May Elohim be with all of you who are his people. You may go to Jerusalem (which is in Judah) and build a temple for Yahweh Elohim of Israel. He is the Elohim who is in Jerusalem.

They went with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.

Families Listed by Ancestor

This is the number of Israelite men from the people in exile:

Those of Unknown Origin

The following people came from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but they couldn’t prove they were Israelites on the basis of their father’s family or their genealogy:

These descendants of the priests couldn’t prove their families were Israelites: the descendants of Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai (who had married one of the daughters of Barzillai from Gilead and took that family name).

The priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants settled in their own cities. All the other Israelites settled in their own cities.

Worship at the Temple Site Begins Again

When the seventh month came, the people gathered together in Jerusalem. (The Israelites had already settled in their cities.)

Then Jozadak’s son Jeshua and his relatives who were priests and Shealtiel’s son Zerubbabel and his relatives built an altar for the Elohim of Israel. They built it in order to sacrifice burnt offerings. They followed the directions written in Moses’ Teachings. (Moses was a man of Elohim).

A Celebration After the Laying of the Temple’s Foundation

The builders laid the foundation of Yahweh’s temple. Then the priests who were dressed in their robes took their places with trumpets, and the Levites who were Asaph’s descendants took their places with cymbals to praise Yahweh according to the instructions of King David of Israel.

As they praised and gave thanks to Yahweh, they sang antiphonally: “He is good; his mercy toward Israel endures forever.” Then all the people shouted, “Praise Yahweh,” because the foundation for the house of Yahweh had been laid.

The Samaritans Stop the Work

When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people who returned from exile were building a temple for Yahweh Elohim of Israel,

But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of Israel’s families told them, “It isn’t right for your people and our people to build a temple for our Elohim together. We must build it alone for Yahweh Elohim of Israel, as King Cyrus of Persia ordered us to do.”

Work Resumed on the Temple

The prophet Haggai and Zechariah, grandson of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of Israel’s Elah, who was over them.

This was their reply to us: “We are the servants of the Elah of heaven and earth. We are rebuilding the temple that was originally built many years ago by a great king of Israel.

So the Jewish leaders continued to make progress because of the message from the prophet Haggai and Zechariah, the grandson of Iddo. They finished building as the Elah of Israel had ordered and as Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes (the kings of Persia) had ordered.

The Temple Is Completed and Dedicated

Then the people of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the others who had returned from exile celebrated at the dedication of Elah’s temple.

At the dedication of Elah’s temple, they sacrificed 100 bulls, 200 rams, and 400 lambs. They sacrificed 12 male goats as an offering for sin, one goat for each of the tribes of Israel.

The lambs were eaten by the Israelites who had returned from exile and by all who had separated themselves from the unclean practices of the non-Jews in the land to worship Yahweh Elohim of Israel.

So for seven days they celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread because Yahweh had made them joyful. Yahweh had made the king of Assyria change his mind so that he supported the people in their work on the temple of Elohim, the Elohim of Israel.

As a scribe, Ezra was an expert in Moses’ Teachings, which Yahweh Elohim of Israel had given. The king gave Ezra everything he requested because Yahweh his Elohim was guiding him.

Some Israelites (including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants) went to Jerusalem in Artaxerxes’ seventh year as king.

Ezra was determined to study Yahweh’s Teachings, live by them, and teach their rules and regulations in Israel.

King Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra

This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest and scribe, a man with a thorough knowledge of Yahweh’s commands and laws for Israel:

I have issued a decree that any Israelites who are in my kingdom and want to go with you to Jerusalem may go. This also includes the priests and Levites.

Also, you must take the silver and gold that the king and his advisers willingly contributed to the Elah of Israel, the Elah whose temple is in Jerusalem.

He made the king, his advisers, and all the king’s powerful officials treat me kindly. I was encouraged because Yahweh my Elohim was guiding me. So I gathered leaders in Israel to go with me.