1   Josiah kept the Passover at Jerusalem in honour of his Lord and sacrificed the Passover victims on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2   The priests, duly robed in their vestments, he stationed in the temple of the Lord according to the order of daily service. 3   He commanded the Levites, who served the temple in Israel, to purify themselves for the Lord, in order to place the holy Ark of the Lord in the house which was built by King Solomon, son of David. 4   Josiah said to them, ‘You are no longer to carry it on your shoulders. Make yourselves ready now, family by family and clan by clan, to do service to the Lord your God and to minister to his people 5   Israel in the manner prescribed by King David and provided for so magnificently by his son Solomon. Take your places in the temple as Levites in the prescribed order of your families in the presence of your brother Israelites; 6   sacrifice the Passover victims, and prepare the sacrifices for your brothers. Observe the Passover according to the ordinance of the Lord which was given to Moses.’

7   To those who were present Josiah made a gift of thirty thousand lambs and kids and three thousand calves. These he gave from the royal estates in fulfilment of his promise to the people and to the priests and Levites. 8   The temple-wardens, Chelkias, Zacharias, and Esyelus, gave the priests two thousand six hundred sheep and three hundred calves for the Passover. 9   Jechonias, Samaeas, his brother Nathanael, Sabias, Ozielus, and Joram, army officers of high rank, gave the Levites five thousand sheep and seven hundred calves for the Passover.

10   This was the procedure. The priests and the Levites, bearing the unleavened bread, stood in all their splendour before the people, in the order of their clans and families, 11   to make offerings to the Lord as is laid down in the book of Moses. This took place in the morning. 12   They roasted the Passover victims over the fire in the prescribed

Exile and return way and boiled the sacrifices in the vessels and cauldrons, and a pleasant smell went up; 13   then they carried portions round to the whole assembly. After this they made preparations both for themselves and for their brothers the priests, the sons of Aaron. 14   The priests went on offering the fat until nightfall, while the Levites made the preparations both for themselves and for their brothers the priests, the sons of Aaron. 15    16   The sons of Asaph, the temple singers, with Asaph, Zacharias, and Eddinous of the royal court, and the door-keepers at each gateway remained at their station according to the ordinances of David, which prescribe that no one may lawfully default in his daily duty; their brothers the Levites made the preparations for them. 17   All that pertained to the Lord's sacrifice was completed that day: 18   the keeping of the Passover and the offering of the sacrifices on the altar of the Lord according to the command of King Josiah. 19   The Israelites who were present on this occasion kept the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days. 20   Such a Passover had not been kept in Israel since the time of the prophet Samuel; 21   none of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as was kept by Josiah, the priests and the Levites, the men of Judah, and those Israelites who happened to be resident in Jerusalem. 22   It was in the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign that this Passover was celebrated.

23   All that Josiah did he did rightly and in whole-hearted devotion to his Lord. 24   The events of his reign are to be found in ancient records which tell a story of sin and rebellion against the Lord graver than that of any other nation or kingdom, and of offences against him which brought down his judgement upon Israel.

25   After all these doings of Josiah's it happened that Pharaoh king of Egypt was advancing to attack Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah took the field against him. 26   The king of Egypt sent him this message: ‘What is your business with me, king of Judah? 27   It is not against you that the Lord God has sent me to fight; my campaign is on the Euphrates. The Lord is with me, the Lord, I say, is with me, driving me on. 28   Withdraw, and do not oppose the Lord.’ Josiah did not turn his chariot but went forward to the attack. He disregarded 29   what the Lord had said through the prophet Jeremiah and joined battle with Pharaoh in the plain of Megiddo. Pharaoh's captains swept down upon King Josiah. 30   The king said to his servants, ‘Take me out of the battle, for I am badly hurt.’ At once his servants took

Exile and return him out of the line and lifted him into his second chariot. 31   He was brought back to Jerusalem, and there he died and was buried in his ancestral tomb.

32   All Judah mourned Josiah, and the prophet Jeremiah lamented him. The lamentation for Josiah has been observed by the chief men and their wives from that day to this; it was proclaimed that it should be a custom for ever for the whole people of Israel. 33   These things are recorded in the book of the histories of the kings of Judah; every deed that Josiah did which won him fame and showed his understanding of the law of the Lord, both what he did earlier and what is told of him here, is related in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

34   His compatriots took Joachaz the son of Josiah and made him king in succession to his father. 35   He was twenty-three years old, and he reigned over Judah and Jerusalem for three months. Then the king of Egypt deposed him, 36   fined the nation a hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold, 37   and appointed his brother Joakim king of Judah and Jerusalem. 38   Joakim imprisoned the leading men and had his brother Zarius arrested and brought back from Egypt.

39   Joakim was twenty-five years old when he became king of Judah and Jerusalem; he did what was wrong in the eyes of the Lord. 40   Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against him; he put him in chains of bronze and took him to Babylon. 41   Nebuchadnezzar also took some of the sacred vessels of the Lord, carried them off, and put them in his temple in Babylon. 42   The stories about Joakim, his sacrilegious and godless conduct, are recorded in the chronicles of the kings.

43   Joakim was succeeded on the throne by his eighteen-year-old son Joakim. 44   He reigned in Jerusalem for three months and ten days, and did what was wrong in the eyes of the Lord.

45   A year later Nebuchadnezzar had him deported to Babylon together with the sacred vessels of the Lord. 46   He made Zedekiah king of Judah and Jerusalem. Zedekiah was twenty-one years old and reigned eleven years. 47   He did what was wrong in the eyes of the Lord and disregarded what the Lord had said through the prophet Jeremiah. 48   King Nebuchadnezzar had made him take an oath of allegiance by the Lord, but he broke it and revolted. He was stubborn and defiant, and transgressed the commandments of the Lord, the God of Israel.

49   The leaders of the people and the chief priests committed many wicked and lawless acts, outdoing even the heathen in sacrilege, and

Exile and return they defiled the holy temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. 50   The God of their fathers sent his messenger to reclaim them, because he wished to spare them and his dwelling-place. 51   But they derided his messengers, and on the very day when the Lord spoke they were scoffing at his prophets. 52   At last he was roused to fury against his people for their impieties, and ordained that the kings of the Chaldaeans should attack them. 53   These put their young men to the sword all round the holy temple, sparing neither old nor young, neither boy nor girl; the Lord handed them all over to their enemies. 54   All the sacred vessels of the Lord, large and small, the furnishings of the Ark of the Lord, and the royal treasures were carried off to Babylon. 55   The house of the Lord was set on fire, the walls of Jerusalem destroyed, its towers burnt, and all its splendours ruined. 56   Nebuchadnezzar carried off to Babylon the survivors from the slaughter, 57   and they remained slaves to him and his sons until the Persians took his empire. This fulfilled the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah: 58   ‘Until the land has run the full term of its sabbaths, it shall keep sabbath all the time of its desolation till the end of the seventy years.’

1    2   During the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, the Lord, in order to fulfil his word spoken through Jeremiah, moved Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his empire, which he also put in writing: 3   ‘This is the decree of Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord of Israel, the most high Lord, has made me king of the world 4   and has directed me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judaea. 5   Whoever among you belongs to his people, may his Lord be with him; let him go up to Jerusalem in Judaea and build the house of the Lord of Israel, the Lord who dwells in Jerusalem. 6   Wherever each 7   man lives let his neighbours help him with gold and silver and other gifts, with horses and pack-animals, together with other things set aside as votive offerings for the Lord's temple in Jerusalem.’

8   Then the chiefs of the clans of the tribe of Judah and of Benjamin, the priests, the Levites, came forward, and all whose spirit the Lord had moved to go up to build the Lord's temple in Jerusalem. 9   Their neighbours helped with everything, with silver and gold, horses and pack-animals; and many were also moved to help with votive offerings in great quantity. 10   King Cyrus brought out the sacred vessels of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar had taken away from Jerusalem and set up in his idolatrous temple. 11   Cyrus king of Persia brought

Exile and return them out and delivered them to Mithradates his treasurer, 12   by whom they were delivered to Sanabassar, the governor of Judaea. 13   This is the inventory: a thousand gold cups, a thousand silver cups, twenty-nine silver censers, thirty gold bowls, two thousand four hundred and ten silver bowls, and a thousand other articles. 14   In all, five thousand four hundred and sixty-nine gold and silver vessels were returned, 15   and taken from Babylon to Jerusalem by Sanabassar together with the exiles.

16   In the time of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Belemus, Mithradates, Tabellius, Rathymus, Beeltethmus, Semellius the secretary, and their colleagues in office in Samaria and other places, wrote him a letter denouncing the inhabitants of Judaea and Jerusalem in the following terms:

   17   To our Sovereign Lord Artaxerxes your servants Rathymus the recorder, Semellius the secretary, the other members of their council, and the magistrates in Coele-syria and Phoenicia:

   18   This is to inform Your Majesty that the Jews who left you to come here have arrived in Jerusalem and are rebuilding that wicked and rebellious city. They are repairing its streets and walls and laying the foundation of the temple. 19   If this city is rebuilt and the walls completed, they will cease paying tribute and will rebel against the royal house. 20   Since work on the temple is in hand, we 21   have thought it well not to neglect this important matter but to bring it to Your Majesty's notice, in order that, if it is Your Majesty's pleasure, search may be made in the records left by your predecessors. 22   You will find in the archives evidence about these matters and will learn that this is a city that has resisted authority and given trouble to kings and to other states, 23   and has been a centre of armed rebellion by the Jews from the earliest times. That is why it was laid in ruins. 24   Now we submit to Your Majesty that, if this city be rebuilt and its walls rise again, you will no longer have access to Coele-syria and Phoenicia.

25   Then the king wrote to Rathymus the recorder, Beeltethmus, Semellius the secretary, and their colleagues in office in Samaria, Syria, and Phoenicia this reply:

   26   I have read your letter. I ordered search to be made and it was discovered that this city has always been opposed to its overlords,

Exile and return and its inhabitants have raised rebellions and made wars. 27   There were kings in Jerusalem, powerful and ruthless men, who in their time controlled Coele-syria and Phoenicia and exacted tribute from them. 28   I therefore command that the men you mention be prevented from rebuilding the city, and that measures be taken to 29   enforce this order and to check the spread of an evil likely to be a nuisance to the royal house.

30   When the letter from King Artaxerxes had been read, Rathymus, Semellius the secretary, and their colleagues set out at once for Jerusalem with cavalry and a large body of other troops and stopped the builders. The building of the temple was broken off until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. A debate at the Persian court

1   King Darius held a great feast for all those under him, his household, 2   the chief men of Media and Persia, and the satraps and commanders and governors of his empire in the hundred and twenty-seven satrapies from India to Ethiopia. 3   When they had eaten and drunk their fill, they went away, and King Darius withdrew to his bedchamber; he went to sleep but woke up again. 4   Then the three young men of the king's personal bodyguard said to each other: 5   ‘Let each one of us name the thing which he judges the strongest; and to the one whose opinion seems wisest King Darius will give rich gifts and prizes: 6   he shall be clothed in purple, drink from gold vessels, and sleep on a golden bed; and he shall have a chariot with gold-studded bridles, and a fine linen turban, and a chain about his neck. 7   His wisdom shall give him the right to sit next to Darius and to be given the title Kinsman of Darius.’ 8   Then each wrote down his own statement, sealed it, and put it under the king's pillow. 9   ‘When the king wakes again,’ they said, ‘the writing will be given him. The king and the three chief men of Persia shall judge whose statement is wisest, and the award will be made on the merits of the written statement.’

10    11   One wrote ‘Wine is strongest’, the second wrote ‘The king is strongest’, 12   and the third wrote ‘Women are strongest, but truth

A debate at the Persian court conquers all’. 13   When the king got up he was presented with what they had written. 14   He read it, and summoned all the chief men of Persia and Media, satraps, commanders, governors, and chief officers. 15   Then he took his seat in the council chamber, and what they had written was read out before them. 16   He said, ‘Call the young men and let them expound their statements.’ They were called and came in. 17   They were asked, ‘Tell us about what you have written.’

18   The first, who spoke about the strength of wine, began. ‘Sirs,’ he said, ‘how true it is that wine is strongest! It sends astray the wits of all who drink it; 19   king and orphan, slave and free, rich and poor, it has the same effect on them all. 20   It turns all thoughts to revelry and mirth; it brings forgetfulness of grief and debt. 21   It makes all feel rich, cares nothing for king or satrap, and makes men always talk in millions. 22   When they are in their cups, they forget to be friendly to friends and relations, and are quick to draw their swords; 23   when they have recovered from their wine, they cannot remember what they have done. 24   Sirs, is not wine the strongest, seeing that it forces men to behave in this way?’ With this he ended.

1   Then the second, the one who spoke of the strength of the king, began his speech: 2   ‘Sirs, is not man the strongest, man who masters the earth and the sea and all that is in them? 3   But the strongest of men is the king; he is their lord and master, and they obey all his commands. 4   If he bids them make war upon one another they do it; if he dispatches them against his enemies, they march and level mountains and walls and towers. 5   They kill and are killed; they do not disobey the king's order. If they are victorious they bring everything to the king, their spoils and everything else. 6   Or take those who do not serve as soldiers or go to war, but work the land: they sow and reap, and bring their produce to the king. They compel each other to bring him their tribute. 7   Though he is no more than one man, if he orders them to kill, they kill; if he orders them to release, they release; 8   he orders them to attack and they attack, to lay waste and they lay waste, 9   to build and they build, to cut down and they cut down, to plant and they plant. 10   So all his people and his troops obey him. Besides this, while he himself sits at table, eats and drinks, and goes to sleep, 11   they stand in attendance round about him and none can leave and see to his own affairs; they never disobey him in anything. 12   Sirs, of course the king must be strongest when he commands such obedience!’ So he stopped speaking.

A debate at the Persian court

13   The third, who spoke about women and truth—and this was Zerubbabel—said: 14   ‘Sirs, it is true the king is great, men are many, and wine is strong, but who rules over them? Who is the sovereign power? 15   Women, surely! The king and all his people who rule land and sea were born of women, and from them they came. 16   Women brought up the men who planted the vineyards which yield the wine. 17   They make clothes for men and they bring honour to men; men cannot do without women. 18   If they have amassed gold and silver and all kinds of beautiful things, and then see a woman with a lovely face and figure, 19   they leave all these things to gape and stare at her with open mouth, and all choose her in preference to gold or silver or beautiful things. 20   A man will desert his father who brought him up, desert even his country, and become one with his wife. 21   He forgets father, mother, and country, and stays with his wife to the end of his days. 22   Here is the proof that women are your masters: do you not toil and sweat and then bring all you earn and give it to your wives? 23   A man will take his sword and sally forth to plunder and rob, to sail on sea and river; 24   he faces lions, he travels in the dark; and when he has robbed and plundered he brings the spoil home to his beloved.

25    26   ‘A man loves his wife more than his father or mother. For women's sakes many men have been driven out of their minds, many have been sold into slavery, 27   many have died or come to grief or ruined their lives. 28   Do you believe me now? Certainly the king wields great authority; no country dare lift a finger against him. 29   Yet I watched him with Apame, his favourite concubine, daughter of the famous Bartacus. 30   She was sitting on the king's right; she took the diadem off his head and put it on her own, and slapped his face with her left hand; and the king only gazed at her open-mouthed. 31   When she laughed at him he laughed; when she was cross with him he coaxed her to make it up. 32   Sirs, if women do as well as this, how can their strength be denied?’ 33   The king and the chief men looked at one another.

34   He then went on to speak about truth: ‘Sirs, we have seen that women are strong. The earth is vast, the sky is lofty, the sun swift in his course, for he moves through the circle of the sky and speeds home in a single day. 35   How great is he who does all this! But truth too is great and stronger than all else. 36   The whole earth calls on truth; the sky praises her. All created things shake and tremble; with her there is no injustice. 37   There is injustice in wine, in kings, in

A debate at the Persian court women, in all men, and in all their works, and so forth. There is no truth in them; they shall perish in their injustice. 38   But truth abides and is strong for ever; she lives and rules for ever and ever. 39   With her there is no favouritism or partiality; she chooses to do justice rather than what is unjust and evil. 40   All approve her works; in her judgements there is no injustice. Hers are strength and royalty, the authority and majesty of all ages. Praise be to the God of truth!’

41   So he ended his speech, and all the people shouted and said, ‘Great is truth: truth is strongest!’ 42   Then the king said to him, ‘Ask what you will, even beyond what is in the writing, and I will grant it you. For you have been proved the wisest; and you shall sit by me and be called my Kinsman.’

43   Then he said to the king: ‘Remember the vow you made on the day when you came to the throne. You promised to rebuild Jerusalem 44   and to send back all the vessels taken from it which Cyrus set aside. When he vowed to destroy Babylon he also vowed to restore these vessels; 45   and you too made a vow to rebuild the temple which the Edomites burnt when Judaea was ravaged by the Chaldaeans. 46   This is the favour that I now beg of you, my lord king, this is the magnanimity I request: that you should perform the vow which you made to the King of heaven.’

47   King Darius stood up and kissed him, and wrote letters for him to all the treasurers, governors, commanders, and satraps instructing them to give safe conduct to him and to all those who were going up with him to rebuild Jerusalem. 48   To all the governors in Coele-syria and Phoenicia and in Lebanon he wrote letters ordering them to transport cedar-wood from Lebanon to Jerusalem and join with Zerubbabel in building the city. 49   He gave all Jews going up from the kingdom to Judaea letters assuring their liberties: that no officer, satrap, 50   governor, or treasurer should interfere with them, that all land which they should acquire should be immune from taxation, and that the Edomites should surrender the villages they had seized from the Jews. 51   Each year twenty talents were to be contributed to the building of the temple until it was finished, 52   and a further ten talents annually for ^note burnt-offerings to be sacrificed daily upon the altar in accordance with their law. 53    54   All those who were going from Babylonia to build the city were to enjoy freedom, and their descendants after them. He gave written orders that all the priests going

A debate at the Persian court there should also receive maintenance and the vestments in which they would officiate; 55   that the Levites too should receive maintenance, until the day when the building of the temple and Jerusalem was completed; 56   and that all who guarded the city should be given land and pay. 57   He sent back all the vessels from Babylon which Cyrus had set aside. All that Cyrus had commanded, he reaffirmed, ordering everything to be restored to Jerusalem.

58   When the young man, Zerubbabel, went out, he turned his face toward Jerusalem, looked up to heaven, and praised the King of heaven. 59   ‘From thee comes victory,’ he said, ‘from thee comes wisdom; thine is the glory and I am thy servant. 60   All praise to thee who hast given me wisdom; to thee I give thanks, O Lord of our fathers.’

61   He took the letters and set off for Babylon, where he told his fellow-Jews. 62   They praised the God of their fathers because he had 63   given them full freedom to go and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple called by his name, and they feasted for a week with music and rejoicing. The temple rebuilt

1   After this the heads of families, tribe by tribe, were chosen to go to Jerusalem, with their wives, their sons and daughters, their male and female slaves, and their pack-animals. 2   Darius sent a thousand horsemen to accompany them until they had brought them safely back to Jerusalem, 3   with a band of drums and flutes, and all their brothers dancing. So he sent them off with their escort.

4   These are the names of the men who went to Jerusalem, according to their families, tribes, and allotted duties. 5   The priests, the sons of Phineas son of Aaron, with Jeshua son of Josedek son of Saraeas, and Joakim his son; and ^note Zerubbabel son of Salathiel of the house of David of the line of Phares of the tribe of Judah, 6   who spoke wise words before Darius king of Persia. They went in the second year of his reign, in Nisan the first month.

7   Now these are the men of Judah who came up from amongst the captive exiles, those whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had

The temple rebuilt transported to Babylon. 8   They returned to Jerusalem and the rest of Judaea, each to his own city: they came with Zerubbabel and Jeshua, Nehemiah, Zaraeas, Resaeas, Enenius, Mardochaeus, Beelsarus, Aspharasus, Reelias, Romelius, and Baana, their leaders. 9   The numbers of those from the nation who returned with their leaders were: the line of Phoros two thousand one hundred and seventy-two; 10   the line of Saphat four hundred and seventy-two; the line of Ares seven hundred and fifty-six; 11   the line of Phaath-moab, deriving from the line of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve; 12   the line of Elam one thousand two hundred and fifty-four; the line of Zathui nine hundred and forty-five; the line of Chorbe seven hundred and five; the line of Banei six hundred and forty-eight; 13   the line of Bebae six hundred and twenty-three; the line of Astaa one thousand three hundred and twenty-two. 14   The line of Adonikam six hundred and sixty-seven; the line of Bagoi two thousand and sixty-six; the line of Adinus four hundred and fifty-four; the line of Ater son of Hezekias ninety-two; 15   the line of Keilan and Azetas sixty-seven; the line of Azurus four hundred and thirty-two; the line of Annias one hundred and one; 16   the line of Arom and the line of Bassa three hundred and twenty-three; the line of Arsiphurith one hundred and twelve; 17   the line of Baeterus three thousand and five. The line of Bethlomon one hundred and twenty-three; the men of Netophae fifty-five; 18   the men of Anathoth one hundred and fifty-eight; 19   the men of Bethasmoth forty-two; the men of Cariathiarius twenty-five; the men of Caphira and Beroth seven hundred and forty-three; 20   the Chadasians and Ammidaeans four hundred and twenty-two; the men of Kirama and Gabbes six hundred and twenty-one; 21   the men of Macalon one hundred and twenty-two; the men of Betolio fifty-two; the line of Phinis one hundred and fifty-six; 22   the line of Calamolalus and Onus seven hundred and twenty-five; the line of Jerechus three hundred and forty-five; 23   the line of Sanaas three thousand three hundred and thirty.

24   The priests: the line of Jeddu son of Jeshua, deriving from the line of Anasib, nine hundred and seventy-two. The line of Emmeruth one thousand and fifty-two. 25   The line of Phassurus one thousand two hundred and forty-seven. The line of Charme one thousand and seventeen.

26   The Levites: the line of Jesue, Cadmielus, Bannus, and Sudius

The temple rebuilt seventy-four. 27   The temple singers: the line of Asaph one hundred and twenty-eight.

28   The door-keepers: the line of Salum, of Atar, of Tolman, of Dacubi, of Ateta, of Sabi, in all one hundred and thirty-nine.

29   The temple-servitors: the line of Esau, of Asipha, of Taboth, of Keras, 30   of Susa, of Phaleas, of Labana, of Aggaba, of Acud, of Uta, of Ketab, of Gaba, of Subai, of Anan, of Cathua, of Geddur, of Jairus, 31   of Desan, of Noeba, of Chaseba, of Gazera, of Ozius, of Phinoe, of Asara, of Basthae, of Asana, of Maani, of Naphisi, of Acum, 32   of Achipha, of Asur, of Pharakim, of Baaloth, of Meedda, of Coutha, of Charea, of Barchue, of Serar, of Thomi, of Nasith, of Atepha. 33   The descendants of Solomon's servants: the line of Asapphioth, of Pharida, 34   of Jeeli, of Lozon, of Isdael, of Saphythi, of Hagia, of Phacareth, of Sabie, of Sarothie, of Masias, of Gas, of Addus, of Subas, of Apherra, of Barodis, of Saphat, of Adlon. 35   All the temple-servitors and the descendants of Solomon's servants numbered three hundred and seventy-two.

36   The following came from Thermeleth and Thelsas with their leaders Charaathalar and Alar, 37   and could not prove by their families and genealogies that they were Israelites: the line of Dalan, the line of Ban, and the line of Necodan six hundred and fifty-two.

38   From among the priests the claimants to the priesthood whose record could not be traced: the line of Obdia, of Accos, of Joddus, who married Augia one of the daughters of Zorzelleas, and took his name; 39   when search was made for their family record in the register it could not be traced, and so they were excluded from priestly service. 40   Nehemiah the governor ^note told them that they should not participate in the sacred offerings until a high priest arose wearing the breast-piece of Revelation and Truth.

41   They were in all: Israelites from twelve years old, not counting slaves male and female, forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty; their slaves seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; 42   musicians and singers two hundred and forty-five; 43   camels four hundred and thirty-five, horses seven thousand and thirty-six, mules two hundred and forty-five, donkeys five thousand five hundred and twenty-five.

44   Some of the heads of families, when they arrived at the temple of God in Jerusalem, made a vow to erect the house again on its site as best they could, 45   and to give to the sacred treasury for the fabric fund

The temple rebuilt one thousand minas of gold and five thousand minas of silver and one hundred vestments.

46   The priests, the Levites, and some of the people settled in Jerusalem and the neighbourhood, with the temple musicians and the door-keepers; and all Israel settled in their villages.

47   When the seventh month came and the Israelites were in their homes they gathered as one man in the broad square of the first gateway toward the east. 48   Jeshua son of Josedek and his brother priests and Zerubbabel son of Salathiel and his colleagues came forward and made ready the altar of the God of Israel, 49   to offer on it whole burnt-offerings according to the directions in the book of Moses the man of God. 50   They were joined ^note by men from the other peoples of the land and they set up the altar on its site (for the peoples in the land as a whole were hostile to them and were too strong for them); and they offered sacrifices to the Lord at the proper time, and whole burnt-offerings morning and evening. 51   They observed the Feast of Tabernacles as enjoined in the law, and the proper sacrifices day by day; 52   and thereafter the continual offerings, and sacrifices on sabbaths, at new moons, and on all solemn feasts. 53   All who had made a vow to God offered sacrifices to God from the new moon of the seventh month, although the temple of God was not yet built. 54    55   Money was paid to the stonemasons and carpenters; the Sidonians and Tyrians were supplied with food and drink, and with carts to bring cedar-trees from Lebanon, floating them down as rafts to the anchorage at Joppa, as decreed by Cyrus king of Persia.

56   In the second month of the second year, Zerubbabel son of Salathiel came to the temple of God in Jerusalem and started the work. There were with him Jeshua son of Josedek, their kinsmen, the levitical priests, and all who had come to Jerusalem from the exile; 57    and they laid the foundation of the temple of God. This was at the new moon, in the second month of the second year after they had returned to Judaea and Jerusalem. 58   The Levites from the age of twenty and upwards were set over the works of the Lord. Jeshua, his sons, his brothers, his brother Cadoel, the sons of Jeshua Emadabun, and the sons of Joda son of Iliadun with their sons and brothers, all the Levites, supervisors of the work, were active as one man on the works in the house of God. While the builders built the temple of

The temple rebuilt the Lord, 59   the priests in their vestments with musical instruments and trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with their cymbals, stood 60   singing to the Lord and praising him as David king of Israel had appointed. 61   They sang psalms praising the Lord, ‘for his goodness and glory is for ever toward all Israel’. 62   All the people blew their trumpets and gave a loud shout, singing to the Lord as the building rose.

63   The priests, the Levites, and heads of families, the older men who had seen the former house, came to the building of this one with cries of lamentation; 64   and so, while many were sounding the trumpets 65   loudly for joy—so loudly as to be heard far away—the people could not hear the trumpets for the noise of lamentation.

66   The enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard the noise of the trumpets and came to see what it meant. 67   They found the returned exiles building the temple for the Lord God of Israel; 68   they came to Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the leaders of the families, and said: ‘We will build with you; 69   for like you we obey your Lord and have sacrificed to him from the time of Asbasareth king of Assyria who transported us here.’ 70   But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the leaders of the families of Israel replied: ‘You can have no share in building the house for the Lord our God; 71   we alone will build for the Lord of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia decreed.’ 72   But the peoples of the land harassed ^note the men of Judaea, blockaded them, and interrupted the building. 73   Their plots, agitations, and riots held up the completion of the building all the lifetime of King Cyrus. They were prevented from building for two years until Darius became king.

1   In the second year of the reign of Darius, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Addo prophesied to the Jews in Judaea and Jerusalem in the name of the Lord the God of Israel. 2   Then Zerubbabel son of Salathiel and Jeshua son of Josedek began to rebuild the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. The prophets of the Lord were at their side to help them. 3   At that time Sisinnes, the governor-general of Syria and Phoenicia, with Sathrabuzanes and their colleagues, came to them and said: 4   ‘Who has authorized you to put up this building, complete with roof and everything else? Who are the builders carrying out this work?’ 5   But, thanks to the Lord who protected the returned exiles, 6   the elders of the Jews were not prevented from building during the time that Darius was being informed and directions issued.

7   Here is a copy of the letter written to Darius, and sent by Sisinnes,

The temple rebuilt the governor-general of Syria and Phoenicia, with Sathrabuzanes and their colleagues the authorities in Syria and Phoenicia:

   8   To King Darius our humble duty. Be it known to our lord the king: we visited the district of Judaea and entered the city of Jerusalem, and there we found the elders of the Jews returned from 9   exile building a great new house for the Lord with costly hewn stone and with beams set in the walls. 10   This work was being done with all speed and the undertaking was making good progress; it was being executed in great splendour and with the utmost care. 11   We then inquired of these elders by whose authority they were building this house and laying such foundations. 12   We questioned them so that we could inform you in writing who their leaders were, and asked for a list of their names. 13   They answered as follows: ‘We are servants of the Lord who made heaven and earth. 14   This house was built and completed many years ago by a great and powerful king of Israel. 15   When our fathers sinned against the heavenly Lord of Israel and provoked him, he delivered them over to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, king of the Chaldaeans; and they pulled down the house, 16   set it on fire, and took the people into exile in Babylon. 17   In the first year of the reign of King Cyrus over Babylonia, the king decreed that this house should be rebuilt. 18   The sacred vessels of gold and silver which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the house in Jerusalem, and set up in his own temple, he brought back out of the temple in Babylon and delivered to Zerubbabel and Sanabassar the governor, 19   with orders to take all these vessels and to put them in the temple at Jerusalem, and to rebuild this temple of the Lord on the same site as before. 20   Then Sanabassar came and laid the foundations of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. From then till now the building has continued and is still unfinished.’ 21   Therefore, if it is Your Majesty's pleasure, let search be made in the royal archives in Babylon, 22   and if it is found that the building of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem took place with the approval of King Cyrus, and if our lord the king so decide, let directions be issued to us on this subject.

23   Then King Darius ordered the archives in Babylon to be searched, and a scroll was found in the castle at Ecbatana in the province of Media which contained the following record:

The temple rebuilt

   24   In the first year of his reign King Cyrus ordered that the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, where they sacrifice with fire continually, should be rebuilt. 25   Its height should be sixty cubits and its breadth sixty cubits, with three courses of hewn stone to one of new local timber; the expenses to be met from the royal treasury. 26   The sacred gold and silver vessels of the house of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar removed from the house in Jerusalem, and took to Babylon, should be restored to the house in Jerusalem and replaced where they formerly were.

27   Darius therefore instructed Sisinnes, the governor-general of Syria and Phoenicia, with Sathrabuzanes, their colleagues, and the governors in office in Syria and Phoenicia, to be careful not to interfere with the place, but to allow the servant of the Lord, Zerubbabel, governor of Judaea, and the elders of the Jews to build the house of the Lord on its old site. 28   ‘I have also given instructions’, he continued, ‘that it should be completely rebuilt, and that they should not fail to co-operate with the returned exiles in Judaea until the house of the Lord is finished. 29   From the tribute of Coele-syria and Phoenicia let a contribution be duly given to these men for sacrifices to the Lord, payable to Zerubbabel the governor, for bulls, rams, and lambs; 30   and similarly wheat, salt, wine, and oil are to be provided regularly each year without question, as the priests in Jerusalem may require day by day. 31   Let all this be expended in order that sacrifices and libations may be offered to the Most High God for the king and his children, and that intercession may be made on their behalf.’ 32   He also gave these orders: ‘If anyone disobeys or neglects any of these orders written above or here set down, let a beam be taken from his own house and let him be hanged on it and his estate forfeited to the king. 33   May the Lord himself, therefore, to whom this temple is dedicated, destroy any king or people who shall lift a finger to delay or damage the Lord's house in Jerusalem. 34   I, Darius the king, decree that these orders be obeyed to the letter.’

1   Then, in accordance with the orders of King Darius, Sisinnes, governor-general of Coele-syria and Phoenicia, with Sathrabuzanes and their colleagues, 2   carefully supervised the sacred works, co-operating with the elders of the Jews and the temple officers. 3   With the encouragement of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, good progress was made with the sacred works, 4   and they were finished by

The temple rebuilt the ordinance of the Lord God of Israel and with the approval of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia. 5   It was on the twenty-third of Adar in the sixth year of King Darius that the house was completed. 6   The Israelites, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the former exiles who had joined them carried out the directions in the book of Moses. 7   For the dedication of the temple of the Lord they offered a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, 8   and twelve goats for the sin of all Israel corresponding to the twelve patriarchs of Israel. 9   The priests and the Levites in their vestments stood family by family to preside over the services of the Lord God of Israel according to the book of Moses. The door-keepers took their stand at every gateway.

10   The Israelites who had returned from exile kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. The priests and the Levites were purified together; 11   not all the returned exiles were purified with the priests, but ^note the Levites were. 12   They slaughtered the Passover victims for all the returned exiles and for their brother priests and for themselves. 13   All those Israelites participated who had returned from exile and had segregated themselves from the abominations of the peoples of the land to seek the Lord. 14   They kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days, rejoicing before the Lord; 15   for he had changed the policy of the Assyrian king towards them and strengthened them for the service of the Lord the God of Israel. Ezra in Jerusalem

1   After these events, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, came Ezra, son of Saraeas, son of Ezerias, son of Chelkias, son of Salemus, 2   son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, son of Amarias, son of Ezias, son of Mareroth, son of Zaraeas, son of Savia, son of Bocca, son of Abishua, son of Phineas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest. 3   This Ezra came from Babylon as a talented scholar in the law of Moses which had been given by the God of Israel. 4   The king held him in high regard and looked with favour upon all the requests he made. 5   He was accompanied to Jerusalem by some Israelites, priests, Levites, 6   temple singers, door-keepers, and temple-servitors, in the

Ezra in Jerusalem fifth month of the seventh year of Artaxerxes' reign. ^noteThey left Babylon at the new moon in the first month and reached Jerusalem at the new moon in the fifth month; for the Lord gave them a safe journey. 7   Ezra's knowledge of the law of the Lord and the commandments was exact in every detail, so that he could teach all Israel the ordinances and judgements.

8   The following is a copy of the mandate from King Artaxerxes to Ezra the priest, doctor of the law of the Lord:

   9   King Artaxerxes to Ezra the priest, doctor of the law of the Lord, greeting.

   10   I have graciously decided, and now command, that those of the Jewish nation and of the priests and Levites, in our kingdom, who so choose, shall go with you to Jerusalem. 11   I and my council of seven Friends have decided that all who so desire may accompany you. 12   Let them look to the affairs of Judaea and Jerusalem in pursuance of the law of the Lord, 13   and bring to Jerusalem for the Lord of Israel the gifts which I and my Friends have vowed, all the gold and silver in Babylonia that may be found to belong to the Lord in Jerusalem, 14   together with what has been given by the nation for the temple of the Lord their God in Jerusalem. Let the gold and silver be expended upon ^note bulls, rams, lambs, and so forth, 15   so that sacrifices may be offered upon the altar of the Lord their God in Jerusalem. 16   Make use of the gold and silver in whatever ways you and your colleagues desire, according to the will of your God, 17   and deliver the sacred vessels of the Lord which have been given you for the use of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.

   18   Any other expenses that you may incur for the needs of the temple of your God you shall defray from the royal treasury. 19   I, Artaxerxes the king, direct the treasurers of Syria and Phoenicia to give without fail to Ezra the priest, doctor of the law of the Most High God, 20   whatever he may request up to a hundred talents of silver, and similarly up to a hundred sacks of wheat and a hundred casks of wine, and salt without limit. 21   Let him diligently fulfil in honour of the Most High God all the requirements of God's law, so that divine displeasure may not befall the kingdom of the king and of his descendants. 22   You are also informed that no tax or other

Ezra in Jerusalem impost is to be laid on the priests, the Levites, the temple singers, the door-keepers, the temple-servitors, and the lay officers of this temple; no one is permitted to impose any burden on them. 23   You, Ezra, under God's guidance, are to appoint judges and magistrates to judge all who know the law of your God in all Syria and Phoenicia; you yourself shall see to the instruction of those who do not know it. 24   All who transgress the law of your God and of the king shall be duly punished with death, degradation, fine, or exile.

25   Then Ezra said: All praise to the Lord alone, who put this into the king's mind, to glorify his house in Jerusalem. 26   He singled me out for honour before the king, his counsellors, and all his Friends and dignitaries. 27   I took courage from the help of the Lord my God and gathered men of Israel to go up with me.

28   These are the leaders according to clans and divisions who went with me from Babylon to Jerusalem in the reign of King Artaxerxes: from the line of Phineas, Gershom; 29   from the line of Ithamar, Gamael; 30   from the line of David, Attus son of Sechenias; from the line of Phoros, Zacharias and a hundred and fifty men with him according to the register; 31   from the line of Phaath-moab, Eliaonias son of Zaraeas and with him two hundred men; 32   from the line of Zathoe, Sechenias son of Jezelus and with him three hundred men; from the line of Adin, Obeth son of Jonathan and with him two hundred and fifty men; 33   from the line of Elam, Jessias son of Gotholias and with him seventy men; 34   from the line of Sophotias, Zaraeas son of Michael and with him seventy men; 35   from the line of Joab, Abadias son of Jezelus and with him two hundred and twelve men; 36   from the line of Bani, Assalimoth son of Josaphias and with him a hundred and sixty men; 37   from the line of Babi, Zacharias son of Bebae and with him twenty-eight men; 38   from the line of Astath, Joannes son of Hacatan and with him a hundred and ten men; 39   last came those from the line of Adonikam, by name Eliphalatus, Jeuel, and Samaeas, and with them seventy men; 40   from the line of Bago, Uthi son of Istalcurus and with him seventy men.

41   I assembled them at the river called Theras, where we encamped for three days, and I inspected them. 42   As I found no one there who was of priestly or levitical descent, 43   I sent to Eleazar, Iduelus, Maasmas, 44   Elnathan, Samaeas, Joribus, Nathan, Ennatas, Zacharias, and Mosollamus, who were prominent and discerning men. 45   I told

Ezra in Jerusalem them to go to Doldaeus the chief man at the treasury. 46   I instructed them to speak with Doldaeus, his colleagues, and the treasurers there, and ask them to send us priests to officiate in the house of our Lord. 47   Under the providence of God they brought us discerning men from the line of Mooli son of Levi son of Israel, Asebebias and his sons and brothers, 48   eighteen men in all, also Asebias and Annunus and Hosaeas his brother. Those of the line of Chanunaeus and their sons amounted to twenty men; 49   and those of the temple-servitors whom David and the leading men appointed for the service of the Levites amounted to two hundred and twenty. A register of all these names was compiled.

50   There I made a vow that the young men should fast before our Lord to beg him to give us a safe journey for ourselves, our children who accompanied us, and our pack-animals. 51   I was ashamed to ask the king for an escort of infantry and cavalry against our enemies; 52   for we had told the king that the strength of our Lord would ensure success for those who looked to him. 53   So once more we laid all these things before our Lord in prayer and found him gracious.

54   I set apart twelve men from among the heads of the priestly families, and with them Sarabias and Asamias and ten of their brother priests. 55   I weighed out for them the silver, the gold, and the sacred vessels of the house of our Lord; these had been presented by the king himself, his counsellors, the chief men, and all Israel. 56   When I had weighed it all I handed over to them six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and vessels of silver weighing a hundred talents, a hundred talents of gold, 57   and twenty pieces of gold plate, and twelve vessels of brass so fine that it gleamed like gold. 58   I said to them: ‘You are consecrated to the Lord, and so are the vessels; the silver and the gold are vowed to the Lord, the Lord of our fathers. 59   Be vigilant and keep guard until you hand them over at Jerusalem, in the priests' rooms in the house of our Lord, to the heads of the priestly and levitical families and to the leaders of the clans of Israel.’ 60   The priests and the Levites who received the silver, the gold, and the vessels in Jerusalem brought them to the temple of the Lord.

61   We left the river Theras on the twelfth day of the first month, and under the powerful protection which our Lord gave us we reached Jerusalem. He guarded us against every enemy on our journey, and so we arrived at Jerusalem. 62   Three days passed, and on the fourth the silver and gold were weighed and handed over in the house of our

Ezra in Jerusalem Lord to the priest Marmathi son of Uri, 63   with whom was Eleazar son of Phineas. With them also were the Levites Josabdus son of Jeshua and Moeth son of Sabannus. Everything was numbered and weighed and every weight recorded there and then. 64    65   The returned exiles offered sacrifices to the Lord the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, 66   with ninety-six rams and seventy-two lambs, and also twelve goats for a peace-offering, the whole as a sacrifice to the Lord. 67   They delivered the king's orders to the royal treasurers and the governors of Coele-syria and Phoenicia, and so added lustre to the nation and the temple of the Lord.

68   When these matters had been settled the leaders came to me and said: 69   ‘The nation of Israel, the rulers, the priests, and the Levites, have not kept themselves apart from the alien population of the land with all their pollutions, that is to say the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Edomites. 70   For they and their sons have intermarried with the daughters of these peoples, and the holy race has been mingled with the alien population of the land; and the leaders and principal men have shared in this violation of the law from the very beginning.’

71   As soon as I heard of this I tore my clothes and sacred vestment, plucked out the hair of my head and my beard, and sat down perplexed and miserable. 72   Those who at that time were moved by the word of the Lord of Israel gathered round me, while I grieved over this disregard of the law, and sat in my misery until the evening sacrifice. 73   Then I rose from my fast with my clothes and sacred vestment torn, 74   and knelt down and, stretching out my hands to the Lord, said:

‘O Lord, I am covered with shame and confusion in thy presence. 75    76   Our sins tower above our heads; from the time of our fathers our offences have reached the sky, and today we are as deep in sin as ever. 77   Because of our sins and the sins of our fathers, we and our brothers, our kings and our priests, were given over to the kings of the earth to be killed, taken prisoner, plundered, and humiliated down to this very day. 78   And now, Lord, how great is the mercy thou hast shown us! We still have a root and a name in the place of thy sanctuary, 79   and thou hast rekindled our light in the house of our Lord, and given us food in the time of our servitude. 80   Even when we were slaves we were not deserted by our Lord; for he secured for us

Ezra in Jerusalem the favour of the kings of Persia, 81   who have provided our food and added lustre to the temple of our Lord and restored the ruins of Zion, giving us a firm foothold in Judaea and Jerusalem. 82   And now, Lord, what are we to say, we who have received all this? For we have broken thy commandments given us through thy servants the prophets. 83   Thou didst say: “The land which you are to occupy is a land defiled with the pollution of its heathen peoples; they have filled it with their impurities. 84   Do not marry your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters for your sons; 85   never try to make peace with them if you want to be strong and enjoy the good things of the land and take possession of it for your children for ever.” 86   All our misfortunes have come upon us through our evil deeds and our great sins. Although thou, Lord, hast lightened the burden of our sins and given us so firm a root, 87   yet we have fallen away again and broken thy law by sharing in the impurities of the heathen peoples of this land. 88   But thou wast not so angry with us, Lord, as to destroy us, root, seed, and name; 89   thou keepest faith, O Lord of Israel; the root is left, we are here today. 90   Behold us, now before thee in our sins; because of all we have done we can no longer hold up our heads before thee.’

91   While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping prostrate on the ground before the temple, a very large crowd gathered, men, women, and youths of Jerusalem, and there was widespread lamentation among the people. 92   Jechonias son of Jeel, one of the Israelites, called out to Ezra: ‘We have sinned against the Lord in taking alien wives from the heathen population of this land; and yet there is still hope for Israel. 93   Let us take an oath to the Lord to expel all our wives of alien race with their children, 94   in accordance with your judgement and the judgement of all who are obedient to the law of the Lord. 95   Come now, set about it, it is in your hands; take strong action and we are with you.’ 96   Ezra got up and laid an oath upon the principal priests and Levites of all Israel that they would act in this way, and they swore to it.

1   Ezra left the court of the temple and entered the room of the priest Joanan son of Eliasibus. 2   There he stayed, eating no food and drinking no water, while he mourned over the serious violations of the law by the community. 3   A proclamation was made throughout Judaea and in Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should assemble at Jerusalem; 4   those who failed to arrive within two or three days, according to the decision of the elders in office, were to have their

Ezra in Jerusalem cattle confiscated for temple use and would themselves be excluded from the community of the returned exiles.

5   Three days later all Judah and Benjamin had assembled in Jerusalem; the date was the twentieth of the ninth month. 6   They all sat together in the open space before the temple, shivering because winter had set in. 7   Ezra stood up and said to them: ‘You have broken the law and married alien wives, bringing a fresh burden of guilt on Israel. 8    9   Now make confession to the Lord God of our fathers; do his will and separate yourselves from the heathen population of this land and from your alien wives.’

10   The whole company answered with a shout: ‘We will do as you have said!’ 11   ‘But,’ they said, ‘our numbers are great, and we cannot stay here in the open in this wintry weather. Nor is this the work of a day or two only; the offence is widespread among us. 12   Let the leaders of the community stay here, and let all members of our settlements 13   who have alien wives attend at an appointed time along with the elders and judges of each place, until we turn away the Lord's anger at what has been done.’

14   Jonathan son of Azael and Hezekias son of Thocanus took charge on these terms, and Mosollamus, Levi, and Sabbataeus were their assessors. 15   The returned exiles duly carried all this out.

16   Ezra the priest selected men by name, all chiefs of their clans, and on the new moon of the tenth month they sat to investigate the matter. 17   This affair of the men who had alien wives was settled by the new moon of the first month.

18   Among the priests some of those who had come together were found to have alien wives; 19   these were Mathelas, Eleazar, Joribus, and Joadanus of the line of Jeshua son of Josedek and his brothers, 20   who undertook to send away their wives and to offer rams in expiation of their error. 21   Of the line of Emmer: Ananias, Zabdaeus, Manes, Samaeus, Jereel, and Azarias; 22   of the line of Phaesus: Elionas, Massias, Ishmael, Nathanael, Okidelus, and Saloas. 23   Of the Levites: Jozabadus, Semis, Colius (this is Calitas), Phathaeus, Judah, and Jonas. 24    25   Of the temple singers: Eliasibus, Bacchurus. Of the door-keepers: Sallumus and Tolbanes.

26   Of the people of Israel there were, of the line of Phoros: Jermas, Jeddias, Melchias, Maelus, Eleazar, Asibias, and Bannaeas. 27   Of the line of Ela: Matthanias, Zacharias, Jezrielus, Oabdius, Jeremoth, and Aedias. 28   Of the line of Zamoth: Eliadas, Eliasimus, Othonias,

Ezra in Jerusalem Jarimoth, Sabathus, and Zardaeas. 29   Of the line of Bebae: Joannes, Ananias, Ozabadus, and Emathis. 30   Of the line of Mani: Olamus, Mamuchus, Jedaeus, Jasubus, Asaelus, and Jeremoth. 31   Of the line of Addi: Naathus, Moossias, Laccunus, Naidus, Matthanias, Sesthel, Balnuus, and Manasseas. 32   Of the line of Annas: Elionas, Asaeas, Melchias, Sabbaeas, and Simon Chosomaeus. 33   Of the line of Asom: Altannaeus, Mattathias, Bannaeus, Eliphalat, Manasses, and Semi. 34   Of the line of Baani: Jeremias, Momdis, Ismaerus, Juel, Mandae, Paedias, Anos, Carabasion, Enasibus, Mamnitanaemus, Eliasis, Bannus, Eliali, Somis, Selemias, and Nathanias. Of the line of Ezora: Sessis, Ezril, Azael, Samatus, Zambris, and Josephus. 35   Of the line of Nooma: Mazitias, Zabadaeas, Edaes, Juel, and Banaeas. 36   All these had married alien wives; they sent them away with their children.

37   The priests, the Levites, and such Israelites as were in Jerusalem and its vicinity, settled down there on the new moon of the seventh month; the other Israelites remained in their settlements. 38   The entire body assembled as one in the open space before the east gateway of 39   the temple and asked Ezra the high priest and doctor of the law to bring the law of Moses given by the Lord God of Israel. 40   On the new moon of the seventh month he brought the law to all the multitude of men and women alike, and to the priests, for them to hear. 41   He read it in the open space before the temple gateway from daybreak until noon, in the presence of both men and women, and the whole body listened intently. 42   Ezra the priest and doctor of the law stood upon the wooden platform which had been prepared. 43   There stood with him, on his right, Mattathias, Sammus, Ananias, Azarias, Urias, Hezekias, and Baalsamus, 44   and on his left, Phaldaeus, Misael, Melchias, Lothasubus, Nabarias, and Zacharias. 45   Ezra took up the book of the law; everyone could see him, for he was seated in a conspicuous place in front of them all, and when he opened it they all stood up. 46   Ezra praised the Lord God the Most High God of hosts, the Almighty. 47   All the multitude cried ‘Amen, Amen’, and lifting up their hands fell to the ground and worshipped the Lord. 48   Jeshua, Annus, Sarabias, Jadinus, Jacubus, Sabbataeas, Autaeas, Maeannas, Calitas, Azarias, Jozabdus, Ananias, and Phiathas, the Levites, taught the law of the Lord; they read the law of the Lord to the whole company, at the same time instilling into their minds what was read.

Ezra in Jerusalem

49   Then the governor ^note said to Ezra the high priest and doctor of the law and to each of the Levites who taught the multitude: 50   ‘This day is holy to the Lord.’ 51   All were weeping as they heard the law. ‘Go then, refresh yourselves with rich food and sweet wine, and send shares to those who have none; for the day is holy to the Lord. 52   Let there be no sadness; for the Lord will give you glory.’ 53   The Levites issued the command to all the people: 54   ‘This day is holy, do not be sad.’ So they all departed to eat and drink and make merry, and to send shares to those who had none, and to hold a great celebration; 55   because the teaching given them had been instilled into their minds.

They gathered together. ^note

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