of the Persians.

56 In the second year after his coming to God’s temple at Yerushalem (Jerusalem), in the second month, Zorobabel the son of Salathiail, Yeshua (Jesus) the son of Yotsadak, their kindred, the Levitical priests, and all those who’d come to Yerushalem out of the captivity began work. 57 They laid the foundation of God’s temple on the new moon of the second month, in the second year after they’d come to Yehudah (Judea) and Yerushalem. 58 They appointed the Levites who were at least twenty years old over the master’s works. Then Yeshua, with his sons and kindred, Kadmiel his brother, the sons of Yeshua, Emadabun, and the sons of Yoda the son of Henadad, and their sons and kindred, all the Levites, with one accord stood up and started the business, labouring to advance the works in God’s house. So the builders built the master’s temple.[ref]

59 The priests stood arrayed in their vestments with musical instruments and trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaf with their cymbals, 60 singing songs of thanksgiving and praising the master, according to the directions of King David of Yisrael (Israel). 61 They sang aloud, praising the master in songs of thanksgiving, because his goodness and his glory are forever in all Yisrael. 62 All the people sounded trumpets and shouted with a loud voice, singing songs of thanksgiving to the master for the raising up of the master’s house. 63 Some of the Levitical priests and of the heads of their families, the elderly who’d seen the former house came to the building of this one with lamentation and great weeping.[ref] 64 But many with trumpets and joy shouted with a loud voice, 65 so that the people couldn’t hear the trumpets for the weeping of the people, for the multitude sounded loudly, so that it was heard far away.

66 Therefore when the enemies of the tribe of Yehudah (Judah) and Benyamin heard it, they came to know what that noise of trumpets meant.[ref] 67 They learnt that those who returned from captivity built the temple for the master, the god of Yisrael. 68 So they went to Zorobabel and Yeshua, and to the chief men of the families, and said to them, “We’ll build together with you. 69 Because we, just like you, obey your master, and sacrifice to him from the days of King Esar-Hadon[fn] of the Assyrians, who brought us here.”

70 Then Zorobabel, Yeshua (Jesus) and the chief men of the families of Yisrael said to them, “It isn’t for you to build the house for the master our god. 71 We ourselves alone will build for the master of Yisrael, as King Koresh (Cyrus) of the Persians has commanded us.” 72 But the heathen of the land pressed hard on the inhabitants of Yehudah, cut off their supplies, and hindered their building. 73 / 73 By their secret plots, and popular persuasions and commotions, they hindered the finishing of the building all the time that King Koresh lived. So they were hindered from building for two years, until Dareyavesh’s reign.