Beginning
Cyrus Helps the Captives Return
1 It was the first year Cyrus was king of Persia. The Lord caused Cyrus to write an announcement and send it everywhere in his kingdom. And he also put it in writing. This happened so the Lord’s message spoken by Jeremiah would come true. The announcement said:
2 This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
The Lord, the God of heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me. And he has appointed me to build a Temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. 3 Now all of you who are God’s people are free to go to Jerusalem. May your God be with you. And you may build the Temple of the Lord. He is the God of Israel, who is in Jerusalem. 4 Those who stay behind should support anyone who wants to go. Give them silver and gold, supplies and cattle. And give them special gifts for the Temple of God in Jerusalem.
5 Then the family leaders of Judah and Benjamin got ready to go to Jerusalem. So did the priests and the Levites. They were going to Jerusalem to build the Temple of the Lord. God made all these people want to go. 6 All their neighbors helped them. They gave them things made of silver and gold, along with supplies, cattle and valuable gifts. And they gave them the special gifts for the Temple. 7 Also, King Cyrus brought out the bowls and pans that belonged in the Temple of the Lord. Nebuchadnezzar had taken them from Jerusalem. And he had put them in the temple of his own god. 8 Cyrus king of Persia had Mithredath the treasurer get them out. So he made a list of the things for Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.
9 There were 30 gold dishes, 1,000 silver dishes, 29 silver pans, 10 30 gold bowls, 410 matching silver bowls and 1,000 other pieces.
11 There was a total of 5,400 pieces of gold and silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these things along when the captives went from Babylon to Jerusalem.
The Captives Who Returned
2 These are the people of the area who returned from captivity. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken them captive to Babylon. Now they returned to Jerusalem and Judah. Each one went back to his own town. 2 These people returned with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah.
These are the men from Israel: 3 the descendants of Parosh—2,172; 4 the descendants of Shephatiah—372; 5 the descendants of Arah—775; 6 the descendants of Pahath-Moab (through the family of Jeshua and Joab)—2,812; 7 the descendants of Elam—1,254; 8 the descendants of Zattu—945; 9 the descendants of Zaccai—760; 10 the descendants of Bani—642; 11 the descendants of Bebai—623; 12 the descendants of Azgad—1,222; 13 the descendants of Adonikam—666; 14 the descendants of Bigvai—2,056; 15 the descendants of Adin—454; 16 the descendants of Ater (through the family of Hezekiah)—98; 17 the descendants of Bezai—323; 18 the descendants of Jorah—112; 19 the descendants of Hashum—223; 20 the descendants of Gibbar—95.
21 These are the men from the town of Bethlehem—123; 22 from Netophah—56; 23 from Anathoth—128; 24 from Azmaveth—42; 25 from Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth—743; 26 from Ramah and Geba—621; 27 from Micmash—122; 28 from Bethel and Ai—223; 29 from Nebo—52; 30 from Magbish—156; 31 from the other town of Elam—1,254; 32 from Harim—320; 33 from Lod, Hadid and Ono—725; 34 from Jericho—345; 35 from Senaah—3,630.
36 These are the priests: the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua)—973; 37 the descendants of Immer—1,052; 38 the descendants of Pashhur—1,247; 39 the descendants of Harim—1,017.
40 These are the Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (through the family of Hodaviah)—74.
41 These are the singers: the descendants of Asaph—128.
42 These are the gatekeepers of the Temple: the descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai—139.
43 These are the Temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, 44 Keros, Siaha, Padon, 45 Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub, 46 Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan, 47 Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, 48 Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, 49 Uzza, Paseah, Besai, 50 Asnah, Meunim, Nephussim, 51 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, 52 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, 53 Barkos, Sisera, Temah, 54 Neziah and Hatipha.
55 These are the descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda, 56 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, 57 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Ami.
58 The Temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon numbered 392.
59 Some people came to Jerusalem from these towns: Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer. But they could not prove that their families came from the family of Israel. Here are their names and their number: 60 the descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda—652.
61 And these priests could not prove that their families came from Israel: the descendants of Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai. (He had married a daughter of Barzillai from Gilead and was called by her family name.)
62 These people searched for their family records. But they could not find them. So they could not be priests because they were thought to be unclean. 63 The governor ordered them not to eat any of the food offered to God. First a priest had to settle this matter by using the Urim and Thummim.
64 The total number of those who returned was 42,360. 65 This is not counting their 7,337 male and female servants. They also had 200 men and women singers with them. 66 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 67 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.
68 That group arrived at the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. Some of the leaders of families gave special offerings. Those offerings were given to rebuild the Temple of God. It would be on the same site as before. 69 Those people gave as much as they could to the treasury. It was to rebuild the Temple. They gave about 1,100 pounds of gold, about 6,000 pounds of silver and 100 pieces of clothing for the priests.
70 All the Israelites settled in their hometowns. The priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers and temple servants, along with some of the other people, settled in their own towns.
Rebuilding the Altar
3 By the seventh month, the Israelites were settled in their hometowns. They met together in Jerusalem. 2 Then Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests joined Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel. They began to build the altar of the God of Israel. That’s where they offered burnt offerings just as it is written in the Teachings of Moses. Moses was the man of God. 3 They were afraid of the people living around them. But they still built the altar where it had been before. They offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord morning and evening. 4 Then, to obey what was written, they celebrated the Feast of Shelters. They offered the right number of sacrifices for each day of the festival. 5 After the Feast of Shelters, they had regular sacrifices every day. They had sacrifices for the New Moon and all the festivals commanded by the Lord. Also there were special offerings brought as gifts to the Lord. 6 On the first day of the seventh month they began to bring burnt offerings to the Lord. But the foundation of the Lord’s Temple had not yet been laid.
Rebuilding the Temple
7 Then they gave money to the stoneworkers and carpenters. They also gave food, wine and oil to the cities of Sidon and Tyre. This was so they would float cedar logs from Lebanon to the seacoast town of Joppa. Cyrus king of Persia had given permission for this.
8 It was in the second year after their arrival at the Temple of God in Jerusalem. In the second month Zerubbabel and Jeshua began the work. So did the rest of their fellow priests and Levites. And all who had returned from captivity to Jerusalem began to work. They chose Levites 20 years old and older to be in charge of the building of the Temple of the Lord. 9 These men were in charge of the work of building the Temple of God: Jeshua and his sons and brothers; Kadmiel and his sons who were the descendants of Hodaviah; and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers. They were all Levites.
10 The builders finished laying the foundation of the Temple of the Lord. Then the priests, dressed in their robes, got trumpets. And the Levites, the sons of Asaph, had cymbals. They all took their places. They praised the Lord just as David king of Israel had said to do. 11 With praise and thanksgiving, they sang to the Lord:
“He is good;
his love for Israel continues forever.”
And then all the people shouted loudly, “Praise the Lord! The foundation of his Temple has been laid.” 12 But many of the older priests, Levites and family leaders cried aloud. They had seen the first Temple. Now they saw the foundation of this Temple. But most of the other people were shouting with joy. 13 The people made so much noise no one could tell the difference between the joyful shouting and the sad crying. It could be heard far away.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.