MacWorld 1996 July/Macworld (1996-07).dmg/Shareware World/Communication/WarpSearch CGI 1.0/The_Bible/ezra.txt

Text File | 1996-04-13 | 42KB | 801 lines

The next file is: EZRA
1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word
 of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the
 LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he
 made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and [put it]
 also in writing, saying,
1:2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath
 given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me
 to build him a house at Jerusalem, which [is] in Judah.
1:3 Who [is there] among you of all his people? his God be with
 him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which [is] in Judah, and
 build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he [is] the God,)
 who [is] in Jerusalem.
1:4 And whoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let
 the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and
 with goods, and with beasts, besides the free-will-offering for
 the house of God that [is] in Jerusalem.
1:5 Then arose the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin,
 and the priests, and the Levites, with all [them] whose spirit
 God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which
 [is] in Jerusalem.
1:6 And all they that [were] about them strengthened their hands
 with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts,
 and with precious things, besides all [that] was willingly
 offered.
1:7 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house
 of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem,
 and had put them in the house of his gods;
1:8 Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand
 of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them to Sheshbazzar,
 the prince of Judah.
1:9 And this [is] the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a
 thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,
1:10 Thirty basins of gold, silver basins of a second [sort]
 four hundred and ten, [and] other vessels a thousand.
1:11 All the vessels of gold and of silver [were] five thousand
 and four hundred. All [these] did Sheshbazzar bring with [them
 of] the captivity that were brought from Babylon to Jerusalem.
2:1 Now these [are] the children of the province that went up
 from the captivity, of those who had been carried away, whom
 Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon,
 and came again to Jerusalem and Judah, every one to his city;
2:2 Who came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah,
 Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The
 number of the men of the people of Israel:
2:3 The children of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy and
 two.
2:4 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
2:5 The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.
2:6 The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua [and]
 Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.
2:7 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
2:8 The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.
2:9 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty.
2:10 The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.
2:11 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.
2:12 The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and
 two.
2:13 The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.
2:14 The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.
2:15 The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.
2:16 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
2:17 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.
2:18 The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve.
2:19 The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.
2:20 The children of Gibbar, ninety and five.
2:21 The children of Beth-lehem, a hundred twenty and three.
2:22 The men of Netophah, fifty and six.
2:23 The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight.
2:24 The children of Azmaveth, forty and two.
2:25 The children of Kirjath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven
 hundred and forty and three.
2:26 The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.
2:27 The men of Michmas, a hundred twenty and two.
2:28 The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.
2:29 The children of Nebo, fifty and two.
2:30 The children of Magbish, a hundred fifty and six.
2:31 The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred
 fifty and four.
2:32 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
2:33 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty
 and five.
2:34 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.
2:35 The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and
 thirty.
2:36 The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of
 Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
2:37 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.
2:38 The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and
 seven.
2:39 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
2:40 The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the
 children of Hodaviah, seventy and four.
2:41 The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred twenty and
 eight.
2:42 The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the
 children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of
 Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, [in] all
 a hundred thirty and nine.
2:43 The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of
 Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
2:44 The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children
 of Padon,
2:45 The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the
 children of Akkub,
2:46 The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the
 children of Hanan,
2:47 The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children
 of Reaiah,
2:48 The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children
 of Gazzam,
2:49 The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children
 of Besai,
2:50 The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the
 children of Nephusim,
2:51 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the
 children of Harhur,
2:52 The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the
 children of Harsha,
2:53 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the
 children of Thamah,
2:54 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
2:55 The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai,
 the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda,
2:56 The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the
 children of Giddel,
2:57 The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the
 children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami.
2:58 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants,
 [were] three hundred ninety and two.
2:59 And these [were] they who went up from Tel-melah,
 Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan, [and] Immer: but they could not show
 their fathers' house, and their seed, whether they [were] of
 Israel:
2:60 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the
 children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.
2:61 And of the children of the priests: the children of
 Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai: who
 took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and
 was called after their name:
2:62 These sought their register [among] those that were
 reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were
 they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.
2:63 And the Tirshatha said to them, that they should not eat of
 the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim
 and with Thummim.
2:64 The whole congregation together [was] forty and two
 thousand three hundred [and] sixty,
2:65 Besides their servants and their maids, of whom [there
 were] seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and [there
 were] among them two hundred singing-men and singing-women.
2:66 Their horses [were] seven hundred thirty and six; their
 mules, two hundred forty and five;
2:67 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; [their] asses,
 six thousand seven hundred and twenty.
2:68 And [some] of the chief of the fathers, when they came to
 the house of the LORD which [is] at Jerusalem, offered freely
 for the house of God to set it up in its place:
2:69 They gave after their ability to the treasure of the work
 sixty and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pounds
 of silver, and one hundred priests garments.
2:70 So the priests, and the Levites, and [some] of the people,
 and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in
 their cities, and all Israel in their cities.
3:1 And when the seventh month had come, and the children of
 Israel [were] in the cities, the people assembled themselves as
 one man at Jerusalem.
3:2 Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren
 the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his
 brethren, and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer
 burnt-offerings on it as [it is] written in the law of Moses
 the man of God.
3:3 And they set the altar upon its bases; for fear [was] upon
 them because of the people of those countries: and they offered
 burnt-offerings on it to the LORD, [even] burnt-offerings
 morning and evening.
3:4 They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as [it is] written,
 and [offered] the daily burnt-offerings by number, according to
 the custom, as the duty of every day required;
3:5 And afterward [offered] the continual burnt-offering, both
 of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that
 were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a
 free-will-offering to the LORD.
3:6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer
 burnt-offerings to the LORD. But the foundation of the temple
 of the LORD was not [yet] laid.
3:7 They gave money also to the masons, and to the carpenters;
 and provisions, and drink, and oil, to them of Zidon, and to
 them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of
 Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of
 Persia.
3:8 Now in the second year of their coming to the house of God
 at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of
 Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of
 their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that
 had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem; and appointed the
 Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the
 work of the house of the LORD.
3:9 Then stood Jeshua [with] his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel
 and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the
 workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, [with] their
 sons and their brethren the Levites.
3:10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of
 the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets,
 and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the
 LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.
3:11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving
 thanks to the LORD; because [he is] good, for his mercy
 [endureth] for ever towards Israel. And all the people shouted
 with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the
 foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
3:12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the
 fathers, old men, that had seen the first house, when the
 foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with
 a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:
3:13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout
 of the joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the
 people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar
 off.
4:1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that
 the children of the captivity were building the temple to the
 LORD God of Israel;
4:2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the
 fathers, and said to them, Let us build with you: for we seek
 your God, as ye [do]; and we do sacrifice to him since the days
 of Esar-haddon king of Assur, who brought us up hither.
4:3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the
 fathers of Israel, said to them, Ye have nothing to do with us
 to build a house to our God; but we ourselves together will
 build to the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of
 Persia hath commanded us.
4:4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people
 of Judah, and troubled them in building,
4:5 And hired counselors against them, to frustrate their
 purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the
 reign of Darius king of Persia.
4:6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his
 reign, they wrote [to him] an accusation against the
 inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
4:7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath,
 Tabeel, and the rest of their companions to Artaxerxes king of
 Persia, and the writing of the letter [was] written in the
 Syrian language, and interpreted in the Syrian language.
4:8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter
 against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
4:9 Then [wrote] Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe,
 and the rest of their companions; the Dianites, the
 Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the
 Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites,
 [and] the Elamites,
4:10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble
 Asnapper brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and
 the rest [that are] on this side of the river, and at such a
 time.
4:11 This [is] the copy of the letter that they sent to him,
 [even] to Artaxerxes the king: Thy servants the men on this
 side of the river, and at such a time.
4:12 Be it known to the king, that the Jews who came from thee
 to us are come to Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the
 noxious city, and have set up its walls, and joined the
 foundations.
4:13 Be it known now to the king, that, if this city shall be
 built, and the walls set up [again], [then] they will not pay
 toll, tribute, and custom, and [so] thou wilt endamage the
 revenue of the kings.
4:14 Now because we have maintenance from [the king's] palace,
 and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonor,
 therefore have we sent and certified the king;
4:15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy
 fathers: so wilt thou find in the book of the records, and know
 that this city [is] a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and
 provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of
 old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.
4:16 We certify the king that, if this city shall be built
 [again], and its walls set up, by this means thou wilt have no
 portion on this side of the river.
4:17 [Then] the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and
 [to] Shimshai the scribe, and [to] the rest of their companions
 that dwell in Samaria, and [to] the rest beyond the river,
 Peace, and at such a time.
4:18 The letter which ye sent to us hath been plainly read
 before me.
4:19 And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found
 that this city of old time hath made insurrection against
 kings, and [that] rebellion and sedition have been made in it.
4:20 There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have
 ruled over all [countries] beyond the river; and toll, tribute,
 and custom, was paid to them.
4:21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and
 that this city be not built, until [another] commandment shall
 be given from me.
4:22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should
 damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
4:23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter [was] read
 before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions,
 they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them
 to cease by force and power.
4:24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which [is] at
 Jerusalem. So it ceased until the second year of the reign of
 Darius king of Persia.
5:1 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son
 of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews that [were] in Judah and
 Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, [even] to them.
5:2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the
 son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which [is]
 at Jerusalem: and with them [were] the prophets of God helping
 them.
5:3 At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side
 of the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and
 said thus to them, Who hath commanded you to build this house,
 and to make up this wall?
5:4 Then said we to them after this manner, What are the names
 of the men that make this building?
5:5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews,
 that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came
 to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning
 this [matter].
5:6 The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side of
 the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions the
 Apharsachites, who [were] on this side of the river, sent to
 Darius the king:
5:7 They sent a letter to him, in which was written thus; To
 Darius the king, all peace.
5:8 Be it known to the king, that we went into the province of
 Judea, to the house of the great God, which is built with great
 stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work
 proceedeth rapidly, and prospereth in their hands.
5:9 Then we asked those elders, [and] said to them thus, Who
 commanded you to build this house, and to erect these walls?
5:10 We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might
 write the names of the men that [were] the chief of them.
5:11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the
 servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house
 that was erected these many years ago, which a great king of
 Israel built and set up.
5:12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven
 to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king
 of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried
 the people away into Babylon.
5:13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon, [the
 same] king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.
5:14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of
 God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that [was] in
 Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those
 did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they
 were delivered to [one], whose name [was] Sheshbazzar, whom he
 had made governor;
5:15 And said to him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into
 the temple that [is] in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be
 built in its place.
5:16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, [and] laid 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] it is
 not finished.
5:17 Now therefore, if it [seemeth] good to the king, let there
 be search made in the king's treasure-house, which [is] there
 at Babylon, whether it is [so], that a decree was made by Cyrus
 the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the
 king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.
6:1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in
 the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in
 Babylon.
6:2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that [is] in
 the province of the Medes, a roll, and in it [was] a record
 thus written:
6:3 In the first year of Cyrus the king, [the same] Cyrus the
 king made a decree [concerning] the house of God at Jerusalem,
 Let the house be built, the place where they offered
 sacrifices, and let the foundations of it be strongly laid; the
 hight of it sixty cubits, [and] the breadth of it sixty cubits;
6:4 [With] three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber:
 and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:
6:5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of
 God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple which [is] at
 Jerusalem, and brought to Babylon, be restored, and brought
 again to the temple which [is] at Jerusalem, [every one] to its
 place, and place [them] in the house of God.
6:6 Now [therefore], Tatnai governor beyond the river,
 Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who
 [are] beyond the river, be ye far from thence:
6:7 Let 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 its place.
6:8 Moreover, I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of
 these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the
 king's goods, [even] of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith
 expenses be given to these men, that they be not hindered.
6:9 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 who [are] at Jerusalem, let it be given to them day by
 day without fail:
6:10 That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savors to the God
 of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.
6:11 Also I have made a decree, that whoever shall alter this
 word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set
 up, let him be hanged upon it; and let his house be made a
 dunghill for this.
6:12 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there
 destroy all kings and people, that shall attempt 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.
6:13 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.
6:14 And the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered
 through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the
 son of Iddo. And they built, and finished [it], according to
 the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the
 commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of
 Persia.
6:15 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.
6:16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites,
 and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the
 dedication of this house of God with joy,
6:17 And offered at the dedication of this house of God a
 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.
6:18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the
 Levites in their courses, for the service of God, who [is] at
 Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.
6:19 And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon
 the fourteenth [day] of the first month.
6:20 For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all
 of them [were] pure, and [they] killed the passover for all the
 children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests,
 and for themselves.
6:21 And the children of Israel, who had returned from
 captivity, and all such as had separated themselves to them
 from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the
 LORD God of Israel, did eat,
6:22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy:
 for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the
 king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work
 of the house of God, the God of Israel.
7:1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of
 Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of
 Hilkiah,
7:2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
7:3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
7:4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
7:5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar,
 the son of Aaron the chief priest:
7:6 This Ezra went from Babylon; and he [was] a ready scribe 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.
7:7 And there went [some] of the children of Israel, and of the
 priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and
 the Nethinims, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes
 the king.
7:8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which [was] in
 the seventh year of the king.
7:9 For upon the first [day] of the first month he began to go
 from Babylon, and on the first [day] of the fifth month he came
 to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.
7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the
 LORD, and to do [it], and to teach in Israel statutes and
 judgments.
7:11 Now this [is] the copy of the letter that the king
 Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, [even] a scribe
 of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his
 statutes to Israel.
7:12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, a scribe of
 the law of the God of heaven, perfect [peace], and at such a
 time.
7:13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and
 [of] his priests and Levites, in my realm, who are disposed of
 their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with thee.
7:14 Forasmuch as thou art sent by the king, and by his seven
 counselors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem,
 according to the law of thy God which [is] in thy hand;
7:15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his
 counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose
 habitation [is] in Jerusalem,
7:16 And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the
 province of Babylon, with the free-will-offering of the people,
 and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their
 God which [is] in Jerusalem:
7:17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks,
 rams, lambs, with their meat-offerings and their
 drink-offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of
 your God which [is] in Jerusalem.
7:18 And whatever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren,
 to do with the rest of the silver and gold, that do after the
 will of your God.
7:19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the
 house of thy God, [those] deliver thou before the God of
 Jerusalem.
7:20 And whatever 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.
7:21 And I, [even] I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to
 all the treasurers who [are] beyond the river, that whatever
 Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven,
 shall require of you, it be done speedily,
7:22 To a hundred talents of silver, and to a hundred measures
 of wheat, and to a hundred baths of wine, and to a hundred
 baths of oil, and salt without prescribing [how much].
7:23 Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be
 diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why
 should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his
 sons?
7:24 Also we certify you, that concerning 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.
7:25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that [is] in
 thy hand, set magistrates and judges, who may judge all the
 people that [are] beyond the river, all such as know the laws
 of thy God; and teach ye them that know [them] not.
7:26 And whoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of
 the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether
 [it be] to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of
 goods, or to imprisonment.
7:27 Blessed [be] the LORD God of our fathers, who hath put
 [such a thing] as this in the king's heart, to beautify the
 house of the LORD which [is] in Jerusalem:
7:28 And hath extended mercy to me before the king, and his
 counselors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was
 strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God [was] upon me, and
 I assembled out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
8:1 These [are] now the chief of their fathers, and [this is]
 the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the
 reign of Artaxerxes the king.
8:2 Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar;
 Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush.
8:3 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh;
 Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males
 a hundred and fifty.
8:4 Of the sons of Pahath-moab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah,
 and with him two hundred males.
8:5 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him
 three hundred males.
8:6 Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with
 him fifty males.
8:7 And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and
 with him seventy males.
8:8 And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael,
 and with him eighty males.
8:9 Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him
 two hundred and eighteen males.
8:10 And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and
 with him a hundred and sixty males.
8:11 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and
 with him twenty and eight males.
8:12 And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and
 with him a hundred and ten males.
8:13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names [are] these,
 Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them sixty males.
8:14 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with
 them seventy males.
8:15 And I assembled them at the river that runneth to Ahava;
 and there we abode in tents three days: and I viewed the
 people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of
 Levi.
8:16 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.
8:17 And I sent them with commandment to Iddo the chief at the
 place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say to Iddo,
 [and] to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia,
 that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our
 God.
8:18 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;
8:19 And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari,
 his brethren and their sons, twenty;
8:20 Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had
 appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and
 twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name.
8:21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we
 might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right
 way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
8:22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers
 and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because
 we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our God [is]
 upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his
 wrath [is] against all them that forsake him.
8:23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was
 entreated by us.
8:24 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests,
 Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,
8:25 And weighed to them the silver, and the gold, and the
 vessels, [even] the offering of the house of our God, which the
 king, and his counselors, and his lords, and all Israel [there]
 present, had offered:
8:26 I even weighed to their hand six hundred and fifty talents
 of silver, and silver vessels a hundred talents, [and] of gold
 a hundred talents;
8:27 Also twenty basins of gold, of a thousand drams; and two
 vessels of fine copper, precious as gold.
8:28 And I said to them, Ye [are] holy to the LORD; the vessels
 [are] holy also; and the silver and the gold [are] a
 free-will-offering to the LORD God of your fathers.
8:29 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 house
 of the LORD.
8:30 So the priests and the Levites took the weight of the
 silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring [them] to
 Jerusalem to the house of our God.
8:31 Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth [day]
 of the first month, to go to Jerusalem: and the hand of our God
 was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy,
 and of such as lay in wait by the way.
8:32 And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.
8:33 Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the
 vessels weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth
 the son of Uriah the priest; and with him [was] Eleazar the son
 of Phinehas; and with them [was] Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and
 Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites;
8:34 By number [and] by weight of every one: and all the weight
 was written at that time.
8:35 [Also] the children of those that had been carried away,
 who had come out of the captivity, offered burnt-offerings to
 the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and
 six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he-goats [for] a
 sin-offering: all [this was] a burnt-offering to the LORD.
8:36 And they delivered the king's commissions to the king's
 lieutenants, and to the governors on this side of the river:
 and they furthered the people, and the house of God.
9:1 Now when these things were done, the princes came to me,
 saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites,
 have not separated themselves from the people of the lands,
 [doing] according to their abominations, [even] of the
 Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the
 Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
9:2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and
 for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves
 with the people of [those] lands: yea, the hand of the princes
 and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
9:3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my
 mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard,
 and sat down confounded.
9:4 Then were assembled to me every one that trembled at the
 words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of
 those that had been carried away; and I sat confounded until
 the evening sacrifice.
9:5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose from my heaviness; and
 having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and
 spread out my hands to the LORD my God,
9:6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my
 face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over
 [our] head, and our trespass is grown up to the heavens.
9:7 Since the days of our fathers [have] we [been] in a great
 trespass to this day; and for our iniquities have we, our
 kings, [and] our priests, been delivered 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.
9:8 And now for a little space grace hath been [shown] from the
 LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a
 nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and
 give us a little reviving in our bondage.
9:9 For we [were] bond-men; yet our God hath not forsaken us in
 our bondage, but hath extended mercy to us in the sight of the
 kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of
 our God, and to repair the desolations of it, and to give us a
 wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
9:10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we
 have forsaken thy commandments,
9:11 Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets,
 saying, The land, to which ye go to possess it, is an unclean
 land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their
 abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with
 their uncleanness.
9:12 Now therefore give not your daughters to their sons,
 neither take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace
 or 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.
9:13 And after all that hath come upon us for our evil deeds,
 and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast
 punished us less than our iniquities [deserve], and hast given
 us [such] deliverance as this;
9:14 Should we again break thy commandments, and join in
 affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldst thou
 not be angry with us till thou hadst consumed [us], so that
 [there should be] no remnant nor escaping?
9:15 O LORD God of Israel, thou [art] righteous: for we having
 escaped, remain yet, as [it is] this day: behold, we [are]
 before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee
 because of this.
10:1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed,
 weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there
 assembled to him out of Israel a very great congregation of men
 and women and children: for the people wept very bitterly.
10:2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, [one] of the sons of
 Elam, answered and said to Ezra, We have trespassed against our
 God, and have taken foreign wives of the people of the land:
 yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
10:3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put
 away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to
 the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the
 commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the
 law.
10:4 Arise; for [this] matter [belongeth] to thee: we also [will
 be] with thee: be of good courage, and do [it].
10:5 Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites,
 and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this
 word. And they swore.
10:6 Then Ezra arose from before the house of God, and went into
 the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and [when] he came
 thither, he ate no bread, nor drank water: for he mourned
 because of the transgression of them that had been carried
 away.
10:7 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem
 to all the children of the captivity, that they should assemble
 at Jerusalem;
10:8 And that whoever would not come within three days,
 according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his
 substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the
 congregation of those that had been carried away.
10:9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at
 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 of [this] matter,
 and for the great rain.
10:10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said to them, Ye have
 transgressed, and have taken foreign wives to increase the
 trespass of Israel.
10:11 Now therefore make confession to the LORD God of your
 fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the
 people of the land, and from the foreign wives.
10:12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud
 voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.
10:13 But the people [are] many, and [it is] a time of much
 rain, and we are not able to stand abroad, neither [is this] a
 work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed
 in this thing.
10:14 Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let
 all them who have taken foreign wives in our cities come at
 appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and
 its judges, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter
 shall be turned from us.
10:15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of
 Tikvah were employed about this [matter]: and Meshullam and
 Shabbethai the Levite helped them.
10:16 And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the
 priest, [with] certain chief of the fathers, after the house of
 their fathers, and all of them by [their] names, were
 separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to
 examine the matter.
10:17 And they made an end with all the men that had taken
 foreign wives by the first day of the first month.
10:18 And among the sons of the priests there were found that
 had taken foreign wives: [namely], of the sons of Jeshua the
 son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and
 Jarib, and Gedaliah.
10:19 And they gave their hands that they would put away their
 wives; and [being] guilty, [they offered] a ram of the flock
 for their trespass.
10:20 And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah.
10:21 And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and
 Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.
10:22 And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael,
 Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
10:23 Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (the
 same [is] Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
10:24 Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters;
 Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.
10:25 Moreover, of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and
 Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah,
 and Benaiah.
10:26 And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel,
 and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.
10:27 And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah,
 and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.
10:28 Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai,
 [and] Athlai.
10:29 And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah,
 Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.
10:30 And of the sons of Pahath-moab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah,
 Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.
10:31 And [of] the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah,
 Shemaiah, Shimeon,
10:32 Benjamin, Malluch, [and] Shemariah.
10:33 Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad,
 Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, [and] Shimei.
10:34 Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel,
10:35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,
10:36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
10:37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,
10:38 And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,
10:39 And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,
10:40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
10:41 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
10:42 Shallum, Amariah, [and] Joseph.
10:43 Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina,
 Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah.
10:44 All these had taken foreign wives: and [some] of them had
 wives by whom they had children.