Bible in 90 Days
16 Thus the entire service of the Lord was arranged on that day in order to celebrate the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days. 17 The people of Israel who were present on that occasion kept the Passover at that time, as well as the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for seven days.
18 No Passover like this one had been observed in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel, nor had any of the kings of Israel ever celebrated a Passover as was kept by Josiah, by the priests and the Levites, by all the people of Judah and Israel who were there, and by the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 19 This Passover was celebrated in the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah.
20 Josiah’s Reign Ends. After all this had occurred and Josiah had restored the temple, Neco, the king of Egypt, went forth to attack Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to confront him. 21 Neco then sent messengers to him to say: “Why should you be concerned about me, king of Judah? I have no intention of attacking you. My quarrel is not with you but just with those with whom I am at war. God has commanded me to proceed without delay. Therefore, do not oppose God, who is supporting me, so that he will not destroy you.”
22 However, Josiah had no intention of yielding to Neco’s request that came from the mouth of God, but rather he engaged in battle on the plain of Megiddo. 23 The archers then shot King Josiah, and he commanded his servants: “Take me away, for I am severely wounded.”
24 Therefore, his servants removed him from his own chariot and transferred him with another chariot to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him. 25 Jeremiah also composed a lament[a] for Josiah, which is recited to this day by all the male and female singers in their dirges. These became a tradition in Israel and can be found recorded in the Book of Lamentations.
26 The rest of the history of Josiah and his pious deeds in accordance with what is written in the law of the Lord, 27 and his acts, from first to last, are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
The End of the Kingdom
Chapter 36[b]
Jehoahaz. 1 The people of the land then took Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah, and made him king in Jerusalem as the successor to his father. 2 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he ascended the throne, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. 3 Then Neco, the king of Egypt, deposed him in Jerusalem and imposed a levy on Judah of one hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold. 4 Following that, the king of Egypt made his brother Eliakim king over Judah and Jerusalem and changed his name to Jehoiakim, but Neco took his brother Jehoahaz and had him brought to Egypt.
Jehoiakim. 5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord his God. 6 Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, then attacked him and bound him with chains to take him to Babylon. 7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried away to Babylon some of the vessels of the house of the Lord and placed them in his palace in Babylon.
8 The rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, the detestable things that he did, and what happened to him as a consequence, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. His son Jehoiachin succeeded him.
Jehoiachin. 9 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for three months and ten days. He did evil in the sight of the Lord. 10 At the turn of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent for him and had him brought to Babylon, along with the most precious vessels that were in the temple of the Lord, and he appointed his brother Zedekiah as king over Judah and Jerusalem.
11 Zedekiah. Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. 12 He did evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and he did not humble himself before the prophet Jeremiah, who revealed the word of the Lord.
13 Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had compelled him to take an oath in God’s name. He became stubborn and obstinate, and he refused to return to the Lord, the God of Israel. 14 Furthermore, all the leaders of Judah, the priests, and the people became ever more unfaithful, imitating all the shameful practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the Lord which he himself had consecrated in Jerusalem.
15 The Lord, the God of their ancestors, unceasingly sent them word through his messengers because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 However, they continued to ridicule the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord against his people became so fierce that there was no remedy.
17 Therefore, the Lord God brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who slew their young men with the sword in the sanctuary and spared neither young man nor maiden, neither the aged nor the feeble. God gave them all into his power.
18 All the vessels of the house of God, both large and small and all the treasures of the Lord’s house and of the king and his princes—all these Nebuchadnezzar brought to Babylon. 19 They set fire to the house of God, demolished the walls of Jerusalem, and burned all its palaces to the ground along with its cherished possessions until everything there of value was destroyed.
20 In addition, Nebuchadnezzar deported to Babylon all those who had escaped the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the Persians came to power. 21 During the time that the land lay desolate, it enjoyed its Sabbath rests to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah: “Until the land has atoned for its lost Sabbaths, it will lie fallow until seventy years are fulfilled.”
22 Decree of Cyrus.[c] In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord inspired King Cyrus to issue this edict throughout his kingdom, announced by a herald and also stated in a written edict: 23 “Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has also appointed me to build him a temple in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Therefore, whoever among you belongs to his people, may the Lord, his God be with him. Let him go up!”
The Return from the Exile
Chapter 1
The Decree of Cyrus. 1 In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, in order that the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord inspired King Cyrus of Persia to issue the following proclamation throughout his kingdom and also have it put in writing:
2 “King Cyrus of Persia says this: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given to me all the kingdoms of the earth, and in addition he has designated me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. 3 May God be with all those among you who belong to his people.[d] They are to go up to Jerusalem in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And let everyone who has survived, and who has settled down to reside in that locale, be assisted by the people of that place with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, in addition to the voluntary offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem.”
5 Then the heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin, as well as the priests and Levites—all those whose spirit has been aroused by God—prepared to go forth and rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. 6 All of their neighbors assisted them with gifts of every kind—silver and gold, goods and livestock, and many valuable gifts, in addition to all of their free-will offerings.
7 Furthermore, King Cyrus himself handed over the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed them in the temple of his gods. 8 Cyrus, the king of Persia, ordered them to be released into the charge of Mithredath, the treasurer, who made a complete inventory of them before turning them over to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.[e]
9 [f]This was the final inventory: thirty gold dishes; one thousand silver dishes, in addition to twenty-nine others that had been repaired; 10 thirty gold bowls; four hundred and ten silver bowls; one thousand other articles. 11 The final total of all the gold and silver vessels was five thousand four hundred. All these Sheshbazzar took with him when he led the exiles back from Babylon to Jerusalem.
Chapter 2
Census of the Province. 1 These were the people of the province who returned from the captivity of the exiles, those whom Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had carried away to Babylon and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town. 2 They were led back by Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.[g]
The census of the men of the people of Israel: 3 the sons of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two; 4 the sons of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two; 5 the sons of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five; 6 the sons of Pahath-moab, namely the descendants of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve; 7 the sons of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four; 8 the sons of Zattu, nine hundred and forty-five; 9 less the sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty; 10 the sons of Bani, six hundred and forty-two; 11 the sons of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-three; 12 the sons of Azgad, one thousand two hundred and twenty-two; 13 the sons of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six; 14 the sons of Bigvai, two thousand and fifty-six; 15 the sons of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four; 16 the sons of Ater, namely the descendants of Hezekiah, ninety-eight; 17 the sons of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-three; 18 the sons of Jorah, one hundred and twelve; 19 the sons of Hashum, two hundred and twenty-three; 20 the sons of Gibeon, ninety-five; 21 the sons of Bethlehem, one hundred and twenty-three; 22 the sons of Netophah, fifty-six; 23 the sons of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight; 24 the sons of Beth-azmaveth, forty-two; 25 the sons of Kiriath-jearim, Chephi-rah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three; 26 the sons of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one; 27 the sons of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two; 28 the sons of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three; 29 the sons of Nebo, fifty-two; 30 the sons of Magbish, one hundred and fifty-six; 31 the sons of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four; 32 the sons of Harim, three hundred and twenty; 33 the sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-five; 34 the sons of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five; 35 the sons of Senaah, three thousand six hundred and thirty.
36 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, who were of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three; 37 the sons of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two; 38 the sons of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven; 39 the sons of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.
40 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, Kadmiel, Binnui, and Hodaviah, seventy-four.
41 The singers: the sons of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight.
42 The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-nine in all.
43 The temple slaves: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, 44 the sons of Keros, the sons of Siaha, the sons of Padon, 45 the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons of Akkub, 46 the sons of Hagab, the sons of Shamlai, the sons of Hanan, 47 the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah, 48 the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam, 49 the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai, 50 the sons of Asnah, the sons of the Meunites, the sons of the Nephusites, 51 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, 52 the sons of Bazluth, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, 53 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, 54 the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.
55 The descendants of the slaves of Solomon: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Hassophereth, the sons of Peruda, 56 the sons of Jaalah, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, 57 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of Ami. 58 The total of the temple slaves and the descendants of Solomon’s servants numbered three hundred and ninety-two.
59 The following were those who returned from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer but were unable to prove that their families and their ancestry were of Israelite origin: 60 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda: six hundred and fifty-two. 61 And also in regard to the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai (he had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and became known by his name). 62 These men had searched for their names in the genealogical records[h] but they were not to be found there. As a result, they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 63 Consequently the governor[i] ordered them not to partake of the most sacred food until a priest arrived to consult the Urim and the Thummim.
64 The entire assemblage numbered forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty people, 65 apart from their male and female slaves, who numbered seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven, not including two hundred male and female singers. 66 Their horses numbered seven hundred and thirty-six. In addition, their mules numbered two hundred and forty-five, 67 their camels numbered four hundred and thirty-five, and their donkeys numbered six thousand seven hundred and twenty.
68 When they arrived at the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, some of the heads of families gave free-will offerings for the rebuilding of the house of God on its original site. 69 According to their resources they donated sixty-one thousand gold drachmas, five thousand silver minas, and one hundred priestly robes.[j]
70 The priests, the Levites, and some of the people settled in Jerusalem and its vicinity, while the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.
Chapter 3
Restoration of the Altar. 1 When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, the people gathered in Jerusalem as a single entity. 2 Then Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, with his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, with his brothers, set out to rebuild the altar of the God of Israel, in order to offer upon it the holocausts as prescribed in the law of Moses, the man of God.
3 Despite their fear of the peoples that surrounded them, they erected the altar on its former site, and upon it they presented burnt offerings to the Lord both morning and evening. 4 They also celebrated the Feast of Booths as prescribed and offered the holocausts required for each day.
5 [k]In addition, they presented the regular burnt offerings and the sacrifices prescribed for the new moons and for the festivals sacred to the Lord, as well as all the free-will offerings made to the Lord. 6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to present burnt offerings to the Lord, even though the foundations of the temple of the Lord had not yet been laid.
Founding of the Temple. 7 Then money was contributed to the masons and the carpenters, while food, drink, and oil were given to the Sidonians and the Tyrians so that they could procure cedar trees and transport them from Lebanon by sea to Jaffa, permission for which was granted by King Cyrus of Persia.
8 In the second month of the second year of their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, together with the rest of their brothers, the priests, the Levites, and all the people who had returned to Jerusalem from their captivity, began their project. 9 Jeshua, along with his sons and his brothers, together with Kadmiel and Binnui, the son of Henadad, and their sons and brethren, agreed to supervise the workers in the house of God.
10 When the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their robes with their trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with their cymbals, were stationed there to praise the Lord according to the ordinances established by King David of Israel. 11 They chanted praise and offered thanksgiving to the Lord, singing:
“The Lord is good,
and everlasting is his faithful love toward Israel.”
Then all the people raised a great shout, praising the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord had been laid.[l]
12 However, many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, elderly people who had seen the former house, wept loudly in sorrow when they beheld the foundations of this one, although many others shouted aloud for joy. 13 As a result, the people were unable to distinguish the clamor of the joyful shouts from the cries of those who were weeping. So great were the shouts and the cries that the sounds could be heard a long distance away.
Chapter 4
Samaritan Interference. 1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were in the process of building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they approached Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the heads of families and said: “Let us assist you as you build, for we reverence your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever since the days of King Esarhaddon of Assyria who brought us here.”
3 However, Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of Israelite families replied: “You shall have no share in the building of the house for our God. We alone shall build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus of Persia has commanded us.”
4 As a result, the people who lived around them became determined to discourage the people of Judah and to make them fearful of continuing to build. 5 Moreover, they also bribed officials to frustrate the plans of the people of Judah. This continued during the remaining years of the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and into the reign of King Darius of Persia.[m]
Later Hostility.[n] 6 At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus, the people of the land drew up an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7 And later, in the days of Artaxerxes of Persia, Mithredath joined Tabeel and their other associates in writing a letter to the king in Aramaic and then translated.
8 After that, Rehum the governor and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes denouncing Jerusalem as follows:
9 “From Rehum the governor and Shimshai the secretary, and the rest of their associates, the judges, the envoys, the officials, the magistrates, and the governors over the men from Tripolis, Persia, Erech, and Babylon, the Elamites in Susa, and 10 all the other peoples whom the great and illustrious Ashurbanipal deported and settled, in the city of Samaria and in the rest of the province of West-of-Euphrates.”[o]
11 This is a copy of the letter that they sent to him: “To King Artaxerxes, from your servants, the people of the province of Trans-Euphrates: 12 The king has the right to know that the Jews who came up from you to us have arrived in Jerusalem and are in the process of rebuilding this rebellious and wicked city. They have restored the walls and are repairing the foundations. 13 Now we wish to inform the king that if the city is rebuilt and the walls are restored, they will refuse to pay tribute, taxes, or tolls, causing the royal revenues to be sharply reduced.
14 “Now, because we share the salt of the palace,[p] we know that it is not right for us to witness the king’s dishonor. We therefore are sending this information to the king 15 in order that a search may be made in the archives of your ancestors. In those archives you will discover that this is a rebellious city greatly troublesome to kings and provinces, and that sedition has been stirred up within its walls from the earliest times. That is why this city was destroyed. 16 Therefore, we wish to inform you, O king, that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are raised up again, you will be left without any territory in Trans-Euphrates.”
17 The king sent this reply: “To Rehum the governor, to Shimshai the secretary, and to the rest of their associates who reside in Samaria and in the province of West-of-Euphrates: Greetings!
18 “The letter you have sent to us has now been accurately translated and been read in my presence. 19 When an inquiry was made at my command, it was discovered that this city has frequently risen up against the kings in the past, and that revolt and rebellion were more than an occasional occurrence. 20 In addition, powerful kings have reigned in Jerusalem and exercised authority over the entire province of West-of-Euphrates while exacting tribute, taxes, and tolls.
21 “Therefore, now give orders that these men must cease their work, and make it clear that this city is not to be rebuilt until I issue a decree to that effect. 22 And take care that you do not act negligently in this regard, lest the damage increase, to the detriment of the royal house.”
23 As soon as the text of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read before Rehum the governor, Shimshai the secretary, and their colleagues, they traveled immediately to Jerusalem and compelled the Jews by force of arms to stop their work.
24 Rebuilding of the Temple. Work on the house of God in Jerusalem then ceased, and it so remained until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.[q]
Chapter 5
1 Afterward, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel who was over them.[r] 2 Thereupon Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, began again to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, giving them support.
3 At that time Tattenai, the governor of West-of-Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates came to them and asked: “Who has given you the authority to rebuild this house and complete this structure? 4 What are the names of the men who are constructing this building?” 5 However, the eyes of their God continued to watch over the elders of the Jews, and they were not forced to stop until a report could reach Darius and an official reply could then be sent back in regard to this matter.
6 This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates sent to King Darius. 7 This is the written report that they forwarded to him:
“To King Darius: Our sincere greetings. 8 Let it be known to your majesty that we went to the province of Judah and visited the house of the great God. It is being rebuilt with massive stones, and beams of timber are being laid in the walls. The work is being done diligently, and significant progress has been made.
9 “We then questioned the elders, asking them: ‘Who gave you permission to build this house and to finish this structure?’ 10 We also asked them their names for your information so that we could record the names of those who were their leaders.
11 “They gave us this answer: ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. We are in the process of rebuilding the house that was erected many years ago, a house that a great king of Israel had built and completed. 12 But because our ancestors provoked the wrath of the God of heaven, he delivered them into the power of Nebuchadnezzar, the Chaldean king of Babylon, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.
13 “ ‘However, King Cyrus of Babylon,[s] in the first year of his reign, issued a decree that this house of God should be rebuilt. 14 Moreover, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had removed from the temple of Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, King Cyrus in turn removed from the temple of Babylon and ordered them to be delivered into the hands of a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor. 15 He said to him: “Take these vessels. Go forth and deposit them in the temple of Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its original site.”
16 “ ‘Then this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it has been under construction, and it is not yet completed.’ 17 Now, if it pleases the king, order that a search be made in the royal archives of Babylon to ascertain whether a decree was issued by King Cyrus for the rebuilding of this house of God in Jerusalem. Then ask the king to convey his decision on this matter to us.”
Chapter 6
The Decree of Darius.[t] 1 After that, King Darius issued an order to search the archives where the documents were stored in Babylon. 2 Eventually in the fortress of Ecbatana,[u] a scroll was discovered with the following text:
3 “In the first year of his reign, King Cyrus issued this decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: Let the house be rebuilt as a place where sacrifices are offered and burnt offerings are presented. Its height shall be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits, 4 with three layers of massive stones and one layer of timber. The cost is to be defrayed by the royal treasury.
5 “Furthermore, the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, are to be given back. Each one is to be returned to its proper place in the temple in Jerusalem and deposited in the house of God.
6 “Now you, Tattenai, governor of West-of-Euphrates, and Shethar-bozenai, and your associates, the officials in West-of-Euphrates, keep away from that place. 7 Leave the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews alone so that they may continue to work on that house of God. They are to rebuild it on its former site.
8 “I have also issued a decree in regard to your dealings with the elders of the Jews to ensure the rebuilding of this house of God. Let these men be repaid for their expenses, in full and without delay, from the royal revenue, the taxes of West-of-Euphrates. 9 Whatever else is required—young bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to what the priests in Jerusalem require—let that be given to them day by day without fail, 10 so that they may offer sacrifices that are acceptable to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
11 “Furthermore, I have issued a decree: if anyone disobeys this order, a beam shall be torn from his house. Then he is to be impaled on it, and his house is to be reduced to a pile of rubble. 12 May the God who has established his name there overthrow every king or people who may presume to change or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued this decree. Let it be strictly obeyed.”
13 The Work Completed. Then Tattenai, the governor of West-of-Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates fully carried out the instructions sent to them by King Darius, 14 and the elders of the Jews continued to make good progress with the rebuilding. Supported by the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, the son of Iddo, they completed the reconstruction in accordance with the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, the king of Persia.
15 This temple was completed on the twenty-third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. 16 The Israelites—the priests, the Levites, and the remainder of the exiles—celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. 17 For the dedication of this house of God they offered one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs, and, as a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 Then they installed the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their divisions for the service of God in Jerusalem, as prescribed in the Book of Moses.
19 The Passover. The exiles celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20 For both the priests and the Levites had purified themselves, and they were all ceremonially clean. The Levites sacrificed the Passover lamb for all the exiles who had returned, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves.
21 Therefore, the Israelites who had returned from exile, as well as those who had separated themselves from the unclean practices of their Gentile neighbors in order to seek the Lord, the God of Israel, ate the Passover lamb. 22 For seven days they joyfully celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice by making the king of Assyria change his attitude toward them, so that he supported them in their work on the house of God, the God of Israel.[v]
The Deeds of Ezra[w]
Chapter 7
Ezra the Scribe. 1 After these occurrences, during the reign of Artaxerxes,[x] king of Persia, Ezra, the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of the high priest Aaron— 6 this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe who was skilled in the law of Moses which was given by the Lord, the God of Israel, and the king granted him everything that he requested, since the hand of the Lord God was upon him.
7 Ezra was accompanied to Jerusalem by a number of Israelites, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple slaves in the seventh year of the reign of King Artaxerxes. 8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king’s reign.
9 On the first day of the first month, Ezra had ordered the departure from Babylon, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, since the gracious hand of his God was upon him. 10 For he had devoted himself to the study and observance of the law of the Lord so as to put that law into practice and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.
11 The Decree of Artaxerxes. This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest-scribe, a scholar in matters pertaining to the commandments and statutes of the Lord for Israel:[y]
12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest-scribe, a scholar versed in the commandments and statutes of the Lord for Israel. 13 I have issued a decree stating that any of the people of Israel in my kingdom, including their priests and Levites, who freely choose to go up to Jerusalem with you are free to do so. 14 For you are being sent by the king and his seven counselors to make inquiries as to how the law of your God in which you are extremely knowledgeable is being followed in Judah and Jerusalem.
15 “You are also to convey the silver and gold which the king and his counselors have voluntarily offered to the God of Israel whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16 as well as all the silver and gold which you may receive throughout the province of Babylon and the voluntary offerings that have been freely contributed by the people and the priests for the house of their God in Jerusalem.
17 “You must spend this money with extreme care to purchase bulls, rams, and lambs, as well as the cereal offerings and libations, and sacrifice them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem. 18 As for the remainder of the silver and gold, you and your brothers may do whatever seems best to you. 19 In the presence of the God of Israel you are to deliver those vessels that have been given to you for the service of the house of your God. 20 As for whatever else is required and you are obliged to supply for the needs of the house of your God, you may supply from the royal treasury.
21 “I, King Artaxerxes, have issued this decree to all the treasurers of West-of-Euphrates: Whatever the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may request of you is to be provided to him exactly, 22 up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred kors of wheat, one hundred baths of oil, and unlimited amounts of salt. 23 Let everything that the God of heaven commands be carried out exactly for the house of the God of heaven so that wrath may not be inflicted upon the realm of the king and his sons. 24 We also wish to make clear to you that it is against the law to impose a tribute, tax, or toll on any priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple slaves, or other servants of this house of God.
25 “As for you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God which you possess, you are to appoint magistrates and judges[z] to administer justice to all the people in West-of-Euphrates—to all, that is, who know the laws of your God. Furthermore, you are to instruct all those who do not know these laws. 26 Whoever refuses to obey the law of your God and the law of the king is to have judgment be strictly executed, whether the penalty be death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.”
27 Ezra and His Companions. Then Ezra said: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has influenced the heart of the king in this way to glorify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, 28 and who permitted me to be granted the faithful love of the king and his counselors and all the most powerful of the king’s officials. Because the hand of the Lord, my God was upon me, I assembled those Israelite leaders to accompany me.”[aa]
Chapter 8
1 These are the family heads and those registered with them who set forth from Babylon with me in the reign of King Artaxerxes:
2 Of the sons of Phinehas: Gershom; of the sons of Ithamar: Daniel; of the sons of David: Hattush, 3 son of Shecaniah; of the sons of Parosh: Zechariah, and with him one hundred and fifty males were enrolled; 4 of the sons of Pahath-moab: Eliehoenai, son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males; 5 of the sons of Zattu: Shecaniah, son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males; 6 of the sons of Adin: Ebed, son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males; 7 of the sons of Elam: Jeshaiah, son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males; 8 of the sons of Shephatiah: Zebadiah, son of Michael, and with him eighty males; 9 of the sons of Joab: Obadiah, son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males; 10 of the sons of Bani: Shelomith, son of Josiphiah, and with him one hundred and sixty males; 11 of the sons of Bebai: Zechariah, son of Bebai, and with him twenty-eight males; 12 of the sons of Azgad: Johanan, son of Hakkatan, and with him one hundred and ten males; 13 of the sons of Adonikam: the younger sons, whose names were Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them sixty males; 14 of the sons of Bigvai: Uthai and Zaccur, and with them seventy males.
15 The Journey to Jerusalem. I assembled them by the river that flows to Ahava, and we camped there for three days. During that time I noticed the people and the priests, but I was unable to discern any Levites.[ab] 16 Therefore, I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were judicious men, 17 and sent them to Iddo the leader at a place called Casiphia, in order to procure for us ministers to serve in the house of our God.
18 By the gracious providence of God they sent to us Sherebiah, a wise man, one of the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel, with his sons and kinsmen, eighteen men. 19 They also sent us Hashabiah, and with him his brother Jeshaiah of the descendants of Merari with his kinsmen and their sons, twenty men, 20 and two hundred and twenty temple slaves whom David and the princes had assigned to serve the Levites, all of them enrolled by name.
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there by the River Ahava, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and pray that he would grant a successful journey for ourselves, our children, and all our possessions. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for foot soldiers and cavalry to protect us from enemies along the way, inasmuch as we had said to the king: “The hand of our God is upon all who seek his protection, but his fierce wrath is against all who forsake him.” 23 Therefore, we fasted and prayed to God to grant us a safe journey, and he answered our prayer.
24 Then I selected twelve of the leading priests, together with Sherebiah and Hashabiah and ten of their kinsmen. 25 I weighed out in their presence the silver, the gold, and the utensils, the contributions which the king, his advisors, his officials, and all the Israelites present there had offered for the house of our God.
26 I weighed out and handed over to them six hundred and fifty talents[ac] of silver, one hundred silver vessels weighing two talents, one hundred talents of gold, 27 twenty gold bowls worth one thousand darics, and two superb vessels of polished bronze, as precious as gold.
28 Then I said to them: “You are consecrated to the Lord, as are the utensils. The silver and the gold are a free-will offering to the Lord, the God of your fathers. 29 Guard them carefully until you weigh them out to the leading priests, the Levites, and the heads of the families of Israel in Jerusalem within the chambers of the house of the Lord.” 30 The priests and the Levites then took charge of the silver, the gold, and the sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in Jerusalem.
31 On the twelfth day of the first month we set forth from the Ahava Canal to make our journey to Jerusalem. The hand of God remained to protect us from our enemies and bandits along the way. 32 When we arrived in Jerusalem, we rested for three days.
33 On the fourth day, the silver, the gold, and the vessels were weighed in the house of God and presented to the priest Meremoth, the son of Uriah, who was accompanied by Eleazar, the son of Phinehas and the Levites Jozabad, the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah, the son of Binnui. 34 Everything was counted and weighed, and the total weight was recorded at that time.
35 After that, those who had returned from their captivity presented burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-two lambs, and, as a sin offering, twelve male goats. All these were presented as a holocaust to the Lord. 36 They also delivered the king’s instructions to the royal satraps and to the governors in West-of-Euphrates who then pledged their support to the people and the house of God.
Chapter 9
Denunciation of Mixed Marriages. 1 After these matters had been concluded, the leaders approached me and said: “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separated from the neighboring peoples with their abominable practices—the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 2 They have taken women of these nations as wives for themselves and their sons, and as a result, they have contaminated the holy race by such unions. In this regard the leaders and the magistrates have been the major offenders.”
Ezra’s Exhortation. 3 Upon hearing this news, I tore my tunic and cloak, after which I plucked hair from my beard and my head and sat down in a complete stupor until the evening sacrifice. 4 Then all those who trembled with fear at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me, while I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice. 5 [ad]However, at the time of the evening sacrifice, I arose from my stupor, with my cloak and my mantle torn, and I fell to my knees while stretching out my hands to the Lord.
6 Then I said: “O my God, I am too ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to you, my God, because our iniquities have increased until they have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached the heavens. 7 From the time of our fathers until now our guilt has been great, and because of our iniquities we and our kings and our priests have been handed over into the power of foreign rulers and subjected to the sword, to captivity, to pillage and disgrace, as is the case today.
8 “But now, for a brief moment, the Lord, our God has shown mercy to us by allowing a remnant of us to escape and given us a stable home in his sanctuary, thereby bringing light to our eyes and granting us some relief in our bondage. 9 For we are slaves, but God has not forgotten us in our state of slavery. He has extended his faithful love to us and turned the good will of the kings of Persia toward us, while granting us new life to rebuild the house of our God, restore its ruins, and provide us with a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.
10 “But now, our God, what can we say after all this? For we have abandoned your commandments, 11 which you gave through your servants, the prophets, when you said: ‘The land that you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the abominations of the people of the country and their disgusting practices that have filled it with their filth from one end to the other. 12 Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or let their daughters marry your sons. Nor must you seek peace with them or enhance their prosperity. In this way you will grow strong, enjoy the produce of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your children forever.’
13 “After all that has befallen us for our evil deeds and our great guilt, you, O Lord, have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have allowed us to survive. 14 Shall we once again disobey your commandments and intermarry with people who engage in these loathsome practices? Would you not be enraged with us to the point that you would destroy us, leaving us with neither remnant nor survivor? 15 O Lord, God of Israel, you are righteous. We survive only as a remnant. We come here before you in our guilt. Because of this, none of us can stand in your presence.”
Chapter 10
The People’s Response. 1 While Ezra was praying and acknowledging their guilt as he wept and prostrated himself in front of the temple of God, a vast assemblage of men, women, and children gathered around him as the people wept profusely. 2 Then Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples of this land. However, in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. 3 Let us now make a covenant with our God to send away all these wives and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commandments of our God. Let it be done in accordance with the law.[ae] 4 Rise up, then, for the matter is in your hands. We will support you. Therefore, have courage and take action!”
5 Then Ezra rose to his feet and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath to do what had been said. In unison they took the oath. 6 Then Ezra departed from his place before the house of God and entered the room of Jehohanan, the son of Eliashib, where he spent the night without eating food or drinking water, because he was in mourning over the betrayal by the exiles.
7 A proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all of the exiles were to assemble in Jerusalem, 8 and that those who failed to appear within three days, as specified by the officials and the elders, would forfeit their property and be excluded from the assembly of the exiles.
9 All the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered together in Jerusalem three days later, on the twentieth day of the ninth month. All the people sat down in the open square before the house of God, greatly distressed because of the matter at hand and because they had no shelter from the heavy rain. 10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them: “You have been unfaithful in marrying foreign wives, thus adding to Israel’s guilt. 11 Now confess to the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from foreign women.”
12 Then all those who had assembled replied loudly, saying in unison: “We shall do as you say. 13 However, there are many people here; it is the rainy season, and we cannot stay out in the open. Besides, this is something that cannot be resolved in one or two days, since those of us who have sinned in this regard comprise a vast number.
14 “Therefore, permit our officials to represent the entire community, and let all those in our towns who have married foreign wives present themselves at designated times, accompanied by the elders and the judges for each town, until the fierce anger of our God at what has occurred has been turned away from us.” 15 Only Jonathan, the son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, the son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai, the Levites, opposed this proposal.[af]
16 The Guilty. The exiles did as had been proposed, while Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, representing their families, each of them designated by name. They met in sessions to examine the matter, beginning with the first day of the tenth month. 17 By the first day of the first month they had passed judgment on all the men who had married foreign women.
18 Among the members of priestly families, the following were found to have married foreign women: of the sons of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah, 19 who pledged to dismiss their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram from the flock for their guilt;
20 of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah; 21 of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah; 22 of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah;
23 of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer;
24 of the singers: Eliashib, and of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 Among the Israelites: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah; 26 of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah; 27 of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza;
28 of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai; 29 of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth; 30 of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh;
31 of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah; 33 of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei; 34 of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel 35 Benaiah, Bedaiah, Cheluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu; 38 of the sons of Binnui: Shimei, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, and Adaiah; 40 of the sons of Zachai: Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, Joseph; 43 of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, Benaiah.
44 All these had married foreign woman but sent them away with their children.
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