eng_aiv Amundson Interpretive Version Ezra Ezra Ezra Ezra Ezra id=eng_aiv name=Amundson Interpretive Version (AIV) status=draft spec=USFM-USX 3.1.1 export=2026-11-02 char:add=translator-addition-italic char:wj=words-of-Jesus-as-received-unmapped note:f=footnotes para:r=parallel-passage-references para:d=psalm-superscriptions The Proclamation of Cyrus (2 Chronicles 36:22–23; Isaiah 45:1–25) And in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of YHWH by the mouth of Jeremiah, YHWH stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and he caused to pass over a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also in writing, saying, “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘All the kingdoms of the earth YHWH, God of the heavens, has given to me, and He has commanded to me to build for Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is among you⁺ of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of YHWH, God of Israel—He is the God who is in Jerusalem. And whoever is left in any place where he is a sojourner, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with livestock, along with the freewill offerings for the house of God, which is in Jerusalem.’” And the heads of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin arose, and the priests, and the Levites, with all whose spirit God had moved to go up and build the house of YHWH, which is in Jerusalem. And all around them strengthened their hands with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, and with livestock, and with precious things, in addition to all that was freely offered. Cyrus Restores the Holy Vessels And King Cyrus brought out the articles of the house of YHWH that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem, and he put them in the temple of his gods. And Cyrus king of Persia brought them out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and he counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.1.8 That is, the leader of the exiles returning to Judah And these are their numbers: Gold dishes,1.9 Or basins; twice in this verse thirty; silver dishes, a thousand; knives, nine and twenty; gold bowls, thirty; bowls of silver, seconds, four hundred and ten; other articles, a thousand. All the articles of the gold and of the silver were five thousand and four hundred. All this Sheshbazzar brought up with the going up of the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem. The List of Returning Exiles (Nehemiah 7:4–69) And these are the sons of the province who came back from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each man to his city, who came in with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: 2.2 Parallel text at Nehemiah 7:7 who came in with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah The sons of Parosh, two thousand one hundred seventy-two. The sons of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy-two. The sons of Arah, seven hundred five and seventy. The sons of Pahath-moab (of the sons of Jeshua and Joab), two thousand eight hundred and twelve. The sons of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty-four. The sons of Zattu, nine hundred and forty-five. The sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty. The sons of Bani, six hundred forty-two. 2.10 Bani is a variant of Binnui; see Nehemiah 7:15. The sons of Bebai, six hundred twenty-three. The sons of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty-two. The sons of Adonikam, six hundred sixty-six. The sons of Bigvai, two thousand fifty-six. The sons of Adin, four hundred fifty-four. The sons of Ater (of Hezekiah), ninety-eight. The sons of Bezai, three hundred twenty-three. The sons of Jorah, a hundred and twelve. 2.18 Jorah is a variant of Hariph; see Nehemiah 7:24. The sons of Hashum, two hundred twenty-three. The sons of Gibbar, ninety-five. 2.20 Gibbar is a variant of Gibeon; see Nehemiah 7:25. The sons of Bethlehem, a hundred twenty-three. The men of Netophah, fifty-six. The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty-eight. The sons of Azmaveth, forty-two. 2.24 Azmaveth is a variant of Beth-azmaveth; see Nehemiah 7:28. The sons of Kiriath-jearim,2.25 LXX (see also Nehemiah 7:29); Hebrew Kiriath-arim Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three. The sons of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty-one. The men of Michmas, a hundred twenty-two. The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty-three. The sons of Nebo, fifty-two. The sons of Magbish, a hundred fifty-six. The sons of the other Elam,2.31 Or of West Elam a thousand two hundred fifty-four. The sons of Harim, three hundred and twenty. The sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty-five. The sons of Jericho, three hundred forty-five. The sons of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty. The priests: The sons of Jedaiah (of the house of Jeshua), nine hundred seventy-three. The sons of Immer, a thousand fifty-two. The sons of Pashhur, a thousand two hundred forty-seven. The sons of Harim, a thousand and seventeen. The Levites: The sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel (of the sons of Hodaviah), seventy-four. 2.40 Hodaviah is a variant of Hodevah; see Nehemiah 7:43. The singers: The sons of Asaph, a hundred twenty-eight. The sons of the gatekeepers: The sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, and the sons of Shobai, in all a hundred thirty-nine. The Nethinim:2.43 That is, The temple servants; also in verses 58 and 70 The sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, the sons of Keros, the sons of Siaha, the sons of Padon, 2.44 Siaha is a variant of Sia; see Nehemiah 7:47. the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hagab, the sons of Shalmai,2.46 Alternate MT reading (see also Nehemiah 7:48); the other alternate reads Shamlai the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai, the sons of Asnah, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephusim, 2.50 Nephusim is a variant of Nephushesim; see Nehemiah 7:52. the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, the sons of Bazluth, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, 2.52 Bazluth is a variant of Bazlith; see Nehemiah 7:54. the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, the sons of Neziah, and the sons of Hatipha. The sons of the servants of Solomon: The sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Peruda, 2.55 Peruda is a variant of Perida; see Nehemiah 7:57. the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, and the sons of Ami. 2.57 Ami is a variant of Amon; see Nehemiah 7:59. All the Nethinim and the sons of the servants of Solomon were three hundred ninety-two. And these were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, and they were not able to declare the house of their fathers and their seed, whether they were of Israel. 2.59 Addan is a variant of Addon; see Nehemiah 7:61. The sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, and the sons of Nekoda, six hundred fifty-two. And of the sons of the priests: The sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Koz, and the sons of Barzillai (who took a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and he was called by their name). These sought their record among those reckoning themselves by genealogy, and they were not found, and they were defiled from the priesthood. And the Tirshatha said to them that they should not eat from the holy of holies2.63 Or the most holy until a priest stood for Urim and for Thummim.2.63 That is, Lights and Perfections All the assembly was as one, four myriad two thousand three hundred and sixty, besides their menservants and their maidservants; these were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven. And to them were two hundred singers and songstresses. Their horses were seven hundred thirty-six, their mules two hundred forty-five, their camels four hundred thirty-five, and the donkeys six thousand seven hundred and twenty. Offerings by the Exiles (Exodus 38:21–31; Nehemiah 7:70–73) And some of the heads of the fathers, in their coming in to the house of YHWH which is in Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to establish it in its place. According to their ability, they gave to the treasure of the work six myriads and a thousand darics of gold,2.69 Or 61,000 gold drachmas; that is, approximately 1,129.7 pounds or 512.4 kilograms of gold coins and five thousand minas of silver,2.69 5,000 minas is approximately 3.14 tons or 2.85 metric tons of silver. and a hundred priestly garments. And the priests dwelt—and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim—in their cities, and all Israel2.70 Or and the rest of the Israelites in their cities. Sacrifices Restored And the seventh month had come, and the sons of Israel were in the cities, and the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem. And Jeshua son of Jozadak arose, and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and his brothers, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer on it burnt offerings, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 3.2 Jozadak is a variant of Jehozadak; also in verse 8; see 1 Chronicles 6:14. And they set the altar on its bases despite the dread upon them of the people of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings on it to YHWH, burnt offerings at the morning and at the evening. And they kept the Feast of Booths,3.4 That is, Sukkot, the autumn feast of pilgrimage to Jerusalem; also translated as the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Shelters and originally called the Feast of Ingathering (see Exodus 23:16 and Exodus 34:22). as it is written, and the burnt offering day by day by number according to the ordinance, the matter of a day in its day, and afterward the continual burnt offering, and for New Moons, and for all the appointed feasts of YHWH that were consecrated, and for everyone who freely offered a freewill offering to YHWH. From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to YHWH, and the temple of YHWH had not been founded. And they gave silver to the masons and to the carpenters, and food and drink and oil to the Sidonians and to the Tyrians, to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, by permission of Cyrus king of Persia concerning them. Temple Restoration Begins In the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, and in the second month, began Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those coming out of the captivity to Jerusalem. And they appointed the Levites, from a son of twenty years and above, to oversee upon the work of the house of YHWH. And Jeshua arose, and his sons and brothers, and Kadmiel and his sons (the sons of Judah),3.9 That is, most likely, Yehudah, a variant of Judah and another name for Hodevah or Hodaviah; see Ezra 2:40 and Nehemiah 7:43. as one, to oversee upon those doing the work in the house of God—the sons of Henadad, and their sons and their brothers the Levites. And the builders of the temple of YHWH laid the foundation, and they stood—the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph with cymbals—to praise YHWH according to the ordinance of David king of Israel. And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to YHWH: “For He is good, even to forever His loving devotion3.11 Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant. is over Israel.” And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised YHWH, because the house of YHWH had been founded. And many of the priests, and the Levites, and the heads of the fathers, the aged who had seen the first temple, when this temple had been founded before their eyes, wept in a loud voice. And many shouted for joy, lifting up the voice. And the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted in a loud shout, and the sound was heard even to afar off. Adversaries Hinder the Work And the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the sons of the captivity were building the temple of YHWH, God of Israel, and they came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers and said to them, “Let us build with you⁺, for like you⁺, we seek your⁺ God, and to Him we have sacrificed since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up us here.” And Zerubbabel said to them, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers of Israel, “Nothing is to you⁺ and to us to build a house for our God, but we alone will build to YHWH, God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.” And it came to pass, the people of the land tried to make feeble the hands of the people of Judah, and they troubled them in building and hired against them counselors to frustrate their counsel all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, until the reign of Darius king of Persia. Opposition under Xerxes and Artaxerxes And in the reign of Ahasuerus,4.6 Or Xerxes in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against those dwelling in Judah and Jerusalem. And in the days of Artaxerxes, wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabel, and the rest of his companions, to Artaxerxes king of Persia, and the letter was written in Aramaic and translated in Aramaic.4.7 The original text of Ezra 4:8 through Ezra 6:18 is in Aramaic. Rehum the owner of the command and Shimshai the scribe wrote one letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes, thus: Then Rehum the owner of the command, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, Dinaites, and Apharsathchites, Tarpelites, Apharsites, Archevites, Babylonians, Susanchites who are Elamite, and the rest of the nations whom the great and honorable Osnappar removed and settled them in the city of Samaria, and the remainder beyond the River,4.10 Aramaic Osnappar is another name for Ashurbanipal and now. 4.10 That is, west of the Euphrates; also in verses 11, 16, 17, and 20 (This is a copy of the letter that they sent to him:) To Artaxerxes the king, from your servants, the men beyond the River, and now, be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have come to Jerusalem; the rebellious and wicked city they are building, and its walls they are finishing, and the foundations they are repairing. Now be it known to the king that if this city is built and the walls are completed, tax, tribute, and custom they will not pay, and the treasury of the king will be diminished. Now according to all that the salt of the palace is our salt,4.14 Or Now because we are in the service of the palace and the nakedness of the king it was not proper for us to see, on account of this we have sent and informed the king, that he may search in the book of the records of your fathers. And you will find in the book of the records, and you will know that this city is a rebellious city, causing loss to kings and provinces, and that they have incited sedition within the city from the days of old. On account of this was this city destroyed. We are making known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, upon this, dominion beyond the River is not unto you. The Decree of Artaxerxes The king sent an answer: To Rehum the owner of the command, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria and the remainder beyond the River, Peace. And now, the letter that you⁺ sent to us has been read clearly before me. And I made a decree, and a search has been made, and it was found that this city in former times has revolted against kings, and rebellion and sedition have been made in it. And there have been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all beyond the River; and tax, tribute, and custom were paid to them. Now give the command to make these men cease, that this city may not be built until a decree is made by me. And take heed of negligence to do upon this. Why should the damage become great to the harm of the kings? Then from the time that the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem against the Jews, and made them cease by force and strength. Then ceased the work of the house of God that is in Jerusalem. And it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. Temple Rebuilding Resumes (Haggai 1:1–11) And prophesied the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo, to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak5.2 Jozadak is a variant of Jehozadak; see 1 Chronicles 6:14. rose up, and they began to build the house of God that is in Jerusalem—and with them the prophets of God supporting them. At the same time came to them Tattenai, governor beyond the River,5.3 That is, west of the Euphrates; also in verse 6 and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and thus spoke to them: “Who has made to you⁺ a decree to build this house and to finish this wall?” Then accordingly they said5.4 LXX and Syriac; Aramaic we said to them, “What are the names of the men who are constructing this building?” And the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease until a report came to Darius, and a letter was returned concerning this. Tattenai’s Letter to Darius This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor beyond the River, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions, the Apharsachites who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king. They sent a letter to him, and this was written in it: To Darius the king, all peace. Be it Known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, and it is being built with rolled stones, and timber is being laid in the walls, and this work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands. Then we asked these elders, and thus we spoke to them: “Who made for you⁺ a decree to build this house and to finish this wall?” And also their names we asked of them, to inform you, that we might write the names of the men who were at their head. And thus they returned us an answer, saying, “We are servants of the God of the heavens and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years before this, and a great king of Israel built it and completed it. But after that our fathers provoked to wrath the God of the heavens, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon the Chaldean, and this house he destroyed, and the people he removed to Babylon. But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God. And also the vessels of the house of God, of gold and silver, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and carried them into the temple5.14 Or palace of Babylon, Cyrus the king took them from the temple of Babylon, and they were given to one named Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor. And he said to him, ‘Lift up these articles, go, put them down in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its place.’ Then this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and from then on and even until now it is being built, and it is not finished.” And now if it is good to the king, let a search be made in the house of the treasure of the king that is there in Babylon, whether it is that by King Cyrus a decree was issued to build this house of God in Jerusalem, and let us send the will of the king concerning this. The Decree of Darius Then Darius the king made a decree, and they searched in the house of the books of the treasuries placed there in Babylon. And was found at Achmetha, in a palace that is in the province of Media, one scroll, and thus was written in it: Memorandum: In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree about the house of God in Jerusalem: Let the house be rebuilt, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let its foundations be firmly laid—its height sixty cubits, and its width sixty cubits,6.3 The house was to be approximately 90 feet or 27.4 meters in height and width; Syriac (see also 1 Kings 6:2) It is to be sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high. with three rows of rolled stones, and a row of new timber, and let the expenses be paid from the house of the king. And also let the vessels of the house of God, of gold and silver, that Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple that is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and taken back to the temple that is in Jerusalem, each to its place, and put them down in the house of God. Now: Tattenai the governor beyond the river,6.6 That is, west of the Euphrates; similarly in verses 8 and 13 Shethar-bozenai, and your companions, the Apharsachites who are beyond the River: Be far away from there. Leave alone the work of this house of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God on its site. And a decree is made by me for what it is that you⁺ shall do for the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: Of the riches of the king that are of the tribute beyond the river, let the expense be paid diligently and given to these men, so that they are not hindered. And what they need, whether sons of bulls, or rams, or lambs for burnt offerings to the God of the heavens, wheat, salt, wine, or oil, according to the word of the priests who are in Jerusalem, let it be given to them day by day, that is without neglect, that they may offer sacrifice of sweet aroma to the God of the heavens and pray for the life of the king and his sons. And from me is set a decree that any man who changes this command, let a timber be pulled from his house and raised up, and let him be hanged on it, and let his house be made a dunghill because of this. And may the God who caused His name to dwell there destroy any king or people who put their hand to alter it, or to destroy this house of God that is in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have set a decree; let it diligently be done. The Temple Completed Then Tattenai the governor beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, thus did diligently. And the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo. And they built and finished it by the decree of the God of Israel, and by the decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. And this temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar,6.15 Adar is the twelfth month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of February and March. which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. Dedication of the Temple And the sons of Israel made—and the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the sons of the captivity—the dedication of this house of God with joy. And they offered sacrifices for the dedication of this house of God, a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and twelve male goats as a sin offering for all Israel, by the number of the tribes of Israel. And they assigned the priests in their divisions, and Levites in their groups, over the service of God that is in Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses. The Returned Exiles Keep the Passover And the sons of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth of the first month. For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves as one; all of them were pure. And they slaughtered the Passover for all the sons of the captivity, and for their brothers the priests, and for themselves. And the sons of Israel who had returned from the captivity, with all who had separated themselves from the filth of the peoples of the land to them, to seek YHWH, God of Israel, ate together, 6.21 Or nations and they kept the Feast of the Unleavened6.22 That is, the seven-day period after the Passover during which no leaven may be eaten; see Exodus 12:14–20. seven days with joy, for YHWH had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. Ezra Arrives in Jerusalem And after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest— Ezra himself came up from Babylon, and he was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which YHWH, God of Israel, had given. And the king granted him, according to the hand of YHWH his God upon him, all his request, and came up some of the sons of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim,7.7 That is, the temple servants; also in verse 24 to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, that was in the seventh year of the king. For on the first of the first month he began the ascent from Babylon, and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of YHWH, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances. Artaxerxes’ Letter for Ezra And this is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a scribe of the words of the commandments of YHWH and of His statutes to Israel:7.11 The original text of Ezra 7:12–26 is in Aramaic. Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Law of the God of the heavens: Peace and now. 7.12 Or Greetings I issue a decree that everyone who is willing in my kingdom from the people of Israel—and the priests and Levites, to go up to Jerusalem with you—go. All according to that from before the king and his seven counselors, you are sent to inquire concerning Judah and concerning Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God which is in your hand, and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, and all the silver and gold that you may find in all the province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and the priests offering willingly for the house of their God that is in Jerusalem. All that diligently buy therefore with this silver: Bulls, rams, lambs, and their grain offerings, and their drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your⁺ God that is in Jerusalem. And that which to you and your brothers seems good to do with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your⁺ God, do it. And the vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem. And the rest of what is needed for the house of your God, which you may have occasion to give, you are to give from the house of the treasury of the king. And by me—I, Artaxerxes the king—is made a decree to all treasurers who are beyond the River,7.21 That is, west of the Euphrates; also in verse 25 that all that Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of the heavens, may ask of you⁺, let it be done diligently. Up to a hundred talents of silver,7.22 100 talents is approximately 3.77 tons or 3.42 metric tons of silver. and a hundred cors of wheat,7.22 100 cors is approximately 624 bushels or 22,000 liters (probably about 19.2 tons or 17.4 metric tons of wheat). and a hundred baths of wine,7.22 100 baths is approximately 580 gallons or 2,200 liters of wine. and a hundred baths of oil,7.22 Or 100 baths of olive oil; that is, approximately 580 gallons or 2,200 liters and salt that is not written, all that is by the decree of the God of the heavens, let it be done diligently for the house of the God of the heavens. For why should there be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons? And to you⁺ we inform that on any of the priests and Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, or servants of the house of God, there is no authority to impose this tax, tribute, or custom. And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, all knowing the law of your God. And he who has not known, you⁺ shall cause to know. And whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king diligently, let judgment be done on him, whether death, or banishment, or confiscation of goods, or bonds. Ezra Blesses God Blessed be YHWH, God of our fathers, who has put such as this in the heart of the king, to beautify the house of YHWH that is in Jerusalem, and has extended to me mercy before the face of the king, and his counselors, and before all the mighty princes of the king. And I was encouraged as the hand of YHWH my God was upon me, and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me. The Exiles Who Returned with Ezra And these are the heads of their fathers and the genealogy of those going up with me, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king, from Babylon: Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom; of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel; of the sons of David, Hattush of the sons of Shechaniah; of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him were registered a hundred and fifty males; of the sons of Pahath-moab, Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males; of the sons of Zattu, Shechaniah son of Jahaziel,8.5 Some LXX manuscripts (see also 1 Esdras 8:32); Hebrew of the sons of Shecaniah, son of Jahaziel and with him three hundred males; and of the sons of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males; and of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males; and of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him eighty males; of the sons of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males; and of the sons of Bani, Shelomith son of Josiphiah,8.10 Some LXX manuscripts (see also 1 Esdras 8:36); Hebrew of the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah and with him a hundred and sixty males; and of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him twenty-eight males; and of the sons of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him a hundred and ten males; and of the later8.13 Or the last sons of Adonikam—and these are their names—Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them sixty males; and of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zaccur,8.14 LXX, Syriac, and an alternate MT reading; the other alternate reads Zabbud. and with them seventy males; Ezra Sends for the Levites and I gathered them to the river that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And I considered about the people and the priests, and from the sons of Levi I found none there. And I sent for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan,8.16 Elnathan appears three times in verse, either as a repetition for emphasis or as a record of multiple men with this name. and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam—leaders—and for Joiarib and Elnathan—men of understanding. And I sent them to Iddo the leader in the place at Casiphia, and I told them what they should say to Iddo and his brothers the Nethinim8.17 That is, the temple servants; also in verse 20 at Casiphia the place, that they should bring to us those ministering for the house of our God. And they brought to us by the good hand of our God upon us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel, Sherebiah, and his sons and his brothers, eighteen; and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers, and their sons, twenty; and also of the Nethinim, whom David and the leaders had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim. All of them were designated by name. Fasting for Protection And I proclaimed there a fast at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before the face of our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and for our little ones and for all our possessions. For I was ashamed to ask of the king a force and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those who seek Him for good, and His strength and His wrath are against all forsaking Him.” And we fasted and sought from our God for this, and He was entreated of us. Priests to Guard the Offerings And I separated twelve of the leaders of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and with them ten of their brothers. And I weighed out to them the silver and the gold and the articles, the contribution of the house of our God, which the king, and his counselors, and his princes, and all Israel—those present—had offered. And I weighed into their hands, six hundred and fifty talents of silver,8.26 650 talents is approximately 24.5 tons or 22.2 metric tons of silver. and a hundred talents of articles of silver8.26 100 talents is approximately 3.77 tons or 3.42 metric tons of silver articles. a hundred talents of gold,8.26 100 talents is approximately 3.77 tons or 3.42 metric tons of gold. and twenty gold bowls of a thousand drachmas,8.27 Or worth 1,000 drachmas; that is, approximately 18.5 pounds or 8.4 kilograms of gold and two vessels of fine polished bronze as precious as gold. And I said to them, “You⁺ are holy to YHWH, and the articles are holy, and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to YHWH, God of your⁺ fathers. Watch and keep them until you⁺ weigh them before the face of the leaders of the priests, and the Levites, and the heads of the fathers of Israel, in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of YHWH.” And the priests and the Levites received by weight the silver and the gold and the articles, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God. And we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth of the first month to go to Jerusalem, and the hand of our God was upon us, and He snatched us up from the hand of the enemy and the lier in wait along the road. Arrival in Jerusalem And we came to Jerusalem and stayed there three days. And on the fourth day it was weighed out—the silver and the gold and the articles in the house of our God—by the hand of Meremoth son of Uriah the priest, and with him Eleazar son of Phinehas, and with them Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui, the Levites, by number, by weight of everything, and all the weight was recorded at that time. Those coming in of the captives—the sons of the exile—offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: Twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve male goats as a sin offering—all a burnt offering to YHWH. And they delivered the laws of the king to the satraps8.36 A satrap was a Persian official. of the king and the governors beyond the River,8.36 That is, west of the Euphrates and they lifted up the people and the house of God. Intermarriage with Neighboring Peoples (Nehemiah 13:23–31) And at the completion of these things the leaders came to me, saying, “The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands as to their abominations, even the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, the Ammonite, the Moabite, the Egyptian, and the Amorite. For they have taken from their daughters for themselves and for their sons, and the holy seed is mixed with the peoples of the lands. And indeed the hand of the leaders and the rulers has been foremost in this trespass.” And at my hearing this word, I tore my garment and my robe, and I pulled out some of the hair of my head and beard, and I sat down appalled. And they assembled to me—everyone trembling at the words of the God of Israel, because of the trespass of the exiles. And I sat appalled until the sacrifice of the evening. Ezra’s Prayer of Confession And at the sacrifice of the evening I arose from my humiliation, and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to YHWH my God, and I said, “O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up, my God, my face to You, for our iniquities have risen higher than the head, and our guilt has grown up as far as to the heavens. Since the days of our fathers we have great guilt to this day, and in our iniquities we have been given—we, our kings, our priests—into the hand of the kings of the lands, with the sword, with captivity, and with spoil, and with shame of face, as this day. And for a little while grace has come from YHWH our God, to leave a remnant to us to escape, and to give us a stake9.8 Or nail or foothold in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a little revival in our bondage. For we were slaves, and in our bondage our God did not forsake us, and He extended to us mercy in the eyes of the kings of Persia, to give to us revival, to lift up the house of our God and to rebuild its ruins, and to give to us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem. And what shall we say, our God, after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments, that You commanded by Your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land that you⁺ are entering to possess, it is a land of impurity, by the impurity of the peoples of the lands with their abominations that have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness. And now, do not give as wives your⁺ daughters for their sons, and lift not their daughters to your⁺ sons, and never seek their peace or prosperity even to forever, that you⁺ may be strong and eat the good of the land, and give possession to your⁺ children even to forever.’ And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great guilt (since You, our God, you have restrained it to lower than our iniquities and have given us a deliverance like this), should we turn back to break Your commandments and join in marriage with the peoples of these abominations? Would You not be angry with us until You had consumed us without remnant or survivor? O YHWH, God of Israel, You are righteous, for we are left as a remnant, as this day. Here we are before You in our guilt, though no one can stand before You because of this.” Shecaniah’s Encouragement And at the praying of Ezra, and at his making confession, weeping and bowing down before the face of the house of God, there gathered to him from Israel a very large assembly of men and women and children, for the people wept very bitterly. And Shechaniah son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have caused foreign wives to dwell from the peoples of the land. Yet there is hope in Israel concerning this. And now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the women and those born to them, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God. And according to the law let it be done. Arise, for on you is the matter, and we are with you. Be strong and do it.” And Ezra arose, and he made swear an oath the leaders of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, that they would do this according to the word. And they swore an oath. The People’s Confession of Sin And Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and he went into the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. And in his going10.6 Or staying there, he ate no bread, and he drank no water, for he mourned on account of the unfaithfulness of the exiles. And they issued a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the sons of the exile, that they must gather at Jerusalem, and all who would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the leaders and elders, all his property would be confiscated and he would be separated from the assembly of the exiles. And all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered at Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month, and all the people sat in the open square of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and because of the rains. And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You⁺ You⁺ have acted unfaithfully and have caused to dwell foreign wives to add to the guilt of Israel. And now, make confession to YHWH, God of your⁺ fathers, and do His will, and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women.” And all the assembly answered and said in a loud voice, “Truly according to your word it is upon us to do. But the people are many, and it is the time of rains, and we have no strength to stand outside, and the work is not of one day or two, for we have multiplied to transgress in this matter. Please let the leaders of all the assembly stand, and all who are in our cities, who have settled foreign wives, and come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each of their cities, until the turning back of the fury of the wrath of our God from us even in this matter.” (Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahaziah son of Tikvah stood against this. And Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supported them.) And the sons of the exile did so, and Ezra the priest, and men, the heads of the fathers, for the house of their fathers, were set apart, each of them by name, and they sat down on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. And they finished with all the men who had caused to dwell foreign wives by the first day of the first month. Those Guilty of Intermarriage And they were found among the sons of the priests who had taken foreign wives: Of the sons of Jeshua son of Jozadak10.18 Jozadak is a variant of Jehozadak; see 1 Chronicles 6:14. and his brothers: Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. And they gave their hand to send out their wives, and being guilty, a ram of the flock for their guilt. And of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah. And of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah. And of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Eleasah. And of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (he is Kelita) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. And of the singers: Eliashib. And of the gatekeepers: Shallum, and Telem, and Uri. And of Israel: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah,10.25 Hebrew; LXX Hashabiah and Benaiah. And of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Elijah. And of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza. And of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai. And of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Jeremoth. And of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, and Binnui, and Manasseh. And of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshiah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah. Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei. Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, and Uel, Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluh, Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasai, From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei,10.38 See LXX; Hebrew and Bani, and Binnui, (and) Shimei, and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, Joseph. Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, and Joel, Benaiah. All these had taken foreign wives, and were from them women, and they bore sons.10.44 Or and they sent them away with their children