¹⁶ The people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.^(A)

⁵ King Solomon offered as a sacrifice twenty-two thousand oxen and one hundred twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.

⁶³ Solomon offered as sacrifices of well-being to the Lord twenty-two thousand oxen and one hundred twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord.

⁴ Rejoice^[a] in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.^[b](A)

Jesus Is Rejected by the Jews

²² At that time the Festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter,

Psalm 122

Song of Praise and Prayer for Jerusalem

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

⁷³ So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns.

Ezra Summons the People to Obey the Law

When the seventh month came, the Israelites being settled in their towns,^(A)

²² With joy they celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread seven days, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.^(A)

Resistance to Rebuilding the Temple

4 When the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel,^(A)

¹¹ and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord,

And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord had been laid.^{(A) 12} But many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, old people who had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy,