Good News [1976], GOOD NEWS BIBLE WITH DEUTEROCANONICALS / APOCRYPHA Today's English Version (AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY, New York) [word count] [B15000].
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The Book of EZRA
The Book of Ezra, as a sequel to Chronicles, describes the return of some
of the Jewish exiles from Babylon and the restoration of life and worship in
Jerusalem. These events are presented in the following stages: 1) The first
group of Jewish exiles returns from Babylonia at the order of Cyrus, the
Persian emperor. 2) The Temple is rebuilt and dedicated, and the worship of
God restored in Jerusalem. 3) Years later another group of Jews returns to
Jerusalem under the leadership of Ezra, an expert in the Law of God, who
helps the people reorganize their religious and social life in order to safeguard
the spiritual heritage of Israel.
The first return from exile 1.1—2.70
The Temple is rebuilt and dedicated 3.1—6.22
Ezra returns with other exiles 7.1—10.44
Cyrus Commands the Jews to Return
1 In the first year that Cyrus of
Persia was emperor, note the Lord
made what he had said through the
prophet Jeremiah come true. He
prompted Cyrus to issue the following
command and send it out in writing
to be read aloud everywhere in
his empire: note
2 “This is the command of Cyrus,
Emperor of Persia. The Lord,
the God of Heaven, has made
me ruler over the whole world
and has given me the responsibility
of building a temple for
him in Jerusalem in Judah. note
3 May God be with all of you
who are his people. You are to
go to Jerusalem and rebuild the
Temple of the Lord, the God of
Israel, the God who is worshiped
in Jerusalem.
4 If any of his people
in exile need help to return,
their neighbors are to give them
this help. They are to provide
them with silver and gold, supplies
and pack animals, as well
as offerings to present in the
Temple of God in Jerusalem.”
5 Then the heads of the clans of
the tribes of Judah and Benjamin,
the priests and Levites, and everyone
else whose heart God had
moved got ready to go and rebuild
the Lord's Temple in Jerusalem.
6 All their neighbors helped them by
giving them many things: silver
utensils, gold, supplies, pack animals,
other valuables, and offerings
for the Temple.
7 Emperor Cyrus gave them back
the bowls and cups that King Nebuchadnezzar
had taken from the Temple
in Jerusalem and had put in the
temple of his gods.
8 He handed
them over to Mithredath, chief of
the royal treasury, who made an inventory
of them for Sheshbazzar,
the governor of Judah,
9
10 as follows:
gold bowls for offerings30
silver bowls for offerings1,000
other bowls29
small gold bowls30
small silver bowls410
other utensils1,000
11 In all there were 5,400 gold and
silver bowls and other articles which
Sheshbazzar took with him when he
-- --
and the other exiles went from
Babylon to Jerusalem.
The List of Those Who Returned
from Exile
(Nehemiah 7.4–73)
1 Many of the exiles left the province
of Babylon and returned to
Jerusalem and Judah, each to his
own hometown. Their families had
been living in exile in Babylonia ever
since King Nebuchadnezzar had
taken them there as prisoners.
2 Their leaders were Zerubbabel,
Joshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah,
Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai,
Rehum, and Baanah.
2 This is the list of the clans of Israel,
with the number of those from
each clan who returned from exile:
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Parosh – 2,172
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Shephatiah – 372
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Arah – 775
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Pahath Moab (descendants of
Jeshua and Joab) – 2,812
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Elam – 1,254
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Zattu – 945
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Zaccai – 760
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Bani – 642
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Bebai – 623
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Azgad – 1,222
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Adonikam – 666
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Bigvai – 2,056
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Adin – 454
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Ater (also called Hezekiah) – 98
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Bezai – 323
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Jorah – 112
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Hashum – 223
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 Gibbar – 95
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 People whose ancestors had
lived in the following towns also returned:
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 Bethlehem – 123
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 Netophah – 56
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 Anathoth – 128
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 Azmaveth – 42
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and
Beeroth – 743
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 Ramah and Geba – 621
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 Michmash – 122
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 Bethel and Ai – 223
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 Nebo – 52
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 Magbish – 156
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 The other Elam – 1,254
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 Harim – 320
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 Lod, Hadid, and Ono – 725
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 Jericho – 345
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 Senaah – 3,630
36
37
38
39 This is the list of the priestly
clans that returned from exile:
36
37
38
39 Jedaiah (descendants of Jeshua) –
973
36
37
38
39 Immer – 1,052
36
37
38
39 Pashhur – 1,247
36
37
38
39 Harim – 1,017
40
41
42 Clans of Levites who returned
from exile:
40
41
42 Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants
of Hodaviah) – 74
40
41
42 Temple musicians (descendants
of Asaph) – 128
40
41
42 Temple guards (descendants of
Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub,
Hatita, and Shobai) – 139
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54 Clans of Temple workmen who
returned from exile:
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54 Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54 Keros, Siaha, Padon,
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54 Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub,
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54 Hagab, Shamlai, Hanan,
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54 Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah,
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54 Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam,
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54 Uzza, Paseah, Besai,
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54 Asnah, Meunim, Nephisim,
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54 Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54 Neziah, and Hatipha
-- --
55
56
57 Clans of Solomon's servants
who returned from exile:
55
56
57 Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda,
55
56
57 Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel,
55
56
57 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth
Hazzebaim, and Ami
58 The total number of descendants
of the Temple workmen and of Solomon's
servants who returned from
exile was 392.
59
60 There were 652 belonging to
the clans of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda
who returned from the towns
of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub,
Addan, and Immer; but they could
not prove that they were descendants
of Israelites.
61
62 The following priestly clans
could find no record to prove their
ancestry: Habaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai.
(The ancestor of the priestly
clan of Barzillai had married a
woman from the clan of Barzillai of
Gilead and had taken the name of
his father-in-law's clan.) Since they
were unable to prove who their ancestors
were, they were not accepted
as priests.
63 The Jewish governor
told them that they could not
eat the food offered to God until
there was a priest who could use the
Urim and Thummim. note note
64
65
66
67 Total number of exiles who
returned – 42,360
64
65
66
67 Their male and female servants –
7,337
64
65
66
67 Male and female musicians – 200
64
65
66
67 Horses – 736
64
65
66
67 Mules – 245
64
65
66
67 Camels – 435
64
65
66
67 Donkeys – 6,720
68 When the exiles arrived at the
Lord's Temple in Jerusalem, some
of the leaders of the clans gave freewill
offerings to help rebuild the
Temple on its old site.
69 They gave
as much as they could for this work,
and the total came to 1,030 pounds
of gold, 5,740 pounds of silver, and
100 robes for priests.
70 The priests, the Levites, and
some of the people settled in or near
Jerusalem; note the musicians, the Temple
guards, and the Temple workmen
settled in nearby towns; and the
rest of the Israelites settled in the
towns where their ancestors had
lived. note
Worship Begins Again
1 By the seventh month the people
of Israel were all settled in
their towns. Then they all assembled
in Jerusalem,
2 and Joshua son of Jehozadak,
his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel
son of Shealtiel, together
with his relatives, rebuilt the altar of
the God of Israel, so that they could
burn sacrifices on it according to the
instructions written in the Law of
Moses, the man of God. note
3 Even
though note the returning exiles were
afraid of the people who were living
in the land, they rebuilt the altar
where it had stood before. Then they
began once again to burn on it the
regular morning and evening sacrifices. note
4 They celebrated the Festival
of Shelters according to the regulations;
each day they offered the sacrifices
required for that day; note
5 and in
addition they offered the regular
sacrifices to be burned whole and
those to be offered at the New Moon
Festival and at all the other regular
assemblies at which the Lord is
worshiped, as well as all the offerings
that were given to the Lord voluntarily. note
6 Although the people had
not yet started to rebuild the Temple,
they began on the first day of
the seventh month to burn sacrifices
to the Lord.
The Rebuilding of the Temple Begins
7 The people gave money to pay
the stonemasons and the carpenters
and gave food, drink, and olive oil to
be sent to the cities of Tyre and Sidon
in exchange for cedar trees from
Lebanon, which were to be brought
by sea to Joppa. All this was done
with the permission of Emperor Cyrus
-- --
of Persia.
8 So in the second
month of the year after they came
back to the site of the Temple in Jerusalem,
they began work. Zerubbabel,
Joshua, and the rest of their fellow
countrymen, the priests, and the
Levites, in fact all the exiles who had
come back to Jerusalem, joined in
the work. All the Levites twenty
years of age or older were put in
charge of the work of rebuilding the
Temple.
9 The Levite Jeshua and his
sons and relatives, and Kadmiel and
his sons (the clan of Hodaviah note
joined together in taking charge of
the rebuilding of the Temple. (They
were helped by the Levites of the
clan of Henadad.)
10 When the men started to lay the
foundation of the Temple, the priests
in their robes took their places with
trumpets in their hands, and the Levites
of the clan of Asaph stood
there with cymbals. They praised
the Lord according to the instructions
handed down from the time of
King David. note
11 They sang the Lord's
praises, repeating the refrain:
“The Lord is good, and his
love for Israel is eternal.”
Everyone shouted with all his might,
praising the Lord, because the work
on the foundation of the Temple had
been started. note
12 Many of the older
priests, Levites, and heads of clans
had seen the first Temple, and as
they watched the foundation of this
Temple being laid, they cried and
wailed. But the others who were
there shouted for joy. note
13 No one
could distinguish between the joyful
shouts and the crying, because the
noise they made was so loud that it
could be heard for miles.
Opposition to the Rebuilding
of the Temple
1 The enemies of the people of Judah
and Benjamin heard that
those who had returned from exile
were rebuilding the Temple of the
Lord, the God of Israel.
2 So they
went to see Zerubbabel and the
heads of the clans and said, “Let us
join you in building the Temple. We
worship the same God you worship,
and we have been offering sacrifices
to him ever since Emperor Esarhaddon
of Assyria sent us here to live.” note
3 Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the
heads of the clans told them, “We
don't need your help to build a temple
for the Lord our God. We will
build it ourselves, just as Emperor
Cyrus of Persia commanded us.”
4 Then the people who had been
living in the land tried to discourage
and frighten the Jews and keep them
from building.
5 They also bribed
-- --
Persian government officials to work
against them. They kept on doing
this throughout the reign of Emperor
Cyrus and into the reign of Emperor
Darius. note
Opposition to the Rebuilding
of Jerusalem
6 At the beginning of the reign of
Emperor Xerxes, the enemies of the
people living in Judah and Jerusalem
brought written charges against
them. note
7 Again in the reign of Emperor
Artaxerxes of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath,
Tabeel, and their associates
wrote a letter to the emperor. The
letter was written in Aramaic note and
was to be translated when read. note
8 Also Rehum, the governor, and
Shimshai, the secretary of the province,
wrote the following letter to
Emperor Artaxerxes about Jerusalem:
9 “From Rehum, the governor,
from Shimshai, secretary of the
province, from their associates,
the judges, and from all the other
officials, who are men originally
from Erech, Babylon, and
Susa in the land of Elam,
10 together
with the other peoples
whom the great and powerful
Ashurbanipal moved from their
homes and settled in the city of
Samaria and elsewhere in West-of-Euphrates
Province.” note
11 This is the text of the letter:
11 “To Emperor Artaxerxes from
his servants, the men of West-of-Euphrates.
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