The Arrival of Ezra

Now after these things, in the reign of (A)Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the (B)son of Seraiah, (C)the son of Azariah, the son of (D)Hilkiah, the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— this Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was (E)a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given. The king granted him all his request, (F)according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him. (G)Some of the children of Israel, the priests, (H)the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and (I)the Nethinim came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, (J)according to the good hand of his God upon him. 10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to (K)seek[a] the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to (L)teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.

The Letter of Artaxerxes to Ezra

11 This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest, the scribe, expert in the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of His statutes to Israel:

12 [b]Artaxerxes, (M)king of kings,

To Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Law of the God of heaven:

Perfect peace, (N)and[c] so forth.

13 I issue a decree that all those of the people of Israel and the priests and Levites in my realm, who volunteer to go up to Jerusalem, may go with you. 14 And whereas you are being sent [d]by the king and his (O)seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, with regard to the Law of your God which is in your hand; 15 and whereas you are to carry the silver and gold which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, (P)whose dwelling is in Jerusalem; 16 (Q)and whereas 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, are to be (R)freely offered for the [e]house of their God in Jerusalem— 17 now therefore, be careful to buy with this money bulls, rams, and lambs, with their (S)grain offerings and their drink offerings, and (T)offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem.

18 And whatever seems good to you and your brethren to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do it according to the will of your God. 19 Also the articles that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem. 20 And whatever more may be needed for the house of your God, which you may have occasion to provide, pay for it from the king’s treasury.

21 And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the region beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, let it be done diligently, 22 up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred kors of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribed limit. 23 Whatever [f]is commanded by the God of heaven, let it diligently be done for the [g]house of the God of heaven. For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

24 Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tax, tribute, or custom on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God. 25 And you, Ezra, according to your God-given wisdom, (U)set magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are in the region beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God; and (V)teach those who do not know them. 26 Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily on him, whether it be death, or [h]banishment, or confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.

27 (W)Blessed[i] be the Lord God of our fathers, (X)who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem, 28 and (Y)has extended mercy to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes.

So I was encouraged, as (Z)the hand of the Lord my God was upon me; and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me.

Heads of Families Who Returned with Ezra

These are the heads of their fathers’ houses, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of King Artaxerxes: of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom; of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel; of the sons of David, (AA)Hattush; of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of (AB)Parosh, Zechariah; and registered with him were one hundred and fifty males; of the sons of (AC)Pahath-Moab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males; of [j]the sons of Shechaniah, Ben-Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males; of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males; of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males; of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him eighty males; of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males; 10 of [k]the sons of Shelomith, Ben-Josiphiah, and with him one hundred and sixty males; 11 of the sons of (AD)Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty-eight males; 12 of the sons of Azgad, Johanan [l]the son of Hakkatan, and with him one hundred and ten males; 13 of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these—Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah—and with them sixty males; 14 also of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and [m]Zabbud, and with them seventy males.

Servants for the Temple

15 Now I gathered them by the river that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And I looked among the people and the priests, and found none of the (AE)sons of Levi there. 16 Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and (AF)Meshullam, leaders; also for Joiarib and Elnathan, men of understanding. 17 And I gave them a command for Iddo the chief man at the place Casiphia, and [n]I told them what they should say to [o]Iddo and his brethren the Nethinim at the place Casiphia—that they should bring us servants for the house of our God. 18 Then, by the good hand of our God upon us, they (AG)brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and brothers, eighteen men; 19 and (AH)Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty men; 20 (AI)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 and Prayer for Protection

21 Then I (AJ)proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might (AK)humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the (AL)right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. 22 For (AM)I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, (AN)“The hand of our God is upon all those for (AO)good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are (AP)against all those who (AQ)forsake Him.” 23 So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He (AR)answered our prayer.

Gifts for the Temple

24 And I separated twelve of the leaders of the priests—Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them— 25 and weighed out to them (AS)the silver, the gold, and the articles, the offering for the house of our God which the king and his counselors and his princes, and all Israel who were present, had offered. 26 I weighed into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, silver articles weighing one hundred talents, one hundred talents of gold, 27 twenty gold basins worth a thousand drachmas, and two vessels of fine polished bronze, precious as gold. 28 And I said to them, “You are (AT)holy[p] to the Lord; the articles are (AU)holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your fathers. 29 Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the leaders of the priests and the Levites and (AV)heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the Lord.” 30 So the priests and the Levites received the silver and the gold and the articles by weight, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.

The Return to Jerusalem

31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. And (AW)the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambush along the road. 32 So we (AX)came to Jerusalem, and stayed there three days.

33 Now on the fourth day the silver and the gold and the articles were (AY)weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest, and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; with them were the Levites, (AZ)Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of Binnui, 34 with the number and weight of everything. All the weight was written down at that time.

35 The children of those who had been (BA)carried away captive, who had come from the captivity, (BB)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 this was a burnt offering to the Lord.

36 And they delivered the king’s (BC)orders to the king’s satraps and the governors in the region beyond [q]the River. So they gave support to the people and the [r]house of God.

Intermarriage with Pagans

When these things were done, the leaders came to me, saying, “The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not (BD)separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, (BE)with respect to the abominations of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have (BF)taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the (BG)holy seed is (BH)mixed with the peoples of those lands. Indeed, the hand of the leaders and rulers has been foremost in this [s]trespass.” So when I heard this thing, (BI)I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked out some of the hair of my head and beard, and sat down (BJ)astonished. Then everyone who (BK)trembled at the words of the God of Israel assembled to me, because of the transgression of those who had been carried away captive, and I sat astonished until the (BL)evening sacrifice.

At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting; and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and (BM)spread out my hands to the Lord my God. And I said: “O my God, I am too (BN)ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for (BO)our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has (BP)grown up to the heavens. Since the days of our fathers to this day (BQ)we have been very guilty, and for our iniquities (BR)we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the (BS)sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to (BT)humiliation,[t] as it is this day. And now for a little while grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may (BU)enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage. (BV)For we were slaves. (BW)Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but (BX)He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us (BY)a wall in Judah and Jerusalem. 10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments, 11 which You commanded by Your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land which you are entering to possess is an unclean land, with the (BZ)uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations which have filled it from one end to another with their impurity. 12 Now therefore, (CA)do not give your daughters as wives for their sons, nor take their daughters to your sons; and (CB)never seek their peace or prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land, and (CC)leave it as an inheritance to your children forever.’ 13 And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, since You our God (CD)have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such deliverance as this, 14 should we (CE)again break Your commandments, and (CF)join in marriage with the people committing these abominations? Would You not be (CG)angry with us until You had [u]consumed us, so that there would be no remnant or survivor? 15 O Lord God of Israel, (CH)You are righteous, for we are left as a remnant, as it is this day. (CI)Here we are before You, (CJ)in our guilt, though no one can stand before You because of this!”

Confession of Improper Marriages

10 Now (CK)while Ezra was praying, and while he was confessing, weeping, and bowing down (CL)before the house of God, a very large assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept very (CM)bitterly. And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, “We have (CN)trespassed[v] against our God, and have taken pagan wives from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this. Now therefore, let us make (CO)a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and those who have been born to them, according to the advice of my master and of those who (CP)tremble at (CQ)the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the (CR)law. Arise, for this matter is your responsibility. We also are with you. (CS)Be of good courage, and do it.

Then Ezra arose, and made the leaders of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel (CT)swear an oath that they would do according to this word. So they swore an oath. Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib; and when he came there, he (CU)ate no bread and drank no water, for he mourned because of the guilt of those from the captivity.

And they issued a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the descendants of the captivity, that they must gather at Jerusalem, and that whoever would not come within three days, according to the instructions of the leaders and elders, all his property would be confiscated, and he himself would be separated from the assembly of those from the captivity.

So 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 (CV)all the people sat in the open square of the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of heavy rain. 10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have [w]transgressed and [x]have taken pagan wives, adding to the guilt of Israel. 11 Now therefore, (CW)make confession to the Lord God of your fathers, and do His will; (CX)separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the pagan wives.”

12 Then all the assembly answered and said with a loud voice, “Yes! As you have said, so we must do. 13 But there are many people; it is the season for heavy rain, and we are not able to stand outside. Nor is this the work of one or two days, for there are many of us who have transgressed in this matter. 14 Please, let the leaders of our entire assembly stand; and let all those in our cities who have taken pagan wives come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of their cities, until (CY)the fierce wrath of our God is turned away from us in this matter.” 15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah opposed this, and (CZ)Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite gave them support.

16 Then the descendants of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain (DA)heads of the fathers’ households, were set apart by the fathers’ households, each of them by name; and they sat down on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. 17 By the first day of the first month they finished questioning all the men who had taken pagan wives.

Pagan Wives Put Away

18 And among the sons of the priests who had taken pagan wives the following were found of the sons of (DB)Jeshua the son of [y]Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 And they (DC)gave their promise that they would put away their wives; and being (DD)guilty, they presented a ram of the flock as their (DE)trespass offering.

20 Also of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah; 21 of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah; 22 of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

23 Also of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (the same is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

24 Also of the singers: Eliashib; and of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

25 And others of Israel: of the (DF)sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Jeziah, Malchiah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah; 26 of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Eliah; 27 of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza; 28 of the (DG)sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai; 29 of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and [z]Ramoth; 30 of the (DH)sons of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh; 31 of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah; 33 of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei; 34 of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, [aa]Cheluh, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, [ab]Jaasai, 38 Bani, Binnui, Shimei, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph; 43 of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, [ac]Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.

44 All these had taken pagan wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had children.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 7:10 Study
  2. Ezra 7:12 The original language of Ezra 7:12–26 is Aramaic.
  3. Ezra 7:12 Lit. and now
  4. Ezra 7:14 from before
  5. Ezra 7:16 Temple
  6. Ezra 7:23 Lit. is from the decree
  7. Ezra 7:23 Temple
  8. Ezra 7:26 Lit. rooting out
  9. Ezra 7:27 The Hebrew language resumes in Ezra 7:27.
  10. Ezra 8:5 So with MT, Vg.; LXX the sons of Zatho, Shechaniah
  11. Ezra 8:10 So with MT, Vg.; LXX the sons of Banni, Shelomith
  12. Ezra 8:12 Or the youngest son,
  13. Ezra 8:14 Or Zakkur
  14. Ezra 8:17 Lit. I put words in their mouths to say
  15. Ezra 8:17 So with Vg.; MT to Iddo his brother; LXX to their brethren
  16. Ezra 8:28 consecrated
  17. Ezra 8:36 The Euphrates
  18. Ezra 8:36 Temple
  19. Ezra 9:2 unfaithfulness
  20. Ezra 9:7 Lit. shame of faces
  21. Ezra 9:14 destroyed
  22. Ezra 10:2 been unfaithful to
  23. Ezra 10:10 acted unfaithfully
  24. Ezra 10:10 Heb. have caused to dwell or have brought back
  25. Ezra 10:18 Jehozadak, 1 Chr. 6:14
  26. Ezra 10:29 Or Jeremoth
  27. Ezra 10:35 Or Cheluhi or Cheluhu
  28. Ezra 10:37 Or Jaasu
  29. Ezra 10:43 Or Jaddu

Ezra Comes to Jerusalem

After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes(A) king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah,(B) the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,(C) the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok,(D) the son of Ahitub,(E) the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas,(F) the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— this Ezra(G) came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted(H) him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.(I) Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.(J)

Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.(K) 10 For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching(L) its decrees and laws in Israel.

King Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra

11 This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the Lord for Israel:

12 Artaxerxes, king of kings,(M)

To Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven:

Greetings.

13 Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who volunteer to go to Jerusalem with you, may go. 14 You are sent by the king and his seven advisers(N) to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand. 15 Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisers have freely given(O) to the God of Israel, whose dwelling(P) is in Jerusalem, 16 together with all the silver and gold(Q) you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem.(R) 17 With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs,(S) together with their grain offerings and drink offerings,(T) and sacrifice(U) them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.

18 You and your fellow Israelites may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God. 19 Deliver(V) to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for worship in the temple of your God. 20 And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you are responsible to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.(W)

21 Now I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates are to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you— 22 up to a hundred talents[a] of silver, a hundred cors[b] of wheat, a hundred baths[c] of wine, a hundred baths[d] of olive oil, and salt without limit. 23 Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should his wrath fall on the realm of the king and of his sons?(X) 24 You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty(Y) on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.(Z)

25 And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint(AA) magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach(AB) any who do not know them. 26 Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.[e](AC)

27 Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart(AD) to bring honor(AE) to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way 28 and who has extended his good favor(AF) to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me,(AG) I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

List of the Family Heads Returning With Ezra

These are the family heads and those registered with them who came up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:(AH)

of the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom;

of the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel;

of the descendants of David, Hattush of the descendants of Shekaniah;(AI)

of the descendants of Parosh,(AJ) Zechariah, and with him were registered 150 men;

of the descendants of Pahath-Moab,(AK) Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men;

of the descendants of Zattu,[f] Shekaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men;

of the descendants of Adin,(AL) Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men;

of the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men;

of the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him 80 men;

of the descendants of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him 218 men;

10 of the descendants of Bani,[g] Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men;

11 of the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him 28 men;

12 of the descendants of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him 110 men;

13 of the descendants of Adonikam,(AM) the last ones, whose names were Eliphelet, Jeuel and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men;

14 of the descendants of Bigvai, Uthai and Zakkur, and with them 70 men.

The Return to Jerusalem

15 I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava,(AN) and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites(AO) there. 16 So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of learning, 17 and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants(AP) in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God. 18 Because the gracious hand of our God was on us,(AQ) they brought us Sherebiah,(AR) a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, 18 in all; 19 and Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and nephews, 20 in all. 20 They also brought 220 of the temple servants(AS)—a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name.

21 There, by the Ahava Canal,(AT) I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey(AU) for us and our children, with all our possessions. 22 I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers(AV) and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone(AW) who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.(AX) 23 So we fasted(AY) and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.

24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, namely, Sherebiah,(AZ) Hashabiah and ten of their brothers, 25 and I weighed out(BA) to them the offering of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his advisers, his officials and all Israel present there had donated for the house of our God. 26 I weighed out to them 650 talents[h] of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents,[i] 100 talents[j] of gold, 27 20 bowls of gold valued at 1,000 darics,[k] and two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold.

28 I said to them, “You as well as these articles are consecrated to the Lord.(BB) The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your ancestors. 29 Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites and the family heads of Israel.” 30 Then the priests and Levites received the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in Jerusalem.

31 On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal(BC) to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us,(BD) and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. 32 So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days.(BE)

33 On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out(BF) the silver and gold and the sacred articles into the hands of Meremoth(BG) son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, and so were the Levites Jozabad(BH) son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui.(BI) 34 Everything was accounted for by number and weight, and the entire weight was recorded at that time.

35 Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls(BJ) for all Israel,(BK) ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering,[l] twelve male goats.(BL) All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. 36 They also delivered the king’s orders(BM) to the royal satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates,(BN) who then gave assistance to the people and to the house of God.(BO)

Ezra’s Prayer About Intermarriage

After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate(BP) from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites,(BQ) Ammonites,(BR) Moabites,(BS) Egyptians and Amorites.(BT) They have taken some of their daughters(BU) as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled(BV) the holy race(BW) with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”(BX)

When I heard this, I tore(BY) my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled.(BZ) Then everyone who trembled(CA) at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled(CB) until the evening sacrifice.

Then, at the evening sacrifice,(CC) I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands(CD) spread out to the Lord my God and prayed:

“I am too ashamed(CE) and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.(CF) From the days of our ancestors(CG) until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword(CH) and captivity,(CI) to pillage and humiliation(CJ) at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.

“But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious(CK) in leaving us a remnant(CL) and giving us a firm place[m](CM) in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes(CN) and a little relief in our bondage. Though we are slaves,(CO) our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness(CP) in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins,(CQ) and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.

10 “But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands(CR) 11 you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering(CS) to possess is a land polluted(CT) by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices(CU) they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. 12 Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them(CV) at any time, that you may be strong(CW) and eat the good things(CX) of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’(CY)

13 “What has happened to us is a result of our evil(CZ) deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved(DA) and have given us a remnant like this. 14 Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry(DB) with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us,(DC) leaving us no remnant(DD) or survivor? 15 Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous!(DE) We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand(DF) in your presence.(DG)

The People’s Confession of Sin

10 While Ezra was praying and confessing,(DH) weeping(DI) and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam,(DJ) said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful(DK) to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel.(DL) Now let us make a covenant(DM) before our God to send away(DN) all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.”

So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath(DO) to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath. Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water,(DP) because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.

A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem. Anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.

Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin(DQ) had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain. 10 Then Ezra(DR) the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt.(DS) 11 Now honor[n] the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.”(DT)

12 The whole assembly responded with a loud voice:(DU) “You are right! We must do as you say. 13 But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing. 14 Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges(DV) of each town, until the fierce anger(DW) of our God in this matter is turned away from us.” 15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai(DX) the Levite, opposed this.

16 So the exiles did as was proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, one from each family division, and all of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to investigate the cases, 17 and by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women.

Those Guilty of Intermarriage

18 Among the descendants of the priests, the following had married foreign women:(DY)

From the descendants of Joshua(DZ) son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah. 19 (They all gave their hands(EA) in pledge to put away their wives, and for their guilt they each presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.)(EB)

20 From the descendants of Immer:(EC)

Hanani and Zebadiah.

21 From the descendants of Harim:(ED)

Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel and Uzziah.

22 From the descendants of Pashhur:(EE)

Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah.

23 Among the Levites:(EF)

Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.

24 From the musicians:

Eliashib.(EG)

From the gatekeepers:

Shallum, Telem and Uri.

25 And among the other Israelites:

From the descendants of Parosh:(EH)

Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah and Benaiah.

26 From the descendants of Elam:(EI)

Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth and Elijah.

27 From the descendants of Zattu:

Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza.

28 From the descendants of Bebai:

Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai.

29 From the descendants of Bani:

Meshullam, Malluk, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal and Jeremoth.

30 From the descendants of Pahath-Moab:

Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh.

31 From the descendants of Harim:

Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluk and Shemariah.

33 From the descendants of Hashum:

Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei.

34 From the descendants of Bani:

Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai and Jaasu.

38 From the descendants of Binnui:[o]

Shimei, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Maknadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah and Joseph.

43 From the descendants of Nebo:

Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah.

44 All these had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.[p]

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 7:22 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons
  2. Ezra 7:22 That is, probably about 18 tons or about 16 metric tons
  3. Ezra 7:22 That is, about 600 gallons or about 2,200 liters
  4. Ezra 7:22 That is, about 600 gallons or about 2,200 liters
  5. Ezra 7:26 The text of 7:12-26 is in Aramaic.
  6. Ezra 8:5 Some Septuagint manuscripts (also 1 Esdras 8:32); Hebrew does not have Zattu.
  7. Ezra 8:10 Some Septuagint manuscripts (also 1 Esdras 8:36); Hebrew does not have Bani.
  8. Ezra 8:26 That is, about 24 tons or about 22 metric tons
  9. Ezra 8:26 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons
  10. Ezra 8:26 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons
  11. Ezra 8:27 That is, about 19 pounds or about 8.4 kilograms
  12. Ezra 8:35 Or purification offering
  13. Ezra 9:8 Or a foothold
  14. Ezra 10:11 Or Now make confession to
  15. Ezra 10:38 See Septuagint (also 1 Esdras 9:34); Hebrew Jaasu 38 and Bani and Binnui,
  16. Ezra 10:44 Or and they sent them away with their children