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“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.
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in company with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah): The list of the men of the people of Israel:
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the men of Bethlehem 123
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Asnah, Meunim, Nephusim,
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Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
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The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended from Israel:
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they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”
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(This is a copy of the letter they sent him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants in Trans-Euphrates:
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Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king,
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Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.
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The report they sent him read as follows: To King Darius: Cordial greetings.
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and he told him, ‘Take these articles and go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem. And rebuild the house of God on its site.’
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A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media, and this was written on it: Memorandum:
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the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
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this Ezra 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 him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.
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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.
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For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.
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and who has extended his good favor 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, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.
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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:
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of the descendants of Shekaniah; of the descendants of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him were registered 150 men;
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of the descendants of Pahath-Moab, Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men;
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of the descendants of Zattu, Shekaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men;
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of the descendants of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men;
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of the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men;
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of the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him 80 men;
