 厄上:1.(ezr) [厄斯德拉上]  Ezra   [共 10 章]   [思高聖經]
    
 厄上:1.1    [居魯士頒發上諭]  波斯王居魯士元年，為應驗上主藉耶肋米亞的口所說的話，上主感動波斯王居魯士的心，叫他出一道號令，並向全國頒發上諭說：
 厄上:1.2    「波斯王居魯士這樣說：上天的神「雅威」將地上萬國交給了我，囑咐我在猶大的耶路撒冷，為祂建築一座殿宇。
 厄上:1.3    你們中間凡作祂子民的，願他的神與他同在，上赫特的耶路撒冷，建築以色列的神「雅威」的──是在耶路撒冷的神。
 厄上:1.4    所有的遺民，無論僑居在地方，那地方的人都應捐獻金銀、貨財、牲畜，以及自願的獻儀，為那在耶路撒冷的神修建殿宇」。
 厄上:1.5    [起程歸國]  於是，猶大和本雅明的族長、司祭、肋未人，以及那些受天主感動了心的人，就起身上去，要建築耶路撒冷的上主的殿宇；
 厄上:1.6    四鄰八舍都拿出的金銀、貨財、牲畜和珠實來協助他們，另外還有各種自願的獻儀。
 厄上:1.7    居魯士王也將上主殿內的器皿，即先前拿步高從耶路撒冷掠奪而放在他神殿?的器皿，
 厄上:1.8    波斯王居魯士司庫官米特達特，將那些東西拿出，點交給猶太人的首領舍士巴匝，
 厄上:1.9    共計金盆三十，銀盆一千，刀子二十九，
 厄上:1.10   金碗三十，次等銀碗四百一十，其他器皿一千：
 厄上:1.11   一切金銀器皿，共五千四百件。舍市巴匝就帶著這一切與充軍的人，從巴比倫回了耶路撒冷。
    
 厄上:2.1    [歸國的領導人]  以下是由被擄充軍回國本省子民，即當初巴比倫王據往巴比倫去的人，如今回到耶路撒冷和猶大，各回了本城。
 厄上:2.2    他們同責魯巴貝耳、耶叔亞、乃赫米雅、色辣雅、勒厄拉、納哈瑪尼、摩爾德開、彼耳商、米斯帕爾、彼革外、勒洪、巴阿納一起回來了。
 厄上:2.3    [平民人數]  以下是以色列人男子的數目：帕洛士的子孫，二千一百七十二名；
 厄上:2.4    舍法提雅的子孫，三百七十二名；
 厄上:2.5    阿辣黑的子孫，七百七十五名；
 厄上:2.6    帕哈特摩阿布的子孫，即耶叔亞和約阿布的子孫，二千八百一十二名；
 厄上:2.7    厄藍的子孫，一千二百五十四名；
 厄上:2.8    匝突的子孫，九百四十五名；
 厄上:2.9    匝凱的子孫，七百六十名；
 厄上:2.10   巴尼的子孫，六百四十二名；
 厄上:2.11   貝拜的子孫，六百二十三名；
 厄上:2.12   阿次加得的子孫，一千二百二十二名；
 厄上:2.13   阿多尼干的子孫，六百六十六名；
 厄上:2.14   彼革外的子孫，二千零五十六名；
 厄上:2.15   阿丁的子孫，四百五十四名；
 厄上:2.16   阿特爾的子孫，即希則克雅的子孫，九十八名；
 厄上:2.17   貝宰的子孫，三百二十三名；
 厄上:2.18   約辣的子孫，一百一十二名；
 厄上:2.19   哈雄的子孫，二百二十三名；
 厄上:2.20   基巴爾的子孫，九十五名；
 厄上:2.21   白冷人一百二十三名；
 厄上:2.22   乃托法人五十六名；
 厄上:2.23   安納托特人一百二十八名；
 厄上:2.24   阿次瑪委特人四十二名；
 厄上:2.25   克黎雅特耶阿陵人、革非辣人和貝洛特人，共七百四十三名；
 厄上:2.26   辣瑪人和革巴人，共六百二十一名；
 厄上:2.27   米革瑪斯人一百二十二名；
 厄上:2.28   貝特耳和哈依人，共二百二十三名；
 厄上:2.29   乃波人五十二名；
 厄上:2.30   瑪革彼士人一百五十六名；
 厄上:2.31   另一厄藍的子孫，一千二百五十四名；
 厄上:2.32   哈陵的子孫，三百二十名；
 厄上:2.33   羅得人、哈狄得人和敖諾人，共七百二十五名，
 厄上:2.34   耶利哥人三百四十五名；
 厄上:2.35   色納阿人三千六百三十名。
 厄上:2.36   [司祭人數]  司祭：有耶達雅的子孫，即耶叔亞家族，九百七十三名；
 厄上:2.37   依默爾的子孫，一千零五十二名；
 厄上:2.38   帕市胡爾的子孫，一千二百四十七名；
 厄上:2.39   哈陵的子孫，一千零四十七名。
 厄上:2.40   [肋未人數]  肋未人：曷達委雅的後裔，耶叔亞和卡德米耳的子孫，共七十四名。
 厄上:2.41   歌詠者：阿撒夫的子孫，一百二十八名；
 厄上:2.42   門丁：有沙隆的子孫，阿特爾的子孫，塔耳孟的子孫，阿谷布的子孫，哈提達的子孫，芍拜的子孫，共一百三十九名。
 厄上:2.43   [獻身者]  獻身者：有漆哈的子孫，哈穌法的子孫，塔巴敖特的子孫，
 厄上:2.44   刻洛斯的子孫，息阿哈的子孫，帕冬的子孫，
 厄上:2.45   肋巴納的子孫，哈加色的子孫，阿谷布的子孫，
 厄上:2.46   哈加布的子孫，沙默來的子孫，哈南的子孫，
 厄上:2.47   基德耳的子孫，加哈爾的子孫，勒阿雅的子孫，
 厄上:2.48   勒斤的子孫，乃科達的子孫，加倉的子孫，
 厄上:2.49   烏匝的子孫，帕色亞的子孫，貝賽的子孫，
 厄上:2.50   阿斯納的子孫，默烏寧的子孫，乃非心的子孫，
 厄上:2.51   巴步刻的子孫，哈谷法的子孫，哈爾胡爾的子孫，
 厄上:2.52   巴茲路特的子孫，默希達的子孫，哈爾沙的子孫，
 厄上:2.53   巴爾科斯的子孫，息色辣的子孫，特瑪赫的子孫，
 厄上:2.54   漆亞的子孫，哈提法的子孫。
 厄上:2.55   [撒羅滿的僕役]  撒羅滿的僕役的子孫：有索泰的子孫，索費勒特的子孫，培魯達的子孫，
 厄上:2.56   雅阿拉的子孫，達爾孔的子孫，基德耳的子孫，
 厄上:2.57   舍法提雅的子孫，哈提耳的子孫，頗革勒特責巴因的子孫，阿米的子孫，
 厄上:2.58   所有獻身者和薪金的僕役的子孫，共計三百九十二名。
 厄上:2.59   [家世不明者]  以下這些人，是由特耳默拉、特耳哈爾沙、革魯布、阿丹和依默爾上來，而不能說出自己的家族和系族，是否出自以色列的：
 厄上:2.60   有德拉雅的子孫，托彼雅的子孫，乃科達的子孫，共計六百五十二名。
 厄上:2.61   由司祭的的子孫中，有哈巴雅的子孫，哈科茲的子孫，巴爾齊來的子孫，──巴爾齊來娶了基肋阿得人巴爾齊來的女兒為妻，也取了他的名字。
 厄上:2.62   他們查考登記的祖譜，卻沒有找著自己的名字，所以他們由司祭中革除了。
 厄上:2.63   省長指令他們，不准他們享用至聖之物，直到有位大司祭帶「烏陵」和「突明」出來解決。
 厄上:2.64   [總數]  全會眾共計四萬二千三百六十人，
 厄上:2.65   僕婢七千三百三十七人在外；還有歌詠的男女二百名。
 厄上:2.66   此外，尚有馬七百三十六匹，騾子二百四十五匹，
 厄上:2.67   駱駝四百三十五匹，驢六千七百二十匹。
 厄上:2.68   [獻儀]  有些族長，一來到耶路撒冷上主的殿宇，就自願為天主的殿宇獻款，好在原重建起來。
 厄上:2.69   他們遂按自己的力量，捐獻了六萬一千金「達理克」，五千銀「瑪納」，一百件司祭畏衣，作為建築的基金。
 厄上:2.70   司祭、肋未人、歌詠者、門丁、獻身者和一部分人民，住在耶路撒冷；其餘以色列人，各住在本城內。
    
 厄上:3.1    [建立祭壇]  到了七月，時住在各城?的以色列子民，全都一起聚集在耶路撒冷。
 厄上:3.2    約匝達克的兒子耶叔亞，和他的兄弟司祭們，以及沙耳提耳的兒子則魯巴貝耳，和他的兄弟們，於是下手修建以色列天主的祭壇，要按天主的人梅瑟 在法律上所寫的，在上面奉獻全燔祭。
 厄上:3.3    不論本地人民恐嚇，他們仍在原重 建了祭壇，向上主獻了全燔祭，即每日早晚的全燔祭；
 厄上:3.4    按照規定舉行了帳 棚節，每天依照法定數目奉獻全燔祭；
 厄上:3.5    以後，獻了恆常祭，並在月朔、 安息日和一切祝聖於上主的慶日，獻了全燔祭，和各人自願向上主獻的自願祭。
 厄上:3.6    從七月一日起，已開始向上主奉獻全燔祭，雖然上主的殿宇當時尚未 奠基，
 厄上:3.7    卻將銀錢交給鑿匠和木匠，將食物飲料和酒，供給那些從黎巴嫩由海中將香柏木運到約培來的漆東人和提洛人，全照波斯王居魯左所准許的。
 厄上:3.8    [聖殿奠基]  他們來到耶路撒冷天主聖宇後的第二年二月，沙耳提耳的兒子則魯巴貝耳 ，約匝達克的兒子耶叔亞，和其餘的弟兄司祭及肋未人，以及所有由充軍回到耶路撒冷的人，動了工，派定二十歲和二十歲以上的肋未人，監督建築上 主聖宇的工程。
 厄上:3.9    耶叔亞和他的兒子們，以及他的兄弟們，卡德米耳和他的兒子們，以及曷達委雅的後裔，同心協力，監督那建築天主聖宇的工人；還有赫納達的兒子們，以及他們的兒子和弟兄肋未人。
 厄上:3.10   工人們安放上主聖 宇基礎時，司祭身穿禮服，拿著號筒，阿撒夫的後裔肋未人拿著鐃鈸，各自 站在自己的地方，按以色列王達味制定的儀式，讚美上主，
 厄上:3.11   彼此輪流唱 歌讚美和感謝上主的詩歌：「因為祂是聖善的，因為祂對以色列的仁慈永遠 常存」。同時全體人民都大歡呼，讚美上主，因為上主的聖宇已經奠基。
 厄上:3.12   許多曾在這地基上，親眼見過先前的聖殿的老司祭、老肋未人和老族長 ，面對這座聖殿，不禁放大哭，卻也有許多人歡喜高呼，
 厄上:3.13   以致分不清是 歡呼聲或是哀哭聲，因為民眾都高聲喊叫，這聲音連遠處都可以聽到。
    
 厄上:4.1    [停工原因]  猶大和本雅明的敵人，一聽說充軍回來的子民，為上主以色列的天主修建聖宇，
 厄上:4.2    便來見則魯巴貝耳、耶叔亞和族長，向他們說：「讓我們同你們一同建築吧！因為我們同你們一樣，求問你們的天主；從亞述王厄撒哈冬，將我們帶到這?之日起，我們即向祂獻祭」。
 厄上:4.3    但是，則魯巴貝耳、耶叔亞和以色列的族長，回答他們說：「你們不能同我們一起，給我們的天主修建殿宇，因為按波斯王居魯士我們的命令，我們應單獨給上主以色列的天主修建殿宇」。
 厄上:4.4    時便有當地人來挫折猶大人民的勇氣，擾亂他們的建築的工作；
 厄上:4.5    還買通了一些議，員來反對反對他們，破壞他們的計劃；整個波斯王居魯士朝代，自始至終，直到波斯王達理阿朝代，常是如此。
 厄上:4.6    [控告猶太人奏文]  在薛西斯朝代，在他登極之初，他們還了訴狀，控告猶大和耶路撒冷的居民。
 厄上:4.7    阿塔薛西斯年間，彼舍藍、米特達特、塔貝耳和其餘的同僚，也曾上書於波斯王阿塔薛西斯；奏文是用阿刺美文字，也是用阿刺語言的。
 厄上:4.8    以後，勒洪總督和史默秘書，為耶路撒冷事，也曾上書於阿塔薛西斯王，其文如下：──
 厄上:4.9    上書的是勒洪總督、史默瑟秘書和其餘的同僚：即判官和欽差、人物書記、厄勒客人。巴比倫人、叔商人即厄藍人，
 厄上:4.10   以及偉大和顯貴的阿斯納帕所遺來，安置在撒馬黎雅城和河西其餘地區的各民族。──
 厄上:4.11   以下是送於王的奏文本：「你的臣僕，河西的人民上奏阿塔薛西斯王：
 厄上:4.12   今上奏大王，前由大王那?上到我們這?來的猶太人，一到了那座作亂邪惡的耶路撒冷城，便大興土木，修建城牆，已打好基礎。
 厄上:4.13   今上奏大王，那城若的建成，城垣若是修完，他們便不再納糧、出捐和完稅了，如此於大王的國庫必定有害。
 厄上:4.14   現今我們既食王家的鹽，自不應坐視大王受害，為此我們上奏，稟告大王：
 厄上:4.15   請大王查閱先王記錄，在記錄上必會查出，從而知道這座城是座好亂的城，曾加害先王和各省；自古以來，其中常發生叛亂，故此才被毀滅。
 厄上:4.16   為此我們奏明大王：如果那城建成，牆垣築完，從此大王便沒有河西的版圖」。
 厄上:4.17   [君王的覆文]  君王覆文如下：「願勒洪總督、史默秘書、以及其餘住在撒馬黎雅的官，和河西其餘的人民平安：
 厄上:4.18   你們呈來的奏疏，已在我們清楚誦讀了。
 厄上:4.19   我下命檢查，的確發現那座城，自古以來即違抗君王，其中常發生叛亂造反之事。
 厄上:4.20   先前曾有英武的君王，治理過耶路撒冷，統轄過整個河西之地，人都給他們納糧、出捐和完稅。
 厄上:4.21   所以現在，你們應發一道命令，叫這些人停工，不准修城，我們另發指令。
 厄上:4.22   你們應注意，對此不可疏忽，免得捐害加重，禍及君王」。
 厄上:4.23   [被迫停工]  當阿塔薛西斯王的覆文副本，在勒洪、史默秘書和他們同僚前，誦讀之後，這些人就急速前往耶路撒冷，來到猶太人那裏，用威脅和武力迫使他們停工。
 厄上:4.24   於是耶路撒冷天主殿宇的工程，便停頓了，一直停到波斯王達理阿,在位第二年。
    
 厄上:5.1    [開工修殿]  那時，有哈蓋和依多的兒子匝加利亞二位先知，受感動奉以色列天主的名，勸勉在猶大和的猶太人。
 厄上:5.2    於是沙耳提耳的兒子則魯巴貝耳，和約匝達克的兒子耶叔亞起來，下手修建耶路撒冷的天主殿宇；身邊有天主的二位先知，鼓勵人民。
 厄上:5.3    [干涉再起]  當時，河西州長塔特乃和舍達波則乃，以及他們的同僚，來到他們那?，問他們說：「誰給了你們許可，建築這殿，修理城牆呢﹖
 厄上:5.4    負責建築這工程的人，他們叫什麼名字﹖」
 厄上:5.5    於是天主垂顧了人的長老，沒有讓人限令他們停工，直到上書達理阿，有了關於此事的覆文。
 厄上:5.6    [上奏達理阿]  以下是河西州長塔特乃和舍達波則乃，以及他們在河西的同僚官員，上呈達理阿王奏文的副本。
 厄上:5.7    他們向王所呈的奏文上這樣寫道：「達理阿陛下萬安！
 厄上:5.8    奉奏我大王，我們日前去過猶大省，到了偉大天主的殿宇那?，見那殿正在用一石塊修建，牆上也在安放木板；這工程在他們手下，進行的非常快，又非常順利。
 厄上:5.9    我們詢問了那些長老，這樣問他們說：誰給了你們許可修建這殿，打奠牆基﹖
 厄上:5.10   我們也詢問了他們的名字，為奏知大王；所以我們能給陛下出他們的名字。
 厄上:5.11   他們如此答覆我們說：我們是天地大主的僕人，重修多年以前所修建的殿宇，這殿是一位以色列偉大的君王所建築完成的。
 厄上:5.12   但因為我們的祖先冒犯了上天的大主，祂便把他們交在加色丁人巴比倫王拿步高手中，讓他破壞了這座殿宇，將人民擄到巴比倫去。
 厄上:5.13   然而，在巴比倫王居魯士元年，居魯士王頒發諭旨，令重建這座天主的殿宇。
 厄上:5.14   居魯士王且把拿步高從耶路撒冷殿內，帶到巴比倫殿的天主殿宇的金銀器，從巴比倫殿拿出來，交給了一個名叫市巴匝的，並立他為省長，
 厄上:5.15   向他說：你將這些器冊拿去，安放在耶路撒冷的殿內，並將天主的殿宇，重建在原的地方。
 厄上:5.16   於是這位舍市巴匝便來，安放了耶路撒冷的天主殿宇的基石；從那時修建至今，沒有竣工。
 厄上:5.17   現今，大王若以為好，就派人檢查大王在巴比倫的寶庫，看看是否居魯士王，曾對重建耶路撒冷的天主殿宇，頒發過諭令，並祈大王對此事給我們頒下聖旨。
    
 厄上:6.1    [發現諭文]  達理阿王遂下令，檢查在巴比倫貯藏寶物的檔案室。
 厄上:6.2    在厄克巴塔納，即在瑪待省的王堡內，發現了一宗案卷，上邊這樣的記載：「備忘錄：
 厄上:6.3    居魯士王元年，居魯士曾為耶路撒冷天主的殿宇，頒發上諭：殿宇應予重建，為在那?舉行祭獻，奉獻火祭；殿應高六十肘，寬六十肘，
 厄上:6.4    三層用方石，一層用木料修建；所有費用概出自室。
 厄上:6.5    此外，凡拿步高王取耶路撒冷殿宇，而運到巴比倫的，天主殿宇的那些金銀器，冊都應歸還，送回耶路撒冷的殿宇內，各放在原處，安置在天主的殿宇內。
 厄上:6.6    [國王覆文]  河西州長塔特乃的同僚官員，應退出那地，
 厄上:6.7    不可干涉天主殿宇的工程，任憑猶太人的總督和猶太人的長老，在原處重建天主的殿宇。
 厄上:6.8    此外，我且頒下此旨，諭令你們為協助猶太人的長老，修建天主的殿應行的事：由河西收入王室的賦稅，給那些人撥出充分的經費，不得有誤！
 厄上:6.9    他們向上天大王，獻全燔祭所需要是牛犢、公綿羊和羔羊，以及麵、鹽、酒和油，應按耶路撒冷的司祭所指定的，每天供應，不得有誤！
 厄上:6.10   好使他們向上天的大王，奉獻馨香祭，為君王和王孫的長壽祈禱。
 厄上:6.11   我今頒下此令：凡有敢刪改此令者，應把他屋內的樑木拆出，堅起來，把他懸在上邊；令他的房屋從此成為糞堆。
 厄上:6.12   凡有敢伸手刪改此令，對耶路撒冷的天主殿宇，敢於破壞的王侯和人民，願那使己名住在那?的天主將他毀滅！我達理阿頒發此令，應悉依照遵行！」
 厄上:6.13   [聖殿竣工]  於是河西長塔特乃和他們的同僚，全照達理阿王所頒佈的，一一遵行。
 厄上:6.14   猶太人的長老遂繼續修建，因著先知哈蓋，和依多的兒子匝利亞的鼓勵，進行的很是順利；如此他們遵照以色列天主的旨意，並按照波斯王居魯士和達理阿的諭令，完成了修殿的工程。
 厄上:6.15   聖殿完工的日期，是在達理阿王在位第六年，「阿達爾」月初三日。
 厄上:6.16   [行奉獻禮]  以色列子民、司祭、肋未人和其餘由充軍歸來的人，興高彩烈，為天主的殿舉行了奉獻禮。
 厄上:6.17   天主聖殿的奉獻禮，奉獻了牛犢一百頭，公綿羊二百隻，羔羊四百隻；又照以色列支派的數目，奉獻了十二隻公山羊，為贖全叵的罪。
 厄上:6.18   他們又派定了司祭，按照他們的編制，肋未人，按照他們的班次，在耶路撒冷值班奉侍天主，全照梅瑟書上所記載的。
 厄上:6.19   [舉行逾越節]  由充軍歸來的子民，於正月十四日，舉行了逾越節。
 厄上:6.20   肋未人全都聖潔了自己，他們既已聖潔了，就為所有充軍歸來的人，並為他們的兄弟司祭和自己，宰殺了逾越節羔羊。
 厄上:6.21   凡由充軍歸來的以色列子民，並所有戒絕當地民族不潔的人，尋求上主以色列的天主，都吃了逾越節羔羊。
 厄上:6.22   七天之久，歡樂地舉行了無酵節，因為上主使亞述王的心傾向他們，協助了他們修建以色列天主的聖殿，都非常歡樂。
    
 厄上:7.1    [厄斯德拉家世]  這些事以後，當波斯王阿塔薛西斯在位時，有位厄斯德拉，是色辣雅的兒子，色辣雅是阿匝黎雅的兒子，阿匝黎雅是希耳克雅的兒子，
 厄上:7.2    希耳克雅是沙隆的兒子，沙隆是匝多克的兒子，匝多克是阿希突布是兒子，
 厄上:7.3    阿希突布是阿瑪黎雅的兒子，阿瑪黎雅是阿匝黎雅的兒子，阿匝黎雅是默辣約特的兒子，
 厄上:7.4    默辣約特是則辣希雅的兒子，則辣希雅是烏齊的兒子，烏齊是步克的兒子，
 厄上:7.5    步克是阿彼叔亞的兒子，阿彼叔亞是丕乃哈斯的兒子，阿彼叔亞是厄肋阿匝爾的兒子，厄肋阿匝爾是大司祭亞郎的兒子。
 厄上:7.6    [厄斯德拉回國]  這厄斯德拉是位經師，精通上主賜給梅瑟的法律。他因有上主天主的助佑，君王准許了他所要求的一切，他遂從巴比倫起程。
 厄上:7.7    與他同行的，還有一些以色列子民、司祭、肋未人、歌詠者、門丁和獻身者；他們在阿塔薛西斯王第七年，上了耶路撒冷。
 厄上:7.8    厄斯德拉在王當國第七年五月，到了耶路撒冷。
 厄上:7.9    他決定由一月一日由巴比倫起程，賴他天主的助佑，五月一日到了耶路撒冷。
 厄上:7.10   厄斯德拉專心致志研究上主的法律，心體力行，且在以色列人中教授法律和誡命。
 厄上:7.11   [國王的詔書]  阿塔薛西斯王，頒給精通上主給以色列人的誡命和法律的司祭兼經師厄斯德拉的詔書，副本如下：
 厄上:7.12   萬王之王阿塔薛西斯，祝上天大王的法律經師厄斯德拉安好：
 厄上:7.13   我現在頒佈此令：凡在我國土內的以色列人民，以及司祭和肋未人，有願赴耶路撒冷的，可與你同去；
 厄上:7.14   因為君王和七位參謀派遣你去，照你手中所持有的天主的法律，視察猶大和耶路撒冷，
 厄上:7.15   並帶去君王和他的參謀，甘願住在的天主的金銀，
 厄上:7.16   以及你在巴比倫所獲得的金銀，和民眾並司祭向耶路撒冷天主的殿宇，所自願捐獻的獻儀。
 厄上:7.17   為此，你可用這錢，費心去買牛犢、綿羊和羔羊，以及同獻的素祭和奠祭的祭品，奉獻在耶路撒冷你們天主殿內的祭壇上。
 厄上:7.18   對於所餘的金銀，你和你的弟兄看著怎樣作好，就按照你們天主的旨意去作。
 厄上:7.19   至於交給你，為你天主的殿宇行敬禮時用的器皿，都應安置在耶路撒冷的天主前！
 厄上:7.20   如你天主的殿另有需要，而你又必須備置，概由王家府庫支付。
 厄上:7.21   我阿塔薛西斯王，向河西的司庫官頒佈此令：凡厄斯德拉司祭兼上天大王的法律經師，向你所要求的，都應立即一一照辦：
 厄上:7.22   銀子至一百「塔冷通」，麥子至一百「苛爾」，酒至一百「巴特」，油至一百「巴特」，監無限制。
 厄上:7.23   凡上天大主所命令的一切，都應為上天大主的殿一一遵行，免得義怒降在君王和他子孫的國土上。
 厄上:7.24   我再通告你們：不得向所有司祭、肋未人、歌詠者、門丁、獻身作殿役的，或在這天主殿內作侍役的，徵收田賦、課捐和關稅。
 厄上:7.25   厄斯德拉，你要按手中所持的天主的法律，派定官吏和判官，治理河西所有的人民，即認識你天主法律的人民，凡不認識的，應加教導；
 厄上:7.26   凡不遵守你天主的和君王的法律，應嚴加處分：或處死刑，或放逐，或財產充公，或徒到」。
 厄上:7.27   [謝主頌]  上主我們祖先的天主，應受讚美，因為祂感動了君王的心，決意光榮耶路撒冷上主的殿宇，
 厄上:7.28   使我在王和他的參謀前，以及在王所有的一切有權勢的首長前，獲得了寵幸。我因上主我天主的扶助，增加了勇氣，遂召集以色列人的首領，與我一同起程。
    
 厄上:8.1    [歸國人數]  在阿塔薛西斯在位期間，與我從巴比倫一同起程的族長，笸他們的祖譜，記載如下：
 厄上:8.2    丕乃哈斯的子孫，有革爾雄；依塔瑪爾的子孫，有達尼爾；達味的子孫，有舍加尼雅的兒子哈突士，
 厄上:8.3    帕洛士的子孫，有則加黎雅，同他登記的，有男子一百五十名；
 厄上:8.4    哈特摩阿布的子孫，有則辣希雅的兒子厄里約乃，同他一起的，有男子二百名；
 厄上:8.5    匝突的子孫，有雅哈齊耳的兒子舍加尼雅，同他一起的，有男子三百名；
 厄上:8.6    阿丁的子孫，有約納堂的兒子厄貝得，同他一起的，有男子五十名；
 厄上:8.7    厄藍的子孫，有阿塔里雅的所以耶沙雅，同他一起的，有男子七十名；
 厄上:8.8    舍法提雅的子孫，有米加耳的兒子則把狄雅，同他一起的，有男子八十名；
 厄上:8.9    約阿布的子孫，有耶希耳的兒子敖巴狄雅，同他一起的，有男子二百一十八名；
 厄上:8.10   巴尼的子孫，有約息非雅的兒子舍羅米特，同他一起的，有男子一百六十名；
 厄上:8.11   貝拜的子孫，有貝拜的兒子則加黎雅，同他一起的，有男子二十八名；
 厄上:8.12   阿次加得的子孫，有哈卡堂的兒子約哈南，同他一起的，有男子一百一十名；
 厄上:8.13   阿多尼干的子孫，是最後來的，他們的名字是厄里培肋特、耶依耳和舍雅，同他們一起的，有男子六十名。
 厄上:8.14   彼革外的子孫，鍵盤匝雇爾的兒子烏泰，同他一起的，有男子七十名。
 厄上:8.15   [召集肋未人]  我將眾人召集在流往阿哈瓦的河邊，在那?住了三天；當我視察眾人和司祭時，其中沒有發現一個肋未人。
 厄上:8.16   我遂派首領厄里厄則爾、阿黎爾、舍瑪雅、厄耳納堂、雅黎布、厄耳納堂、納堂、則加黎雅和默叔藍通士約雅黎布和厄耳納堂，
 厄上:8.17   命他們到加息非雅地方的首領依多那?去，我並把他們應向那定居在加息非雅的依多和兄弟們，要說的話告訴了他們，好為我們天主的殿，給我們帶來侍役。
 厄上:8.18   賴我們天主慈悲的手對我們的扶助，他們由以色列的兒子肋未的後裔瑪赫里的子孫中，給我們帶來了一位明智人，就是舍勒彼雅，和兒子及兄弟，一共十八人；
 厄上:8.19   還有哈沙彼雅，同他一起的，有默辣黎的子孫耶沙和雅及兒子，一共二十人；
 厄上:8.20   還有達味和諸首長服事肋未人所立獻身者，一共二百二十人；這些人全部都是登記了的。
 厄上:8.21   [準備起程]  我遂在阿哈瓦河邊宣佈禁食，在我們的天主前自謙自卑，祈求祂使我們和我們的子孫，並我們的一切財物，一路平安；
 厄上:8.22   因為我羞於請求君王派遣步隊和騎兵，協助我們防禦路上的仇敵，因為我們曾向君王說萵：「凡尋求天主的人，祂的手常加助佑；凡離棄祂的人，祂便施行強力和義怒」。
 厄上:8.23   我們為此禁食，祈求我們的天主，祂便俯聽了我們。
 厄上:8.24   我由司祭的首領選了十二人，又選了舍勒彼雅和哈沙彼雅，以及同他們在一起的十個兄弟，
 厄上:8.25   把金銀和器皿，即君王和他的謀、首長，以及在那?所有的以色列人，奉獻給我們天主殿的禮品，一一衡量了交給了他們。
 厄上:8.26   我衡量了交在他們手中的，有銀子六百五十「塔冷通」，銀器一百「塔冷通」，金子一百「塔冷通」；
 厄上:8.27   還有金碗二十個，值一千「達理克」；發亮的銅器二個，貴如黃金。
 厄上:8.28   我向他們說：「你們在上主前是聖的，器皿也是聖的，金銀是自願獻於上主你們祖先的天主，作禮品的。
 厄上:8.29   你們要謹慎護守，直到在耶路撒冷，在上主殿宇的庫房內，當著司祭和肋未人的首領，以及以色列眾族長的面，衡量交清為止」。
 厄上:8.30   司祭自己和肋未人，就把數點過的金銀和器皿收下，帶到耶路撒冷我們天主的殿內。
 厄上:8.31   [抵達聖城]  一月十二日，我們從阿哈瓦河起程赴耶路撒冷，賴我們天主的手扶助，我們一路脫免了仇人和暗害者的手，
 厄上:8.32   平安到了耶路撒冷，在那?休息了三天
 厄上:8.33   第四日，在我們天主是殿內，衡量了金銀和器皿，交給了烏利雅的兒子默勒摩特司祭，同他在一起的，還有丕乃哈斯的兒子厄肋阿匝爾，以及肋未人耶叔亞的兒子約匝巴得，和彼奴依的兒子諾阿狄雅，
 厄上:8.34   每件點過稱過，即將總數記錄下來。
 厄上:8.35   當時被擄充軍回來的子民，向以色列的天主奉獻了全燔祭，為全以色列奉獻了牛犢十二頭，公綿羊九十六隻，羔羊七十二隻，作贖罪祭的公山羊十二隻：這一切都獻給上主作全燔祭。
 厄上:8.36   以後，他們向君王的州長和河西諸省長，呈上君王的諭令；他們便協助民眾，資助天主的殿宇。
    
 厄上:9.1    [對雜婚的悲憤]  這些事完畢後，眾首領來到我面前說：「以色列民眾、司祭和肋未人可的事上，並沒有離開當地的人民：客納罕人、希威人、培黎齊人、耶步斯人、阿孟人、摩阿布人、埃及人和阿摩黎人，
 厄上:9.2    因為他們為自己和自己是兒子，娶了他們的女子，以致聖潔的曲裔，與當地的人民合；尤其首長和官，是這罪孽的魁首」。
 厄上:9.3    我一聽這話，便撕裂了我的衣服和外氅，拔我的頭髮和鬍鬚，絕望地坐下。
 厄上:9.4    當時凡對以色列天主的誡命起敬起畏的人，為了充軍歸的罪孽，都聚集在我周圍，我絕望地坐著，直到晚祭。
 厄上:9.5    [認罪祈禱]  到了獻晚祭時，我悲憤人起來，仍穿著撕碎的衣服和外氅，雙膝跪下，伸手向上主我的天主說：
 厄上:9.6    「我的天主，我實覺慚愧！我的天主！我不敢向你仰面，因為我們的邪惡，積累得高過了我們的頭頂，我們的罪孽上達於天。
 厄上:9.7    自從我們的祖先時代，直到今日，我們犯了重大的罪孽；為了我們的罪惡，我們連我們的君王司祭，都被交在異地的君王手中，喪身刀下，被俘擄，遭劫，丟臉受辱，就像今日一樣。
 厄上:9.8    但是現在，轉瞬之間，上主我們的天主，對我們施了仁慈，留給了我們一些殘存的人，又在聖地給了我們居所；並且我們的天主，還使我們的眼目明亮，在我們為奴隸期中，使我們尚有少許生氣。
 厄上:9.9    我們原是奴隸，但我們在為奴隸期中，我們的天主沒有離棄我們，反而使我們在波斯王，獲得了寵遇，使我們有了生氣，得以重建天主的殿宇，修廢壚，我們在猶大和耶路撒冷，得了保障。
 厄上:9.10   現今，我們的天主！在這些事後，我們還有什麼可說的呢﹖只能說我們又遺棄了你的誡命，
 厄上:9.11   因你曾藉你的僕人眾先知，吩咐說：『你們要去佔領的地方，因各地異民的卑污行為，成了不潔之地；他們的醜行和罪孽，充滿了那地方的各個角落，
 厄上:9.12   所以你們絕不可將你們的女兒嫁給他們的兒子；也不給你們的兒子，他們的女兒為妻，也永不可他們共謀平安和福利：這樣你們才會強盛，才能吃那地方的出產，將這地留給你們的子孫，作為永遠基業」。
 厄上:9.13   為了我們的許多罪行和重大的罪孽，這一切降到了我們身上之後，──我們的天主！其實你估了我們的罪惡，還給我們留下了這些亡命的人，──
 厄上:9.14   我們還敢破壞你的誡命，而同這些不潔的民族聯婚嗎﹖難道還要你向我們發怒，一直將我們完全消滅，不一個遺民或亡命的人嗎﹖
 厄上:9.15   上主，以色列的天主！因你仁慈，才剩下了我們這些亡的人，像今天一樣；看，我們在你面前都帶有罪孽，因此，沒有一個能在你面前站得住。

 厄上:10.1   [祈禱的效果]  當厄斯德拉淚流如注，俯伏在天主殿祈禱認罪時，有很大的一群以色列人，男、女、孩童都聚集在她四周，民眾也都流淚痛哭。
 厄上:10.2   當時厄藍子孫中有一位，即耶希耳的兒子舍加尼雅，發言向厄斯德拉說：「我們由本地異民中娶了外婦女，實在得罪了天主，但對此事為以色列還有希望。
 厄上:10.3   現在我們與我們的天主立約，離棄這些婦女和她們所生的兒女，全照我主和那些對我們天主誡命起敬起畏者的意見，依照法律行事。
 厄上:10.4   起來！因為這事全在妳身上，我們支持妳，妳應勇敢去作！」
 厄上:10.5   厄斯德拉便起來，令司祭並肋未人首領起誓，必按這話去做；他們就發了誓。
 厄上:10.6   厄斯德拉遂離開天主的殿，到了厄肋雅史的兒子約哈南的房?，在那?過夜，飯也不吃，水也不喝，因為她對充軍歸來者的罪惡悲傷。
 厄上:10.7   首領們遂在猶大和耶路撒冷發出通告，令充軍歸來的人都聚集在耶路撒冷；
 厄上:10.8   照眾首領和長老的議決：凡三日不來者，他的一切財產應充公，他本人也應由充軍歸來的會眾中革除。
 厄上:10.9   [大會通過]  所有猶大和本雅明人，三又內都聚集在耶路撒冷，時在九月日，眾人都坐在天主殿前的廣場上，為了這事和大雨的緣故，都戰戰兢兢。
 厄上:10.10  厄斯德拉司祭起來向他們說：「你們娶了外方婦女而失了信，增加了以色列的罪孽；
 厄上:10.11  現今你們應向上主你們的天主認罪，承行祂的旨意，離開本地異民和外方婦女」。
 厄上:10.12  全會眾都高聲回答說：「你怎樣說，我們就怎樣做。
 厄上:10.13  但因人民眾多，又兼雨季，我們不能留在露天地?，何況又不是一兩天能完成的事，因為我們在這事上越規的人實在太多。
 厄上:10.14  讓我們的首領為眾會眾負責好了！凡在我們城內娶了外方婦女人，照指定的時候，同自己城內的長老和判官，一起前來了結此案，直到挽回我們的天主對此事的盛怒」。
 厄上:10.15  只有阿撒耳的兒子約納堂，和提克瓦的兒子雅赫則雅，起來反對這種辦法；還有默叔藍和肋未人沙貝泰，支持他們。
 厄上:10.16  由充軍歸來的子民就這樣做了。厄斯德拉司祭，於是由各家族為自己選擇了一些族長，都的提名指定的。他們便在十月一日，開庭審查此案，
 厄上:10.17  直到一且日，方才辦完關於娶外方婦女的男子的案件。
 厄上:10.18  [離婚者名單]  在司祭中，發現有些人娶了外方的婦女；約匝達克的兒子耶叔亞的子孫和他的兄弟中，有瑪阿色雅、厄里阿厄則爾、雅黎布和革達里雅；
 厄上:10.19  他們宣誓辭去自己的妻子，為贖自己的罪，獻了一公綿羊作贖過祭。
 厄上:10.20  依默爾的子孫，有哈納尼和則巴狄雅；哈陵的子孫有瑪阿色雅、厄里雅、舍瑪雅、耶希耳和烏雅；
 厄上:10.21  帕市胡爾的子孫，有厄里約乃、瑪阿色雅、依市瑪耳、乃塔乃耳、約匝巴得和厄拉撒；
 厄上:10.22  肋未人有約匝巴得、史米、刻拉雅即刻里達、培塔希雅、猶達和厄里厄則爾；
 厄上:10.23  歌詠者中有厄肋雅史布；守門者中有沙隆、特冷和烏黎。
 厄上:10.24  以色列平民帕洛士的子孫，有辣米雅、依齊雅。瑪耳基雅、米雅明、厄肋阿匝爾、瑪耳基雅和貝納雅；
 厄上:10.25  厄藍的子孫，有瑪塔尼雅、則加黎雅、耶希耳、阿貝狄、耶勒摩特和厄里雅、；
 厄上:10.26  厄突的子孫，有厄里約乃、厄肋雅史布、瑪塔尼雅、耶勒摩特、匝巴得和阿齊匝；
 厄上:10.27  貝拜的子孫，有約哈南、哈納尼雅、匝拜和阿特來；
 厄上:10.28  巴尼的子孫，有默叔藍、瑪路克、哈達雅、雅叔布、舍阿耳和耶勒摩特；
 厄上:10.29  帕哈特摩阿布的子孫，有阿德納、革拉耳、貝納雅、瑪阿色雅、瑪塔尼雅、貝匝肋耳、彼奴依和默納舍；
 厄上:10.30  哈陵的子孫，有厄里厄則爾、依史雅、瑪耳基雅、舍瑪雅、史默紅、
 厄上:10.31  本雅明、瑪路克和舍瑪黎雅；
 厄上:10.32  哈雄的子孫，有瑪特厏、瑪達達、匝巴得、厄里培約特、耶勒買、默納舍和史米；
 厄上:10.33  巴尼的子孫，有瑪阿待、阿默蘭、約厄耳、
 厄上:10.34  貝納雅、貝狄雅、革路希、
 厄上:10.35  瓦尼雅、默勒摩特、厄肋雅史布、
 厄上:10.36  瑪塔尼雅、瑪特乃、雅阿掃、
 厄上:10.37  巴尼、彼奴依、史米、
 厄上:10.38  舍肋米雅、納堂、阿達雅、
 厄上:10.39  瑪革納德拜、沙瑟、沙賴、
 厄上:10.40  阿匝勒耳、舍勒米雅、舍瑪黎雅、
 厄上:10.41  沙隆、阿瑪黎雅、約色夫；
 厄上:10.42  乃波的子孫，有耶依耳、瑪提提雅、匝巴得、則彼納、約厄耳和貝納雅；
 厄上:10.43  以上諸人都娶了外方婦女，有的婦女也生了兒女。 [厄斯德拉上完篇]


 ezr:1.      [1 Ezra]   10 chapters   [厄斯德拉下篇]  [英文版]
   
 ezr:1.1     In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom, both by word of mouth and in writing:
 ezr:1.2     "Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia: 'All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me, and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
 ezr:1.3     Whoever, therefore, among you belongs to any part of his people, let him go up, and may his God be with him!
 ezr:1.4     Let everyone who has survived, in whatever place he may have dwelt, be assisted by the people of that place with silver, gold, goods, and cattle, together with free-will offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem.'"
 ezr:1.5     Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and Levites--everyone, that is, whom God had inspired to do so--prepared to go up to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
 ezr:1.6     All their neighbors gave them help in every way, with silver, gold, goods, and cattle, and with many precious gifts besides all their free-will offerings.
 ezr:1.7     King Cyrus, too, had the utensils of the house of the LORD brought forth which Nebuchadnezzar had taken away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his god.
 ezr:1.8     Cyrus, king of Persia, had them brought forth by the treasurer Mithredath, and counted out to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.
 ezr:1.9     This was the inventory: sacks of goldware, thirty; sacks of silverware, one thousand and twenty-nine;
 ezr:1.10    golden bowls, thirty; silver bowls, four hundred and ten; other ware, one thousand pieces.
 ezr:1.11    Total of the gold-and silver ware: five thousand four hundred pieces. All these Sheshbazzar took with him when the exiles were brought back from Babylon to Jerusalem.
   
 ezr:2.1     These are the inhabitants of the province who returned from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had carried away to Babylon, and who came back to Jerusalem and Judah, each man in his own city
 ezr:2.2     (those who returned with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah): The census of the men of Israel:
 ezr:2.3     sons of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two;
 ezr:2.4     sons of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two;
 ezr:2.5     sons of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five;
 ezr:2.6     sons of Pahath-moab, who were sons of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve;
 ezr:2.7     sons of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;
 ezr:2.8     sons of Zattu, nine hundred and forty-five;
 ezr:2.9     sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty;
 ezr:2.10    sons of Bani, six hundred and forty-two;
 ezr:2.11    sons of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-three;
 ezr:2.12    sons of Azgad, one thousand two hundred and twenty-two;
 ezr:2.13    sons of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six;
 ezr:2.14    sons of Bigvai, two thousand and fifty-six;
 ezr:2.15    sons of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four;
 ezr:2.16    sons of Ater, who were sons of Hezekiah, ninety-eight;
 ezr:2.17    sons of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-three;
 ezr:2.18    sons of Jorah, one hundred and twelve;
 ezr:2.19    sons of Hashum, two hundred and twenty-three;
 ezr:2.20    sons of Gibeon, ninety-five;
 ezr:2.21    sons of Bethlehem, one hundred and twenty-three;
 ezr:2.22    men of Netophah, fifty-six;
 ezr:2.23    men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight;
 ezr:2.24    men of Beth-azmaveth, forty-two;
 ezr:2.25    men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three;
 ezr:2.26    men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one;
 ezr:2.27    men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two;
 ezr:2.28    men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three;
 ezr:2.29    sons of Nebo, fifty-two;
 ezr:2.30    sons of Magbish, one hundred and fifty-six;
 ezr:2.31    sons of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;
 ezr:2.32    sons of Harim, three hundred and twenty;
 ezr:2.33    sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-five;
 ezr:2.34    sons of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five;
 ezr:2.35    sons of Senaah, three thousand six hundred and thirty.
 ezr:2.36    The priests: sons of Jedaiah, who were of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three;
 ezr:2.37    sons of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two;
 ezr:2.38    sons of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven;
 ezr:2.39    sons of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.
 ezr:2.40    The Levites: sons of Jeshua, Kadmiel, Binnui, and Hodaviah, seventy-four.
 ezr:2.41    The singers: sons of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight.
 ezr:2.42    The gatekeepers: sons of Shallum, sons of Ater, sons of Talmon, sons of Akkub, sons of Hatita, sons of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-nine in all.
 ezr:2.43    The temple slaves: sons of Ziha, sons of Hasupha, sons of Tabbaoth,
 ezr:2.44    sons of Keros, sons of Siaha, sons of Padon,
 ezr:2.45    sons of Lebanah, sons of Hagabah, sons of Akkub,
 ezr:2.46    sons of Hagab, sons of Shamlai, sons of Hanan,
 ezr:2.47    sons of Giddel, sons of Gahar, sons of Reaiah,
 ezr:2.48    sons of Rezin, sons of Nekoda, sons of Gazzam,
 ezr:2.49    sons of Uzza, sons of Paseah, sons of Besai,
 ezr:2.50    sons of Asnah, sons of the Meunites, sons of the Nephusites,
 ezr:2.51    sons of Bakbuk, sons of Hakupha, sons of Harhur,
 ezr:2.52    sons of Bazluth, sons of Mehida, sons of Harsha,
 ezr:2.53    sons of Barkos, sons of Sisera, sons of Temah,
 ezr:2.54    sons of Neziah, sons of Hatipha.
 ezr:2.55    Descendants of the slaves of Solomon: sons of Sotai, sons of Hassophereth, sons of Peruda,
 ezr:2.56    sons of Jaalah, sons of Darkon, sons of Giddel,
 ezr:2.57    sons of Shephatiah, sons of Hattil, sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, sons of Ami.
 ezr:2.58    The total of the temple slaves and the descendants of the slaves of Solomon was three hundred and ninety-two.
 ezr:2.59    The following who returned from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer were unable to prove that their ancestral houses and their descent were Israelite:
 ezr:2.60    sons of Delaiah, sons of Tobiah, sons of Nekoda, six hundred and fifty-two.
 ezr:2.61    Also, of the priests: sons of Habaiah, sons of Hakkoz, sons of Barzillai (he had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and became known by his name).
 ezr:2.62    These men searched their family records, but their names could not be found written there; hence they were degraded from the priesthood,
 ezr:2.63    and His Excellency ordered them not to partake of the most holy foods until there should be a priest bearing the Urim and Thummim.
 ezr:2.64    The entire assembly taken together came to forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty,
 ezr:2.65    not counting their male and female slaves, who were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven. They also had two hundred male and female singers.
 ezr:2.66    Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six, their mules two hundred and forty-five,
 ezr:2.67    their camels four hundred and thirty-five, their asses six thousand seven hundred and twenty.
 ezr:2.68    When they arrived at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the family heads made free-will offerings for the house of God, to rebuild it in its place.
 ezr:2.69    According to their means they contributed to the treasury for the temple service: sixty-one thousand drachmas of gold, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred garments for the priests.
 ezr:2.70    The priests, the Levites, and some of the common people took up residence in Jerusalem; but the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple slaves dwelt in their cities. Thus all the Israelites dwelt in their cities.
   
 ezr:3.1     Now when the seventh month came, after the Israelites had settled in their cities, the people gathered at Jerusalem as one man.
 ezr:3.2     Then Jeshua, son of Jozadak, together with his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, together with his brethren, set about rebuilding the altar of the God of Israel in order to offer on it the holocausts prescribed in the law of Moses, the man of God.
 ezr:3.3     Despite their fear of the peoples of the land, they replaced the altar on its foundations and offered holocausts to the LORD on it, both morning and evening.
 ezr:3.4     They also kept the feast of Booths in the manner prescribed, and they offered the daily holocausts in the proper number required for each day.
 ezr:3.5     Thereafter they offered the established holocaust, the sacrifices prescribed for the new moons and all the festivals sacred to the LORD, and those which anyone might offer as a free-will gift to the LORD.
 ezr:3.6     From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer holocausts to the LORD, though the foundation of the temple of the LORD had not yet been laid.
 ezr:3.7     Then they hired stonecutters and carpenters, and sent food and drink and oil to the Sidonians and Tyrians that they might ship cedar trees from the Lebanon to the port of Joppa, as Cyrus, king of Persia, had authorized.
 ezr:3.8     In the year after their coming to the house of God in Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, son of Jozadak, together with the rest of their brethren, the priests and Levites and all who had come from the captivity to Jerusalem, began by appointing the Levites twenty years of age and over to supervise the work on the house of the LORD.
 ezr:3.9     Jeshua and his sons and brethren, with Kadmiel and Binnui, son of Henadad, and their sons and their brethren, the Levites, stood as one man to supervise those who were engaged in the work on the house of God.
 ezr:3.10    When the builders had laid the foundation of the LORD'S temple, the vested priests with the trumpets and the Levites, sons of Asaph, were stationed there with the cymbals to praise the LORD in the manner laid down by David, king of Israel.
 ezr:3.11    They alternated in songs of praise and thanksgiving to the LORD, "for he is good, for his kindness to Israel endures forever"; and all the people raised a great shout of joy, praising the LORD because the foundation of the LORD'S house had been laid.
 ezr:3.12    Many of the priests, Levites, and family heads, the old men who had seen the former house, cried out in sorrow as they watched the foundation of the present house being laid. Many others, however, lifted up their voices in shouts of joy,
 ezr:3.13    and no one could distinguish the sound of the joyful shouting from the sound of those who were weeping; for the people raised a mighty clamor which was heard afar off.
   
 ezr:4.1     When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, \
 ezr:4.2     they approached Zerubbabel and the family heads and said to them, "Let us build with you, for we seek your God just as you do, and we have sacrificed to him since the days of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, who had us brought here."
 ezr:4.3     But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the family heads of Israel answered them, "It is not your responsibility to build with us a house for our God, but we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus of Persia has commanded us."
 ezr:4.4     Thereupon the people of the land set out to intimidate and dishearten the people of Judah so as to keep them from building.
 ezr:4.5     They also suborned counselors to work against them and thwart their plans during the remaining years of Cyrus, king of Persia, and until the reign of Darius, king of Persia.
 ezr:4.6     Also at the beginning of the reign of Ahashuerus they prepared a written accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
 ezr:4.7     Again, in the time of Artaxerxes, Mithredath wrote in concert with Tabeel and the rest of his fellow officials to Artaxerxes, king of Persia. The document was written in Aramaic and was accompanied by a translation. (Aramaic:)
 ezr:4.8     Then Rehum, the governor, and Shimshai, the scribe, wrote the following letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes:
 ezr:4.9     "Rehum, the governor, Shimshai, the scribe, and their fellow judges, officials, and agents from among the Persian, Urukian, Babylonian, Susian (that is Elamite),
 ezr:4.10    and the other peoples whom the great and illustrious Assurbanipal transported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in the province West-of-Euphrates, as follows. . . ."
 ezr:4.11    This is a copy of the letter that they sent to him: "To King Artaxerxes, your servants, the men of West-of-Euphrates, as follows:
 ezr:4.12    Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have arrived at Jerusalem and are now rebuilding this rebellious and evil city. They are raising up its walls, and the foundations have already been laid.
 ezr:4.13    Now let it be known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are raised up again, they will no longer pay taxes, tributes, or tolls; thus it can only result in harm to the throne.
 ezr:4.14    Now, since we partake of the salt of the palace, we ought not simply to look on while the king is being dishonored. Therefore we have sent this message to inform you, O king,
 ezr:4.15    so that inquiry may be made in the historical records of your fathers. In the historical records you can discover and verify that this city is a rebellious city which has proved fatal to kings and provinces, and that sedition has been fostered there since ancient times. For that reason this city was destroyed.
 ezr:4.16    We inform you, O king, that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are raised up again, by that very fact you will no longer own any part of West-of-Euphrates."
 ezr:4.17    The king sent this answer: "To Rehum, the governor, Shimshai, the scribe, and their fellow officials living in Samaria and elsewhere in the province West-of-Euphrates, greetings and the following:
 ezr:4.18    The communication which you sent us has been read plainly in my presence.
 ezr:4.19    When at my command inquiry was made, it was verified that from ancient times this city has risen up against kings and that rebellion and sedition have been fostered there.
 ezr:4.20    Powerful kings were once in Jerusalem who ruled over all West-of-Euphrates, and taxes, tributes, and tolls were paid to them.
 ezr:4.21    Give orders, therefore, that will stop the work of these men. This city may not be rebuilt until a further decree has been issued by me.
 ezr:4.22    Take care that you do not neglect this matter, lest the evil grow to the detriment of the throne."
 ezr:4.23    As soon as a copy of King Artaxerxes' letter had been read before Rehum, the governor, Shimshai, the scribe, and their fellow officials, they went in all haste to the Jews in Jerusalem and stopped their work by force of arms.
 ezr:4.24    Thus it was that the work on the house of God in Jerusalem was halted. This inaction lasted until the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia.
   
 ezr:5.1     Then the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, son of Iddo, began to prophesy to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel.
 ezr:5.2     Thereupon Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, son of Jozadak, began again to build the house of God in Jerusalem, with the prophets of God giving them support.
 ezr:5.3     At that time there came to them Tattenai, governor of West-of-Euphrates, and Shethar-bozenai, and their fellow officials, who asked of them: "Who issued the decree for you to build this house and raise this edifice?
 ezr:5.4     What are the names of the men who are building this structure?"
 ezr:5.5     But their God watched over the elders of the Jews so that they were not hindered, until a report could go to Darius and then a written order be sent back concerning this matter.
 ezr:5.6     A copy of the letter sent to King Darius by Tattenai, governor of West-of-Euphrates, and Shethar-bozenai, and their fellow officials from West-of-Euphrates;
 ezr:5.7     they sent him a report in which was written the following: "To King Darius, all good wishes!
 ezr:5.8     Let it be known to the king that we have visited the province of Judah and the house of the great God: it is being rebuilt of cut stone and the walls are being reinforced with timber; the work is being carried on diligently and is making good progress under their hands.
 ezr:5.9     We then questioned the elders, addressing to them the following words: 'Who issued the decree for you to build this house and raise this edifice?'
 ezr:5.10    We also asked them their names, to report them to you in a list of the men who are their leaders.
 ezr:5.11    This was their answer to us: 'We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house built here long years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.
 ezr:5.12    But because our fathers provoked the wrath of the God of heaven, he delivered them into the power of the Chaldean, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, who destroyed this house and led the people captive to Babylon.
 ezr:5.13    However, in the first year of Cyrus, king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree for the rebuilding of this house of God.
 ezr:5.14    Moreover, the gold and silver utensils of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and carried off to the temple in Babylon, King Cyrus ordered to be removed from the temple in Babylon and consigned to a certain Sheshbazzar, whom he named governor.
 ezr:5.15    And he commanded him: Take these utensils and deposit them in the temple of Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its former site.
 ezr:5.16    Then this same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem. Since that time the building has been going on, and it is not yet completed.'
 ezr:5.17    Now, if it please the king, let a search be made in the royal archives of Babylon to discover whether a decree really was issued by King Cyrus for the rebuilding of this house of God in Jerusalem. And may the king's pleasure in this matter be communicated to us."
   
 ezr:6.1     Thereupon King Darius issued an order to search the archives in which the Babylonian records were stored away;
 ezr:6.2     and in Ecbatana, the stronghold in the province of Media, a scroll was found containing the following text: "Memorandum.
 ezr:6.3     In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued a decree: The house of God in Jerusalem. The house is to be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices and bringing burnt offerings. Its height is to be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits.
 ezr:6.4     It shall have three courses of cut stone for each one of timber. The costs are to be borne by the royal palace.
 ezr:6.5     Also, the gold and silver utensils of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple of Jerusalem and brought to Babylon are to be sent back: to be returned to their place in the temple of Jerusalem and deposited in the house of God.
 ezr:6.6     "Now, therefore, Tattenai, governor of West-of-Euphrates, and Shethar-bozenai, and you, their fellow officials in West-of-Euphrates, do not interfere in that place.
 ezr:6.7     Let the governor and the elders of the Jews continue the work on that house of God; they are to rebuild it on its former site.
 ezr:6.8     I also issue this decree concerning your dealing with these elders of the Jews in the rebuilding of that house of God: From the royal revenue, the taxes of West-of-Euphrates, let these men be repaid for their expenses, in full and without delay.
 ezr:6.9     Whatever else is required--young bulls, rams, and lambs for holocausts to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the requirements of the priests who are in Jerusalem--is to be delivered to them day by day without fail,
 ezr:6.10    that they may continue to offer sacrifices of pleasing odor to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
 ezr:6.11    I also issue this decree: If any man violates this edict, a beam is to be taken from his house, and he is to be lifted up and impaled on it; and his house is to be reduced to rubble for this offense.
 ezr:6.12    And may the God who causes his name to dwell there overthrow every king or people who may undertake to alter this or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued this decree; let it be carefully executed."
 ezr:6.13    Then Tattenai, the governor of West-of-Euphrates, and Shethar-bozenai, and their fellow officials carried out fully the instructions King Darius had sent them.
 ezr:6.14    The elders of the Jews continued to make progress in the building, supported by the message of the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, son of Iddo. They finished the building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus and Darius (and of Artaxerxes, king of Persia).
 ezr:6.15    They completed this house on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
 ezr:6.16    The Israelites--priests, Levites, and the other returned exiles--celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.
 ezr:6.17    For the dedication of this house of God, they offered one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs, together with twelve he-goats as a sin-offering for all Israel, in keeping with the number of the tribes of Israel.
 ezr:6.18    Finally, they set up the priests in their classes and the Levites in their divisions for the service of God in Jerusalem, as is prescribed in the book of Moses.
 ezr:6.19    The exiles kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
 ezr:6.20    The Levites, every one of whom had purified himself for the occasion, sacrificed the Passover for the rest of the exiles, for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.
 ezr:6.21    The Israelites who had returned from the exile partook of it together with all those who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to join them in seeking the LORD, the God of Israel.
 ezr:6.22    They joyfully kept the feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days, for the LORD had filled them with joy by making the king of Assyria favorable to them, so that he gave them help in their work on the house of God, the God of Israel.
   
 ezr:7.1     After these events, during the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Ezra, son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,
 ezr:7.2     son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,
 ezr:7.3     son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,
 ezr:7.4     son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,
 ezr:7.5     son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of the high priest Aaron--
 ezr:7.6     this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe, well-versed in the law of Moses which was given by the LORD, the God of Israel. Because the hand of the LORD, his God, was upon him, the king granted him all that he requested.
 ezr:7.7     Some of the Israelites and some priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple slaves also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.
 ezr:7.8     Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month of that seventh year of the king.
 ezr:7.9     On the first day of the first month he resolved on the journey up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he arrived at Jerusalem, for the favoring hand of his God was upon him.
 ezr:7.10    Ezra had set his heart on the study and practice of the law of the LORD and on teaching statutes and ordinances in Israel.
 ezr:7.11    This is a copy of the rescript which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest-scribe, the scribe of the text of the LORD'S commandments and statutes for Israel:
 ezr:7.12    "Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, scribe of the law of the God of heaven (then, after greetings):
 ezr:7.13    I have issued this decree, that anyone in my kingdom belonging to the people of Israel, its priests or Levites, who is minded to go up to Jerusalem with you, may do so.
 ezr:7.14    You are the envoy from the king and his seven counselors to supervise Judah and Jerusalem in respect of the law of your God which is in your possession,
 ezr:7.15    and to bring with you the silver and gold which the king and his counselors have freely contributed to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
 ezr:7.16    as well as all the silver and gold which you may receive throughout the province of Babylon, together with the free-will offerings which the people and priests freely contribute for the house of their God in Jerusalem.
 ezr:7.17    You must take care, therefore, to use this money to buy bulls, rams, lambs, and the cereal offerings and libations proper to these, and to offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem.
 ezr:7.18    You and your brethren may do whatever seems best to you with the remainder of the silver and gold, conformably to the will of your God.
 ezr:7.19    The utensils consigned to you for the service of the house of your God you are to deposit before the God of Jerusalem.
 ezr:7.20    Whatever else you may be required to supply for the needs of the house of your God, you may draw from the royal treasury.
 ezr:7.21    I, Artaxerxes the king, issue this decree to all the treasurers of West-of-Euphrates: Whatever Ezra the priest, scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requests of you, dispense to him accurately,
 ezr:7.22    within these limits: silver, one hundred talents; wheat, one hundred kors; wine, one hundred baths; oil, one hundred baths; salt, without limit.
 ezr:7.23    Let everything that is ordered by the God of heaven be carried out exactly for the house of the God of heaven, that wrath may not come upon the realm of the king and his sons.
 ezr:7.24    We also inform you that it is not permitted to impose taxes, tributes, or tolls on any priest, Levite, singer, gatekeeper, temple slave, or any other servant of that house of God.
 ezr:7.25    "As for you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God which is in your possession, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people in West-of-Euphrates, to all, that is, who know the laws of your God. Instruct those who do not know these laws.
 ezr:7.26    Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let strict judgment be executed upon him, whether death, or corporal punishment, or a fine on his goods, or imprisonment."
 ezr:7.27    Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who thus disposed the mind of the king to glorify the house of the LORD in Jerusalem,
 ezr:7.28    and who let me find favor with the king, with his counselors, and with all the most influential royal officials. I therefore took courage and, with the hand of the LORD, my God, upon me, I gathered together Israelite family heads to make the return journey with me.

 ezr:8.1      This is the list of the family heads who returned with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:
 ezr:8.2     Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershon; of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel; of the sons of David, Hattush,
 ezr:8.3     son of Shecaniah; of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him one hundred and fifty males were enrolled;
 ezr:8.4     of the sons of Pahath-moab, Eliehoenai, son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males;
 ezr:8.5     of the sons of Zattu, Shecaniah, son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males;
 ezr:8.6     of the sons of Adin, Ebed, son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males;
 ezr:8.7     of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah, son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males;
 ezr:8.8     of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah, son of Michael, and with him eighty males;
 ezr:8.9     of the sons of Joab, Obadiah, son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males;
 ezr:8.10    of the sons of Bani, Shelomith, son of Josiphiah, and with him one hundred and sixty males;
 ezr:8.11    of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah, son of Bebai, and with him twenty-eight males;
 ezr:8.12    of the sons of Azgad, Johanan, son of Hakkatan, and with him one hundred and ten males;
 ezr:8.13    of the sons of Adonikam, younger sons, whose names were Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them sixty males;
 ezr:8.14    of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai, son of Zakkur, and with him seventy males.
 ezr:8.15    I had them assemble by the river that flows toward Ahava, where we made camp for three days. There I perceived that both laymen and priests were present, but I could not discover a single Levite.
 ezr:8.16    Therefore I sent Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, wise leaders,
 ezr:8.17    with a command for Iddo, the leader in the place Casiphia, instructing them what to say to Iddo and his brethren, and to the temple slaves in Casiphia, in order to procure for us ministers for the house of our God.
 ezr:8.18    They sent to us--for the favoring hand of our God was upon us--a well-instructed man, one of the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and brethren, eighteen men.
 ezr:8.19    They also sent us Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah, sons of Merari, and their brethren and their sons, twenty men.
 ezr:8.20    Of the temple slaves (those whom David and the princes appointed to serve the Levites) there were two hundred and twenty. All these men were enrolled by name.
 ezr:8.21    Then I proclaimed a fast, there by the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to petition from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our possessions.
 ezr:8.22    For I would have been ashamed to ask the king for troops and horsemen to protect us against enemies along the way, since we had said to the king, "The favoring hand of our God is upon all who seek him, but his mighty wrath is against all who forsake him."
 ezr:8.23    So we fasted, and prayed to our God for this, and our petition was granted.
 ezr:8.24    Next I selected twelve of the priestly leaders along with Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren,
 ezr:8.25    and I weighed out before them the silver and the gold and the utensils offered for the house of our God by the king, his counselors, his officials, and all the Israelites of that region.
 ezr:8.26    I consigned it to them in these amounts: silver, six hundred and fifty talents; silver utensils, one hundred; gold, one hundred talents;
 ezr:8.27    twenty golden bowls valued at a thousand darics; two vases of excellent polished bronze, as precious as gold.
 ezr:8.28    I addressed them in these words: "You are consecrated to the LORD, and the utensils are also consecrated; the silver and the gold are a free-will offering to the LORD, the God of your fathers.
 ezr:8.29    Keep good watch over them till you weigh them out in Jerusalem in the presence of the chief priests and Levites and the family leaders of Israel, in the chambers of the house of the LORD."
 ezr:8.30    The priests and the Levites then took over the silver, the gold, and the utensils that had been weighed out, to bring them to Jerusalem, to the house of our God.
 ezr:8.31    We set out for Jerusalem from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month. The hand of our God remained upon us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way.
 ezr:8.32    Thus we arrived in Jerusalem, where we first rested for three days.
 ezr:8.33    On the fourth day, the silver, the gold, and the utensils were weighed out in the house of our God and consigned to the priest Meremoth, son of Uriah, who was assisted by Eleazar, son of Phinehas; they were assisted by the Levites Jozabad, son of Jeshua, and Noadiah, son of Binnui.
 ezr:8.34    Everything was in order as to number and weight, and the total weight was registered. At that same time,
 ezr:8.35    those who had returned from the captivity, the exiles, offered as holocausts to the God of Israel twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve goats as sin-offerings: all these as a holocaust to the LORD.
 ezr:8.36    Finally, the orders of the king were presented to the king's satraps and to the governors in West-of-Euphrates, who gave their support to the people and to the house of God.
   
 ezr:9.1     When these matters had been concluded, the leaders approached me with this report: "Neither the Israelite laymen nor the priests nor the Levites have kept themselves aloof from the peoples of the land and their abominations (Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites);
 ezr:9.2     for they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and thus they have desecrated the holy race with the peoples of the land. Furthermore, the leaders and rulers have taken a leading part in this apostasy!"
 ezr:9.3     When I had heard this thing, I tore my cloak and my mantle, plucked hair from my head and beard, and sat there stupefied.
 ezr:9.4     Around me gathered all who were in dread of the sentence of the God of Israel on this apostasy of the exiles, while I remained motionless until the evening sacrifice.
 ezr:9.5     Then, at the time of the evening sacrifice, I rose in my wretchedness, and with cloak and mantle torn I fell on my knees, stretching out my hands to the LORD, my God.
 ezr:9.6     I said: "My God, I am too ashamed and confounded to raise my face to you, O my God, for our wicked deeds are heaped up above our heads and our guilt reaches up to heaven.
 ezr:9.7     From the time of our fathers even to this day great has been our guilt, and for our wicked deeds we have been delivered over, we and our kings and our priests, to the will of the kings of foreign lands, to the sword, to captivity, to pillage, and to disgrace, as is the case today.
 ezr:9.8     "And now, but a short time ago, mercy came to us from the LORD, our God, who left us a remnant and gave us a stake in his holy place; thus our God has brightened our eyes and given us relief in our servitude.
 ezr:9.9     For slaves we are, but in our servitude our God has not abandoned us; rather, he has turned the good will of the kings of Persia toward us. Thus he has given us new life to raise again the house of our God and restore its ruins, and has granted us a fence in Judah and Jerusalem.
 ezr:9.10    But now, O our God, what can we say after all this? For we have abandoned your commandments,
 ezr:9.11    which you gave through your servants the prophets: the land which you are entering to take as your possession is a land unclean with the filth of the peoples of the land, with the abominations with which they have filled it from one end to the other in their uncleanness.
 ezr:9.12    Do not, then, give your daughters to their sons in marriage, and do not take their daughters for your sons. Never promote their peace and prosperity; thus you will grow strong, enjoy the produce of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your children forever.
 ezr:9.13    "After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and our great guilt-though you, our God, have made less of our sinfulness than it deserved and have allowed us to survive as we do--
 ezr:9.14    shall we again violate your commandments by intermarrying with these abominable peoples? Would you not become so angered with us as to destroy us without remnant or survivor?
 ezr:9.15    O LORD, God of Israel, you are just; yet we have been spared, the remnant we are today. Here we are before you in our sins. Because of all this, we can no longer stand in your presence."

 ezr:10.1    While Ezra prayed and acknowledged their guilt, weeping and prostrate before the house of God, a very large assembly of Israelites gathered about him, men, women, and children; and the people wept profusely.
 ezr:10.2    Then Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, made this appeal to Ezra: "We have indeed betrayed our God by taking as wives foreign women of the peoples of the land. Yet even now there remains a hope for Israel.
 ezr:10.3    Let us therefore enter into a covenant before our God to dismiss all our foreign wives and the children born of them, in keeping with what you, my lord, advise, and those who fear the commandments of our God. Let the law be observed!
 ezr:10.4    Rise, then, for this is your duty! We will stand by you, so have courage and take action!"
 ezr:10.5    Ezra rose to his feet and demanded an oath from the chiefs of the priests, from the Levites and from all Israel that they would do as had been proposed; and they swore it.
 ezr:10.6    Then Ezra retired from his place before the house of God and entered the chamber of Johanan, son of Eliashib, where he spent the night neither eating food nor drinking water, for he was in mourning over the betrayal by the exiles.
 ezr:10.7    A proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather together in Jerusalem,
 ezr:10.8    and that whoever failed to appear within three days would, according to the judgment of the leaders and elders, suffer the confiscation of all his possessions, and himself be excluded from the assembly of the exiles.
 ezr:10.9    All the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered together in Jerusalem within the three-day period: it was in the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. All the people, standing in the open place before the house of God, were trembling both over the matter at hand and because it was raining.
 ezr:10.10  Then Ezra, the priest, stood up and said to them: "Your unfaithfulness in taking foreign women as wives has added to Israel's guilt.
 ezr:10.11  But now, give praise to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do his will: separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from these foreign women."
 ezr:10.12  In answer, the whole assembly cried out with a loud voice: "Yes, it is our duty to do as you say!
 ezr:10.13  But the people are numerous and it is the rainy season, so that we cannot remain out-of-doors; besides, this is not a task that can be performed in a single day or even two, for those of us who have sinned in this regard are many.
 ezr:10.14  Let our leaders represent the whole assembly; then let all those in our cities who have taken foreign women for wives appear at appointed times, accompanied by the elders and magistrates of each city in question, till we have turned away from us our God's burning anger over this affair."
 ezr:10.15  Only Jonathan, son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, son of Tikvah, were against this proposal, with Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them.
 ezr:10.16  The exiles did as agreed. Ezra appointed as his assistants men who were family heads, one for each family, all of them designated by name. They held sessions to examine the matter, beginning with the first day of the tenth month.
 ezr:10.17  By the first day of the first month they had passed judgment on all the men who had taken foreign women for wives.
 ezr:10.18  Among the priests, the following were found to have taken foreign women for wives: Of the sons of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and his brethren: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
 ezr:10.19  They pledged themselves to dismiss their wives, and as a guilt-offering for their guilt they gave a ram from the flock.
 ezr:10.20  Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah;
 ezr:10.21  of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah;
 ezr:10.22  of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
 ezr:10.23  Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.
 ezr:10.24  Of the singers: Eliashib and Zakkur; of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
 ezr:10.25  Among the other Israelites: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah;
 ezr:10.26  of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah;
 ezr:10.27  of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza;
 ezr:10.28  of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;
 ezr:10.29  of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth;
 ezr:10.30  of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh;
 ezr:10.31  of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
 ezr:10.32  Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah;
 ezr:10.33  of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei;
 ezr:10.34  of the sons of Begui: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
 ezr:10.35  Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
 ezr:10.36  Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
 ezr:10.37  Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu;
 ezr:10.38  of the sons of Binnui: Shimei,
 ezr:10.39  Shelemiah, Nathan, and Adaiah;
 ezr:10.40  of the sons of Zachai: Shashai, Sharai,
 ezr:10.41  Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
 ezr:10.42  Shallum, Amariah, Joseph;
 ezr:10.43  of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, Benaiah.
 ezr:10.44  All these had taken foreign wives; but they sent them away, both the women and their children. [end of Ezra]

