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ISA-11:9 ...for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD,

as the waters cover the sea.

Copyright (c) 1985-2007

king james study

EZR-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,

EZR-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 an house at

Jerusalem, which [is] in Judah.

EZR-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,) which [is] in Jerusalem.

EZR-1:4 And whosoever 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, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that

[is] in

Jerusalem.

EZR-1:5 Then rose up 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.

EZR-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, beside all [that] was willingly offered.

EZR-1:7 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the

house of the

LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem,

and had put

them in the house of his gods;

EZR-1:8 Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the

hand of

Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar,

the prince of

Judah.

EZR-1:9 And this [is] the number of them: thirty chargers of

gold, a thousand

chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,

EZR-1:10 Thirty basins of gold, silver basins of a second

[sort] four hundred

and ten, [and] other vessels a thousand.

EZR-1:11 All the vessels of gold and of silver [were] five

thousand and four

hundred. All [these] did Sheshbazzar bring up with [them of] the

captivity

that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

EZR-2:1 Now these [are] the children of the province that went

up out of the

captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom

Nebuchadnezzar the king

of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto

Jerusalem and

Judah, every one unto his city;

EZR-2:2 Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah,

Reelaiah,

Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of

the men of the

people of Israel:

EZR-2:3 The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy

and two.

EZR-2:4 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and

two.

EZR-2:5 The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.

EZR-2:6 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua

[and] Joab, two

thousand eight hundred and twelve.

EZR-2:7 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and

four.

EZR-2:8 The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.

EZR-2:9 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.

EZR-2:10 The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.

EZR-2:11 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.

EZR-2:12 The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty

and two.

EZR-2:13 The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.

EZR-2:14 The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.

EZR-2:15 The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.

EZR-2:16 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.

EZR-2:17 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.

EZR-2:18 The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve.

EZR-2:19 The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.

EZR-2:20 The children of Gibbar, ninety and five.

EZR-2:21 The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three.

EZR-2:22 The men of Netophah, fifty and six.

EZR-2:23 The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.

EZR-2:24 The children of Azmaveth, forty and two.

EZR-2:25 The children of Kirjatharim, Chephirah, and Beeroth,

seven hundred

and forty and three.

EZR-2:26 The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and

one.

EZR-2:27 The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two.

EZR-2:28 The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.

EZR-2:29 The children of Nebo, fifty and two.

EZR-2:30 The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six.

EZR-2:31 The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred

fifty and

four.

EZR-2:32 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.

EZR-2:33 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred

twenty and five.

EZR-2:34 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.

EZR-2:35 The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred

and thirty.

EZR-2:36 The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of

Jeshua, nine

hundred seventy and three.

EZR-2:37 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.

EZR-2:38 The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty

and seven.

EZR-2:39 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.

EZR-2:40 The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of

the children of

Hodaviah, seventy and four.

EZR-2:41 The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty

and eight.

EZR-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 an hundred thirty and

nine.

EZR-2:43 The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of

Hasupha, the

children of Tabbaoth,

EZR-2:44 The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the

children of Padon,

EZR-2:45 The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the

children of

Akkub,

EZR-2:46 The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the

children of

Hanan,

EZR-2:47 The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the

children of

Reaiah,

EZR-2:48 The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the

children of

Gazzam,

EZR-2:49 The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the

children of Besai,

EZR-2:50 The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the

children of

Nephusim,

EZR-2:51 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the

children of

Harhur,

EZR-2:52 The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the

children of

Harsha,

EZR-2:53 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the

children of

Thamah,

EZR-2:54 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.

EZR-2:55 The children of Solomon's servants: the children of

Sotai, the

children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda,

EZR-2:56 The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the

children of

Giddel,

EZR-2:57 The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil,

the children of

Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami.

EZR-2:58 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's

servants, [were]

three hundred ninety and two.

EZR-2:59 And these [were] they which went up from Telmelah,

Telharsa, Cherub,

Addan, [and] Immer: but they could not show their father's house,

and their

seed, whether they [were] of Israel:

EZR-2:60 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the

children of

Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.

EZR-2:61 And of the children of the priests: the children of

Habaiah, the

children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of

the daughters

of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name:

EZR-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.

EZR-2:63 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not

eat of the

most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and

with Thummim.

EZR-2:64 The whole congregation together [was] forty and two

thousand three

hundred [and] threescore,

EZR-2:65 Beside 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.

EZR-2:66 Their horses [were] seven hundred thirty and six;

their mules, two

hundred forty and five;

EZR-2:67 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; [their]

asses, six

thousand seven hundred and twenty.

EZR-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 his place:

EZR-2:69 They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the

work

threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand

pound of silver,

and one hundred priests' garments.

EZR-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.

EZR-3:1 And when the seventh month was come, and the children

of Israel

[were] in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as

one man to

Jerusalem.

EZR-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 builded

the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon,

as [it is]

written in the law of Moses the man of God.

EZR-3:3 And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear [was]

upon them

because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt

offerings

thereon unto the LORD, [even] burnt offerings morning and

evening.

EZR-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;

EZR-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 freewill offering unto the

LORD.

EZR-3:6 From the first day of the seventh month began they to

offer burnt

offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the

LORD was not

[yet] laid.

EZR-3:7 They gave money also unto the masons, and to the

carpenters; and

meat, and drink, and oil, unto 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.

EZR-3:8 Now in the second year of their coming unto 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 were come out of the captivity

unto Jerusalem;

and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to

set forward

the work of the house of the LORD.

EZR-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.

EZR-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.

EZR-3:11 And they sang together by course in praising and

giving thanks unto

the LORD; because [he is] good, for his mercy [endureth] for

ever toward

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.

EZR-3:12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the

fathers, [who

were] ancient 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:

EZR-3:13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the

shout of 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.

EZR-4:1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard

that the

children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God

of Israel;

EZR-4:2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the

fathers, and

said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as

ye [do]; and

we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of

Assur, which

brought us up hither.

EZR-4:3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief

of the fathers

of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to

build an house

unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD

God of

Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

EZR-4:4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the

people of

Judah, and troubled them in building,

EZR-4:5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their

purpose, all

the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius

king of

Persia.

EZR-4:6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his

reign, wrote

they [unto him] an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah

and Jerusalem.

EZR-4:7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath,

Tabeel, and

the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia;

and the writing

of the letter [was] written in the Syrian tongue, and

interpreted in the

Syrian tongue.

EZR-4:8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a

letter against

Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:

EZR-4:9 Then [wrote] Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the

scribe, and the

rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the

Tarpelites,

the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites,

the

Dehavites, [and] the Elamites,

EZR-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 the river, and at such a time.

EZR-4:11 This [is] the copy of the letter that they sent unto

him, [even]

unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the

river, and at

such a time.

EZR-4:12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up

from thee to

us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad

city, and have

set up the walls [thereof], and joined the foundations.

EZR-4:13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be

builded, and

the walls set up [again, then] will they not pay toll, tribute,

and custom,

and [so] thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.

EZR-4:14 Now because we have maintenance from [the king's]

palace, and it was

not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we

sent and

certified the king;

EZR-4:15 That search may be made in the book of the records of

thy fathers:

so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that

this city [is] a

rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that

they have

moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was

this city

destroyed.

EZR-4:16 We certify the king that, if this city be builded

[again], and the

walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion

on this side

the river.

EZR-4:17 [Then] sent the king an answer unto Rehum the

chancellor, and [to]

Shimshai the scribe, and [to] the rest of their companions that

dwell in

Samaria, and [unto] the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at

such a time.

EZR-4:18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly

read before me.

EZR-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 therein.

EZR-4:20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem,

which have ruled

over all [countries] beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and

custom, was paid

unto them.

EZR-4:21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease,

and that this

city be not builded, until [another] commandment shall be given

from me.

EZR-4:22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should

damage grow to

the hurt of the kings?

EZR-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 unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and

power.

EZR-4:24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which [is] at

Jerusalem. So

it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of

Persia.

EZR-5:1 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah

the son of Iddo,

prophesied unto the Jews that [were] in Judah and Jerusalem in

the name of the

God of Israel, [even] unto them.

EZR-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.

EZR-5:3 At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this

side the

river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said thus

unto them, Who

hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this

wall?

EZR-5:4 Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the

names of the

men that make this building?

EZR-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].

EZR-5:6 The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this

side the river,

and Shetharboznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which

[were] on this

side the river, sent unto Darius the king:

EZR-5:7 They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus;

Unto Darius

the king, all peace.

EZR-5:8 Be it known unto the king, that we went into the

province of Judea,

to the house of the great God, which is builded with great

stones, and timber

is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and

prospereth in their

hands.

EZR-5:9 Then asked we those elders, [and] said unto them thus,

Who commanded

you to build this house, and to make up these walls?

EZR-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.

EZR-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 builded

these many years

ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.

EZR-5:12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of

heaven unto

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.

EZR-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.

EZR-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 unto [one], whose

name [was]

Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;

EZR-5:15 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.

EZR-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.

EZR-5:17 Now therefore, if [it seem] good to the king, let

there be search

made in the king's treasure house, which [is] there at Babylon,

whether it be

[so], that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this

house of God at

Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning

this matter.

EZR-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.

EZR-6:2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that

[is] in the

province of the Medes, a roll, and therein [was] a record thus

written:

EZR-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 builded,

the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations

thereof be

strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, [and] the

breadth thereof

threescore cubits;

EZR-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:

EZR-6:5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house

of God, which

Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which [is] at

Jerusalem, and

brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the

temple which

[is] at Jerusalem, [every one] to his place, and place [them] in

the house of

God.

EZR-6:6 Now [therefore], Tatnai, governor beyond the river,

Shetharboznai,

and your companions the Apharsachites, which [are] beyond the

river, be ye far

from thence:

EZR-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 his place.

EZR-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 unto these

men, that

they be not hindered.

EZR-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 which [are] at

Jerusalem, let

it be given them day by day without fail:

EZR-6:10 That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto

the God of

heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.

EZR-6:11 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 hanged

thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

EZR-6:12 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there

destroy 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.

EZR-6:13 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.

EZR-6:14 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.

EZR-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.

EZR-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,

EZR-6:17 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.

EZR-6:18 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.

EZR-6:19 And the children of the captivity kept the passover

upon the

fourteenth [day] of the first month.

EZR-6:20 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.

EZR-6:21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out

of captivity,

and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the

filthiness of the

heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat,

EZR-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 unto

them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God,

the God of

Israel.

EZR-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,

EZR-7:2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,

EZR-7:3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of

Meraioth,

EZR-7:4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,

EZR-7:5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of

Eleazar, the son

of Aaron the chief priest:

EZR-7:6 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.

EZR-7:7 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.

EZR-7:8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which

[was] in the

seventh year of the king.

EZR-7:9 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.

EZR-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.

EZR-7:11 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.

EZR-7:12 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.

EZR-7:13 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.

EZR-7:14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his

seven

counsellors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem,

according to the law

of thy God which [is] in thine hand;

EZR-7:15 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,

EZR-7:16 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:

EZR-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.

EZR-7:18 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.

EZR-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.

EZR-7:20 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.

EZR-7:21 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,

EZR-7:22 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].

EZR-7:23 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?

EZR-7:24 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.

EZR-7:25 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.

EZR-7:26 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.

EZR-7:27 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:

EZR-7:28 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.

EZR-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.

EZR-8:2 Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of

Ithamar; Daniel: of

the sons of David; Hattush.

EZR-8:3 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.

EZR-8:4 Of the sons of Pahathmoab; Elihoenai the son of

Zerahiah, and with

him two hundred males.

EZR-8:5 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and

with him three

hundred males.

EZR-8:6 Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and

with him

fifty males.

EZR-8:7 And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah,

and with him

seventy males.

EZR-8:8 And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of

Michael, and with

him fourscore males.

EZR-8:9 Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and

with him two

hundred and eighteen males.

EZR-8:10 And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah,

and with him an

hundred and threescore males.

EZR-8:11 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai,

and with him

twenty and eight males.

EZR-8:12 And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan,

and with him

an hundred and ten males.

EZR-8:13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names [are]

these,

Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.

EZR-8:14 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and

with them seventy

males.

EZR-8:15 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.

EZR-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.

EZR-8:17 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.

EZR-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;

EZR-8:19 And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of

Merari, his

brethren and their sons, twenty;

EZR-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.

EZR-8:21 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.

EZR-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 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.

EZR-8:23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was

entreated of

us.

EZR-8:24 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests,

Sherebiah,

Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,

EZR-8:25 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:

EZR-8:26 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;

EZR-8:27 Also twenty basins of gold, of a thousand drams; and

two vessels of

fine copper, precious as gold.

EZR-8:28 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.

EZR-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.

EZR-8:30 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.

EZR-8:31 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.

EZR-8:32 And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.

EZR-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;

EZR-8:34 By number [and] by weight of every one: and all the

weight was

written at that time.

EZR-8:35 [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.

EZR-8:36 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.

EZR-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.

EZR-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.

EZR-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

astonied.

EZR-9:4 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.

EZR-9:5 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,

EZR-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 unto the heavens.

EZR-9:7 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.

EZR-9:8 And now for a little space grace hath been [showed]

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.

EZR-9:9 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.

EZR-9:10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for

we have

forsaken thy commandments,

EZR-9:11 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, which have

filled it from

one end to another with their uncleanness.

EZR-9:12 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.

EZR-9:13 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;

EZR-9:14 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?

EZR-9:15 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.

EZR-10:1 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.

EZR-10:2 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.

EZR-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.

EZR-10:4 Arise; for [this] matter [belongeth] unto thee: we

also [will be]

with thee: be of good courage, and do [it].

EZR-10:5 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.

EZR-10:6 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 did eat

no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the

transgression of them

that had been carried away.

EZR-10:7 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and

Jerusalem unto all

the children of the captivity, that they should gather

themselves together

unto Jerusalem;

EZR-10:8 And that whosoever would not come within three days,

according to

the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance

should be

forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those

that had been

carried away.

EZR-10:9 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.

EZR-10:10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye

have

transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the

trespass of

Israel.

EZR-10:11 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.

EZR-10:12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a

loud voice, As

thou hast said, so must we do.

EZR-10:13 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 are many that have transgressed in this thing.

EZR-10:14 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 this matter be turned from us.

EZR-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.

EZR-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.

EZR-10:17 And they made an end with all the men that had taken

strange wives

by the first day of the first month.

EZR-10:18 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.

EZR-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.

EZR-10:20 And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah.

EZR-10:21 And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and

Shemaiah, and

Jehiel, and Uzziah.

EZR-10:22 And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah,

Ishmael, Nethaneel,

Jozabad, and Elasah.

EZR-10:23 Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah,

(the same

[is] Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

EZR-10:24 Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters;

Shallum, and

Telem, and Uri.

EZR-10:25 Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah,

and Jeziah, and

Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

EZR-10:26 And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and

Jehiel, and

Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.

EZR-10:27 And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib,

Mattaniah, and

Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.

EZR-10:28 Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah,

Zabbai, [and]

Athlai.

EZR-10:29 And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and

Adaiah, Jashub,

and Sheal, and Ramoth.

EZR-10:30 And of the sons of Pahathmoab; Adna, and Chelal,

Benaiah, Maaseiah,

Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

EZR-10:31 And [of] the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah,

Malchiah, Shemaiah,

Shimeon,

EZR-10:32 Benjamin, Malluch, [and] Shemariah.

EZR-10:33 Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad,

Eliphelet,

Jeremai, Manasseh, [and] Shimei.

EZR-10:34 Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel,

EZR-10:35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,

EZR-10:36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

EZR-10:37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,

EZR-10:38 And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,

EZR-10:39 And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,

EZR-10:40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

EZR-10:41 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,

EZR-10:42 Shallum, Amariah, [and] Joseph.

EZR-10:43 Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina,

Jadau, and

Joel, Benaiah.

EZR-10:44 All these had taken strange wives: and [some] of them

had wives by

whom they had children.