\NormalFont\ShortTitle{Ezra}
{\MTB This book contains the account of some of the people of Judah returning to Judah and rebuilding the temple. We call this book
\par }{\MT Ezra

\par }\ChapOne{1}{\SH Cyrus let the Jews return to Jerusalem
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}During
the
first
year
that
Cyrus
ruled
{\ADD{
the}}
Persian
{\ADD{
Empire}},
he
did
something
that
fulfilled
what
Jeremiah
had prophecied.
Yahweh
motivated
Cyrus
to
write
this
message,
and
then
Cyrus
sent
this
message
throughout
his
empire:
\par }{\PI \VS{2}“I,
King
Cyrus,
who
rule
{\ADD{
the}}
Persian
{\ADD{
Empire}},
declare
this: 'Yahweh,
the
God
{\ADD{
who
is
in/rules}}
from
heaven,
has
caused
me
to
become
the
ruler
of
all
the
kingdoms
{\ADD{
that
I
know
about}}
on
the
earth.
And
he
has
appointed
me
{\ADD{
to
enable
his
people}}
to
build
a
temple
for
him
in
Jerusalem,
in
Judah
{\ADD{
land}}.
\VS{3}All
you
people
who
belong
to
God
may
go
up
to
Jerusalem
to
rebuild
this
temple
for
Yahweh,
the
God
who
lives
in
Jerusalem,
the
God
{\ADD{
who
is
worshiped
by
you}} Israeli
people.
I
desire/hope
that
your
God
will
be
with
you
{\ADD{
and
help
those
who
go
there}}.
\VS{4}Those
people
who
are
in
places
where Israelis
are
living,
whose
ancestors
were
exiled
here,
should
contribute
silver
and
gold
to
those
who
go.
They
should
also
give
them
supplies
{\ADD{
that
they
will
need
for
the
journey
to
Jerusalem}}.
They
should
also
give
them
some
livestock,
and
gifts
of
money
to
help
build
the
temple
of
God
in
Jerusalem.' ”
\par }{\PP \VS{5}Then
God
motivated
some
of
the
priests
and ◄Levites/men
who
did
work
in
the
temple►
and
some
of
the
leaders
of
the
tribes
that
were
descended
from
Judah
and
Benjamin
to
return
to
Jerusalem.
Those
whom
God
motivated
got
ready
to
return
to
Jerusalem
and
build
the
temple
for
Yahweh
there.
\VS{6}All
of
their
neighbors
helped
them
by
giving
them
things
made
of
silver
and
things
made
of
gold,
and
supplies
for
the
journey,
and
livestock.
They
also
gave
them
other
valuable
gifts,
and
also
gave
them
money
{\ADD{
to
buy
things
for
building
the
temple}}.
\VS{7}King
Cyrus
brought
out
the
valuable
things
that
King Nebuchadnezzar’s
{\ADD{
soldiers}}
had
taken
from
the
temple
of
Yahweh
in
Jerusalem
and
put
in
the
temple
of Nebuchadnezzar’s
gods
{\ADD{
in
Babylon}}.
\VS{8}Cyrus
commanded
Mithredath,
the
treasurer
of
{\ADD{
the}}
Persian
{\ADD{
Empire}},
to
count
all
these
items
and
then
give
them
to
Sheshbazzar,
the
leader
of
{\ADD{
the
group
that
was
going
to
return
to}}
Judah.
\par }{\PP \VS{9}This
is
a
list
of
the
items
that
Cyrus donated:
\par }{\PI 30
large
gold
dishes
\par }{\PI 1,000
large
silver
dishes
\par }{\PI 29
silver ◄censers/incense
burning
pans►
\par }{\PI \VS{10}30
gold
bowls
\par }{\PI 410
silver
bowls
\par }{\PI 1,000
other
items.
\par }{\PP \VS{11}All
together,
there
were 5,400
items
made
of
silver
or
gold,
that
{\ADD{
were
given
to}}
Sheshbazzar
{\ADD{
to}}
take
with
him
when
he
and
the
others
returned
to
Jerusalem.

\par }\Chap{2}{\SH The list of groups that returned to Judah
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}King Nebuchadnezzar’s
{\ADD{
soldiers}}
had
captured
many
{\ADD{Israeli}}
people
and
taken
them
to
Babylonia.
{\ADD{
Many
years
later,
}}
some Israeli peole
returned
to
Judah.
Some
returned
to
Jerusalem,
and
some
returned
to
{\ADD{
other
places
in}}
Judah.
They
went
to
the
towns
where
their
ancestors
had
lived.
This
is
a
list
of
the
groups
who
returned.
\VS{2}The
leaders
of
those
groups
were
Zerubbabel,
Jeshua,
Nehemiah,
Seraiah,
Reelaiah,
Mordecai,
Bilshan,
Mispar,
Bigvai,
Rehum,
and
Baanah.
\par }{\PP There
were:
\par }\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|}
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{3}2,172
 & \BDE descendants of Parosh
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{4}372
 & \BDE descendants of Shephatiah
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{5}775
 & \BDE descendants of Arah
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{6}2,812
 & \BDE descendants of Pahath-Moab, from the families of Jeshua and Joab
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{7}1,254
 & \BDE descendants of Elam
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{8}945
 & \BDE descendants of Zattu
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{9}760
 & \BDE descendants of Zaccai
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{10}642
 & \BDE descendants of Bani
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{11}623
 & \BDE descendants of Bebai
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{12}1,222
 & \BDE descendants of Azgad
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{13}666
 & \BDE descendants of Adonikam
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{14}2,056
 & \BDE descendants of Bigvai
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{15}454
 & \BDE descendants of Adin
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{16}98
 & \BDE descendants of Ater, whose other name was Hezekiah
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{17}323
 & \BDE descendants of Bezai
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{18}112
 & \BDE descendants of Jorah
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{19}223
 & \BDE descendants of Hashum
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{20}95
 & \BDE descendants of Gibbar.
\\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
{\BB \par }{\PP {\ADD{
People
whose
ancestors
had
lived
in
these
towns
in
Judah:}}
\par }\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|}
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{21}123
 & \BDE from Bethlehem
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{22}56
 & \BDE from Netophah
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{23}128
 & \BDE from Anathoth
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{24}42
 & \BDE from Azmaveth
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{25}743
 & \BDE from Kiriath-Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{26}621
 & \BDE from Ramah and Geba
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{27}122
 & \BDE from Micmash
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{28}223
 & \BDE from Bethel and Ai
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{29}52
 & \BDE from Nebo
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{30}156
 & \BDE from Magbish
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{31}1,254
 & \BDE from Elam
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{32}320
 & \BDE from Harim
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{33}725
 & \BDE from Lod, Hadid, and Ono
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{34}345
 & \BDE from Jericho
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{35}3,630
 & \BDE from Senaah.
\\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{36}Priests
who
returned:
\par }\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|}
\hline
\BDE 973
 & \BDE descendants of Jedaiah (that is, those from the family of Jeshua)
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{37}1,052
 & \BDE descendants of Immer
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{38}1,247
 & \BDE descendants of Pashhur
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{39}1,017
 & \BDE descendants of Harim.
\\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
{\PP The
ones
from
the
{\ADD{
rest
of
the}}
tribe
of
Levi
who
returned
were:
\par }\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|}
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{40}74
 & \BDE descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel, who were from the family of Hodaviah
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{41}128
 & \BDE singers who were descendants of Asaph
\\
\hline
\BDE 
\VS{42}139
 & \BDE ◄gatekeepers/men who guarded the gates of the temple► who were descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai.
\\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{43}The ◄temple
workers/men
who
would
work
in
the
temple►
who
were
descendants
of
these
men:
\par }{\LIB Ziha,
Hasupha,
Tabbaoth,
\par }{\LIB \VS{44}Keros,
Siaha,
Padon,
\par }{\LIB \VS{45}Lebanah,
Hagabah,
Akkub,
\par }{\LIB \VS{46}Hagab,
Shalmai,
Hanan,
\par }{\LIB \VS{47}Giddel,
Gahar,
Reaiah,
\par }{\LIB \VS{48}Rezin,
Nekoda,
Gazzam,
\par }{\LIB \VS{49}Uzza,
Paseah,
Besai,
\par }{\LIB \VS{50}Asnah,
Meunim,
Nephusim,
\par }{\LIB \VS{51}Bakbuk,
Hakupha,
Harhur,
\par }{\LIB \VS{52}Bazluth,
Mehida,
Harsha,
\par }{\LIB \VS{53}Barkos,
Sisera,
Temah,
\par }{\LIB \VS{54}Neziah,
and
Hatipha.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{55}These
descendants
of
{\ADD{
King}}
Solomon’s
servants
{\ADD{
returned}}:
\par }{\BB \par }{\LIB Sotai,
Hassophereth,
Peruda,
\par }{\LIB \VS{56}Jaalah,
Darkon,
Giddel,
\par }{\LIB \VS{57}Shephatiah,
Hattil,
Pokereth-Hazzebaim,
and
Ami.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{58}Altogether,
there
were 392
temple
workers
and
descendants
of
Solomon’s
servants
who
returned.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI \VS{59}There
was
another
group
who
returned
{\ADD{
to
Judah}}
from
Tel-Melah,
Tel-Harsha,
Kerub,
Addan,
and
Immer
{\ADD{
towns
in
Babylonia}}.
But
they
could
not
prove
that
they
were
descendants
of
{\ADD{
people
who
previously
lived
in}}
Israel.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{60}This
group
included 652
people
who
were
descendants
of
Delaiah,
Tobiah,
and
Nekoda.
\par }{\PP \VS{61}Hobaiah’s
clan, Hakkoz’s
clan,
and Barzillai’s
clan
also
returned.
Barzillai
had
married
a
woman
who
was
a
descendant
of
Barzillai
from
{\ADD{
the}}
Gilead
{\ADD{
region}},
and
he
had
taken
for
himself
the
name
of
his father-in-law’s
clan.
\par }{\PP \VS{62}The
people
in
that
group
searched
in
the
documents
that
had
the
names
of
the
ancestors
of
all
the
clans,
but
these
men’s
names
were
not
found.
So
they
were
not
permitted
do
the
work
that
priests
did.
\VS{63}The
governor
told
them
that
they
would
need
to
ask
a
priest
to
consult
Yahweh
by
{\ADD{◄casting/throwing}}
the
sacred
lots/stones
{\ADD{
that
had
been
marked}}►,
to
determine
if
those
men
were
truly Israelis.
When
the
priests
did
that,
{\ADD{
if
the
stones
showed
that
those
men
were Israelis}},
they
would
be
permitted
to
eat
the
shares
of
the
sacrifices
that
were
given
to
the
priests.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI \VS{64}Altogether 42,360 Israeli
people
who
returned
to
Judah.
\VS{65}There
were
also 7,337
servants
and 200
musicians,
both
men
and
women,
who
returned.
\VS{66}The Israelis
brought
with
them
{\ADD{
from
Babylonia}} 736
horses, 245
mules,
\VS{67}435
camels,
and 6,720
donkeys.
\par }{\PP \VS{68}When
they
arrived
at
the
temple
of
Yahweh
in
Jerusalem,
some
of
the
clan
leaders
gave
money
{\ADD{
for
the
supplies
needed
}}
to
rebuild
the
temple
at
the
place
where
the
temple
had
been
previously.
\VS{69}They
all
gave
as
much
money
as
they
were
able
to
give.
Altogether
they
gave 61,000
gold coins, ◄6,250
pounds/3,000 kg.►
of
silver,
and 100
robes
for
the
priests.
\par }{\PP \VS{70}Then
the
priests,
the
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi,
the
musicians,
the
temple
guards,
and
some
of
the
{\ADD{
other}}
people
started
to
live
in
the
towns
and
villages
{\ADD{
near
Jerusalem}}.
The
rest
of
the
people
went
to
the
other
places
in
Israel
where
their
ancestors
had
lived.

\par }\Chap{3}{\SH They rebuilt the altar in Jerusalem
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}After
the Israeli
people
{\ADD{
returned
to
Israel,
and}}
had
begun
to
live
in
their
towns, ◄in
the
autumn
of/after
the
hot
season
ended
in►
that
year,
they
all
gathered
together
in
Jerusalem.
\VS{2}Then
Jeshua,
the
son
of
Jehozadak,
and
his
fellow
priests,
and
Zerubbabel
the
son
of
Shealtiel
and
his
friends,
all
began
to
rebuild
the
altar
of
God,
the
one
whom
the Israeli
people
{\ADD{
worshiped}}.
They
did
that
in
order
that
they
could
sacrifice
burned
offerings
on
it,
according
to
what
the
prophet
Moses
had
written
in
the
laws
{\ADD{
that
God
gave
to
him}}.
\VS{3-6}Even
though
they
were
afraid
of
the
people
who
were
already
living
in
that
area,
they
rebuilt
the
altar
at
the
same
place
{\ADD{
where
the
previous
altar
had
been}}.
Before
they
started
to
lay
the
foundation
of
Yahweh’s
temple,
{\ADD{
the
priests}}
started
to
burn
sacrifices
to
Yahweh
{\ADD{
on
the
altar}}.
They
offered
sacrifices
every
morning
and
every
evening.
Fifteen
days
after
{\ADD{
they
started
to
offer
these
sacrifices}},
the
people
celebrated
the
Festival
of
{\ADD{
Living
in
Temporary}}
Shelters,
as
{\ADD{
Moses}}
had
commanded
them
to
do
in
the
laws
{\ADD{
that
God
gave
to
him}}.
Each
day
the
priests
offered
the
sacrifices
{\ADD{
that
were
required}}
for
that
day.
In
addition,
they
presented
the
regular
burned
offerings
and
the
offerings
{\ADD{
that
were
required}}
for
the
New
Moon
Festivals
and
the
other
festivals
that
they
celebrated
each
year
to
{\ADD{
honor}}
Yahweh.
They
also
brought
other
offerings
only
because
they
desired
to
bring
them,
{\ADD{
not
because
they
were
required
to
bring
them}}.
\par }{\SH They
rebuilt
the
temple
\par }{\PP \VS{7}Then
the Israelis
hired
masons
and
carpenters,
and
they
bought
{\ADD{
logs
from}}
cedar
trees
from
the
people
of
Tyre
and
Sidon
{\ADD{
cities}},
and
they
gave
those
people
food
and
wine
and
olive
oil
for
the
logs.
They
brought
the
logs
down
from
{\ADD{
the
mountains
in}}
Lebanon
{\ADD{
to
the Mediterranean
seacoast
and
then
floated
them
along
the
coast
of
the
Sea,}}
to
Joppa.
King
Cyrus
permitted
them
to
do
that.
{\ADD{
Then
the
logs
were
brought
from
Joppa inland
up
to
Jerusalem}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{8}The Israelis
started
to
rebuild
the
temple
in
the ◄spring/time
before
the
hot
season►
of
the
second
year
after
they
returned
to
Jerusalem.
Zerubbabel
and
Jeshua
and
all
the
people
who
had
returned
to
Jerusalem
worked
on
the
building.
All
the ◄Levites/men
who
did
work
in
the
temple►
supervised
this
work.
\VS{9}Jeshua
and
his
sons
and
his
other
relatives,
and
Kadmiel
and
his
sons,
who
were
descendants
of
Hodaviah,
also
helped
to
supervise
the
work.
The
family
of
Henadad,
who
were
also
all
Levites,
joined
with
them
in supervising
this
work.
\par }{\PP \VS{10}When
the
builders
finished
laying
the
foundation
of
the
temple,
the
priests
put
on
their
robes
and
stood
in
their
places,
blowing
their
trumpets.
Then
the
Levites,
who
were
descendants
of
Asaph, clashed/banged
their
cymbals
to
praise
Yahweh,
just
as
King
David
had
{\ADD{
many
years
previously}}
told
{\ADD{
Asaph
and
the
other
musicians}}
to
do.
\VS{11}They
praised
Yahweh
and
thanked
him,
and
they
sang
this
song
about
him:
\par }{\Q “He
is
very
good
{\ADD{
to
us}}!
\par }{\Q He
faithfully
loves
us Israeli
people,
and
he
will
love
us
forever.”
\par }{\MM Then
all
the
people
shouted
loudly,
praising
Yahweh
because
they
had
finished
laying
the
foundation
of
Yahweh’s
temple.
\VS{12}Many
of
the
{\ADD{
old}}
priests,
Levites,
and
leaders
of
families
remembered
{\ADD{
what}}
the
first
temple
{\ADD{
was
like}},
and
they
cried
aloud
when
they
saw
the
foundation
of
this
temple
being
laid
{\ADD{
because
they
knew
that
the
new
temple
would
not
be
as
beautiful
as
the
first
temple}}.
But
the
other
people
shouted
joyfully.
\VS{13}The
shouting
and
the
crying
was
very
loud;
{\ADD{
even
people}}
far
away
could
hear
it.

\par }\Chap{4}{\SH Their enemies opposed rebuilding the temple
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}The
enemies
of
the
people
of
{\ADD{
the
tribes
of}}
Judah
and
Benjamin
heard
that
the
{\ADD{Israeli}}
people
who
had
returned
from
Babylonia
were
rebuilding
a
temple
for
Yahweh,
the
God
whom
the Israeli
people
{\ADD{
worshiped}}.
\VS{2}So
they
went
to
Zerubbabel
{\ADD{
the
governor}}
and
the
other
leaders,
and
said
{\ADD{deceptively}}, “We
want
to
help
{\ADD{
you
build
the
temple}},
because
we
worship
that
same
God
whom
you
worship,
and
we
have
been
offering
sacrifices
to
him
since
Esarhaddon,
the
King
of
Assyria,
brought
us
here.”
\par }{\PP \VS{3}But
Zerubbabel,
Jeshua,
and
the
other
{\ADD{Israeli}}
leaders
replied, “We
will
not
allow
you
to
help
us
build
a
temple
for
our(exc)
God.
We
will
build
it ◄ourselves/without
your
help►
for
Yahweh,
the
God
whom
we Israelis
worship,
like
Cyrus,
the
King
of
Persia,
told
us
to
do.”
\par }{\PP \VS{4}Then
the
people
who
had
been
living
in
that
land
{\ADD{
before
the Israelis
returned}}
tried
to
cause
the
Jews
to
become
discouraged
and
become
afraid,
and
to
cause
them
to
stop
building
the
temple.
\VS{5}They bribed
government
officials
to
oppose
what
the Israelis
were
doing
{\ADD{
and
prevent
them
from
continuing
to
work
on
the
temple}}.
They
did
that
all
during
the
time
that
Cyrus
was
King
of
Persia.
They
continued
to
do
it
when
Darius
became
the
King
of
Persia.
\par }{\SH Opposition
to
rebuilding
Jerusalem
\par }{\PP \VS{6}During
the
first
year
that
{\ADD{Darius’
son}} Xerxes
was
king,
the
{\ADD{
enemies
of
the
Jews}}
wrote
a
note
{\ADD{
to
the
king}}
saying
that
the
Jews
{\ADD{
were
planning
to
rebel
against
the
government}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{7}Later,
when
{\ADD{Xerxes’
son}}
Artaxerxes
{\ADD{
became
the
King
of
Persia}},
Bishlam,
Mithredath,
Tabeel
and
their
colleagues/companions
wrote
a
letter
to
him.
They
wrote
the
letter
in
the
Aramaic
language,
and
it
was
translated
{\ADD{
into
another
language
that
the
king
knew}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{8}Rehum,
the
high
commissioner,
and
Shimshai,
the provincial
secretary,
wrote
the
letter
to
King
Artaxerxes
concerning
what
was happening
in
Jerusalem.
\par }{\MI \VS{9}They stated
that
the
letter
was
from
Rehum
the
high
commissioner/governor
and
Shimshai
the provincial
secretary
and
from
their
associates,
the
judges,
and
other
government
officials,
who
were
from
Erech
{\ADD{
city}},
Babylon
{\ADD{
city}},
and
Susa
{\ADD{
city}}
in
Elam
{\ADD{
district}}.
\VS{10}{\ADD{
They
also
wrote
that
they represented}}
the
other people-groups
whom
{\ADD{
the
army
of}}
the
great
and
glorious/famous
{\ADD{
King}}
Ashurbanipal
had ◄deported/forced
to
move
from
their
homes►
and
taken
to
live
in
Samaria
and
in
other
cities
in
the
province
west
of
the
Euphrates
{\ADD{
River}}.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{11}This
is
what
they
wrote
in
the
letter:
\par }{\MI “To
King
Artaxerxes,
\par }{\MI From
the
officials
who
serve
you
who
live
in
the
province
west
of
the
Euphrates
{\ADD{
River.}}
\par }{\PI \VS{12}“Your
majesty,
we
want
you
to
know
that
the
Jews
who
came
here
from
your
territories
are
rebuilding
this
city,
{\ADD{
Jerusalem}}.
These
people
are
wicked
and
want
to
rebel
against
you.
Now
they
are
repairing
the
foundations
{\ADD{
of
the
walls/buildings}}
and
building
the
walls
{\ADD{
of
the
city}}.
\par }{\PI \VS{13}“It
is
important
for
you
to
know
that
if
they
rebuild
the
city
and
finish
building
the
walls,
they
will
stop
paying
any
kind
of
taxes.
As
a
result,
there
will
be
less
money
in
your
treasury.
\VS{14}Now,
because
we
are
loyal
to [IDM]
you,
and
because
we
do
not
want
you
to
be
humiliated [IDM],
we
are
sending
this
information
to
you.
\VS{15}And,
we suggest
that
you
order/tell
{\ADD{
your
officials}}
to
search
the
records
that
your
ancestors
made/wrote.
{\ADD{
If
you
do
that}},
you
will
find
out
that
the
people
in
this
city
have
always
rebelled
{\ADD{
against
the
government}}.
You
will
also
find
out
that
from
long
ago
these
people
have
caused
trouble
for
kings
and
for
rulers
of
provinces.
They
have
always
revolted
{\ADD{
against
those
who
ruled
them}}.
That
is
the
reason
that
this
city
was
destroyed
{\ADD{
by
the
Babylonian
army}}.
\VS{16}We
want
you
to
know
that
if
they
rebuild
this
city
and
finish
building
its
walls,
you
will
no
longer
be
able
to
control/rule
{\ADD{
the
people
in}}
this
province
west
of
the
Euphrates
{\ADD{
River}}.”
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{17}{\ADD{
After}}
the
king
{\ADD{
read
this
letter,
he}}
sent
this
reply
to
them:
\par }{\PI “To
Rehum,
the
high
commissioner,
and
Shimshai,
the provincial
secretary,
and
their
colleagues
in
Samaria
and
in
other
parts
of
the
province
that
is
west
of
the
{\ADD{
Euphrates}}
River:
I ◄send
you
my greetings/wish
that
things
will
go
well
for
you►.
\VS{18}The
letter
that
you
sent
to
me
was
translated
and
read
to
me.
\VS{19}So
then
I
ordered
{\ADD{
my
officials}}
to
search
the
records.
I
have
found
out
that
{\ADD{
it
is
true
that}}
the
people
of
that
city
have
always
revolted
against
their
rulers,
and
that
the
city
is
full
of
people
who
have
rebelled
and
caused
trouble.
\VS{20}Powerful
kings
have
ruled
in
Jerusalem,
and
they
have
also
ruled
over
the
whole
province
west
of
the
{\ADD{
Euphrates}}
River.
{\ADD{
The
people
in
that
province
were}}
paying
all
kinds
of
taxes
to
those
kings.
\VS{21}So
you
must
command
that
the
people
must
stop
rebuilding
the
city.
Only
if
I
tell
them
{\ADD{
that
they
may
rebuild
it}}
will
they
be
allowed
to
continue.
\VS{22}Do
this
immediately [LIT],
because
I
do
not
want
those
people
to
do
anything
to
harm
the
things/area
about
which
I
am
concerned.”
\par }{\PP \VS{23}{\ADD{
Messengers
took}}
that
letter
to
Rehum
and
Shimshai
and
their
colleagues
and
read
it
to
them.
Then
Rehum
and
the
others
went
quickly
to
Jerusalem,
and
they
forced
the
Jews
to
stop
{\ADD{
rebuilding
the
city
wall}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{24}The
result
was
that
the
Jews
stopped
rebuilding
the
temple.
They
did
not
do
any
more
work
to
rebuild
the
temple
until
Darius
became
the
King
of
Persia.

\par }\Chap{5}{\SH Tattenai’s letter to King Darius
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}At
that
time
two
prophets
gave
messages
from
God
to
the
Jews
in
Jerusalem
and
{\ADD{
other
cities
in}}
Judah.
The
prophets
were
Haggai
and
Zechariah,
who
was
a
descendant
of
Iddo.
They
spoke
those
messages representing
God,
whom
the Israelis
{\ADD{
worshiped/belonged
to}},
the
one
who
was
their
true
king.
\VS{2}Then
Zerubbabel
and
Shealtiel
{\ADD{
led
many
other
people}}
as
they
started
{\ADD{
again}}
to
rebuild
the
temple
of
God
in
Jerusalem.
And
God’s
prophets
{\ADD{
Haggai
and
Zechariah}}
were
with
them
and
helped
them.
\par }{\PP \VS{3}Then
Tattenai
the
governor
of
the
province
west
of
the
{\ADD{
Euphrates}}
River
and
Shethar-Bozenai
his
assistant
and
{\ADD{
some
of}}
their
officials
went
to
Jerusalem
and
said
to
the
people, “Who
has
permitted
you
to
rebuild
this
temple
and
put
furnishings
in
it?”
\VS{4}They
also
requested
the
people
to
tell
them
the
names
of
the
men
who
were
working
{\ADD{
at
the
temple}}.
{\ADD{
But
the
people
refused}}.
\VS{5}However,
God
was
taking
care
of
the
Jewish
leaders,
so
their
enemies
were
not
able
to
prevent
the
people
from
continuing
{\ADD{
to
rebuild
the
temple}}.
{\ADD{
They
continued
to
work
while
their
enemies}}
sent
a
report
to
King
Darius,
and
asked
him
{\ADD{
what
he
wanted
them
to
do}}
about
it.
\par }{\PP \VS{6}So
Tattenai
and
Shethar-Bozenai
and
their
officials
sent
a
report
to
King
Darius.
\VS{7}This
is
what
they
wrote:
\par }{\BB \par }{\Q “King
Darius,
we
hope
that
things
are
going
well
for
you!
\par }{\PI \VS{8}{\ADD{“We
want
you
to
know
that}}
we
went
to
Judah
Province,
where
the
temple
of
the
great
God
is
being
rebuilt.
The
people
are
building
it
with
huge
stones,
and
they
are
putting
wooden
beams
in
the
walls.
The
work
is
being
done
very
carefully,
and
they
are progressing
well.
\par }{\PI \VS{9}“We
asked
the
Jewish
leaders, ‘Who
has
permitted
you
to
rebuild
this
temple
and
put
furnishings
in
it?’
\VS{10}And
we
requested
them
to
tell
us
the
names
of
their
leaders,
in
order
that
we
could
tell
you
who
they
were.
\par }{\PI \VS{11}“But
{\ADD{
instead
of
telling
us
their leaders’
names,}}
what
they
said
was, ‘We
serve
the
God
{\ADD{
who
created}}
the
heaven
and
the
earth.
Many
years
ago
a
great
king
{\ADD{
who
ruled}}
us Israeli
people
{\ADD{
told
our
ancestors
to}}
build
a
temple
here,
and
now
we
are
rebuilding
it.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI \VS{12}“'But
God,
{\ADD{
who
rules}}
in
heaven,
allowed
{\ADD{
the
armies
of}}
Nebuchadnezzar,
King
of
Babylonia,
to
destroy
that
temple,
because
our
ancestors
did
things
that
caused
God
to
become
very
angry. Nebuchadnezzar’s
army
took
{\ADD{
many
of}}
the
{\ADD{Israeli}}
people
to
Babylonia.
\par }{\PI \VS{13}“'However,
during
the
first
year
that
Cyrus
the
King
of
Babylon
started
to
rule,
he
decreed
that
the
temple
of
God
should
be
rebuilt.
\VS{14}Cyrus
returned
{\ADD{
to
the
Jewish
leaders}}
all
the
gold
and
silver
cups
that
had
been
taken
from
the
temple
in
Jerusalem
and
which
had
been
put
in
the
temple
in
Babylon.
Those
cups
were
given
to
a
man
named
Sheshbazzar,
whom
King
Cyrus
had
appointed
to
be
the
governor
in
Judah.
\par }{\PI \VS{15}“'The
king
instructed
him
to
take
the
cups
back
to
Jerusalem,
to
the
place
{\ADD{
from
which
they
had
previously
been
taken}}.
He
also
decreed
that
they
should
rebuild
the
temple
at
the
place
where
it
had
been
before.
So
Cyrus
appointed
Sheshbazzar
to
be
the
governor
in
Judah.
He
also
sent
all
those
things
made
of
gold
and
silver,
for
Sheshbazzar
to
put
in
the
new
temple.
\VS{16}So
Sheshbazzar
did
that.
He
came
here
to
Jerusalem,
and
{\ADD{
supervised
the
men
who}}
laid
the
foundation
of
the
temple.
And
since
that
time,
the
people
have
been
working
on
the
temple,
but
it
is
not
finished
yet.’
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI \VS{17}“Therefore,
your
majesty,
please
order
someone
to
search
in
the
place
in
Babylon
where
the
important
records
are
kept,
to
find
out
whether
{\ADD{
it
is
true
that}}
King
Cyrus
decreed
that
God’s
temple
should
be
rebuilt
in
Jerusalem.
Then
you
can
tell
us
what
you
want
us
to
do
about
this
matter.”

\par }\Chap{6}{\SH What King Darius commanded
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}{\ADD{
Later}}
Darius
{\ADD{
became
the
ruler
of
the
Persian
Empire.
When
the
enemies
of
the Israelis
forced
them
to
stop
rebuilding
the
temple,
the
Persian
officials
sent
a
message
to
King
Darius.
They
asked
him
to}}
search
the
records
in
the ◄archives/government
records►,
in
the
building
where
the
king
stored
the
important
documents,
{\ADD{
to
find
out
whether
King
Cyrus
had
authorized
that
the
temple
should
be
rebuilt}}.
\VS{2}{\ADD{
The
king
commanded
someone
to
search
there,
but
those
documents
were
not
there
in
Babylon}}.
They
found
a
scroll
at
the
fort
in
Ecbatana,
in
Media
province,
{\ADD{
that
contained
the
information
that
they
wanted
to
know}}.
\par }{\PP This
is
what
was
written
on
that
scroll:
\par }{\PI \VS{3}“During
the
first
year
that
Cyrus
{\ADD{
ruled
the
empire}},
he
sent
out
a
decree
concerning
the
temple
of
God
which
is
at
Jerusalem.
In
the
decree
it
was stated
that
a
new
temple
must
be
built
at
the
same
place
that
{\ADD{
the Israeli
people
previously}}
had
offered
sacrifices,
where
the
{\ADD{original}}
foundation
{\ADD{
of
the
first
temple}}
was.
The
temple
must
be 90
feet
high
and 90
feet
wide.
\VS{4}The
building
must
be
made
from
large
stones.
After
putting
down
three
layers
of
stones,
a
layer
of
timber
must
be
put
on
top
of
them.
This
work
will
be
paid
for
by
money
from
my
treasury.
\VS{5}Also,
the
gold
and
silver
utensils
that
King
Nebuchadnezzar
took
from
the
temple
of
God
in
Jerusalem
and
brought
to
Babylon
must
be
taken
back
to
Jerusalem.
They
must
be
put
in
God’s
temple
just
as
they
were
in
the
previous
temple.”
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{6}After
reading
this,
King
Darius
sent
this
message
{\ADD{
to
the
leaders
of
the Israeli
people’s
enemies
in
Jerusalem}}:
\par }{\PI “This
is
a
message
for
Tattenai,
the
governor
of
the
province
west
of
the
{\ADD{
Euphrates}}
River,
and
for
{\ADD{
his
assistant}}
Shethar-Bozenai,
and
for
all
your
colleagues:
Stay
away
from
that
area!
\VS{7}Do
not ◄interfere
with/hinder►
the
work
of
building
the
temple
of
God!
The
temple
must
be
rebuilt
at
the
same
place
where
the
former
temple
was.
And
do
not
hinder
the
governor
of
the
Jews
and
the
elders
of
the
Jews
{\ADD{
while
they
are
doing
this
work}}.
\par }{\PI \VS{8}“Furthermore,
I
declare
that
you
must
help
these
leaders
of
the
Jews
as
they
rebuild
this
temple
of
God
{\ADD{
by
giving
them funds
for
the
building
work}}.
\par }{\PI \VS{9}“The
Jewish
priests
in
Jerusalem
need
young
bulls
and
rams
and
lambs
to
sacrifice
as
they
make
burned
offerings
to
the
God
of
heaven.
You
must
give
them
the
animals
that
they
need.
Also,
you
must
be
certain
to
give
them
the
wheat,
salt,
wine,
and
{\ADD{
olive}}
oil
that
they
need
each
day
{\ADD{
for
those
sacrifices}}.
\VS{10}If
you
do
that,
the
Jewish
priests
will
be
able
to
offer
sacrifices
that
please
the
God
who
is
in
heaven,
and
they
will
pray
that
God
will
bless
me
and
my
sons.
\par }{\PI \VS{11}“If
anyone disobeys
this
decree,
{\ADD{
my
soldiers}}
will
pull
a
beam
from
his
house.
Then
{\ADD{
after
they
sharpen
one
end
of
the
beam,}}
they
will
lift
that
man
up
and impale
him
on
that
beam.
Then
they
will
{\ADD{
completely
destroy
that
man’s
house
until
only}}
a
pile
of
rubble
is
left.
\VS{12}God
has
chosen
{\ADD{
that
city
of}}
Jerusalem
as
the
place
where
people
will
honor
him [MTY].
What
I
desire
is
that
he
will
get
rid
of
any
king
or
any
nation
that
tries
to
change
this
decree
or
tries
to
destroy
that
temple
in
Jerusalem.
I,
Darius,
have
made
this
decree.
It
must
be
obeyed
quickly
and
thoroughly.”
\par }{\SH They
completed
and
dedicated
the
temple
\par }{\PP \VS{13}Tattenai,
the
governor
of
the
province,
and
{\ADD{
his
assistant}}
Shethar-Bozenai
and
their
colleagues
{\ADD{
read
the
message
and}}
immediately
obeyed
the
decree
of
King
Darius.
\VS{14}So
the
Jewish
leaders
continued
their
work
{\ADD{
of
rebuilding
the
temple}}.
They
were
greatly
encouraged
by
the
messages
that
the
prophets
Haggai
and
Zechariah
preached.
The Israelis
continued
building
the
temple,
just
like
God
had
commanded
them
to
do
and
like
King
Cyrus
had
decreed.
\VS{15}They
finished
building
it
on
March 12,
during
the
sixth
year
that
King
Darius
{\ADD{
ruled}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{16}Then
the
priests
and
the
Levites
and
all
the
other Israeli
people
who
had
returned
from
Babylon
very
joyfully
dedicated
the
temple.
\VS{17}During
{\ADD{
the
ceremony
to}}
dedicate
the
temple,
they
sacrificed 100
young
bulls, 200
rams,
and 400
lambs.
They
also
sacrificed
twelve
male
goats
as
an
offering
in
order
that
{\ADD{
God
would
forgive}}
the
sins
of
the
people
of
the
twelve
tribes
of
Israel.
\VS{18}Then
the
priests
and
Levites
were
divided
into
groups
that
would
{\ADD{
take
turns
to}}
serve
at
the
temple.
They
did
this
according
to
what
Moses
had
written
{\ADD{
many
years
previously}}
in
the
laws
{\ADD{
that
he
wrote}}.
\par }{\SH They
celebrated
the
Passover
Festival
\par }{\PP \VS{19}On April 21,
the
Jews
who
had
returned
from
Babylon
celebrated
the
Passover
Festival.
\VS{20}{\ADD{
To
qualify
themselves
for
offering
the
sacrifices}},
the
priests
and
Levites
had
already
purified
themselves
by
performing
certain rituals.
Then
they
slaughtered
the
lambs
for
the
benefit
of
all
the
people
who
had
returned
from
Babylon,
for
the
other
priests,
and
for
themselves.
\VS{21}Those
who
had
returned
from
Babylon
and
the
other
people
in
that
land
who
had
turned
away
from
their immoral
practices
in
order
to
worship
Yahweh,
the
God
of
the Israeli
people,
ate
the
Passover
meal.
\VS{22}They
celebrated
the
Unleavened
Bread
Festival
of
{\ADD{
Eating}}
Unleavened
Bread
for
seven
days.
The Israeli
people
throughout
the
land
were
joyful
because
Yahweh
had
changed
the
attitude
of
the
king
of
Assyria
toward
them,
and
as
a
result,
the
king
had
helped
them
to
rebuild
the
temple
of
God,
the
one
whom
they
{\ADD{
worshiped}}.

\par }\Chap{7}{\SH Ezra went to Jerusalem
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}{\ADD{
Many/Fifty
years}}
later,
while
Artaxerxes
was
the
king
of
Persia,
I,
Ezra
came
from
Babylon
here
to
Jerusalem.
I
am
the
son
of
Seraiah
and
the
grandson
of
Azariah,
and
the great-grandson
of
Hilkiah.
\VS{2}Hilkiah
was
the
son
of
Shallum,
who
was
the
son
of
Zadok,
who
was
the
son
of
Ahitub,
\VS{3}who
was
the
son
of
Amariah,
who
was
the
son
of
Azariah,
who
was
the
son
of
Meraioth,
\VS{4}who
was
the
son
of
Zerahiah,
who
was
the
son
of
Uzzi,
who
was
the
son
of
Bukki,
\VS{5}who
was
the
son
of
Abishua,
who
was
the
son
of
Phinehas,
who
was
the
son
of
Eleazar,
who
was
the
son
of
Aaron,
the
{\ADD{
first}} Supreme
Priest.
\VS{6}I
am
a
man
who
knows
very
well
the
laws
that
Moses
{\ADD{
wrote}}.
Those
were
the
laws
that
Yahweh,
the
God
whom
we Israeli
people ◄{\ADD{
worship/belong
to}}►,
had
given
to
us Israeli
people.
When
I
arrived
in
Jerusalem,
Yahweh
my
God
was
kind
to
me,
and
as
a
result
the
{\ADD{
people}}
gave
me
everything
that
I
had
requested
the
king
to
{\ADD{
tell
them
to}}
give
to
me.
\VS{7}Some
of
the
priests,
some
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi,
{\ADD{
some}}
singers,
{\ADD{
some}} ◄gatekeepers/men
who
guarded
the
gates
of
the
temple►,
and
{\ADD{
some}}
men
who
worked
in
the
temple,
and
some
other
{\ADD{Israeli}}
people
came
up
with
me
here
to
Jerusalem.
That
was
during
the
seventh
year
that
Artaxerxes
was
the
king
{\ADD{
of
Persia}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{8-9}We
left
Babylon
on April 8,
which
was
the
first
day
of
the
Jewish
year.
Because
God
was
very
kind
to
us,
we
arrived
{\ADD{
safely}}
in
Jerusalem
on August 4
of
that
year.
\VS{10}During
my
entire
life,
I
devoted
myself
to studying
the
laws
of
Yahweh,
and
how
to
obey
those
laws.
I
had
also
taught
those
laws
and
all
their
regulations
to
the Israeli
people
{\ADD{
for
many
years}}.
\par }{\SH The
letter
that
Artaxerxes
gave
to
Ezra
\par }{\PP \VS{11}King
Artaxerxes
{\ADD{
knew
that}}
I
am
a
priest
who
knows
the
Jewish
laws
very
well.
{\ADD{
He
knew
that
for
many
years}}
I
had
studied
those
laws
and
had
taught
all
the
rules
and
regulations
of
those
laws
to
the Israeli
people.
{\ADD{
So
before
I
left
Babylon
to
come
to
Jerusalem,}}
he
wrote
a
letter,
and
gave
a
copy
to
me.
{\ADD{
This
is
what
he
wrote}}:
\par }{\PP \VS{12}{\ADD{“This
letter
is}}
from
me,
Artaxerxes,
the
greatest
of
the
kings.
{\ADD{
I
am
giving
it}}
to
Ezra
the
priest,
who
has
studied
very
well
all
the
rules
and
regulations
that
the
God
{\ADD{
who
is/rules}}
in
heaven
{\ADD{
gave
to
the Israeli
people}}.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PI \VS{13}“Ezra,
I
command
that
when
you
return
to
Jerusalem,
any
of
the Israeli
people
in
my
kingdom
who
want
to
are
allowed
to
go
with
you.
That includes
any
priests
and
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi
{\ADD{
who
will
work
in
the
temple}}
who
want
to
go.
\VS{14}I,
along
with
my
seven
counselors/advisors,
am
sending
you
to
Jerusalem,
in
order
that
you
can
determine
what
is happening
there
and
in
{\ADD{
other
towns
in}}
Judah.
You
are
taking
with
you [MTY]
a
copy
of
God’s
laws;
make
sure
that
the
people
are
doing
everything
that
is
written
in
those
laws.
\VS{15}{\ADD{
We
are
also
saying
that}}
you
should
take
with
you
the
silver
and
gold
that
I
and
my advisors
are
wanting
to
give
to
you,
in
order
that
you
will
present
it
to
be
an
offering
to
the
God
who
{\ADD{
rules}}
the Israeli
people
and
who
lives
in
Jerusalem.
\VS{16}You
should
also
take
any
silver
and
gold
that
the
people
in
the
entire
Babylonia
province
give
to
you,
and
the
money
that
the
priests
and
{\ADD{
other}} Israeli
people
have happily
said
that
they
would
give
to
you
to
be
offerings
for
building
the
temple
of
their
God
in
Jerusalem.
\VS{17}With
this
money,
you
should
buy
the
bulls,
rams,
lambs,
and
the
grain
and
wine
that
the
priests
will
burn
on
the
altar
{\ADD{
outside}}
the
temple
of
your
God
in
Jerusalem.
\par }{\PI \VS{18}“If
there
is
any
silver
or
gold
that
remains
{\ADD{
you
have
bought
all
those
things}},
you
and
your
companions/colleagues
are
permitted
to
use
it
to
{\ADD{
buy}}
whatever
you
desire,
but
buy
only
things
that
{\ADD{
you
know
that}}
God
wants
you
to
buy.
\VS{19}We
have
given
to
you
some
valuable
items
to
be
used
in
the
temple
of
your
God.
Take
them
also
to
Jerusalem.
\VS{20}If
you
need
any
other
things
for
the
temple,
you
are
permitted
to
get
the
money
for
those
things
from
the
building
here
where
my government’s
money
is
kept/stored.
\par }{\PI \VS{21}“And
I,
King
Artaxerxes,
command
this
to
all
the
treasurers
in
the
province
west
of
the
{\ADD{
Euphrates}}
River: 'Give
to
Ezra,
the
priest
who
has
studied
very
well
the
laws
of
the
God
{\ADD{
who
is/rules}}
in
heaven,
everything
that
he
requests,
and
give
it
to
him
quickly.
\VS{22}The
most
that
you
should
give
to
him
is ◄7,500
pounds/3,400 kg.►
of
silver, 500 bushels
of
wheat, 550
gallons
of
wine,
and 550
gallons
of
{\ADD{
olive}}
oil,
but
give
to
him
all
the
salt
that
they
need.
\VS{23}Be
sure
that
you
provide
whatever
their
God
requires
for
his
temple,
because
we
certainly
do
not [RHQ]
want
him
to
be
angry
with
me
or
with
my
descendants
who
will
later
be
kings.
\VS{24}We
are
also
commanding
that
none
of
the
priests,
descendants
of
Levi,
musicians,
temple
guards,
or
other
men
who
work
in
the
temple,
will
be
required
to
pay
any
kind
of
taxes.'
\par }{\PI \VS{25}“Ezra,
your
God
has
enabled
you
to
become
very
wise.
Using
that
wisdom,
appoint
men
in
the
province
west
of
the
{\ADD{
Euphrates}}
River
who
will
judge
cases
involving
the
people,
and
men
who
will
judge
cases
involving
the
government.
You
must
appoint
men
who
know
the
laws
of
your
God.
All
of
you
must
teach
God’s
laws
to
others
who
do
not
know
them.
\VS{26}Everyone
who
does
not
obey
God’s
laws
or
the
laws
of
my
government
must
be
punished
severely.
Some
of
them
will
be
executed,
some
will
be
put
in
prison,
some
will
be
sent
out
of
the
country
or
have
all
their
property
taken
away
from
them.”
\par }{\SH Ezra
praised
Yahweh
\par }{\PP \VS{27}{\ADD{
Because
King
Artaxerxes
was
very
kind
like
that,
I
said}}, “Praise
Yahweh,
the
God
whom
our
ancestors
{\ADD{
worshiped/belonged
to}}!
He
has
caused
the
king
to
want
to
honor
the
temple
of
Yahweh
in
Jerusalem.
\VS{28}Because
God
was
very
kind
to
me,
the
king
and
all
his advisors
and
all
his
powerful
officials
have
also
been
kind
to
me.
So,
because
God
has
helped
me,
I
have
become
encouraged,
and
I
have
{\ADD{
been
able
to}}
persuade
some
of
the Israeli
leaders
to
go
up
to
Jerusalem
with
me.”

\par }\Chap{8}{\SH The clans that returned with Ezra to Jerusalem
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}This
is
a
list
of
the
names
of
the
leaders
of
the
clans
who
came
with
me
up
{\ADD{
to
Jerusalem}}
from
Babylonia
when
Artaxerxes
was
the
king
{\ADD{
of
Persia}}:
\par }{\BB \par }{\LI \VS{2}Gershom,
from
the
clan
descended
from
{\ADD{
Aaron’s
grandson}}
Phinehas
\par }{\LI Daniel,
from
the
clan
descended
from
{\ADD{
Aaron’s
son}}
Ithamar
\par }{\LI Hattush,
the
son
of
Shecaniah,
from
the
clan
descended
from
King
David
\par }{\LI \VS{3}Zechariah
and 150
{\ADD{
other}}
men
from
the
clan
descended
from
Parosh
\par }{\LI \VS{4}Eliehoenai
the
son
of
Zerahiah
and 200
other
men
from
the
clan
descended
from
Pahath-Moab
\par }{\LI \VS{5}Shecaniah
the
son
of
Jahaziel
and 300
other
men
from
the
clan
descended
from
Zattu
\par }{\LI \VS{6}Ebed
the
son
of
Jonathan
and 50
other
men
from
the
clan
descended
from
Adin
\par }{\LI \VS{7}Jeshaiah
the
son
of
Athaliah
and 70
other
men
from
the
clan
descended
from
Elam
\par }{\LI \VS{8}Zebadiah
the
son
of
Michael
and 80
other
men
from
the
clan
descended
from
Shephatiah
\par }{\LI \VS{9}Obadiah
the
son
of
Jehiel
and 218
other
men
from
the
clan
descended
from
Joab
\par }{\LI \VS{10}Shelomith
the
son
of
Josiphiah
and 160
other
men
from
the
clan
descended
from
Bani
\par }{\LI \VS{11}Zechariah
the
son
of
Bebai
and 28
other
men
from
the
clan
descended
from
{\ADD{
another
man
whose
name
was}}
Bebai
\par }{\LI \VS{12}Johanan
the
son
of
Hakkatan
and 110
other
men
from
the
clan
descended
from
Azgad
\par }{\LI \VS{13}Also
Eliphelet,
Jeuel,
and
Shemaiah,
who
returned
{\ADD{
here}}
later
with 60
men
from
the
clan
descended
from
Adonikam
\par }{\LI \VS{14}And
Uthai
and
Zaccur
and 70
other
men
from
the
clan
descended
from
Bigvai.
\par }{\SH Ezra
and
the
others
prepared
to
return
to
Jerusalem
\par }{\PP \VS{15}I
gathered
all
of
them
together
at
the
canal
that
goes
{\ADD{
from
Babylon}}
to
Ahava
{\ADD{
town}}.
We
set
up
our
tents
there
and
stayed
there
for
three
days.
{\ADD{
During
that
time}}
I
checked
the lists
of
names
and
found
out
that
there
were
priests
{\ADD{
going
with
us}},
but
no
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi
{\ADD{
who
could
help
them
in
the
temple}}.
\VS{16}So
I
summoned
Eliezer,
Ariel,
Shemaiah,
two
men
whose
names
were
Elnathan,
and
Jarib,
Nathan,
Zechariah,
and
Meshullam,
who
were
all
leaders
{\ADD{
of
the
people}}.
I
also
summoned
Joiarib
and
another
Elnathan,
who
were
wise.
\VS{17}I
sent
them
all
to
Iddo,
the
leader
of
the
descendants
of
Levi,
who
was
living
in
Casiphia
{\ADD{
town}},
to
request
that
he
and
his
relatives
and
other
men
who
had
worked
in
the
temple
send
to
us
some
men
who
would
{\ADD{
go/come
with
us
to}}
work
in
God’s
new
temple
{\ADD{
in
Jerusalem}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{18}Because
God
was
kind
to
us,
they
brought
to
us
a
man
named
Sherebiah
and 18
of
his
sons
and
other
relatives.
Sherebiah
was
a
very
wise
man,
a
descendant
of
Mahli,
{\ADD{
who
was
a
grandson}}
of
Levi.
\VS{19}They
also
sent
to
us
Hashabiah,
along
with
Jeshaiah,
descendants
of
{\ADD{
Levi’s
son}}
Merari,
and 20
of
their
relatives.
\VS{20}They
also
sent 220
other
men
to
work
in
the
temple.
Those
men’s
ancestors
had
been
appointed
by
King
David
to
assist
the
descendants
of
Levi
{\ADD{
who
helped
the
priests
in
the
temple}}.
I
listed/wrote
the
names
of
all
those
men.
\par }{\PP \VS{21}There
alongside
the
Ahava
Canal,
I
told
them
that
we
all
would ◄fast/abstain
from
eating
food►
and
pray.
I
also
told
them
that
we
should
humble
ourselves
in
the
presence
of
our
God.
We
prayed
that
God
would
protect
us
while
we
traveled,
and
also
protect
our
children
and
our
possessions/belongings.
\VS{22}Previously
we
had
told
the
king
that
our
God
takes
care
of
all
those
who
truly
trust
in
him,
but
that
he
becomes
very
angry
with
those
who
refuse
to
obey
him.
So
I
would
have
been
ashamed
if
I
had
asked
the
king
to
send
soldiers
and
men
riding
on
horses
to
protect
us
from
our
enemies
while
we
were
traveling
along
the
road.
\VS{23}So
we ◄fasted/abstained
from
eating
food►
and
requested
God
to
protect
us,
and
he ◄answered
our
prayers/did
what
we
requested.►
\par }{\SH The
gifts
for
the
temple
\par }{\PP \VS{24}I
chose
twelve
of
the
leaders
of
the
priests,
Sherebiah
and
Hashabiah
and
ten
of
their
relatives.
\VS{25}I
appointed
them
to
supervise
carrying
to
Jerusalem
the
gifts
of
silver
and
gold
and
the
other
valuable
items
that
the
king
and
his advisors
and
other
officials,
and
the Israeli
people
{\ADD{
who
were
living
in
Babylonia}},
had
contributed
for
the
temple
of
our
God.
\VS{26}As
I
gave
these
various
items
to
those
priests,
I
weighed
each
of
the
items.
This
was
the
total: 25 tons
of
silver, 100
items
made
from
silver
that
altogether
weighed 7,500
pounds, ◄7,500
pounds/3,400 kg.►
of
gold,
\VS{27}20
gold
bowls
that
altogether
weighed ◄19
pounds/8.6 kg.►,
and
two
items
made
of
polished
bronze
that
were
as
valuable
as
ones
made
of
gold.
\par }{\PP \VS{28}I
said
to
those
priests, “You
belong
to
Yahweh,
the
God
whom
our
ancestors ◄worshiped/also
belonged
to►,
and
these
valuable
things
also
belong
to
him.
The
people
themselves
gave
these
things
to
be
offerings
to
Yahweh ◄voluntarily/because
they
wanted
to►.
\VS{29}So
guard
them
carefully,
and
{\ADD{
when
we
arrive}}
in
Jerusalem,
weigh
them
in
the
presence
of
the
priests,
the
descendants
of
Levi
{\ADD{
who
will
help
the
priests}},
and
the
other Israeli
leaders
there.
They
will
then
put
them
in
the storerooms
in
the
new
temple.”
\VS{30}So
the
priests
and
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi
took
from
me
all
the
gifts
of
silver
and
gold
and
the
other
valuable
items,
in
order
to
carry
them
to
the
temple
in
Jerusalem.
\par }{\SH They
returned
to
Jerusalem
\par }{\PP \VS{31}On April 19,
we
left
the
Ahava
Canal
and
started
to
travel
to
Jerusalem.
Our
God
took
care
of
us,
and
while
we
traveled,
he
prevented
our
enemies
and
bandits
from ◄ambushing
us/suddenly
attacking
us►.
\VS{32}After
we
arrived
in
Jerusalem,
we
rested
for
three
days.
\VS{33}Then
on
the
fourth/next
day
we
went
to
the
temple.
There
the
silver
and
gold
and
the
other
items
were
weighed
and
given
to
the
priest
Meremoth,
the
son
of
Uriah.
Eleazar
the
son
of
Phinehas
and
two
descendants
of
Levi,
Jozabad
the
son
of
Jeshua
and
Noadiah
the
son
of
Binnui,
were
with
him.
\par }{\PP \VS{34}They
counted
everything,
and
wrote
down
how
much
they
weighed,
and
wrote
{\ADD{
a description
of}}
each item.
\par }{\PP \VS{35}We
who
had
returned
from
Babylonia
offered
to
God
sacrifices
on
the
altar.
We
offered
twelve
bulls
for
all
us Israeli
people.
We
also
offered 96
rams
and 27
lambs.
We
also
sacrificed
twelve
goats
{\ADD{
to
atone}}
for
the
sins
that
all
the
people
had
committed.
These
were
all
completely
burned
on
the
altar.
\VS{36}Some
of
us
who
returned
{\ADD{
from
Babylonia}}
took
to
the
governors
and
other
officials
of
the
province
west
of
the
{\ADD{
Euphrates}}
River
the
letter
that
the
king
had
given
to
us.
{\ADD{
After
they
read
the
letter,}}
they
did
all
{\ADD{
that
they
were
able
to
do}}
for
us Israeli
people
and
for
the
temple
of
God.

\par }\Chap{9}{\SH Ezra prayed about the Israeli people marrying foreign wives
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}Some
time
later,
the
Jewish
leaders
came
to
me
and
said, “Many Israelis,
and
even
some
priests
and
{\ADD{
other
men
who
are}}
descendants
of
Levi
{\ADD{
who
work
in
the
temple}},
have
not
kept
themselves
from
{\ADD{
doing
what}}
the
other
people
who
are
living
in
this
land
{\ADD{
do}}.
They
are
practicing
the
detestable
things
that
the
Canaan,
Heth, Periz,
Jebus,
Ammon,
and Amor people-groups,
and
the
people
from
Moab
and
Egypt
do.
\VS{2}{\ADD{
Specifically,
some}} Israeli
men
have
married
women
who
are
not Israelis,
and
they
have
allowed
their
sons
to
do
the
same
thing.
So
we,
God’s
sacred
people,
have
become ◄contaminated/polluted
in
God’s
sight►.
And
some
of
our
leaders
and
officials
have
been
the
first/worst
ones
to
do
this.”
\par }{\PP \VS{3}When
I
heard
that,
{\ADD{
I
became
very
angry,
with
the
result
that}}
I
tore
my
clothes
and
tore
some
hair
from
my
head
and
from
my
beard.
Then
I
sat
down,
very
shocked/dismayed.
{\ADD{
The Israelis
knew
that
God
had
warned
us
that
he
would
punish
us
if
we
disobeyed}}
what
he
had
said
to
us
{\ADD{
about
marrying
women
who
are
not Israelis}}.
\VS{4}{\ADD{
So}}
many
of
the Israelis
trembled/were
afraid
when
they
heard
that
some
of
those
who
had
returned
from
Babylonia
had
sinned
by disobeying
the
God
of
us Israelis
like
that.
They
came
and
sat
with
me
until
it
was
time
to
offer
the
evening
sacrifices
{\ADD{
of
grain}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{5}When
it
was
time
to
offer
those
sacrifices,
I
was
still
sitting
there,
wearing
those
torn
clothes
and
mourning/sad.
I
stood
up,
and
then
I
quickly
prostrated
myself
on
the
ground.
I
lifted
up
my
hands
to
Yahweh,
my
God,
\VS{6}and
this
is
what
I
prayed:
\par }{\PI “Yahweh
my
God,
I
am
very
ashamed
to
raise
my
head
in
front
of
you.
The
sins
that
we Israelis
have
committed
{\ADD{
are
very
great;
it
is
as
though
they}}
have
risen
up
higher
than
our
heads,
and
our
guilt
{\ADD{
for
committing
those
sins,
it
is
as
though
it}}
rises
up
to
the
heavens.
\VS{7}Since
the
time
that
our
ancestors
lived
until
now,
we
have
been
very
guilty.
That
is
the
reason
that
we
and
our
kings
and
our
priests
have
been
defeated
by
{\ADD{
the
armies
of}}
the
kings
of
other
lands.
They
killed
{\ADD{
some
of
our
people}},
they
captured
{\ADD{
some}},
they
robbed
{\ADD{
some}},
and
they
{\ADD{
caused
them
all
to
be}}
disgraced,
just
like
we
are
today.
\par }{\PI \VS{8}“But
now,
Yahweh
God,
you
have
been
very
kind
to
us.
You
have
allowed
some
of
us
to ◄survive/continue
to
live►.
You
have
revived
our
spirits [IDM]
and
allowed
us
to
escape
from
being
slaves
{\ADD{
in
Babylonia}}
and
to
return
safely [IDM]
to
live
in
this
sacred
place.
\VS{9}We
were
slaves,
but
you
did
not
abandon
us.
Instead,
because
you
faithfully
love
us,
you
caused
the
kings
of
Persia
to
be
very
kind
to
us.
You
have
allowed
us
to
continue
to
live
and
to
rebuild
your
temple
which
had
been
completely
destroyed.
You
have
allowed
us
to
start
to
live
safely
here
in
Jerusalem
and
in
{\ADD{
other
towns
in}}
Judah.
\par }{\PI \VS{10}“Our
God,
what
more
can
we
say
now [RHQ]?
In
spite
of
all
that
{\ADD{
you
have
done
for
us}},
we
have
disobeyed
your
commands.
\VS{11}They
are
commands
that
you
gave
to
your
servants,
the
prophets,
to
tell
to
us.
They
said
that
the
land
that
we
would
occupy
was
polluted
because
of
the
detestable/disgusting
things
that
were
done
by
the
people
who
lived
there.
They
said
that
in
the
land
there
were
people
from
one
end
to
the
other
who
did immoral/shameful
things.
\VS{12}They
said, ‘Do
not
allow
your
daughters
to
marry
their
sons!
Do
not
allow
your
sons
to
marry
their
daughters!
Do
not
even
try
to
cause
things
to
go
well
for
those people-groups!
If
you
obey
these
instructions,
your
nation
will
be
strong,
and
you
will
enjoy
the
good
crops
that
grow
on
the
land,
and
the
land
will
belong
to
your
descendants
forever.’
\par }{\PI \VS{13}“You
punished
us
because
we
were
very
guilty
for
having
done
wicked
things.
But
you
have
not
punished
us
as
much
as
we
deserve
to
be
punished.
{\ADD{
I
say
this
because}}
you,
our
God,
have
allowed
some
of
us
to
survive.
\VS{14}However,
some
of
us
are
again disobeying
your
commands,
and
we
are
marrying
women
who
do
those
detestable
things.
If
we
continue
to
do
that,
surely
you
will
get
rid
of
all
of
us [RHQ],
with
the
result
that
none
of
us
will
remain
alive.
\VS{15}Yahweh,
the
God
whom
we Israelis
{\ADD{
worship/belong
to}},
you
are
fair/just.
We
are
guilty.
We
are
only
a
few
people
who
have
escaped
{\ADD{
from
Babylonia}},
but
we
pray
to
you,
even
though
we
do
not
deserve
to
stand
in
your
presence.”

\par }\Chap{10}{\SH The men agreed to divorce their foreign wives
\par }{\PP \VerseOne{1}While
I
was
kneeling
down
in
front
of
the
temple
and
praying
and
crying,
I
was
confessing
{\ADD{
the
sins
that
the Israeli
people
had
committed}}.
Many
people,
men
and
women
and
children,
gathered
around
me
and
also
cried
very
much.
\VS{2}Then
Shecaniah,
the
son
of
Jehiel
from
the
clan
of
Elam,
said
this
to
me: “We
have
disobeyed
God.
{\ADD{
Some
of}}
us
have
married
women
who
are
not Israelis.
But
we
can
still
confidently
expect
{\ADD{
Yahweh
to
be
merciful
to}}
us Israeli
people.
\VS{3}We
will
do
what
you,
and
the
others
who
have
an
awesome
respect
for
what
our
God
has
commanded,
tell
us
to
do.
We
will
do
what
God
told
us
in
his
laws.
We
will
make
an
agreement
with
our
God,
saying
that
we
will
divorce
our
wives
who
are
not Israelis,
and
we
will
send
them
away
with
their
children.
\VS{4}◄It
is
your
responsibility
to/Because
you
are
our
leader,
you
must►
{\ADD{
tell
us
what
to
do}}.
So
get
up,
and
be
courageous,
and
do
{\ADD{
what
is
necessary}}.
We
will ◄support
you/tell
people
to
do
what
you
say►.”
\par }{\PP \VS{5}So
I
stood
up
and
demanded
that
the
leaders
of
the
priests,
the
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi,
and
all
{\ADD{
the
other}} Israeli
people
solemnly
declare
that
they
would
do
what
Shecaniah
said
that
they
should
do.
So
they
all
solemnly
promised
to
do
that.
\VS{6}Then
I
went
away
from
the
front
of
the
temple
and
went
to
the
room
where
Jehohanan
lived.
I
stayed
there
that
night,
but
I
did
not
eat
or
drink
anything.
I
was
still
sad
because
some
of
the Israelis
who
had
returned
{\ADD{
from
Babylonia}}
had
not
faithfully
obeyed
{\ADD{
God’s
laws}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{7}Then
we
sent
a
message
to
all
{\ADD{
the
people
in}}
Jerusalem
and
{\ADD{
in
other
towns
in}}
Judah,
saying
that
all
those
who
had
returned
{\ADD{
from
Babylonia}}
should
come
to
Jerusalem
immediately.
\VS{8}We
said
that
if
any
of
them
did
not
arrive
within
three
days,
the
leaders
of
the
people
would
order
that
all
the
property
of
those
people
would
be
taken
from
them,
and
that
they
would
no
longer
be
considered
to
belong
to
the Israeli
people;
{\ADD{
they
would
be
considered
to
be
foreigners}}.
\par }{\PP \VS{9}So
within
three
days,
on December 19,
all
the
people
of
the
tribes
of
Judah
and
Benjamin
gathered
in
Jerusalem.
They
were
there,
sitting
in
the
courtyard
in
front
of
the
temple.
They
were
trembling
because
it
was raining
hard
and
because
they
were
worried
{\ADD{
that
they
would
be
punished
for
what
they
had
done}}.
\VS{10}Then
I
stood
up
and
said
to
them, “{\ADD{
Some
of}}
you
men
have
committed
a
very
bad
sin.
You
have
married
women
who
are
not Israelis.
By
doing
that,
you
have
made
us Israeli
people
more
guilty
{\ADD{
than
we
were
before}}.
\VS{11}So
now
you
must
confess
to
Yahweh,
the
God
whom
your
ancestors
{\ADD{
worshiped/belonged
to}},
the
sin
which
you
have
committed,
and
you
must
do
what
he
wants.
Separate
yourselves
from
the
people
of
other
nations
and
from
the
women
from
those
nations
whom
you
have
married.”
\par }{\PP \VS{12}The
whole
group
answered,
shouting
loudly, “Yes,
what
you
have
said
is
right!
We
will
do
what
you
have
said.”
\VS{13}But
then
{\ADD{
one
of}}
them
said, “But
we
are
a
very
large
group,
and
it
is raining
hard.
Also,
there
are
many
of
us
who
have
committed
this
bad
sin.
This
is
something
that
we
cannot ◄take
care
of/handle►
in
one
or
two
days,
and
we
cannot
stand
here
in
this
rain.
\VS{14}So
allow
our
leaders
to
decide
for
all
of
us
what
we
should
do.
Tell
everyone
who
has
married
a
woman
who
is
not Israeli
to
come
at
a
time
that
you
decide.
They
should
come
with
the
elders
and
judges
from
each
city.
If
we
do
that,
our
God
will
stop
being
angry
with
us
{\ADD{
because
of
what
we
have
done}}.”
\par }{\PP \VS{15}Jonathan
the
son
of
Asahel,
Jahzeiah
the
son
of
Tikvah,
Meshullam,
and
Shabbethai,
a
descendant
of
Levi,
were
the
only
ones
who objected
to
this.
\par }{\PP \VS{16}All
the
others
who
had
returned
from
Babylonia
said
that
they
would
do
it.
So
I
chose
leaders
of
each
of
the
clans,
and
I
wrote
down
their
names.
On December 29,
these
men
came
and
sat
down
to
investigate
the
matter.
\VS{17}By
March 27
of
the
next
year
they
finished determining
which
men
had
married
women
who
were
not Israelis.
\par }{\SH The
men
who
had
married
foreign
wives
\par }{\LI \VS{18}This
is
a
list
of
the
names
of
the
priests
who
had
married non-Israeli
women,
and
the
clans
to
which
they
belonged.
From
the
clan
of
Jeshua
and
his
brothers,
who
were
sons
of
Jehozadak,
there
were
Maaseiah,
Eliezer,
Jarib,
and
Gedaliah.
\VS{19}They
solemnly
promised
to
divorce
their
wives,
and
they
each
sacrificed
a
ram
to
be
an
offering
{\ADD{
to
atone}}
for
their
sins.
\par }{\LI \VS{20}From
the
clan
of
Immer
there
were
Hanani
and
Zebadiah.
\par }{\LI \VS{21}From
the
clan
of
Harim
there
were
Maaseiah,
Elijah,
Shemaiah,
Jehiel,
and
Uzziah.
\par }{\LI \VS{22}From
the
clan
of
Pashhur
there
were
Elioenai,
Maaseiah,
Ishmael,
Nethanel,
Jozabad,
and
Elasah.
\par }{\LI \VS{23}The
{\ADD{
other}}
descendants
of
Levi
{\ADD{
who
had
married non-Israeli
women}}
were
Jozabad,
Shimei,
Kelaiah (whose
other
name
was
Kelita),
Pethahiah,
Judah,
and
Eliezer.
\par }{\LI \VS{24}There
was
Eliashib
the
musician.
\par }{\LIB From
the
temple
guards
there
were
Shallum,
Telem,
and
Uri.
\par }{\BB \par }{\LI \VS{25}This
is
a
list
of
the
names
of
the
other Israelis
who
had
married
foreign
wives:
\par }{\LI From
the
clan
of
Parosh
there
were
Ramiah,
Izziah,
Malchijah,
Mijamin,
Eleazar,
Hashabiah,
and
Benaiah.
\par }{\LI \VS{26}From
the
clan
of
Elam
there
were
Mattaniah,
Zechariah,
Jehiel,
Abdi,
Jeremoth,
and
Elijah.
\par }{\LI \VS{27}From
the
clan
of
Zattu
there
were
Elioenai,
Eliashib,
Mattaniah,
Jeremoth,
Zabad,
and
Aziza.
\par }{\LIB \VS{28}From
the
clan
of
Bebai
there
were
Jehohanan,
Hananiah,
Zabbai,
and
Athlai.
\par }{\LI \VS{29}From
the
clan
of
Bani
there
were
Meshullam,
Malluch,,
Adaiah,
Jashub,
Sheal,
and
Jeremoth.
\par }{\LI \VS{30}From
the
clan
of
Pahath-Moab
there
were
Adna,
Kelal,
Benaiah,
Maaseiah,
Mattaniah,
Bezalel,
Binnui,
and
Manasseh.
\par }{\LI \VS{31}From
the
clan
of
Harim
there
were
Eliezer,
Ishijah,
Malkijah,
Shemaiah,
Shimeon,
\VS{32}Benjamin,
Malluch,
and
Shemariah.
\par }{\LI \VS{33}From
the
clan
of
Hashum
there
were
Mattenai,
Mattattah,
Zabad,
Eliphelet,
Jeremai,
Manasseh,
and
Shimei.
\par }{\LI \VS{34}From
the
clan
of
Bigvai
there
were
Maadai,
Amram,
Uel,
\VS{35}Benaiah,
Bedeiah,
Keluhi,
\VS{36}Vaniah,
Meremoth,
Eliashib,
\VS{37}Mattaniah,
Mattenai,
and
Jaasu.
\par }{\LI \VS{38}From
the
clan
of
Binnui
there
were
Shimei,
\par }{\LIB \VS{39}Shelemiah,
Nathan,
Adaiah,
\VS{40}Macnadebai,
Shashai,
Sharai,
\VS{41}Azarel,
Shelemiah,
Shemariah,
\VS{42}Shallum,
Amariah,
and
Joseph.
\par }{\LI \VS{43}From
the
clan
of
Nebo
there
were
Jeiel,
Mattithiah,
Zabad,
Zebina,
Jaddai,
Joel,
and
Benaiah.
\par }{\BB \par }{\PP \VS{44}Each
of
those
men
had
married
a
woman
who
was
not
an Israeli.
{\ADD{
But
immediately}}
they
divorced
those
women
and
sent
them
and
their
children
away.
\par }