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2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 34

Judah’s King Josiah

1 Josiah was eight years oldwhen he became king and reigned 31 years in Jerusalem.

2 He did what was right in theLord’s sight and walked in the ways of his ancestor David;he did not turn aside to the right or the left.

Josiah’s Reform

3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a youth, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David,and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved images,and the cast images.

4 Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he chopped down the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scatteredthem over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

5 He burned the bones of the priests on their altars.So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

6 He did the same in the citiesof Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far as Naphtali and on their surrounding mountain shrines.

7 He tore down the altars, and he smashed the Asherah poles and the carved images to powder. He chopped down all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel and returned to Jerusalem.

Josiah’s Repair of the Temple

8 In the eighteenth year of his reign,in order to cleanse the land and the temple, Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, along with Maaseiah the governorof the city and the court historian Joah son of Joahaz, to repair the temple of theLordhis God.

9 So they went to Hilkiahthe high priest, and gave him the money brought into God’s temple. The Levites and the doorkeepers had collected money from Manasseh, Ephraim,and from the entire remnant of Israel, and from all Judah, Benjamin, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

10 They put it into the hands of those doing the work — those who oversaw theLord’s temple. They gave it to the workmen who were working in theLord’s temple, to repair and restore the temple;

11 they gave it to the carpenters and builders and also used it to buy quarried stone and timbers — for joining and making beams — for the buildings that Judah’s kings had destroyed.

12 The men were doing the work with integrity. Their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites from the Merarites, and Zechariah and Meshullam from the Kohathites as supervisors. The Levites were all skilled with musical instruments.

13 They were also over the porters and were supervising all those doing the work task by task. Some of the Levites were secretaries, officers, and gatekeepers.

The Recovery of the Book of the Law

14 When they brought out the money that had been deposited in theLord’s temple, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of theLordwritten by the hand of Moses.

15 Consequently,Hilkiah told Shaphan the court secretary, “I have found the book of the law in theLord’s temple,” and he gave the book to Shaphan.

16 Shaphan took the book to the king, and also reported, “Your servants are doing all that was placed in their hands.

17 They have emptied out the money that was found in theLord’s temple and have put it into the hand of the overseers and the hand of those doing the work.”

18 Then Shaphan the court secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest gave me a book,” and Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

19 When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.

20 Then he commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the court secretary, and the king’s servant Asaiah,

21 “Go. Ask Yahweh for me and for those remaining in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that was found. For great is theLord’s wrath that is poured out on usbecause our fathers have not kept the word of theLordin order to do everything written in this book.”

Huldah’s Prophecy of Judgment

22 So Hilkiah and those the king had designatedwent to the prophetess Huldah, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second District. They spoke with her about this.

23 She said to them, “This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel says: Say to the man who sent you to Me,

24 ‘This is what Yahweh says: I am about to bring disaster on this place and on its inhabitants,fulfilling all the curses written in the book that they read in the presence of the king of Judah,

25 because they have abandoned Meand burned incense to other gods in order to provoke Me with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be poured out on this place, and it will not be quenched.’

26 Say this to the king of Judah who sent you to ask Yahweh, ‘This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel says: As for the words that you heard,

27 becauseyour heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I Myself have heard’ — this is theLord’s declaration.

28 ‘I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I am bringing on this place and on its inhabitants.’ ”

Then they reported to the king.

Affirmation of the Covenant by Josiah and the People

29 So the king sent messengers and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

30 The king went up to theLord’s temple with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the Levites — all the people from great to small. He read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in theLord’s temple.

31 Then the king stood at his postand made a covenant in theLord’s presenceto follow theLordand to keep His commands, His decrees, and His statutes with all his heart and with all his soulin order to carry out the words of the covenant written in this book.

32 He had all those present in Jerusalem and Benjamin agreeto it. So all the inhabitants of Jerusalem carried out the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.

33 So Josiah removed everything that was detestable from all the lands belonging to the Israelites,and he required all who were present in Israel to serve theLordtheir God. Throughout his reign they did not turn aside from following Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CH/34-16a31453519228ed8e1f6242b1a54abf.mp3?version_id=72—

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2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 35

Josiah’s Passover Observance

1 Josiah observed theLord’s Passoverand slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month.

2 He appointed the priests to their responsibilities and encouraged them to serve in theLord’s temple.

3 He said to the Levites who taught all Israelthe holy things of theLord, “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. Since you do not have to carry it on your shoulders,now serve Yahweh your God and His people Israel.

4 “Organize your ancestral houses by your divisionsaccording to the written instruction of David king of Israel and that of his son Solomon.

5 Serve in the holy place by the divisions of the ancestral houses for your brothers, the lay people,and the distribution of the tribal household of the Levites.

6 Slaughter the Passover lambs,consecrate yourselves,and make preparations for your brothers to carry out the word of theLordthrough Moses.”

7 Then Josiah donated 30,000 sheep, lambs, and young goats, plus 3,000 bulls from his own possessions, for the Passover sacrifices for all the lay peoplewho were present.

8 His officials also donated willingly for the people, the priests, and the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, chief officials of God’s temple, gave 2,600 Passover sacrifices and 300 bulls for the priests.

9 Conaniahand his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, officers of the Levites, donated 5,000 Passover sacrifices for the Levites, plus 500 bulls.

10 So the service was established; the priests stood at their posts and the Levites in their divisions according to the king’s command.

11 Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs, and while the Levites were skinning the animals,the priests sprinkled the bloodthey had been given.

12 They removed the burnt offerings so that they might be given to the divisions of the ancestral houses of the lay peopleto offer to theLord, according to what is written in the book of Moses; they did the same with the bulls.

13 They roasted the Passover lambs with fire according to regulation.They boiled the holy sacrifices in pots, kettles, and bowls; and they quickly brought them to the lay people.

14 Afterward, they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, since the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were busy offering up burnt offerings and fat until night. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

15 The singers, the descendants of Asaph, were at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer.Also, the gatekeepers were at each gate.None of them left their tasks because their Levite brothers had made preparations for them.

16 So all the service of theLordwas established that day for observing the Passover and for offering burnt offerings on the altar of theLord, according to the command of King Josiah.

17 The Israelites who were present in Judah also observed the Passover at that time and the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days.

18 No Passover had been observedlike it in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel ever observed a Passover like the one that Josiah observed with the priests, the Levites, all Judah, the Israelites who were present in Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

19 In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, this Passover was observed.

Josiah’s Last Deeds and Death

20 After all thisthat Josiah had prepared for the temple, Neco king of Egyptmarched up to fight at Carchemishby the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to confront him.

21 But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, “What is the issue between you and me, king of Judah?I have not come against you todaybut I am fighting another dynasty.God told me to hurry. Stop opposing God who is with me; don’t make Him destroy you! ”

22 But Josiah did not turn away from him; instead, in order to fight with him he disguised himself.He did not listen to Neco’s words from the mouth of God, but went to the Valley of Megiddoto fight.

23 The archers shot King Josiah, and he said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am severely wounded! ”

24 So his servants took him out of the war chariot, carried him in his second chariot, and brought him to Jerusalem. Then he died, and they buried him in the tomb of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mournedfor Josiah.

25 Jeremiah chanted a dirgeover Josiah, and all the singing men and singing women still speak of Josiah in their dirges to this very day. They established them as a statute for Israel, and indeed they are written in the Dirges.

26 The rest of the eventsof Josiah’s reign, along with his deeds of faithful love according to what is written in the law of theLord,

27 and his words, from beginning to end, are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CH/35-934ed351b52b72bee5af42a60b46fc64.mp3?version_id=72—

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2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 36

Judah’s King Jehoahaz

1 Thenthe common peopletook Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king in Jerusalem in place of his father.

2 Jehoahazwas 23 years old when he became king and reigned three months in Jerusalem.

3 The king of Egypt deposed him in Jerusalem and fined the land 7,500 poundsof silver and 75 poundsof gold.

Judah’s King Jehoiakim

4 Then Neco king of Egypt made Jehoahaz’s brother Eliakim king over Judah and Jerusalem and changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took his brother Jehoahazand brought him to Egypt.

5 Jehoiakim was 25 years old when he became king and reigned 11 years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of theLordhis God.

6 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked himand bound him in bronzeshackles to take him to Babylon.

7 Also Nebuchadnezzar took some of the utensils of theLord’s temple to Babylon and put them in his temple in Babylon.

8 The rest of the deeds of Jehoiakim,the detestable things he did, and what was found against him, are written in the Book of Israel’s Kings. His son Jehoiachin became king in his place.

Judah’s King Jehoiachin

9 Jehoiachin was 18years oldwhen he became king and reigned three months and 10 days in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in theLord’s sight.

10 In the springNebuchadnezzar sent for him and brought him to Babylon along with the valuable utensils of theLord’s temple. Then he made Jehoiachin’s brother Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Judah’s King Zedekiah

11 Zedekiah was 21 years oldwhen he became king and reigned 11 years in Jerusalem.

12 He did what was evil in the sight of theLordhis God and did not humble himselfbefore Jeremiah the prophet at theLord’s command.

13 He also rebelled againstKing Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear allegiance by God. He became obstinateand hardened his heart against returning to Yahweh, the God of Israel.

14 All the leaders of the priests and the people multiplied their unfaithful deeds, imitating all the detestable practices of the nations, and they defiled theLord’s temple that He had consecrated in Jerusalem.

The Destruction of Jerusalem

15 But Yahweh, the God of their ancestors sent word against them by the hand of His messengers, sending them time and time again,for He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place.

16 But they kept ridiculing God’s messengers,despising His words,and scoffing at His prophets, until theLord’s wrath was so stirred up against His people that there was no remedy.

17 So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans,who killed their choice young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary. He had no pity on young men or young women, elderly or aged; He handed them all over to him.

18 He took everything to Babylon — all the articles of God’s temple, large and small, the treasures of theLord’s temple, and the treasures of the king and his officials.

19 Then the Chaldeans burned God’s temple.They tore down Jerusalem’s wall, burned down all its palaces, and destroyed all its valuable articles.

20 He deported those who escaped from the sword to Babylon, and they became servants to him and his sons until the rise of the Persiankingdom.

21 This fulfilled the word of theLordthrough Jeremiahand the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolationuntil 70 years were fulfilled.

The Decree of Cyrus

22 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia,the word of theLordspoken throughJeremiahwas fulfilled. TheLordput it into the mind of King Cyrusof Persia to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and also to put it in writing:

23 This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: TheLord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build Him a temple at Jerusalem in Judah. Whoever among you of His people may go up, and may theLordhis God be with him.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CH/36-97aa7250f33e546af54e6f2a53f0e250.mp3?version_id=72—

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Ezra

Ezra 1

The Decree of Cyrus

1 Inthe first year of Cyrus king of Persia,the word of theLordspoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled.TheLordput it into the mindof King Cyrus to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and to put it in writing:

2 This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “TheLord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build Him a house at Jerusalem in Judah.

3 Whoever is among His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of theLord, the God of Israel,the God who is in Jerusalem.

4 Let every survivor,wherever he lives, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem.”

Return from Exile

5 So the family leaders of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites — everyone God had motivated— prepared to go up and rebuild theLord’s house in Jerusalem.

6 All their neighbors supported themwith silver articles, gold, goods, livestock, and valuables, in addition to all that was given as a freewill offering.

7 King Cyrus also brought out the articles of theLord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and had placed in the house of his gods.

8 King Cyrus of Persia had them brought out under the supervision of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.

9 This was the inventory:

30 gold basins, 1,000 silver basins,

29 silver knives,

10 30 gold bowls,

410 varioussilver bowls, and 1,000 other articles.

11 The gold and silver articles totaled 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought all of them when the exiles went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/EZR/1-1a4aba97576d841549faa42d751fdfab.mp3?version_id=72—

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Ezra

Ezra 2

The Exiles Who Returned

1 Thesenow are the people of the province who came from those captive exiles King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonhad deported to Babylon.They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town.

2 They came with Zerubbabel,Jeshua,Nehemiah, Seraiah,Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.

The number of the Israelite men included:

3 Parosh’s descendants 2,172
4 Shephatiah’s descendants 372
5 Arah’s descendants 775
6 Pahath-moab’s descendants:
Jeshua’s and Joab’s descendants 2,812
7 Elam’s descendants 1,254
8 Zattu’s descendants 945
9 Zaccai’s descendants 760
10 Bani’s descendants 642
11 Bebai’s descendants 623
12 Azgad’s descendants 1,222
13 Adonikam’s descendants 666
14 Bigvai’s descendants 2,056
15 Adin’s descendants 454
16 Ater’s descendants: of Hezekiah 98
17 Bezai’s descendants 323
18 Jorah’s descendants 112
19 Hashum’s descendants 223
20 Gibbar’s descendants 95
21 Bethlehem’speople 123
22 Netophah’s men 56
23 Anathoth’s men 128
24 Azmaveth’s people 42
25 Kiriatharim’s, Chephirah’s, and Beeroth’s people 743
26 Ramah’sand Geba’s people 621
27 Michmas’s men 122
28 Bethel’s and Ai’smen 223
29 Nebo’s people 52
30 Magbish’s people 156
31 the other Elam’s people 1,254
32 Harim’s people 320
33 Lod’s, Hadid’s, and Ono’s people 725
34 Jericho’speople 345
35 Senaah’s people 3,630

36 The priests included:

Jedaiah’s descendants of the house of Jeshua 973
37 Immer’s descendants 1,052
38 Pashhur’s descendants 1,247
39 and Harim’s descendants 1,017

40 The Levites included:

Jeshua’s and Kadmiel’s descendants
from Hodaviah’s descendants 74

41 The singers included:

Asaph’sdescendants 128

42 The gatekeepers’descendants included:

Shallum’s descendants, Ater’s descendants,
Talmon’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants,
Hatita’s descendants, Shobai’s descendants, in all 139

43 The temple servantsincluded:

Ziha’s descendants, Hasupha’s descendants,

Tabbaoth’s descendants,

44 Keros’s descendants,

Siaha’s descendants, Padon’s descendants,

45 Lebanah’s descendants, Hagabah’s descendants,

Akkub’s descendants,

46 Hagab’s descendants,

Shalmai’sdescendants, Hanan’s descendants,

47 Giddel’s descendants, Gahar’s descendants,

Reaiah’s descendants,

48 Rezin’s descendants,

Nekoda’s descendants, Gazzam’s descendants,

49 Uzza’s descendants, Paseah’s descendants,

Besai’s descendants,

50 Asnah’s descendants,

Meunim’sdescendants, Nephusim’sdescendants,

51 Bakbuk’s descendants, Hakupha’s descendants,

Harhur’s descendants,

52 Bazluth’s descendants,

Mehida’s descendants, Harsha’s descendants,

53 Barkos’s descendants, Sisera’s descendants,

Temah’s descendants,

54 Neziah’s descendants,

and Hatipha’s descendants.

55 The descendants of Solomon’s servantsincluded:

Sotai’s descendants, Hassophereth’s descendants,
Peruda’s descendants, 56 Jaalah’s descendants,
Darkon’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants,
57 Shephatiah’s descendants, Hattil’s descendants,
Pochereth-hazzebaim’s descendants, and Ami’s descendants.
58 All the temple servants
and the descendants of Solomon’s servants 392.

59 The following are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer but were unable to prove that their families and ancestry were Israelite:

60 Delaiah’s descendants,
Tobiah’s descendants,
Nekoda’s descendants 652

61 and from the descendants of the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, the descendants of Barzillai — who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name.

62 These searched for their entries in the genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified from the priesthood.

63 The governorordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.

64 The whole combined assembly numbered 42,360
65 not including their 7,337 male and female slaves,
and their 200 male and female singers.
66 They had 736 horses, 245 mules,
67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

Gifts for the Work

68 After they arrived at theLord’s house in Jerusalem, some of the family leaders gave freewill offeringsfor the house of God in order to have it rebuilt on its original site.

69 Based on what they could give, they gave 61,000 gold coins,6,250 poundsof silver, and 100 priestly garments to the treasuryfor the project.

70 The priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, and some of the people settled in their towns, and the rest of Israel settled in their towns.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/EZR/2-ac03c50a394a3621c591ee42695d7fa2.mp3?version_id=72—

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Ezra

Ezra 3

Sacrifice Restored

1 By the seventh month,the Israelites had settled in their towns, and the people gathered together in Jerusalem.

2 Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests along with Zerubbabel son of Shealtieland his brothers began to build the altar of Israel’s God in order to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God.

3 They set up the altar on its foundation and offered burnt offerings for the morning and evening on it to theLordeven though they feared the surrounding peoples.

4 They celebrated the Festival of Booths as prescribed, and offered burnt offerings each day, based on the number specified by ordinance for each festival day.

5 After that, they offered the regular burnt offering and the offerings for the beginning of each monthand for all theLord’s appointed holy occasions, as well as the freewill offerings brought totheLord.

6 On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to theLord,even though the foundation of theLord’s temple had not yet been laid.

7 They gave money to the stonecutters and artisans, and gave food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so they could bring cedar wood from Lebanon to Joppa by sea,according to the authorization given them by King Cyrus of Persia.

Rebuilding the Temple

8 In the second month of the second year after they arrived at God’s house in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak,and the rest of their brothers, including the priests, the Levites, and all who had returned to Jerusalem from the captivity, began to build. They appointed the Levites who were 20 years old or more to supervise the work on theLord’s house.

9 Jeshua with his sons and brothers, Kadmiel with his sons, and the sons of Judahand of Henadad, with their sons and brothers, the Levites,joined together to supervise those working on the house of God.

Temple Foundation Completed

10 When the builders had laid the foundation of theLord’s temple, the priests, dressed in their robes and holding trumpets, and the Levites descended from Asaph,holding cymbals, took their positions to praise theLord, as King David of Israel had instructed.

11 They sang with praise and thanksgiving to theLord: “For He is good; His faithful love to Israel endures forever.”Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to theLordbecause the foundation of theLord’s house had been laid.

12 But many of the older priests, Levites, and family leaders, who had seen the first temple, wept loudly when they saw the foundation of this house,but many others shouted joyfully.

13 The people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shouting from that of theweeping,because the people were shouting so loudly. And the sound was heard far away.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/EZR/3-2a0f723f755834d850cbed8d8bb5f270.mp3?version_id=72—

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Ezra

Ezra 4

Opposition to Rebuilding the Temple

1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjaminheard that the returned exileswere building a temple for Yahweh, the God of Israel,

2 they approached Zerubbabel and the leaders of the families and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we also worship your God and have been sacrificing to Himsince the time King Esar-haddon of Assyriabrought us here.”

3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other leaders of Israel’s families answered them, “You may have no part with us in building a house for our God,since we alone must build it for Yahweh, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.”

4 Then the people who were already in the landdiscouragedthe people of Judah and made them afraidto build.

5 They also bribed officials to act against them to frustrate their plansthroughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia.

Opposition to Rebuilding the City

6 At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus,the people who were already in the landwrote an accusation against the residents of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 During the time of King Artaxerxes of Persia,Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his colleagues wrote to King Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaicand translated.

8 Rehum the chief deputy and Shimshai the scribewrote a letter to King Artaxerxes concerning Jerusalem as follows:

9 From Rehumthe chief deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues — the judges and magistratesfrom Tripolis, Persia, Erech, Babylon, Susa(that is, the people of Elam),

10 and the rest of the peoples whom the great and illustrious Ashurbanipaldeported and settled in the cities of Samariaand the region west of the Euphrates River.

11 This is the text of the letter they sent to him:

To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men from the region west of the Euphrates River:

12 Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you have returned to us at Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and evil city, finishing its walls, and repairing its foundations.

13 Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished,they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax,and the royal revenuewill suffer.

14 Since we have taken an oath of loyalty to the king,and it is not right for us to witness his dishonor, we have sent to inform the king

15 that a search should be made in your fathers’ record books.In these record books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces. There have been revolts in it since ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.

16 We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, you will not have any possession west of the Euphrates.

Artaxerxes’ Reply

17 The king sent a reply to his chief deputy Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates River:

Greetings.

18 The letter you sent us has been translated and readin my presence.

19 I issued a decree and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has had uprisings against kings since ancient times, and there have been rebellions and revolts in it.

20 Powerful kings have also ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region, and tribute, duty, and land tax were paid to them.

21 Therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until a further decree has been pronounced by me.

22 See that you not neglect this matter. Otherwise, the damage will increase and the royal interestswill suffer.

23 As soon as the text of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues,they immediately went to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.

Rebuilding of the Temple Resumed

24 Now the construction of God’s house in Jerusalem had stopped and remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/EZR/4-05acf4f49d11650a55f2eb6f2ed644b3.mp3?version_id=72—

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Ezra

Ezra 5

1 But when the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddoprophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them,

2 Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadakbegan to rebuild God’s house in Jerusalem. The prophets of Godwere with them, helping them.

3 At that time Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleaguescame to the Jews and asked, “Who gave you the order to rebuild this temple and finish this structure? ”

4 They also asked them, “What are the names of the workerswho are constructing this building? ”

5 But God was watchingoverthe Jewish elders. These men wouldn’t stop them until a report was sent to Darius, so that they could receive written instructions about this matter.

The Letter to Darius

6 This is the text of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues, the officials in the region, sent to King Darius.

7 They sent him a report, written as follows:

To King Darius:

All greetings.

8 Let it be known to the king that we went to the house of the great God in the province of Judah. It is being built with cutstones, and its beams are being set in the walls. This work is being done diligently and succeeding through the people’s efforts.

9 So we questioned the elders and asked, “Who gave you the order to rebuild this temple and finish this structure? ”

10 We also asked them for their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.

11 This is the reply they gave us:

We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.

12 But since our fathers angered the God of heaven, He handed them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.

13 However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, he issued a decree to rebuild the house of God.

14 He also took from the temple in Babylon the gold and silver articles of God’s house that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and carried them to the temple in Babylon.He released them from the temple in Babylon to a man named Sheshbazzar, the governor by the appointment of King Cyrus.

15 Cyrus told him, “Take these articles, put them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its original site.”

16 Then this same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of God’s house in Jerusalem.It has been under construction from that time until now,yet it has not been completed.

17 So if it pleases the king, let a search of the royal archivesin Babylon be conducted to see if it is true that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem.Let the king’s decision regarding this matter be sent to us.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/EZR/5-a477cbbb10774330ecc58e4a934b7405.mp3?version_id=72—

Categories
Ezra

Ezra 6

Darius’s Search

1 King Darius gave the order, and they searchedin the library of Babylon in the archives.

2 But it was in the fortress of Ecbatana in the province of Mediathat a scroll was found with this record written on it:

3 In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued a decreeconcerning the house of God in Jerusalem:

Let the house be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices, and let its original foundations be retained.Its height is to be 90 feetand its width 90 feet,

4 with three layers of cutstones and one of timber.The cost is to be paid from the royal treasury.

5 The gold and silver articles of God’s house that Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and carried to Babylon must also be returned. They are to be brought to the temple in Jerusalem where they belongand put into the house of God.

Darius’s Decree

6 Therefore, you must stay away from that place, Tattenai governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and yourcolleagues, the officials in the region.

7 Leave the construction of the house of God alone. Let the governorand elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its original site.

8 I hereby issue a decree concerning what you must do, so that the elders of the Jews can rebuild the house of God:

The cost is to be paid in full to these men out of the royal revenuesfrom the taxes of the region west of the Euphrates River, so that the work will not stop.

9 Whatever is needed — young bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, or wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem — let it be given to them every day without fail,

10 so that they can offer sacrifices of pleasing aroma to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

11 I also issue a decree concerning any man who interferes with this directive:

Let a beam be torn from his house and raised up; he will be impaled on it, and his house will be made into a garbage dump because of this offense.

12 May the God who caused His name to dwell thereoverthrow any king or people who daresto harm or interfere with this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued the decree. Let it be carried out diligently.

13 Then Tattenai governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleaguesdiligently carried out what King Darius had decreed.

14 So the Jewish elders continued successfully with the building under the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo.They finished the building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus,Darius, and King Artaxerxesof Persia.

15 This house was completed on the third day of the month of Adarin the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

Temple Dedication and the Passover

16 Then the Israelites, including the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy.

17 For the dedication of God’s house they offered 100 bulls, 200 rams, and 400 lambs, as well as 12 male goatsas a sin offering for all Israel — one for each Israelite tribe.

18 They also appointed the priests by their divisions and the Levites by their groups to the service of God in Jerusalem, according to what is written in the book of Moses.

19 The exilesobserved the Passoveron the fourteenth day of the first month.

20 All of the priests and Levites were ceremonially clean, because they had purified themselves. They killed the Passover lamb for themselves, their priestly brothers, and all the exiles.

21 The Israelites who had returned from exileate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the Gentiles of the landin order to worship Yahweh, the God of Israel.

22 They observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven dayswith joy, because theLordhad made them joyful, having changed the Assyrian king’s attitude toward them, so that he supported themin the work on the house of the God of Israel.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/EZR/6-ee9f964b0447315b046d70cbf35fec4e.mp3?version_id=72—

Categories
Ezra

Ezra 7

Ezra’s Arrival

1 After these events, during the reign of King Artaxerxesof Persia, Ezra —

Seraiah’sson, Azariah’s son,

Hilkiah’sson,

2 Shallum’s son,

Zadok’sson, 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’s son,

Eleazar’s son, Aaron the chief priest’s son

6 — came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses,which Yahweh, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he requestedbecause the hand of Yahweh his God was on him.

7 Some of the Israelites, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servantsaccompanied him to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

8 Ezracame to Jerusalem in the fifth month, during the seventh year of the king.

9 He began the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first monthand arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth monthsince the gracious hand of his God was on him.

10 Now Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of theLord, obey it, and teachits statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Letter from Artaxerxes

11 This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in matters of theLord’s commands and statutes for Israel:

12 Artaxerxes, king of kings,to Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of heaven:

Greetings.

13 I issue a decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including their priests and Levites, who want to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.

14 You are sent by the king and his seven counselorsto evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God, which is in your possession.

15 You are also to bring the silver and gold the king and his counselors have willingly given to the God of Israel,whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,

16 and all the silver and gold you receive throughout the province of Babylon, together with the freewill offerings given by the people and the priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem.

17 Then you are to buy with this money as many bulls, rams, and lambs as needed, along with their grain and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem.

18 You may do whatever seems best to you and your brothers with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God.

19 You must deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God.

20 You may use the royal treasury to pay for anything else needed for the house of your God.

21 I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers in the region west of the Euphrates River:

Whatever Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of heaven, asks of you must be provided promptly,

22 up to 7,500 poundsof silver, 500 bushelsof wheat, 550 gallonsof wine, 550 gallonsof oil, and salt without limit.

23 Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for the house of the God of heaven, so that wrath will not fall on the realm of the king and his sons.

24 Be advised that tribute, duty, and land tax must not be imposed on any priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

25 And you, Ezra, according toGod’s wisdom that you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people in the region west of the Euphrates who know the laws of your God and to teach anyone who does not know them.

26 Anyone who does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let a fair judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.

27 Praise Yahweh the God of our fathers, who has put it into the king’s mindto glorify the house of theLordin Jerusalem,

28 and who has shown favor to me before the king,his counselors, and all his powerful officers. So I took courage because I was strengthened by Yahweh my God,and I gathered Israelite leaders to return with me.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/EZR/7-be46742562894fbca4593b8528c21266.mp3?version_id=72—