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## Ezra

### Chapter 1

1Now in the first year of Koresh king of Paras, that YHWH’s word by Yirmeyahu’s mouth might be accomplished, YHWH 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 2“Koresh king of Paras says, ‘YHWH, the Elohim of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Yehudah. 3Whoever there is amongst you of all his people, may his Elohim be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Yehudah, and build the house of YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael (he is Elohim), which is in Jerusalem. 4Whoever is left, in any place where he lives, let the men of his place help him with silver, with gold, with goods, and with animals, in addition to the free will offering for Elohim’s house which is in Jerusalem.’” 5Then the heads of fathers’ households of Yehudah and Binyamin, the priests and the Levi'im, all whose spirit Elohim had stirred to go up, rose up to build YHWH’s house which is in Jerusalem. 6All those who were around them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with animals, and with precious things, in addition to all that was willingly offered. 7Also Koresh the king brought out the vessels of YHWH’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought out of Jerusalem, and had put in the house of his gods; 8even those, Koresh king of Paras brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and counted them out to Sheshbatzar the prince of Yehudah. 9This is the number of them: thirty platters of gold, one thousand platters of silver, twenty-nine knives, 10thirty bowls of gold, four hundred and ten silver bowls of a second kind, and one thousand other vessels. 11All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. Sheshbatzar brought all these up when the captives were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

### Chapter 2

1Now these are the children of the province who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Yehudah, everyone to his city; 2who came with Zerubavel, Yeshua, Nechemiah, Serayah, Reelaiah, Mordechai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Ba'ana. The number of the men of the people of Yisrael: 3The children of Parosh, two thousand and one hundred and seventy-two. 4The children of Shefatyah, three hundred and seventy-two. 5The children of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five. 6The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Yeshua and Yoav, two thousand and eight hundred and twelve. 7The children of Elam, one thousand and two hundred and fifty-four. 8The children of Zattu, nine hundred and forty-five. 9The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty. 10The children of Bani, six hundred and forty-two. 11The children of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-three. 12The children of Azgad, one thousand and two hundred and twenty-two. 13The children of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six. 14The children of Bigvai, two thousand and fifty-six. 15The children of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four. 16The children of Ater, of Chizkiyahu, ninety-eight. 17The children of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-three. 18The children of Yorah, one hundred and twelve. 19The children of Chashum, two hundred and twenty-three. 20The children of Gibbar, ninety-five. 21The children of Beit Lechem, one hundred and twenty-three. 22The men of Netophah, fifty-six. 23The men of Anatot, one hundred and twenty-eight. 24The children of Azmavet, forty-two. 25The children of Kiryat Arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three. 26The children of Ramah and Geva, six hundred and twenty-one. 27The men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two. 28The men of Beit El and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three. 29The children of Nevo, fifty-two. 30The children of Magbish, one hundred and fifty-six. 31The children of the other Elam, one thousand and two hundred and fifty-four. 32The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty. 33The children of Lod, Chadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-five. 34The children of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five. 35The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty. 36The priests: the children of Yeda'yah, of the house of Yeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three. 37The children of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two. 38The children of Pashchur, one thousand and two hundred and forty-seven. 39The children of Harim, one thousand and seventeen. 40The Levi'im: the children of Yeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodavyah, seventy-four. 41The singers: the children of Asaf, one hundred and twenty-eight. 42The children of the gatekeepers: the children of Shalum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all one hundred and thirty-nine. 43The Beit HaMikdash servants: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth, 44the children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon, 45the children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub, 46the children of Hagab, the children of Shamlai, the children of Hanan, 47the children of Gidel, the children of Gahar, the children of Re'ayah, 48the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam, 49the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai, 50the children of Asnah, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephisim, 51the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, 52the children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, 53the children of Barkos, the children of Sisra, the children of Temah, 54the children of Netziach, the children of Hatipha. 55The children of Shlomo’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Hassophereth, the children of Peruda, 56the children of Ya'alah, the children of Darkon, the children of Gidel, 57the children of Shefatyah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth Hazzebaim, the children of Ami. 58All the Beit HaMikdash servants, and the children of Shlomo’s servants, were three hundred and ninety-two. 59These were those who went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses and their offspring, whether they were of Yisrael: 60the children of Delayah, the children of Toviyah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred and fifty-two. 61Of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of HaKotz, and the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gil'adi, and was called after their name. 62These sought their place amongst those who were registered by genealogy, but they were not found; therefore they were deemed disqualified and removed from the priesthood. 63The governor told them that they should not eat of the most kodesh things until a priest stood up to serve with Urim and with Thummim. 64The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand and three hundred and sixty, 65in addition to their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were seven thousand and three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred singing men and singing women. 66Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six; their mules, two hundred and forty-five; 67their camels, four hundred and thirty-five; their donkeys, six thousand and seven hundred and twenty. 68Some of the heads of fathers’ households, when they came to YHWH’s house which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for Elohim’s house to set it up in its place. 69They gave according to their ability into the treasury of the work sixty-one thousand darics of gold, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priests’ garments. 70So the priests and the Levi'im, with some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the Beit HaMikdash servants, lived in their cities, and all Yisrael in their cities.

### Chapter 3

1When the seventh month had come, and the children of Yisrael were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. 2Then Yeshua the son of Yotzadak stood up with his brothers the priests and Zerubavel the son of She'altiel and his relatives, and built the altar of the Elohim of Yisrael, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moshe the man of Elohim. 3In spite of their fear because of the peoples of the surrounding lands, they set the altar on its base; and they offered burnt offerings on it to YHWH, even burnt offerings morning and evening. 4They kept the Chag HaSukkot, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required; 5and afterward the continual burnt offering, the offerings of the new moons, of all the set feasts of YHWH that were consecrated, and of everyone who willingly offered a free will offering to YHWH. 6From the first day of the seventh month, they began to offer burnt offerings to YHWH; but the foundation of YHWH’s Beit HaMikdash was not yet laid. 7They also gave money to the masons and to the carpenters. They also gave food, drink, and oil to the people of Tzidon and Tyre to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Yafo, according to the grant that they had from Koresh King of Paras. 8Now in the second year of their coming to Elohim’s house at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubavel the son of She'altiel, Yeshua the son of Yotzadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levi'im, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began the work and appointed the Levi'im, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of YHWH’s house. 9Then Yeshua stood with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Yehudah, together to have the oversight of the workmen in Elohim’s house: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levi'im. 10When the builders laid the foundation of YHWH’s Beit HaMikdash, they set the priests in their vestments with trumpets, with the Levi'im the sons of Asaf with cymbals, to praise YHWH, according to the directions of David king of Yisrael. 11They sang to one another in praising and giving thanks to YHWH, “For he is good, for his chesed endures forever towards Yisrael.” All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised YHWH, because the foundation of YHWH’s house had been laid. 12But many of the priests and Levi'im and heads of fathers’ households, 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. Many also shouted aloud for joy, 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 far away.

### Chapter 4

1Now when the adversaries of Yehudah and Binyamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a Beit HaMikdash to YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael, 2they came near to Zerubavel, and to the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your Elohim as you do; and we have been sacrificing to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.” 3But Zerubavel, Yeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Yisrael said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our Elohim; but we ourselves together will build to YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael, as King Koresh the king of Paras has commanded us.” 4Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Yehudah, and troubled them in building. 5They hired counsellors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Koresh king of Paras, even until the reign of Darius king of Paras. 6In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Yehudah and Jerusalem. 7In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Paras; and the writing of the letter was written in Arami and delivered in the Arami language. 8Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows. 9Then Rehum the chancellor, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Bavlim, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Eilamim, 10and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over and settled in the city of Shomron, and in the rest of the country beyond the River, and so forth, wrote. 11This is the copy of the letter that they sent: i To King Artaxerxes, from your servants, the people beyond the River. 12Be it known to the king that the Yehudim who came up from you have come to us to Jerusalem. They are building the rebellious and bad city, and have finished the walls and repaired the foundations. 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. 14Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not appropriate for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore we have sent and informed the king, 15that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will see 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 started rebellions within it in the past. That is why this city was destroyed. 16We inform the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, then you will have no possession beyond the River. 17Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who live in Shomron, and in the rest of the country beyond the River: i Peace. 18The letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me. 19I decreed, and search has been made, and it was found that this city has made insurrection against kings in the past, and that rebellion and revolts have been made in it. 20There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll was paid to them. 21Make a decree now to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built until a decree is made by me. 22Be careful that you not be slack doing so. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings? 23Then when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Yehudim, and made them to cease by force of arms. 24Then work stopped on Elohim’s house which is at Jerusalem. It stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Paras.

### Chapter 5

1Now the prophets, Chagai the prophet and Zecharyah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Yehudim who were in Yehudah and Jerusalem. They prophesied to them in the name of the Elohim of Yisrael. 2Then Zerubavel the son of She'altiel, and Yeshua the son of Yotzadak rose up and began to build Elohim’s house which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of Elohim, helping them. 3At the same time Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, came to them, with Shetharbozenai and their companions, and asked them, “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this wall?” 4They also asked for the names of the men who were making this building. 5But the eye of their Elohim was on the elders of the Yehudim, and they didn’t make them cease until the matter should come to Darius, and an answer should be returned by letter concerning it. 6The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetharbozenai, and his companions the Apharsachites who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king follows. 7They sent a letter to him, in which was written: i To Darius the king, all peace. 8Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Yehudah, to the house of the great Elohim, which is being built with great stones and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands. 9Then we asked those elders, and said to them thus, “Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?” 10We asked them their names also, to inform you that we might write the names of the men who were at their head. 11Thus they returned us answer, saying, “We are the servants of the Elohim of heaven and earth and are building the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Yisrael built and finished. 12But after our fathers had provoked the Elohim of heaven to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Kasdi, who destroyed this house and carried the people away into Babylon. 13But in the first year of Koresh king of Babylon, Koresh the king made a decree to build this house of Elohim. 14The gold and silver vessels of Elohim’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the Beit HaMikdash that was in Jerusalem and brought into the Beit HaMikdash of Babylon, those Koresh the king also took out of the Beit HaMikdash of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbatzar, whom he had made governor. 15He said to him, ‘Take these vessels, go, put them in the Beit HaMikdash that is in Jerusalem, and let Elohim’s house be built in its place.’ 16Then the same Sheshbatzar came and laid the foundations of Elohim’s house which is in Jerusalem. Since that time even until now it has been being built, and yet it is not completed. 17Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it is so that a decree was made by Koresh the king to build this house of Elohim at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.”

### Chapter 6

1Then Darius the king made a decree, and the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon, was searched. 2A scroll was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, and in it this was written for a record: 3In the first year of Koresh the king, Koresh the king made a decree: Concerning Elohim’s house at Jerusalem, let the house be built, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let its foundations be strongly laid, with its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits; 4with three courses of great stones and a course of new timber. Let the expenses be given out of the king’s house. 5Also let the gold and silver vessels of Elohim’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the Beit HaMikdash which is at Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought again to the Beit HaMikdash which is at Jerusalem, everything to its place. You shall put them in Elohim’s house. 6Now therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the River, you must stay far from there. 7Leave the work of this house of Elohim alone; let the governor of the Yehudim and the elders of the Yehudim build this house of Elohim in its place. 8Moreover I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Yehudim for the building of this house of Elohim: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the River, expenses must be given with all diligence to these men, that they not be hindered. 9That which they have need of, including young bulls, rams, and lambs, for burnt offerings to the Elohim of heaven; also wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the priests who are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail, 10that they may offer sacrifices of pleasant aroma to the Elohim of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons. 11I have also made a decree that whoever alters this message, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened on it; and let his house be made a dunghill for this. 12May the Elohim who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples who stretch out their hand to alter this, to destroy this house of Elohim which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree. Let it be done with all diligence. 13Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and their companions did accordingly with all diligence, because Darius the king had sent a decree. 14The elders of the Yehudim built and prospered, through the prophesying of Chagai the prophet and Zecharyah the son of Iddo. They built and finished it, according to the mitzvah of the Elohim of Yisrael, and according to the decree of Koresh, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Paras. 15This house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. 16The children of Yisrael, the priests, the Levi'im, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of Elohim with joy. 17They offered at the dedication of this house of Elohim one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Yisrael, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Yisrael. 18They set the priests in their divisions and the Levi'im in their courses, for the service of Elohim which is at Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moshe. 19The children of the captivity kept the Pesach on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20Because the priests and the Levi'im had purified themselves together, all of them were pure. They killed the Pesach for all the children of the captivity, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves. 21The children of Yisrael who had returned out of the captivity, and all who had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land to seek YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael, ate, 22and kept the Chag HaMatzot seven days with joy; because YHWH had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of Elohim, the Elohim of Yisrael’s house.

### Chapter 7

1Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Paras, Ezra the son of Serayah, the son of Azaryah, the son of Chilkiyahu, 2the son of Shalum, the son of Tzadok, the son of Achituv, 3the son of Amaryah, the son of Azaryah, the son of Meraioth, 4the son of Zerachyah, the son of Uzi, the son of Bukki, 5the son of Abishua, the son of Pinchas, the son of El'azar, the son of Aharon the chief priest— 6this Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a skilled scribe in the law of Moshe, which YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to YHWH his Elohim’s hand on him. 7Some of the children of Yisrael, including some of the priests, the Levi'im, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the Beit HaMikdash servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. 8He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his Elohim on him. 10For Ezra had set his heart to seek YHWH’s law, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Yisrael. 11Now this is the copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of YHWH’s mitzvot, and of his statutes to Yisrael: 12Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the perfect Elohim of heaven. Now 13I make a decree that all those of the people of Yisrael and their priests and the Levi'im in my realm, who intend of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with you. 14Because you are sent by the king and his seven counsellors to enquire concerning Yehudah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your Elohim which is in your hand, 15and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered to the Elohim of Yisrael, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, 16and all the silver and gold that you will find in all the province of Babylon, with the free will offering of the people and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their Elohim which is in Jerusalem. 17Therefore you shall with all diligence buy with this money bulls, rams, and lambs with their meal offerings and their drink offerings, and shall offer them on the altar of the house of your Elohim which is in Jerusalem. 18Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do that according to the will of your Elohim. 19The vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your Elohim, deliver before the Elohim of Jerusalem. 20Whatever more will be needed for the house of your Elohim, which you may have occasion to give, give it out of the king’s treasure house. 21I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the Elohim of heaven, requires of you, it shall be done with all diligence, 22up to one hundred talents of silver, and to one hundred cors of wheat, and to one hundred baths of wine, and to one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. 23Whatever is commanded by the Elohim of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the Elohim of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? 24Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on any of the priests, Levi'im, singers, gatekeepers, Beit HaMikdash servants, or labourers of this house of Elohim. 25You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your Elohim that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, who all know the laws of your Elohim; and teach him who doesn’t know them. 26Whoever will not do the law of your Elohim and the law of the king, let judgement be executed on him with all diligence, whether it is to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. 27Blessed be YHWH, the Elohim of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify YHWH’s house which is in Jerusalem; 28and has extended chesed to me before the king and his counsellors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. I was strengthened according to YHWH my Elohim’s hand on me, and I gathered together chief men out of Yisrael to go up with me.

### Chapter 8

1Now these are the heads of their fathers’ households, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king: 2Of the sons of Pinchas, Gershom. Of the sons of Itamar, Daniyyel. Of the sons of David, Chatush. 3Of the sons of Shekanyah, of the sons of Parosh, Zecharyah; and with him were listed by genealogy of the males one hundred and fifty. 4Of the sons of Pahathmoab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerachyah; and with him two hundred males. 5Of the sons of Shekanyah, the son of Yachazi'el; and with him three hundred males. 6Of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Yonatan; and with him fifty males. 7Of the sons of Elam, Yesha'yah the son of Atalyah; and with him seventy males. 8Of the sons of Shefatyah, Zevadyah the son of Mikha'el; and with him eighty males. 9Of the sons of Yoav, Ovadyah the son of Yechi'el; and with him two hundred and eighteen males. 10Of the sons of Shelomit, the son of Yosifyah; and with him one hundred and sixty males. 11Of the sons of Bebai, Zecharyah the son of Bebai; and with him twenty-eight males. 12Of the sons of Azgad, Yochanan the son of Hakkatan; and with him one hundred and ten males. 13Of the sons of Adonikam, who were the last, their names are: Eliphelet, Ye'u'el, and Shemayah; and with them sixty males. 14Of the sons of Bigvai, Utai and Zabbud; and with them seventy males. 15I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava; and there we encamped three days. Then I looked around at the people and the priests, and found there were none of the sons of Levi. 16Then I sent for Eli'ezer, for Ariel, for Shemayah, for Elnatan, for Yariv, for Elnatan, for Natan, for Zecharyah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Yoyariv and for Elnatan, who were teachers. 17I sent them out to Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia; and I told them what they should tell Iddo and his brothers the Beit HaMikdash servants at the place Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our Elohim. 18According to the good hand of our Elohim on us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Machli, the son of Levi, the son of Yisrael, namely Shereviah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen; 19and Chashavyah, and with him Yesha'yah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty; 20and of the Beit HaMikdash servants, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levi'im, two hundred and twenty Beit HaMikdash servants. All of them were mentioned by name. 21Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our Elohim, to seek from him a straight way for us, for our little ones, and for all our possessions. 22For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our Elohim is on all those who seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all those who forsake him.” 23So we fasted and begged our Elohim for this, and he granted our request. 24Then I set apart twelve of the chiefs of the priests, even Shereviah, Chashavyah, and ten of their brothers with them, 25and weighed to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our Elohim, which the king, his counsellors, his princes, and all Yisrael there present, had offered. 26I weighed into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, one hundred talents of silver vessels, one hundred talents of gold, 27twenty bowls of gold weighing one thousand darics, and two vessels of fine bright bronze, precious as gold. 28I said to them, “You are kodesh to YHWH, and the vessels are kodesh. The silver and the gold are a free will offering to YHWH, the Elohim of your fathers. 29Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the chiefs of the priests, the Levi'im, and the princes of the fathers’ households of Yisrael at Jerusalem, in the rooms of YHWH’s house.” 30So the priests and the Levi'im received the weight of the silver, the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our Elohim. 31Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our Elohim was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the bandits by the way. 32We came to Jerusalem, and stayed there three days. 33On the fourth day the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed in the house of our Elohim into the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriyah the priest; and with him was El'azar the son of Pinchas; and with them were Yozavad the son of Yeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, the Levi'im. 34Everything was counted and weighed; and all the weight was written at that time. 35The children of the captivity, who had come out of exile, offered burnt offerings to the Elohim of Yisrael: twelve bulls for all Yisrael, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve male goats for a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to YHWH. 36They delivered the king’s commissions to the king’s local governors and to the governors beyond the River. So they supported the people and Elohim’s house.

### Chapter 9

1Now when these things were done, the princes came near to me, saying, “The people of Yisrael, the priests, and the Levi'im have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, following their abominations, even those of the Kna'anim, the Chitim, the Perizim, the Yevusim, the Amonim, the Moavim, the Mitzrim, and the Emorim. 2For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the kodesh offspring have mixed themselves with the peoples of the lands. Yes, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass.” 3When I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled the hair out of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded. 4Then everyone who trembled at the words of the Elohim of Yisrael were assembled to me because of the trespass of the exiles; and I sat confounded until the evening offering. 5At the evening offering I rose up from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn; and I fell on my knees, and spread out my hands to YHWH my Elohim; 6and I said, “My Elohim, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my Elohim, for our iniquities have increased over our head, and our guiltiness has grown up to the heavens. 7Since the days of our fathers we have been exceedingly guilty to this day; and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. 8Now for a little moment grace has been shown from YHWH our Elohim, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a stake in his kodesh place, that our Elohim may lighten our eyes, and revive us a little in our bondage. 9For we are bondservants; yet our Elohim has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended chesed to us in the sight of the kings of Paras, to revive us, to set up the house of our Elohim, and to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in Yehudah and in Jerusalem. 10“Now, our Elohim, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your mitzvot, 11which you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land to which you go to possess 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. 12Now therefore don’t give your daughters to their sons. Don’t take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace 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.’ 13“After all that has come on us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, since you, our Elohim, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such a remnant, 14shall we again break your mitzvot, and join ourselves with the peoples that do these abominations? Wouldn’t you be angry with us until you had consumed us, so that there would be no remnant, nor any to escape? 15YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael, you are righteous; for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Behold, we are before you in our guiltiness; for no one can stand before you because of this.”

### Chapter 10

1Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before Elohim’s house, there was gathered together to him out of Yisrael a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very bitterly. 2Shekanyah the son of Yechi'el, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, “We have trespassed against our Elohim, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land. Yet now there is hope for Yisrael concerning this thing. 3Now therefore let’s make a Brit with our Elohim to put away all the wives and those who are born of them, according to the counsel of my adonai and of those who tremble at the mitzvah of our Elohim. Let it be done according to the law. 4Arise, for the matter belongs to you and we are with you. Be courageous, and do it.” 5Then Ezra arose, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levi'im, and all Yisrael to swear that they would do according to this word. So they swore. 6Then Ezra rose up from before Elohim’s house, and went into the room of Yehochanan the son of Elyashiv. When he came there, he didn’t eat bread or drink water, for he mourned because of the trespass of the exiles. 7They made a proclamation throughout Yehudah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem; 8and that whoever didn’t come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his possessions should be forfeited, and he himself separated from the assembly of the captivity. 9Then all the men of Yehudah and Binyamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the wide place in front of Elohim’s house, trembling because of this matter, and because of the great rain. 10Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, increasing the guilt of Yisrael. 11Now therefore make confession to YHWH, the Elohim of your fathers and do his pleasure. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women.” 12Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “We must do as you have said concerning us. 13But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand outside. This is not a work of one day or two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter. 14Now let 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 its judges, until the fierce wrath of our Elohim is turned from us, until this matter is resolved.” 15Only Yonatan the son of Asael and Yachzeyah the son of Tikvah stood up against this; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levi'i helped them. 16The children of the captivity did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers’ households, 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. 17They finished with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month. 18Amongst the sons of the priests there were found who had married foreign women: of the sons of Yeshua, the son of Yotzadak, and his brothers: Ma'aseyah, Eli'ezer, Yariv, and Gedalyahu. 19They gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guilt. 20Of the sons of Immer: Chanani and Zevadyah. 21Of the sons of Harim: Ma'aseyah, Eliyahu, Shemayah, Yechi'el, and Uziyahu. 22Of the sons of Pashchur: Elioenai, Ma'aseyah, Yishmael, Netan'el, Yozavad, and Elasah. 23Of the Levi'im: Yozavad, Shim'i, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Petachyah, Yehudah, and Eli'ezer. 24Of the singers: Elyashiv. Of the gatekeepers: Shalum, Telem, and Uri. 25Of Yisrael: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkiyah, Mijamin, El'azar, Malkiyah, and Benayahu. 26Of the sons of Elam: Matanyah, Zecharyah, Yechi'el, Abdi, Yermot, and Eliyahu. 27Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Elyashiv, Matanyah, Yermot, Zavad, and Aziza. 28Of the sons of Bebai: Yehochanan, Chananyah, Zabbai, and Athlai. 29Of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adayah, Yashuv, Sheal, and Yermot. 30Of the sons of Pahathmoab: Adna, Chelal, Benayahu, Ma'aseyah, Matanyah, Betzalel, Binnui, and Menashe. 31Of the sons of Harim: Eli'ezer, Yishiyah, Malkiyah, Shemayah, Shimeon, 32Binyamin, Malluch, and Shemaryah. 33Of the sons of Chashum: Matenai, Mattattah, Zavad, Eliphelet, Yermai, Menashe, and Shim'i. 34Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35Benayahu, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, 36Vaniah, Meremoth, Elyashiv, 37Matanyah, Matenai, Ya'asu, 38Bani, Binnui, Shim'i, 39Shelemyah, Natan, Adayah, 40Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41Azarel, Shelemyah, Shemaryah, 42Shalum, Amaryah, and Yosef. 43Of the sons of Nevo: Ye'i'el, Matityah, Zavad, Zevina, Iddo, Yoel, and Benayahu. 44All these had taken foreign wives. Some of them had wives by whom they had children.

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