1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

² Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

³ Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.

⁴ And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.

⁵ Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.

⁶ And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.

⁷ Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods;

⁸ Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

⁹ And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,

¹⁰ Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.

¹¹ All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

2 Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;

² Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:

³ The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.

⁴ The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.

⁵ The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.

⁶ The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.

⁷ The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

⁸ The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.

⁹ The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.

¹⁰ The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.

¹¹ The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.

¹² The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two.

¹³ The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.

¹⁴ The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.

¹⁵ The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.

¹⁶ The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.

¹⁷ The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.

¹⁸ The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve.

¹⁹ The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.

²⁰ The children of Gibbar, ninety and five.

²¹ The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three.

²² The men of Netophah, fifty and six.

²³ The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.

²⁴ The children of Azmaveth, forty and two.

²⁵ The children of Kirjatharim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three.

²⁶ The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.

²⁷ The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two.

²⁸ The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.

²⁹ The children of Nebo, fifty and two.

³⁰ The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six.

³¹ The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

³² The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.

³³ The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five.

³⁴ The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.

³⁵ The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.

³⁶ The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.

³⁷ The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.

³⁸ The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.

³⁹ The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.

⁴⁰ The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four.

⁴¹ The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight.

⁴² The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all an hundred thirty and nine.

⁴³ The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,

⁴⁴ The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon,

⁴⁵ The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,

⁴⁶ The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan,

⁴⁷ The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah,

⁴⁸ The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam,

⁴⁹ The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,

⁵⁰ The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim,

⁵¹ The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,

⁵² The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,

⁵³ The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah,

⁵⁴ The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.

⁵⁵ The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda,

⁵⁶ The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,

⁵⁷ The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami.

⁵⁸ All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.

⁵⁹ And these were they which went up from Telmelah, Telharsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel:

⁶⁰ The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.

⁶¹ And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name:

⁶² These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.

⁶³ And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.

⁶⁴ The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,

⁶⁵ Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women.

⁶⁶ Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five;

⁶⁷ Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

⁶⁸ And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the Lord which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place:

⁶⁹ They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests' garments.

⁷⁰ So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

6 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.

² And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:

³ In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;

⁴ With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:

⁵ And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.

⁶ Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:

⁷ Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.

⁸ Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.

⁹ And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:

¹⁰ That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.

¹¹ Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

¹² And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.

¹³ Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.

¹⁴ And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

¹⁵ And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

¹⁶ And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.

¹⁷ And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

¹⁸ And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.

¹⁹ And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.

²⁰ For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

²¹ And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat,

²² And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the Lord had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.