ti. e. the house. accommoda tempted here built, at the prophecy of Aggæus the prophet, and Zacharias the son of Addo: and they built up, and finished it, by the decree of the God of Israel, and by the decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and 'Artha+ It would sastha, kings of the Persians. seem a sort of 15 And they finished this tion was at house by the third day of the month Adar, which is the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. 16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of the house of God with gladness. 17 And they offered for the dedication of the house of God a hundred calves, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, twelve kids of the goats for a sin-offering for all Israel, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their separate orders, for the services of God in Jerusalem, according to the writing of the book of Moses. 19 And the children of the captivity kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20 For the priests and Levites were purified, all were clean + Gr. ews eis to a man, and they slew the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. 21 And the children of Israel ate the passover, even they that were of the captivity, and every one who separated himself to them from the uncleanness of the nations of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel. 22 And they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with gladness, because the Lord made them glad, and he turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the works of the house of the God of Israel. 9 3 the elders of the Jews and the Levites | sians, came up Esdras the son of Saraias, the son of Azarias, the son of Chelcias, the son of Selum, the son of Sadduc, the son of Achitob, 3 the son of Samarias, the son of Esria, the son of Mareoth, the son of Zaraia, the son of Ozias, the son of Bokki, 5 the son of Abisue, the son of Phinees, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the first priest. 6 This Esdras went up out of Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel gave: and the king gave him leave, for the hand of the Lord his God was upon him in all things which he sought. And some of the children of Israel went up, and some of the priests, and of the Levites, and the singers, and the door-keepers, and the Nathinim, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Arthasastha the king. And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, this was the seventh year of the king. For in the first day of the first month he began the going up from Babylon, and in the first day of the fifth month they came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of lit. for the his God was upon him. bod was go 10 For Esdras had deter- upon him. mined in his heart to seek the law, and to do and teach the ordinances and judgments in Israel. "And this is the copy of the order which Arthasastha gave to Esdras the priest, the scribe of the book of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his ordinances to Israel. 12 Arthasastha, king of kings, to Esdras, the scribe of the law of the Lord God of heaven, 'Let the order and + Or, let the the answer be accomplished. formed and 13 A decree is made by me, turned. that every one who is willing in my kingdom of the people of Israel, and of the priests and Levites, to go to Jerusalem, be permitted to go with thee. 14 One has been sent from the king and the seven councillors, to visit Judea and Jerusalem, according to the law of their God that is in thine hand. 7. Now after these things, in the reign of Arthasastha king of the Per hand of his God was good order be per the answer re 16 15 And for the house of the Lord there wisdom of God is in thy hand, appoint have been sent silver and gold, which scribes and judges, that they may the king and the councillors have freely judge for all the people beyond the given to the God of Israel, who dwells river, all that know the law of the in Jerusalem. And all the silver Lord thy God; and ye shall make it and gold, whatsoever thou shalt find known to him that knows not. 26 And in all the land of Babylon, with the whosoever shall not do the law of God, freewill-offering of the people, and the and the law of the king readily, judgpriests that offer freely for the house of ment shall be taken upon him, whether God which is in Jerusalem. 17 And as for death or for chastisement, or for a for every one that arrives there, speed- fine of his property, or casting into ily order him by this letter to bring prison. 27 Blessed be the Lord God of calves, rams, lambs, and their meat- our fathers, who has put it thus into offerings, and their drink-offerings; the heart of the king, to glorify the and thou shalt offer them on the altar house of the Lord which is in Jerusaof the house of your God which is in lem; 28 and has given me favour in the Jerusalem. 18 And whatever it shall eyes of the king, and of his counseem good to thee and to thy brethren cillors, and all the rulers of the king, to do with the rest of the silver and the exalted ones. And I was strengththe gold, do as it is pleasing to your ened according to the good hand of God. 19 And deliver the vessels that God upon me, and I gathered chief are given thee for the service of the men of Israel to go up with me. house of God, before God in Jerusalem. 20 And as to the rest of the need of the house of thy God, thou shalt give from the king's treasure-houses, and from me whatever it shall seem good to thee to give. 21 I king Arthasastha have made a decree for all the treasuries that are in the country beyond the river, that whatever Esdras the priest and scribe of the God of heaven may ask you, it should be done * speedily, + Gr. readily. 22 to the amount of a hundred talents of silver, and a hundred measures of wheat, and a hundred baths of wine, and a hundred baths of oil, and salt without reckoning. 23 Let whatever is in the decree of the God of heaven, be done: take heed lest any one make an attack on the house of the God of heaven, lest at any time there should be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons. 24 Also this has been declared to you, with respect to all the priests, and Levites, the singers, porters, Nathinim and ministers of the house of God, let no tribute be paid to thee; thou shalt not have power to oppress them. 25 And thou, Esdras, as the 4 8. And these are the heads of their families, the leaders that went up with me in the reign of Arthasastha the king of Babylon. Of the sons of Phinces; Gerson: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; Attus. 3 Of the sons of Sachania, and of the sons of Phoros; Zacharias: and with him a company of a hundred and fifty. Of the sons of PhaathMoab; Eliana the son of Saraia, and with him two hundred that were males. 5 And of the sons of Zathoes; Sechenias the son of Aziel, and with him three hundred males. And of the sons of Adin; Obeth the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males. And of the sons of Elam; Ísæas the son of Athelia, and with him seventy males. And of the sons of Saphatia; Zabadias the son of Michael, and with him eighty males. 9 And of the sons of Joab; Abadia the son of Jeiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males. 10 And of the sons of Baani; Selimuth the son of Josephia, and with him a hundred and sixty males. "And of the sons of Babi; Zacharias the son 8 derstanding in. proper name translated as if it were a common name. + + + 27 + Gr. eis Thy ov, see Heb. 28 And I + Gr. in gold. Qy. mistaken of Babi, and with him twenty-eight | God is upon all that seek him, for males. 12 And of the sons of Asgad; good; but his power and his wrath are Joanan the son of Accatan, and with upon all that forsake him. 23 So we him a hundred and ten males. 13 And fasted, and asked of our God concernof the sons of Adonicam were the last, ing this; and he hearkened to us. and these were their names, Eliphalat, 24 And I gave charge to twelve of the Jeel, and Samæa, and with them sixty chiefs of the priests, to Saraia, to Asamales. 14 And of the sons of Bagua, bia, and ten of their brethren with Uthai, and Zabud, and with him seventy them. 25 And I weighed to them the males. 15 And I gathered them to the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of river that comes to Evi, and we en- the first-fruits of the house of our God, camped there three days: and I re- which the king, and his councillors, Gr. had un- viewed the people and the and his princes, and all Israel that were priests, and found none of found, had dedicated. 26 I+Gr. lifted up. the sons of Levi there. 16 And I sent even weighed into their See Heb. men of understanding to Eleazar, to hands six hundred and fifty talents of Ariel, to Semeias, and to Alonam, and silver, and a hundred silver vessels, to Jarib, and to Elnatham, and to and a hundred talents of gold; and Nathan, and to Zacharias, and to Me- twenty golden bowls, weighing about a sollam, and to Joarim, and to Elna- thousand drachms, and suthan. 17 And I forwarded them to the perior vessels of fine shining + Probably for rulers with the money of brass, precious as gold. Casiphia. Heb. the place, and I put words said to them, Ye are holy in their mouth to speak to to the Lord; and the vessels for 1 their brethren the Athinim are holy; and the silver and the gold with the money of the are freewill-offerings to the Lord God place, that they should bring us singers of our fathers. 29 Be watchful and for the house of our God. 18 And they keep them, until ye weigh them before came to us, as the good the chief priests and the Levites, and hand of our God was upon the chiefs of families in Jerusalem, at us, even a man of understanding of the chambers of the house of the Lord. the sons of Mooli, the son 30 So the priests and the Levites took of Levi, the son of Israel, the weight of the silver, and the gold, and at the commencement came his and the vessels, to bring to Jerusalem sons and his brethren, eighteen. 19 And into the house of our God. 31 And we Ascbia, and Isaia of the sons of Merari, departed from the river of Aue on the his brethren and his sons, twenty. twelfth day of the first month, to come 20 And of the Nathinim, whom David to Jerusalem: and the hand of our and the princes had appointed for the God was upon us, and delivered us service of the Levites there were two from the hand of the enemy and adverhundred and twenty Nathinim; all sary in the way. 32 And we came to were gathered by their names. 21 And Jerusalem, and abode there three days. I proclaimed there a fast, at the river 33 And it came to pass on the fourth Aue, that we should humble ourselves day that we weighed the silver, and before our God, to seek of him a the gold, and the vessels, in the house straight way for us, and for our children, of our God, into the hand of Merimoth and for all our property. 22 For I was the son of Uria the priest; and with ashamed to ask of the king a guard him was Eleazar the son of Phinees, and horsemen to save us from the and with them Jozabad the son of enemy in the way: for we had spoken Jesus, and Noadia the son of Banaia, to the king, saying, The hand of our the Levites. 34 All things were reckoned + lit. hand of our God was good, &c. + See Heb. compare Gr. + + : by number and weight, and the whole | this day: and 'because of our iniquiweight was written down. 35 At that ties we, and our kings, and +Gr.in. time the children of the banishment that our children, have been delivered into came from the captivity offered whole- the hand of the kings of the Gentiles burnt-offerings to the God of Israel, by the sword, and by captivity, and by twelve calves for all Israel, ninety-six spoil, and with shame of our face as at rams, seventy-seven lambs, twelve goats this day. 8 And now our God has for a sin-offering all whole-burnt- dealt mercifully with us, so as to leave offerings to the Lord. 36 And they gave us to escape, and to give us an estabthe king's mandate to the king's lishment in the place of his sanc+Gr. Sonrais lieutenants, and the govern- tuary, to enlighten our eyes, and to in a civil sense. ors beyond the river: and give a little quickening in our serthey honoured the people and the house vitude. For we are slaves, yet in of God. our servitude the Lord our God has not deserted us; and he has extended favour to us in the sight of the kings of the Persians, to give us a quickening, that they should raise up the house of our God, and restore the desolate places of it, and to give us a fence in Juda and Jerusalem. 10 What shall we say, our God, after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, q. d. diocesans 9 mouth, He 9. And when these things were finished, the princes drew near to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands in their abominations, even the Chananite, the Ethite, the Pherezite, the Jebusite, the Ammonite, the Moabite, and the Moserite and the which thou hast given us by the Amorite. For they have taken of hand of thy servants the prophets, their daughters for themselves and saying, The land, into which ye go to their sons; and the holy seed has inherit it, is a land subject to dispassed among the nations of the lands, turbance by the removal of the people and the hand of the rulers has been of the nations for their abominations, first in this transgression. And when wherewith they have filled it from I heard this thing, I rent my garments, one end to the other by + Gr. from and trembled, and plucked some of the their uncleannesses. 12 And mouth to hairs of my head and of my beard, and now give not your daugh- braism. sat down mourning. Then there ters to their sons, and take not of their assembled to me all that followed the daughters for your sons, neither shall word of the God of Israel, on account ye seek their peace or their good for of the transgression of the captivity; ever: that ye may be strong, and eat and I remained mourning until the the good of the land, and transmit it evening sacrifice. And at the evening as an inheritance to your children for sacrifice I rose up from 13 And after all that is come humilia- ever. my tion; and when I had rent my gar- upon us because of our evil + Gr. coming. + Or, and. ments, then I trembled, deeds, and our great trespass, it is clear and I bow myself on my knees, and that there is none such as our God, spread out my hands to the Lord God, for thou hast lightly visited our iniand I said, O Lord, I am ashamed quities, and given us deliverance; and confounded, O my God, to lift up my face to thee: for our transgressions have abounded over our head, and our trespasses have increased even to heaven. From the days of our fathers we have been in a great trespass until + 14 whereas we have repeatedly broken thy commandments, and intermarried with the people of the lands: be not very angry with us to our utter destruction, so that there should be no remnant or escaping one. 15 O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous; for we remain yet escaped, as at this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee on this account. or, caused to 3 was the ninth month: on the twentieth 10. So when Esdras had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and praying before the house of God, a very great assembly of Israel came together to him, men and women and youths; for the people wept, and wept aloud. And Sechenias the son of Jeel, of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Esdras, We have broken covenant with our God, and have +Gr. settled, taken strange wives of the dwell. nations of the land: yet is numerous, and the season is stormy, now there is patience of hope to Israel and there is no power to stand withconcerning this thing. Now then let out, and the work is more than enough us make a covenant with our God to for one day or for two; for we have put away all the wives, and their off-greatly sinned in this matter. 14 Let spring, as thou shalt advise: arise, and alarm them with the commands of + Gr. as the our God; and let it be done law is. *according to the law. Rise up, for the matter is upon thee; and we are with thee: be strong and do. 5 Then Esdras arose, and caused the rulers, the priests, and Levites, and all | Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word: and they swore. And Esdras rose up from before the house of God, and went to the treasury of Joanan the son of Elisub; he even went thither: he ate no bread, and drank no water; for he +Gr.covenant- mourned over the unfaithbreaking. fulness of them of the captivity. And they made proclamation throughout Juda and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should assemble at Jerusalem, saying, Every one who shall not arrive within three days, as is the counsel of the rulers and the elders, all his substance + Gr. accursed. shall be forfeited, and he shall be separated from the congregation of the captivity. So all the men of Juda and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. This 8 now our rulers stand, and for all those + hand. gave their bring forth. Gr. sheep. of their |