Decree of Cyrus EZRA, VI. B. C. 519. 2.2.21. and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzartook m out of the temple that was in Jerusa-m Je.52.19. lem, and brought them into then Hag.1.14. temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto onen whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made 4 governor; 15 And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place. or, deputy. o ch.3.8,10. p ch.6.15. q ch.6. 1,2. (CHAP. 6.) a ch.5.17. 1 books. 2 made to 3 descend. or, Ecia tana, or, in a coffer. b 2Ch.36.22, 16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid o the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet p it is not finished. 17 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search qd 1Ki.6.36. made in the king's treasure-house, e ch.1.7,8. which is there at Babylon, whether Ps. 122.4. 5.14. Da.5.2. it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house 4 go. of God at Jerusalem, and let the fch.5.3. king send his pleasure to us con- 5 their socerning this matter. CHAPTER VI. 13 The temple finished. 16 The feast of dedication kept. THE cieties. 23. g Ac.5.38,39. HEN Darius the king made a decree, and search a was made in the house of the 1 rolls, where the treasures were 2 laid up in Babylon. | * 2 And there was found at 3 Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written: 3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning b the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place c where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly m 1Ki.9.3. laid; the height thereof threescoren Ps. 137.8,9. Ob.10. cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; 4 With d three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber and let the expenses be given out of the king's house: 6 Now therefore, Tatnai, f governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and 5 your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond v 1Ch.24.1. the river, be ye tar from thence: for building the temple. 7 Let g the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place 8 Moreover 6I make a decree these Jews for the building of this what ye shall do to the elders of house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not 7 hindered. 9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt-offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be h given them day by day without fail: 10 That i they may offer sacrifices 8 of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for k the life of the king, and of his sons. 11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be 9 hanged thereon; and let his house / be made a dunghill for this. 12 And the God that hath caused his name m to dwell there destroy n all kings and people that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed. 13 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily. 14 And o the elders of the Jews builded,and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the 10 commandment of Cyrus, p and Darius, q and Artaxerxes king r of Persia. 15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. 16 And the children of Israel. T the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the 11 children of the captivity, kept s the dedication of this house of God with joy.t 17 And offered u at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 And they set the priests v in Ezra goeth to Jerusalem. their divisions, and the Levites w in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; 12 as it is written in the book of Moses. 19 And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day y of the first month. 20 For the priests and the Levites were purified z together, all of them were pure, and killed a the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. 21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness b of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat, 22 And kept the feast c of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart d of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. Now after these things, in the NOV reign of Artaxerxes a king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, b the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, 2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, 3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, 4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, 5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, c the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron d the chief priest: 6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe e in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him. EZRA, VII. B. C. 457. w 1Ch.23.6. 12 according to the writing. x Nu.3.6. 8.9. y Ex. 12.6. z 2Ch.30. 15. a Artaxerxes' letter to Ezra. and to do m it, and to teach n in Is rael statutes and judgments. 11 T Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel. 12 Artaxerxes, king o of kings, 2 unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of 2Ch.35.11.the law of the God of heaven, per fect peace, and at such a time. b ch.9.11. c Ex.12.15. 13.6. 35.17. 13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his 2Ch.30.21. priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own 1 Co.5.7.8.free will to go up to Jerusalem, go d ver. 6. with thee. Pr.21.1. (CHAP. 7.) a No.2.1. b iCh.6.14. c Nu.25.11 14 Forasmuch as thou art sent 3 of the king, and of his seven p counsellors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand; 15 And to carry the silver and gold, which a the king and his counsellers have freely offered unto ch.8.22,31.the God of Israel, whose habitaNe.2.8,18. tion r is in Jerusalem, Pr.3.6. 3 Da.2.37. or, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe of the law of the God of heaven, peace, &c. from before 7 And g there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethithe king. nims, hunto Jerusalem, in the se-p Es. 1.14. venth year of Artaxerxes the king. q Ps.68.29. 8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the r 2Ch.6.2. seventh year of the king. Ps.9.11. 26.8. 135.21. s ch.8.25. t 1Ch.29.6,9. 9 For upon the first day of the first month 1 began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. 10 For Ezra had prepared k his heart to seek the law of the LORD 76.11. u Nu.15.4-13. De. 12.5-11. w Ep.5.17. 4 cors. 16 And s all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill-offering of the people, and of the priests, offering t willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem : 17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat-offerings u and their drink-offerings, and offer them upon the v altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that dow after the will of your God. 19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. 20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure-house. 21 And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily, 22 Unto an hundred talents of silver,and to an hundred 4 measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing Thow much. Those who returned EZRA, VIII. B. C. 457. s of the decree. ≈ ver. 18. y Ps. 119.4. z Ex. 18.21, 22. De. 16. 18. a ver. 10. Ro. 10.14-17. 23 Whatsoever is 5 commanded x by the God of heaven, let it be diligently y done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? 24 Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them. 25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God that is in thine which may judge all the people 1Ch.29.10. hand, set magistrates z and judges, 6 rooting out. b that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and e ch.6.22. téach a ye them that know them d ch.9.9. not. 26 And whosoever will not do thee ver.6. law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to 6 banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. 27 T Blessed b be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put c such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem: ch.8.18. (CHAP. 7.) a 1Ch.6.4,&c. b ICh.3.22. c ch.2.3. 1 or,youngest 2 or, Zaccur, as some 28 And d hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthoned as e the hand of the LORD God was upon me, and I gatheredor, pitched. together out of Israel chief men to d ch.7.7. go up with me. CHAPTER VIII. e 1Ch.12.32. Pr.20.5. 23.2. 4 I put words in their mouth, 2Sa. 14.3,19. HESE are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reignf Tit.1.5. of Artaxerxes the king. g 9.4,5. 2 Of a the sons of Phinehas; Ger- & Ne.8.7. shom: of the sons of Ithamar'; Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush.bh ch.2.43. 3 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the i Phi.4.3. sons of Pharosh; c Zechariah: and k 2Ch.20.3. with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty. 4 Of the sons of Pahath-moab: Elhoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males. 5 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jehaziel, and with him three hundred males. 6 Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males. And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males. 8 And of the sons of Shephatiah; I Le. 16.29. 23.29. Is.58.3,5. Joel 2.13. m Ps.5.8. 143.8, 10. Pr.3.6. Is.30.21. 42.16. Je. 10.23. n Ps.8.2. Mar. 10. 13. 16. o 1Co.9.15. with Ezra. Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore males. 9 of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males. 10 And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with hini an hundred and threescore males. 11 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bubai, and with him twenty and eight males. 12 And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him an hundred and ten males. kam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males. 13 And of the last sons of Adoni 14 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and 2 Zabbud, and with them seventy males. 15 And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Alava; and there 3 abode we in tents three days and I viewed the people and the priests, and found there none d of the sons of Levi. 16 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding.e 17 And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and 4 I told them what they should say unto Iddo. and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring f unto us ministers for the house of our God. 18 And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen; 19 And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty; 20 Also of the Net inims, h whóm David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims all of them were expressed by name.i 21 ¶ Then I proclaimed a fast k there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to m seek of him a right way for us, and for our n little ones, and for all our substance. 22 For o I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The The treasure is weighed. hand p of our God is upon all them for good that seek q him; but his power and his wrath r is against all them that forsake him. 23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated s of us. 21 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their bre-s thren with them, 25 And weighed unto them the t silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered: 26 I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels an hundred talents, and of gold an hundred talents; t EZRA, IX. p ch.7.6,9,28. La.3.25. Ezra prayeth unto God. a sin-offering: all this was a burntoffering unto the LORD. 36 And they delivered the king's commissions b unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the people, and the house of God. CHAPTER IX. Ezra prayeth unto God with confession of sins. OW when these things were NOW done, the princes came to me, ch.7.15,16.saying, The people of Israel, and yellow, or, the priests, and the Levites, have shining not separated a themselves from brass. the people of the lands doing b according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 6 desirable. v Nu.4. 15. u ver.32. ch.7.21. a ch.6.21. 27 Also twenty basins of gold, of x ch.7.28. |x a thousand drams; and two vessels y Ne.2.11. of 5 fine copper, 6 precious as gold. ver.26,30. 28 And I said unto them, Ye are ua ch.6.17. holy unto the LORD: the vessels v are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a free-will-offering unto the LORD God of your fathers. 29 Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the c Ex 34. 16. house of the LORD. Ne. 13.23. 30 So took the priests and the Le-d De.14.2. vites the weight of the silver, and Is. 6.13. the gold, and the vessels, to bring e 2Co.6.14. them to Jerusalem w unto the house f2Ki. 19.1. of our God. g Is. 15.2. h Ps.60.3. ! b De. 12.30, i 31. Ro.2.17-25. ch. 10.3. Is.66.2. Eze.9.4. 31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava, on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem and a the hand of our God! was upon us, and he delivered usk Ex.29.39. from the hand of the enemy, and of or.afflic such as lay in wait by the way. 32 And y we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days. tion. Ki.8.22. m Da.9.7,8. n P's.38.4. or, guilti ness. 33 ¶ Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold, and the vessels, z weighed in the house of o 2Ch.28.9. our God by the hand of Meremoth Lu. 15.21. the son of Uriah the priest; and Re. 18.5. with him was Eleazar the son of p P's. 106.6. Phinehas; and with them was Joza- q De.23.38,64. bad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah 3 moment. the son of Binnui, Levites; 4 or, a pin: that is, a constant and sure abode, Is.22.23. 31 By number and by weight of every one and all the weight was written at that time. 35 Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered a burnt-offerings unto the God of Is-t rael, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he-goats for r Ps. 13.3. Ne.9.36. 2 For they have taken c of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy d seed have e mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass. 3 And when I heard this thing, If rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair g of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.h 4 Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled i at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied untilthe evening sacrifice.k 5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my 1 heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God, 6 And said, O my God, I am m ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our* head, n and our 2 trespass is grown o up unto the heavens. 7 Since the days of our fathers p have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered q into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. 8 And now for a little 3 space grace hath been showed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us 4 a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten r our eyes, and give us a little reviving s in our bondage. 9 For we were bondmen; t yet u Ezra prayeth. s set up. EZRA, X. our God hath not forsaken us in↑ B. C. 457. our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to 5 repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall v in Judah and in Jerusalem. 10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, v ch.6.8,14. 6 by the * mouth to w De.23.6. 8 withheld beneath our 11 Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, the land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, x Ps. 103. 10. which have filled it from 7 one end to another with their uncleanness. y Jno.5.14. 2Pe.2.20,21. 12 Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither z De.9.8. take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace wor their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever. a Ne.9.33. b La.3.22,23. c Jno.8.21,24. d Ps. 130.3. 13 And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast & punished us less (CHAP. 10.) than our iniquities deserve, and hast a 2Ch.20.9. given us such deliverance as this; 1 a great 14 Should y we again break thy weeping. commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abomina-b Ne. 13.27. tions? wouldest not thou be angry c Is.55.6,7. with us till z thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no rem-d 2Ch.34.31. nant nor escaping. bring forth. 15 O LORD God of Israel, thou a art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, b as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our c tres-e ch.9.4. passes: for we cannot stand d before thee because of this. CHAPTER X. f De.7.2,3. g Ne.5.12. Ezra mourning,assembleth the people.h De.9.18. [OW when Ezra had prayed, and Now he had confessed, weep when 3 devoted. ing and casting himself down before i 1Sa. 12. 18. 1Jno.1.9. or, have 2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam answered and said unto Ezra, Wek Pr.28.13. have trespassed b against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is c hope in Israel concerning this thing. 3 Now therefore let us make a d covenant with our God to 2 put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those great y He reformeth the people. that tremble e at the commandment ƒ of our God; and let it be done according to the law. 4 Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it. 5 Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware. 6 Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib : and when he came thither, he h did eat no bread, nor drink water; for he mourned because of the transgression of thera that had been carried away. 7 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem; 8 And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be 3 forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away. 9 T Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, and the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because i of this matter, and for the great 4 rain. 10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have 5 taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel. 11 Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure and separate yourselves from the people of the land,and from the strange wives. 12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do. 13 But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we 6 are many that have transgressed in this thing. 14 Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for 7 this despatched. matter be turned from us. till this 15 Only Jonathan the son of |