Category: Ezra

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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—

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.

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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.

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Those Returning with Ezra

1 These are the family leaders and the genealogical records of those who returned with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:

2 Gershom, from Phinehas’s descendants;

Daniel, from Ithamar’s descendants;

Hattush, from David’s descendants,

3 who was of Shecaniah’s descendants;

Zechariah, from Parosh’sdescendants,

and 150 menwith him who were registered by genealogy;

4 Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah

from Pahath-moab’s descendants,

and 200 men with him;

5 Shecaniahson of Jahaziel

from Zattu’s descendants,

and 300 men with him;

6 Ebed son of Jonathan

from Adin’s descendants,

and 50 men with him;

7 Jeshaiah son of Athaliah

from Elam’s descendants,

and 70 men with him;

8 Zebadiah son of Michael

from Shephatiah’s descendants,

and 80 men with him;

9 Obadiah son of Jehiel

from Joab’s descendants,

and 218 men with him;

10 Shelomithson of Josiphiah

from Bani’s descendants,

and 160 men with him;

11 Zechariah son of Bebai

from Bebai’s descendants,

and 28 men with him;

12 Johanan son of Hakkatan

from Azgad’s descendants,

and 110 men with him;

13 these are the last ones, from Adonikam’s descendants,

and their names are:

Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah,

and 60 men with them;

14 Uthai and Zaccur

from Bigvai’s descendants,

and 70 men with them.

15 I gathered them at the riverthat flows to Ahava,and we camped there for three days. I searched among the people and priests, but found no Levitesthere.

16 Then I summoned the leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam,as well as the teachers Joiarib and Elnathan.

17 I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, with a message forhim and his brothers, the temple servantsat Casiphia, that they should bring us ministers for the house of our God.

18 Since the gracious hand of our God was on us,they brought us Sherebiah— a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli, a descendant of Levi son of Israel — along with his sons and brothers, 18 men,

19 plus Hashabiah,along with Jeshaiah, from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and their sons, 20 men.

20 There were also 220 of the temple servants,who had been appointed by David and the leaders for the work of the Levites. All were identified by name.

Preparing to Return

21 I proclaimed a fastby the Ahava River,so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us, our children, and all our possessions.

22 I did this because I was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry to protect us from enemies during the journey, since we had told him, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek Him, but His great anger is against all who abandon Him.”

23 So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and He granted our request.

24 I selected 12 of the leading priests, along with Sherebiah,Hashabiah, and 10 of their brothers.

25 I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the articles — the contribution for the house of our God that the king, his counselors, his leaders, and all the Israelites who were present had offered.

26 I weighed out to them 24 tonsof silver, silver articles weighing 7,500 pounds,7,500 poundsof gold,

27 20 gold bowls worth 1,000 gold coins,and two articles of fine gleaming bronze, as valuable as gold.

28 Then I said to them, “You are holy to theLord, and the articles are holy. The silver and gold are a freewill offeringto theLordGod of your fathers.

29 Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of theLord’s house before the leading priests, Levites, and heads of the Israelite families in Jerusalem.”

30 So the priests and Levites took charge of the silver, the gold, and the articles that had been weighed out, to bring them to the house of our God in Jerusalem.

Arrival in Jerusalem

31 We set out from the Ahava Riveron the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem. We were strengthened by our God,and He protected us from the power of the enemy and from ambush along the way.

32 So we arrived at Jerusalem and rested there for three days.

33 On the fourth day the silver, the gold, and the articles were weighed out in the house of our God into the care of Meremoth the priest, son of Uriah. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him. The Levites Jozabadson of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui were also with them.

34 Everything was verified by number and weight, and the total weight was recorded at that time.

35 The exiles who had returned from the captivityoffered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: 12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, and 77 lambs, along with 12 male goats as a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering for theLord.

36 They also delivered the king’s edicts to the royal satraps and governors of the region west of the Euphrates,so that they would support the people and the house of God.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/EZR/8-fba25484ed74af1cf3add91b0387f653.mp3?version_id=72—

Israel’s Intermarriage with Pagans

1 After these things had been done, the leaders approached me and said: “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselvesfrom the surrounding peoples whose detestable practicesare like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.

2 Indeed, the Israelite menhave taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seedhas become mixed with the surrounding peoples.The leadersand officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness! ”

3 When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and robe, pulled out some of the hair from my head and beard, and sat down devastated.

Ezra’s Confession

4 Everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israelgathered around me, because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles,while I sat devastated until the evening offering.

5 At the evening offering, I got up from my humiliation, with my tunic and robe torn. Then I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to Yahweh my God.

6 And I said:

My God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face toward You, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads and our guilt is as high as the heavens.

7 Our guilt has been terrible from the days of our fathers until the present. Because of our iniquities we have been handed over, along with our kings and priests, to the surrounding kings, and to the sword, captivity, plundering, and open shame,as it is today.

8 But now, for a brief moment, grace has come from Yahweh our God to preserve a remnantfor us and give us a stakein His holy place. Even in our slavery, God has given us new life and light to our eyes.

9 Though we are slaves,our God has not abandoned us in our slavery. He has extended grace to us in the presence of the Persian kings,giving us new life, so that we can rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins,to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

10 Now, our God, what can we say in light ofthis? For we have abandoned the commands

11 You gave through Your servants the prophets, saying: “The land you are entering to possess is an impure land. The surrounding peoples have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness by their impurity and detestable practices.

12 So do not give your daughters to their sons in marriage or take their daughters for your sons.Never seek their peace or prosperity,so that you will be strong, eat the good things of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your sons forever.”

13 After all that has happened to us because of our evil deeds and terrible guilt — though You, our God, have punished us less than our sins deserve and have allowed us to survive—

14 should we break Your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit these detestable practices?Wouldn’t You become so angry with us that You would destroy us, leaving no survivors?

15 LordGod of Israel, You are righteous, for we survive as a remnanttoday. Here we are before You with our guilt, though no one can stand in Your presence because of this.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/EZR/9-3eab64f353fb02b91f2fc4ffa3b277d5.mp3?version_id=72—

Sending Away Foreign Wives

1 While Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and falling facedownbefore the house of God, an extremely large assembly of Israelite men, women, and children gathered around him. The people also wept bitterly.

2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel,an Elamite, responded to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the surrounding peoples,but there is still hope for Israel in spite of this.

3 Let us therefore make a covenant before our Godto send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God.Let it be done according to the law.

4 Get up, for this matter is your responsibility,and we support you. Be strong and take action! ”

5 Then Ezra got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel take an oath to do what had been said; so they took the oath.

6 Ezra then went from the house of God and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, where he spent the night.He did not eat food or drink water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.

7 They circulated a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem.

8 Whoever did not come within three days would forfeit all his possessions,according to the decision of the leaders and elders, and would be excludedfrom the assembly of the exiles.

9 So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. On the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God,trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.

10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt.

11 Therefore, make a confession to Yahweh the God of your fathers and do His will. Separate yourselves from the surrounding peoples and your foreign wives.”

12 Then all the assembly responded with a loud voice: “Yes, we will do as you say!

13 But there are many people, and it is the rainy season. We don’t have the stamina to stay out in the open. This isn’t something that can be done in a day or two, for we have rebelled terribly in this matter.

14 Let our leaders represent the entire assembly. Then let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each town, in order to avert the fierce anger of our Godconcerningthis matter.”

15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this, with Meshullamand Shabbethai the Levite supporting them.

16 The exiles did what had been proposed. Ezra the priest selected menwho were family leaders, all identified by name, to representtheir ancestral houses. They convened on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter,

17 and by the first day of the first month they had dealt with all the men who had married foreign women.

Those Married to Foreign Wives

18 The following were found to have married foreign women from the descendants of the priests:

from the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.

19 They pledgedto send their wives away, and being guilty, they offered a ram from the flock for their guilt;

20 Hanani and Zebadiah from Immer’sdescendants;

21 Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah from Harim’sdescendants;

22 Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah from Pashhur’sdescendants.

23 The Levites:

Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

24 The singers:

Eliashib.

The gatekeepers:

Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

25 The Israelites:

Parosh’s descendants:Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah,and Benaiah;

26 Elam’s descendants:Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah;

27 Zattu’s descendants:Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza;

28 Bebai’s descendants:Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;

29 Bani’s descendants:Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth;

30 Pahath-moab’s descendants:Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh;

31 Harim’s descendants:Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah;

33 Hashum’s descendants:Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei;

34 Bani’s descendants:Maadai, Amram, Uel,

35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,

36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu,

38 Bani, Binnui, Shimei,

39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph;

43 Nebo’s descendants:Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.

44 All of thesehad married foreign women, and some of the wives had given birth to children.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/EZR/10-55725fc488206543d72f51b310494422.mp3?version_id=72—