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Ezra goes up to Jerusalem.

EZRA.

The commission of Artaxerxes. children of the captivity, kept the dedica-seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and tion of this house of God with joy, to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

17 And offered at the dedication of this 11 Now this is the copy of the letter house of God a hundred bullocks, two that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the for a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve he- words of the commandments of the LORD, goats, according to the number of the tribes and of his statutes to Israel. of Israel.

12 Artaxerxes,king of kings, Unto Ezra 18 And they set the priests in their di- the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of visions, and the Levites in their courses, heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. for the service of God, which is at Jerusa- 13 I make a decree, that all they of the lem; as it is written in the book of Moses. people of Israel, and of his priests and 19 And the children of the captivity Levites, in my realm, which are minded kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of their own free will to go up to Jerusa of the first month. lem, go with thee.

20 For the priests and the Levites were 14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the purified together, all of them were pure, king, and of his seven counsellors, to inand killed the passover for all the children quire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, of the captivity, and for their brethren the according to the law of thy God which is priests, and for themselves. in thine hand;

21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat, 22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

CHAP. VII.

NOW after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,

3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,

4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,

5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phine-] has, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:

15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem.

16 And all the silver and gold that thou canst 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 God which is in Jerusalem:

17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat-offerings and their drink-offer

ings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.

19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.

20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure-house.

6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of 21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had do make a decree to all the treasurers given: and the king granted him all his which are beyond the river, that whatsorequest, according to the hand of the LORD ever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law his God upon him. of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,

7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the 22 Unto a hundred talents of silver, Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and to a hundred measures of wheat, and and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the to a hundred baths of wine, and to a seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. hundred baths of oil, and salt without pre8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth scribing how much. month, which was in the seventh year of 23 Whatsoever is commanded by the the king. God of heaven, let it be diligently done 9 For upon the first day of the first for the house of the God of heaven: for why month began he to go up from Babylon, should there be wrath against the realm and on the first day of the fifth month came of the king and his sons?

he to Jerusalem, according to the good 24 Also we certify you, that touching hand of his God upon him. any of the priests and Levites, singers, 10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this

Ezra proclaims a fast.

Those who returned with Ezra. CHAP. VIII. house of God, it shall not be lawful to im- 14 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and pose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them. Zabbud, and with them seventy males. 25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of 15 T And I gathered them together to thy God, that is in thine hand, set magis- the river that runneth to Ahava; and there trates and judges, which may judge all the abode we in tents three days: and I viewpeople that are beyond the river, all such ed the people, and the priests, and found as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye there none of the sons of Levi. them that know them not. 16 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, 26 And whosoever will not do the law for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for of thy God, and the law of the king, let Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, judgment be executed speedily upon him, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnaor to confiscation of goods, or to imprison- than, men of understanding.

ment.

17 And I sent them with commandment

27 T Blessed be the LORD God of our unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, fathers, which hath put such a thing as and I told them what they should say unto this in the king's heart, to beautify the Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims, house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem: at the place Casiphia, that they should 28 And hath extended mercy unto me bring unto us ministers for the house of before the king, and his counsellors, and our God.

before all the king's mighty princes. And 18 And by the good hand of our God I was strengthened as the hand of the upon us they brought us a man of underLORD my God was upon me, and I gathered standing, of the sons of Mahli, the son of together out of Israel chief men to go up Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with with me. his sons and his brethren, eighteen;

TH

CHAP. VIII.

19 And Hashabiah, and with him JeshaHESE are now the chief of their fa-iah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and thers, and this is the genealogy of their sons, twenty; them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.

2 Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush.

3 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males a hundred and fifty.

4 Of the sons of Pahath-moab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males.

5 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males. 6 Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males.

7 And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males. 8 And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore males.

9 Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males.

10 And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him a hundred and threescore males.

11 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah| the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males.

20 Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name.

21 T Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.

22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us.

24 T Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,

25 And weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered:

26 I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels a hundred talents, and of 12 And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan gold a hundred talents; the son of Hakkatan, and with him a hundred and ten males.

13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel,]

27 Also twenty basins of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold.

28 And I said unto them, Ye are holy and Shemaiah, and with them threescore unto the LORD; the vessels are holy also males. and the silver and the gold are a free-wil!

Ezra mourns for Israel's conduct. EZRA.

His prayer. offering unto the LORD God of your fathers. those that had been carried away; and I 29 Watch ye, and keep them, until ye sat astonied until the evening sacrifice. weigh them, before the chief of the priests 5 T And at the evening sacrifice I arose and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of up from my heaviness; and having rent Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of my garment and my mantle, I fell upon the house of the LORD. my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God.

30 So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God.

6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over 31 Then we departed from the river of our head, and our trespass is grown up Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, unto the heavens.

to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of 7 Since the days of our fathers have we our God was upon us, and he delivered us been in a great trespass unto this day; and from the hand of the enemy, and of such for our iniquities have we, our kings, and as lay in wait by the way. our priests, been delivered into the hand

32 And we came to Jerusalem, and of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to abode there three days. captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion

33 Now on the fourth day was the of face, as it is this day. silver and the gold and the vessels weigh- 8 And now for a little space grace hath ed in the house of our God by the hand of been shewed from the LORD our God, to Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; leave us a remnant to escape, and to give and with him was Eleazar the son of Phi- us a nail in his holy place, that our God nehas; and with them was Jozabad the son may lighten our eyes, and give us a little of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, reviving in our bondage. Levites;

34 By number and by weight of every one and all the weight was written at that time.

9 For we were bond-men; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, 35 Also the children of those that had to set up the house of our God, and to rebeen carried away, which were, come out pair the desolations thereof, and to give of the captivity, offered burnt-offerings us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for 10 And now, O our God, what shall we all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy say after this? for we have forsaken thy and seven lambs, twelve he-goats for a commandments, sin-offering all this was a burnt-offering 11 Which thou hast commanded by thy unto the LORD.

36 T And they delivered the king's commissions unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the people, and the house of God.

NOW

CHAP. IX.

servants the prophets, saying, The land unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.

12 Now therefore give not your daughTOW when these things were done, ters unto their sons, neither take their the princes came to me, saying, The daughters unto your sons, nor seek their people of Israel, and the priests, and the peace or their wealth for ever: that ye Levites, have not separated themselves may be strong, and eat the good of the from the people of the lands, doing ac- land, and leave it for an inheritance to cording to their abominations, even of the your children for ever.

Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, 13 And after all that is come upon us the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moab- for our evil deeds, and for our great tresites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

pass, seeing that thou our God hast pu2 For they have taken of their daugh- nished us less than our iniquities deserve, ters for themselves, and for their sons and hast given us such deliverance as this; so that the holy seed have mingled them- 14 Should we again break thy comselves with the people of those lands: yea, mandments, and join in affinity with the the hand of the princes and rulers hath people of these abominations? wouldest been chief in this trespass. not thou be angry, with us till thou hadst 3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my consumed us, so that there should be no garment and my mantle, and plucked off remnant nor escaping? the hair of my head and of my beard, and 15 O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as 4 Then were assembled unto me every it is this day: behold, we are before thee one that trembled at the words of the God in our trespasses; for we cannot stand beof Israel, because of the transgression of fore thee because of this.

sat down astonished.

The people repent.

CHAP. X.

CHAP. X. Of those who took strange wives.

a time of much rain, and we are not able TOW when Ezra had prayed, and when to stand without, neither is this a work of

cast-one

ing himself down before the house of God, have transgressed in this thing. there assembled unto him out of Israel a 14 Let now our rulers of all the congrevery great congregation of men and wo-gation stand, and let all them which have men and children: for the people wept taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders

very sore.

2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of every city, and the judges thereof, unof the sons of Elam, answered and said til the fierce wrath of our God for this unto Ezra, We have trespassed against matter be turned from us.

our God, and have taken strange wives of 15 ¶ Only Jonathan the son of Asahel the people of the land yet, now there is and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were emhope in Israel concerning this thing. ployed about this matter: and Meshullam

3 Now therefore let us make a cove- and Shabbethai the Levite helped them. nant with our God to put away all the 16 And the children of the captivity wives, and such as are born of them, ac-did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain cording to the counsel of my lord, and of chief of the fathers, after the house of their those that tremble at the commandment of fathers, and all of them by their names, our God; and let it be done according to were separated, and sat down in the first the law. day of the tenth month to examine the

4 Arise; for this matter belongeth unto matter. thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.

17 And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the 5 Then arose Ezra, and made the chief first day of the first month. priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear 18 And among the sons of the priests that they should do according to this word. there were found that had taken strange And they sware. wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the

6 T Then Ezra rose up from before the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maasehouse of God, and went into the chamber iah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when 19 And they gave their hands that they he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor would put away their wives; and being drink water: for he mourned because of guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for the transgression of them that had been their trespass.

carried away.

20 And of the sons of Immer; Hanani,

7 And they made proclamation through- and Zebadiah. out Judah and Jerusalem unto all the chil- 21 And of the sons of Harim; Maasei dren of the captivity, that they should ga-ah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, ther themselves together unto Jerusalem; and Uzziah.

8 And that whosoever would not come 22 And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, within three days, according to the coun-Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, sel of the princes and the elders, all his and Elasah.

substance should be forfeited, and himself 23 Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and separated from the congregation of those Shimei, and Kelaiah (the same is Kelita,) that had been carried away. Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

9 Then all the men of Judah and 24 of the singers also; Eliashib: and of Benjamin gathered themselves together the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri. unto Jerusalem within three days. It was 25 Moreover, of Israel: of the sons of the ninth month, and the twentieth day Parosh;. Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malof the month; and all the people sat in chiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malthe street of the house of God, trembling be-chijah, and Benaiah.

cause of this matter, and for the great rain. 26 And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, 10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jesaid unto them, Ye have transgressed, remoth, and Eliah. and have taken strange wives to increase the trespass of Israel."

11 Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.

12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.

27 And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.

28 Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.

29 And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.

30 And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Matta13 But the people are many, and it isniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

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HE words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,

Ipeople, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.

2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, I and concerning Jerusalem.

3 And they said unto me, The remnant

that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burn ed with fire.

4 T And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:

11 O LORD, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For was the king's cup-bearer.

CHAP. II.

AND it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.

2 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,

3 And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and 4 Then the king said unto me, For what thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the dost thou make request? So I prayed to prayer of thy servant, which I pray before the God of heaven.

thee now, day and night, for the children 5 And I said unto the king, If it please of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins the king, and if thy servant have found of the children of Israel, which we have favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send sinned against thee: both I and my father's me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' house have sinned. sepulchres, that I may build it.

7 We have dealt very corruptly against 6 And the king said unto me, (the queen thee, and have not kept the command- also sitting by him,) For how long shall ments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, thy journey be? and when wilt thou rewhich thou commandedst. thy servant turn? So it pleased the king to send me; Moses. and I set him a time.

8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word 7 Moreover, I said unto the king, If it that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, please the king, let letters be given me to saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you the governors beyond the river, that they abroad among the nations: may convey me over till I come into

9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my Judah; commandments, and do them; though there 8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of were of you cast out unto the uttermost part the king's forest, that he may give me tim of the heaven, yet will I gather them from ber to make beams for the gates of the pathence, and will bring them unto the place lace which appertained to the house, and that I have chosen to set my name there. for the wall of the city, and for the house 10 Now these are thy servants and thy that I shall enter into. And the king

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