The Bible, King James version, Book 15: Ezra
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Unknown >> The Bible, King James version, Book 15: Ezra
15:006:013 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai,
and their companions, according to that which Darius the king
had sent, so they did speedily.
15:006:014 And 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
commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of
Persia.
15:006:015 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.
15:006:016 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.
15:006:017 And offered 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.
15:006:018 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites
in their courses, for the service of God, which is at
Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.
15:006:019 And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the
fourteenth day of the first month.
15:006:020 For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of
them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children
of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for
themselves.
15:006:021 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of
captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them
from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the
LORD God of Israel, did eat,
15:006:022 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 unto them, to strengthen their hands in the
work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
15:007:001 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,
15:007:002 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
15:007:003 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
15:007:004 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
15:007:005 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar,
the son of Aaron the chief priest:
15:007:006 This Ezra went up 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.
15:007:007 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the
priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters,
and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of
Artaxerxes the king.
15:007:008 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the
seventh year of the king.
15:007:009 For upon the first day of the first month 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.
15:007:010 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.
15:007:011 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.
15:007:012 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of
the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a
time.
15:007:013 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of
his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of
their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.
15:007:014 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven
counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem,
according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;
15:007:015 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his
counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose
habitation is in Jerusalem,
15:007:016 And 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 willingly for the house of their
God which is in Jerusalem:
15:007:017 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.
15:007:018 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren,
to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after
the will of your God.
15:007:019 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the
house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of
Jerusalem.
15:007:020 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.
15:007:021 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,
15:007:022 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures
of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred
baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
15:007:023 Whatsoever 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?
15:007:024 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.
15:007:025 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine
hand, set magistrates and judges, which 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.
15:007:026 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of
the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether
it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of
goods, or to imprisonment.
15:007:027 Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a
thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of
the LORD which is in Jerusalem:
15:007:028 And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his
counsellors, 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 gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with
me.
15:008:001 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.
15:008:002 Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar;
Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush.
15:008:003 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah:
and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an
hundred and fifty.
15:008:004 Of the sons of Pahathmoab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and
with him two hundred males.
15:008:005 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him
three hundred males.
15:008:006 Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with
him fifty males.
15:008:007 And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and
with him seventy males.
15:008:008 And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael,
and with him fourscore males.
15:008:009 Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him
two hundred and eighteen males.
15:008:010 And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with
him an hundred and threescore males.
15:008:011 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with
him twenty and eight males.
15:008:012 And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and
with him an hundred and ten males.
15:008:013 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these,
Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore
males.
15:008:014 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them
seventy males.
15:008:015 And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to
Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed
the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons
of Levi.
15:008:016 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.
15:008:017 And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the
place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto
Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place
Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the
house of our God.
15:008:018 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;
15:008:019 And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari,
his brethren and their sons, twenty;
15:008:020 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.
15:008:021 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of 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.
15:008:022 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 unto 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.
15:008:023 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was
intreated of us.
15:008:024 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests,
Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,
15:008:025 And weighed unto them the 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:
15:008:026 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;
15:008:027 Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two
vessels of fine copper, precious as gold.
15:008:028 And I said unto them, Ye are holy unto the LORD; the vessels
are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill
offering unto the LORD God of your fathers.
15:008:029 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.
15:008:030 So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver,
and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto
the house of our God.
15:008:031 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of
the first month, to go unto 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.
15:008:032 And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.
15:008:033 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;
15:008:034 By number and by weight of every one: and all the weight was
written at that time.
15:008:035 Also the children of those that had been carried away, which
were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto
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 unto the LORD.
15:008:036 And they delivered the king's commissions unto the king's
lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and
they furthered the people, and the house of God.
15:009:001 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.
15:009:002 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.
15:009:003 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 astonied.
15:009:004 Then were assembled unto 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 astonied until the
evening sacrifice.
15:009:005 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and
having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees,
and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,
15:009:006 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 unto the heavens.
15:009:007 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass
unto 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.
15:009:008 And now for a little space grace hath been shewed 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.
15:009:009 For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in 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 repair the desolations thereof, and to give us
a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
15:009:010 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have
forsaken thy commandments,
15:009:011 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, which have filled it from one end to
another with their uncleanness.
15:009:012 Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither
take their daughters unto 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.
15:009:013 And after all that is 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;
15:009:014 Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity
with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be
angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there
should be no remnant nor escaping?
15:009:015 O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet
escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our
trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.
15:010:001 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping
and casting himself down before the house of God, there
assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of
men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.
15:010:002 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam,
answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our
God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land:
yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
15:010:003 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.
15:010:004 Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be
with thee: be of good courage, and do it.
15:010:005 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.
15:010:006 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 did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned
because of the transgression of them that had been carried
away.
15:010:007 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto
all the children of the captivity, that they should gather
themselves together unto Jerusalem;
15:010:008 And that whosoever 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.
15:010:009 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves
together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth
month, on 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.
15:010:010 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have
transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the
trespass of Israel.
15:010:011 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.
15:010:012 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice,
As thou hast said, so must we do.
15:010:013 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 are many that have transgressed in this
thing.
15:010:014 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 this
matter be turned from us.
15:010:015 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.
15:010:016 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.
15:010:017 And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange
wives by the first day of the first month.
15:010:018 And among the sons of the priests there were found that had
taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of
Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib,
and Gedaliah.
15:010:019 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.
15:010:020 And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah.
15:010:021 And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah,
and Jehiel, and Uzziah.
15:010:022 And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael,
Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
15:010:023 Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the
same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
15:010:024 Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum,
and Telem, and Uri.
15:010:025 Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah,
and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and
Benaiah.
15:010:026 And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and
Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.
15:010:027 And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and
Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.
15:010:028 Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and
Athlai.
15:010:029 And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah,
Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.
15:010:030 And of the sons of Pahathmoab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah,
Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.
15:010:031 And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah,
Shemaiah, Shimeon,
15:010:032 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
15:010:033 Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet,
Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
15:010:034 Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel,
15:010:035 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,
15:010:036 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
15:010:037 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,
15:010:038 And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,
15:010:039 And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,
15:010:040 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
15:010:041 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,
15:010:042 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
15:010:043 Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau,
and Joel, Benaiah.
15:010:044 All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives
by whom they had children.