of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and his sons. 11. I also order, that if any alter this matter, timber be pulled from his house, and set up, and he be hanged thereon, and his house made a dunghill. 12. The God also that caused his name dwell there destroy all kings and people that attempt to alter it, or destroy the house of God at Jerusalem. I Darius decree it let it be done speedily.

18. Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, did speedily as king Darius ordered. 14. So the Jews' elders built, and prospered by the prophesying of Haggai, and Zechariah, and finished it, acccording to the God of Israel's command, and that of Cyrus and Darius, and (his son and partner) Artaxerxes, king of Persia. 15. Now this house was finished the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of king Darius.

16. The Israelites, the priests and Levites, and the rest of the captives, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy; 17. And offered at it an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and as a sin-offering for all Israel twelve hegoats, being the number of the tribes. 18. And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.

19. And the captives kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20. For the priests and the Levites were purified together; they were all pure, and (the Levites) killed the passover for all the captives, for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. 21. Which the Israelites, who returned from the captivity, and all that separated themselves with them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Eternal God of Israel, ate, 22. And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; for the Eternal made them joyful, and turned the heart of Persie's king to them,

to strengthen their hands in the work of the God of Israel's house.

CHAP. VII.

EZRA GOES TO JERUSALEM.

AFTER these things, in Artaxerxes, king of Persia's reign, Ezra, Seraiah's son, Azariah's son, Hilkiah's son, 2. Shallum's son, Zadok's son, Ahitub's son, 3. Amariah's son, Azariah's son, Meraioth's son, 4. Zerahiah's son, Uzzi's son, Bukki's son. 5. Abishua's son, Phinehas' son, Eleazar's son, the chief priest Aaron's son. 6. Went up from Babylon, he was a ready scribe in Moses' law, received from the Eternal God of Israel; and the king granted all his request, thro' the Eternal his God's influence. 7. Some of the Israelites, priests, Levites, singers, porters, and Nethinims, went also to Jerusalem, 8. In the fifth month of the seventh year of king Artaxerxes. 9. On the first day of the first month he set out from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, by the favour of his God. 10. For Ezra prepared his heart to seek the Eternal's law, and do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

11. This is the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Eternal's commands, and statutes to Israel. 12. Artaxerxes, king of kings; To Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, be perfect peace. 13. I now order, every one of Israel, with the priests and Levites, in my dominion, who are willing to go to Jerusalem, to go with thee. 14. As thou art sent by the king, and his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of God which is with thee. 15. And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem; 16. And all the silver and

gold thou canst procure in all the province of Babylon, with the free-will offering of the people, and the priests, for the house of their God in Jerusalem: 17. That thou mayest buy speedily with this money, bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat-offerings, and drink-offerings, and offer them on the altar of your God's house in Jerusalem. 18. And whatever shall seem good to thee, and thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and gold, that do after the will of your God. 19. Deliver the vessels also that are given thee for the service of thy God's house, be-fore God at Jerusalem. 20. And whatever more is needful for that house, bestow it out of the king's treasure-house. 21. And I, king Artaxerxes, order all the treasurers beyond the river to do speedily whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the God of heaven's law, shall require of you. 22. Even to a hundred talents of silver, as many measures of wheat, and baths of wine, and oil, and salt, without prescription. 23. Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for his house; why should there be wrath against the king's realm, and his sons? 24. We also certify you, concerning all priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, that none impose toll, tribute or custom, upon them. 25. And thou, Ezra, according to thy God's wisdom in thine heart, set magistrates and judges, who know thy God's laws, to judge all the people beyond the river; and teach those that know them not. 26. And whoever will not do thy God's law, and the king's, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be to death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.

27. Blessed be the Eternal God of our fathers, who put it in the king's heart, to beautify the Eternal's house in Jerusalem; 28. And extended mercy to me before the king his counsellors, and all his mighty princes; for I was strengthened by the Eter

nal, my God's power, with me; and gathered the chief of Israel to go up with me.

CHAP VIII.

EZRA'S COMPANIONS FROM BABYLON.

THESE are the chief fathers of them, with their genealogy, that went up with me from Babylon, in king Artaxerxes' reign. 2. Of Phinehas's race, Gershom; of Ithamar's, Daniel; of David's, Hattush; 3. Of Shechaniah's, Pharosh; Zechariah, and with him a pedigree of a hundred and fifty males. 4. Of Pahath-moab's race, Elionai Zerahiah's son, and with him two hundred males. 5. Of Shechaniah's Jahaziel's son, and with him three hundred males. 6. Of Ain's, Ebad, Jonathan's son, and with him fifty males. 7. Of Elam's sons, Jeshaiah, Athaliah's sons, and with him seventy males. 8. Of Shephatiah's sons, Zebadiah, Michael's son, and with him eighty males. 9. Of Joab's sons, Obadiah, Jehiel's son, and with him two hundred and eighteen males. 10, Of Shelomith's sons, Josiphiah's son, and with him an hundred and sixty males. 11. Of Bebai's sons, Zechariah, Bebai's son, and with him twenty-eight males. 12. Of Azgad's sons, Johanan, Hakkatan's son, and with him a hundred and ten males. 13. And some of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemalah, and with them sixty males. 14.Of Bigvai's sons, Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.

15. Then I gathered them to the river that runs to Ahava, where we abode in tents three days; I viewed the people and the priests, and found there none of Levi's sons. 16. Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib and Elnathan, men of understanding; 17. Whom I ordered to go to Iddo the chief, at the

place Casiphia, and told them to tell him, and his brethren, the Nethinims, there to bring us his ministers for our God's house. 18. So, by our God's favour, they brought us a man of understanding, one of Mahli's sons, Levi's son, Israel's son, and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen; 19. And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah, Merari's sons, his brethren, and their sons, twenty; 20.' Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the prin ces appointed to serve the Levites, two hundred and fifty; all expressed by name.

21. Then I proclaimed a fast, at the river Ahava, to afflict ourselves before our God, and seek of him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our substance. 22. For I was ashamed to require from the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way, as we had said to the king, The hand of our God is with all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath' is against all that forsake him. 23. So we fasted and besought our God for this; and he was entreat-' ed by us.

21. Then I separated twelve of the chief priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them, 25. And weighed to them the silver, and gold, and vessels, even the offering of our God's house, which the king, his counsellors, and lords, and all Israel there present, had offered; 26. I even weighed into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and of silver vessels an hundred talents, and of gold an hundred talents; 27. Also' twenty basons of gold of a thousand drams, and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold. 28. And I said to them, Ye are holy to the Eternal; the vessels are also holy; and the silver and gold are a free-will offering to the Eternal God of your fathers; 29. Watch ye, and keep them, untill ye weigh them before the chief priests, and Levites, and chief fathers of Israel at Jerusalem, in the cham