Beginning
8 These, now, are the chief fathers of those—and the genealogy of those— who came up with me from Babel, in the reign of King Artaxerxes.
2 Of the sons of Phinehas came Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar came Daniel. Of the sons of David came Hattush.
3 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh came Zechariah, and the count of the males with him was one hundred fifty.
4 Of the sons of Pahath-Moab came Elihoenai, the son of Zerahiah, and two hundred males with him.
5 Of the sons of Shechaniah came the son of Jahaziel, and three hundred males with him.
6 And of the sons of Adin came Ebed, the son of Jonathan, and fifty males with him.
7 And of the sons of Elam came Jeshaiah, the son of Athaliah, and seventy males with him.
8 And of the sons of Shephatiah came Zebadiah, the son of Michael, and eighty males with him.
9 Of the sons of Joab came Obadiah, the son of Jehiel, and two hundred eighteen males with him.
10 And of the sons of Shelomith came the son of Josiphiah, and one hundred sixty males with him.
11 And of the sons of Bebai came Zechariah, the son of Bebai, and twenty-eight males with him.
12 And of the sons of Azgad came Johanan, the son of Hakkatan, and one hundred ten males with him.
13 And of the sons of Adonikam came the last, whose names are these: Eliphelet, Jehiel and Shemaiah, and sixty males with them.
14 And of the sons of Bigvai came Uthai and Zabbud, and seventy males with them.
15 And I gathered them to the river that goes toward Ahava. And we stayed there for three days. Then I viewed the people, and the priests, and found none of the sons of Levi there.
16 Therefore I sent to Eliezer, to Ariel, to Shemeiah, and to Elnathan, and to Jarib, and to Elnathan, and to Nathan, and to Zechariah, and to Meshullam (the chief), and to Joiarib, and to Elnathan, men of understanding.
17 And I gave them a commandment for Iddo (the highest at the place of Casiphia). And I told them the words that they should speak to Iddo and to his brethren, the Nethinim, at the place of Casiphia, so that they would cause the ministers of the House of our God to come to us.
18 So, by the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a man of understanding of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah with his sons and his brethren (eighteen).
19 Also Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah, of the sons of Merari, with his brethren, and their sons (twenty).
20 And of the Nethinim whom David had set—and the princes for the service of the Levites—two hundred twenty of the Nethinim, all of which were named by name.
21 And there at the river, by Ahava, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek of Him a right way for us, and for our children, and for all our possessions.
22 For I was ashamed to require an army and horsemen of the king, to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The Hand of our God is upon all those who seek Him in goodness. But His power and His wrath is against all those who forsake Him.”
23 So we fasted and sought our God for this. And He was entreated by us.
24 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,
25 and weighed the silver and the gold and the vessels for them, the offering of the House of our God which the king and his counselors and his princes and all Israel that was present had offered.
26 And I weighed to their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver, and one hundred talents in silver vessels, and one hundred talents in gold,
27 and twenty basins of gold of a thousand drams, and two vessels of shining bronze (very good and precious as gold).
28 And I said to them, “You are consecrated to the LORD. And the vessels are consecrated. And the gold and the silver are freely offered to the LORD God of your fathers.
29 “Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the chief priests and the Levites, and the chief fathers of Israel in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the House of the LORD.”
30 So the priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver, and of the gold, and of the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem, to the House of our God.
31 Then we departed from the river Ahavah, on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. And the Hand of our God was upon us, and delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as laid in wait by the way.
32 And we came to Jerusalem and stayed there for three days.
33 And on the fourth day, the silver was weighed, and the gold, and the vessels, 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. And with them was Jozabad, the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah, the son of Binnui (the Levites)
34 and all the weight was written at the same time, by number and by weight of each one.
35 Also, the children of the captivity who had come out of captivity offered Burnt Offerings to the God of Israel— twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve male goats for sin—all a Burnt Offering to the LORD.
36 And they delivered the king’s commission to the king’s officers, and to the captains beyond the river. And they promoted the people, and the House of God.
9 When these things were done, the rulers came to me, saying, “The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites are not separated from the people of the lands (as touching their abominations) —the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
2 “For they have taken their daughters to themselves, and to their sons. And they have mixed the holy seed with the people of the lands. And the hand of the princes and rulers have been chief in this trespass.”
3 But when I heard this saying, I tore my clothes and my garment, and plucked off the hair of my head, and of my beard, and sat down astonished.
4 And all who feared the Words of the God of Israel assembled to me there, because of the transgression of those of the captivity. And I sat down astonished until the evening Sacrifice.
5 And at the evening Sacrifice, I rose up from my heaviness. And when I had torn my clothes and my garment, I fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God,
6 and said, “O my God! I am confounded and ashamed to lift up my eyes to You, my God! For our iniquities have increased over our head! And our trespass has grown up to the heaven!
7 “From the days of our fathers we have been in a great trespass until this day. And we, our kings and our priests have, for our iniquities, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, into captivity, into a spoil, and into confusion of face, as it is this day!
8 “And now for a short time, grace has been shown from the LORD our God, in allowing a remnant to escape, and in giving us a nail in His Holy Place, so that our God may light our eyes and give us a little reviving in our servitude.
9 “For we were slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has inclined mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us life, and to erect the House of our God, and to redress its desolate places, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
10 “And now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken Your Commandments
11 “which You have Commanded by your servants the Prophets, saying, ‘The land to which you go to possess is an unclean land, because of the filthiness of the people of the lands, which by their abominations and by their uncleanness have filled it from corner to corner.
12 ‘Now, therefore, you shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor shall you take their daughters for your sons, nor seek their peace nor wealth forever, so that you may be strong and eat the goodness of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your sons forever.’
13 “And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespasses, (seeing that You, our God, have stayed your Hand for our iniquities, and have given us such deliverance),
14 “should we return to break Your Commandments and join in marriage with the people of such abominations? Would You not be angry toward us until You had consumed us, so that there would be neither remnant nor any escaping?
15 “O LORD God of Israel! You are just! For we have been reserved to escape, as it is this day. Behold, we are before You in our trespass. Though we cannot stand before You because of it.”
10 While Ezra prayed thus and confessed, himself weeping and falling down before the House of God, there assembled to him a very great Congregation of men and women and children of Israel. For the people wept with a great lamentation.
2 Then Shechaniah, the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land. Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this.
3 “Now, therefore, let us make a Covenant with our God, to put away all the wives (and such as are born of them) according to the counsel of the LORD, and of those who fear the Commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the Law.
4 “Arise! For the matter belongs to you. We will be with you also. Be of comfort and do it!”
5 Then Ezra arose and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this Word. So, they swore.
6 And Ezra rose up from before the House of God and went into the chamber of Johanan, the son of Eliashib. He went there, but he neither ate bread nor drank water. For he mourned because of the transgression of those of the captivity.
7 And they issued a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem, to all those of the captivity, so that they would assemble themselves at Jerusalem.
8 And whoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and elders, all his possessions would be forfeited, and he would be separated from the Congregation of those of the captivity.
9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled themselves at Jerusalem within three days, which was the twentieth day of the ninth month. And all the people sat in the street of the House of God, trembling because of this matter, and because of the rain.
10 And Ezra the Priest stood up, and said to them, “You have transgressed, and have taken strange wives to increase the trespass of Israel.
11 “Now, therefore, give praise to the LORD God of your fathers, and do His will, and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives!”
12 And all the Congregation answered, and said with a loud voice, “So will we do according to your Words to us!
13 “But the people are many, and it is rainy weather, and we are not able to stand outside. Nor is it the work of one day or two. For there are many of us who have offended in this thing.
14 “Therefore, let our rulers stand before all the Congregation. And let all those who have taken strange wives in our cities come at the time appointed, and the elders of every city with them, and their judges, till the fierce wrath of our God for this matter turns away from us.”
15 Then Jonathan, the son of Asahel, and Jahaziah, the son of Tikvah, were appointed over this matter. And Meshullam and Shabbethai (the Levites) helped them.
16 And those of the captivity did so and departed—Ezra the Priest and the men who were chief fathers to the family of their fathers by name—and sat down on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
17 And until the first day of the first month, they were finishing the business with all the men who had taken strange wives.
18 And men were found of the sons of the priests who had taken strange wives. Of the sons of Jeshua was the son of Jozadak. And of his brethren were Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
19 And they pledged that they would put away their wives. And those who had trespassed gave a ram for their trespass.
20 And of the sons of Immer were Honani and Zebadiah.
21 And of the sons of Harim were Maaseiah and Elijah and Shemaiah and Jehiel and Uzziah.
22 And of the sons of Pashur were Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 And of the Levites were Jozabad and Shimei and Kelaiah (who is Kelita) Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.
24 And of the singers was Eliashib. And of the gatekeepers were Shallum and Telem and Uri.
25 And of Israel: of the sons of Parosh were Ramiah and Jeziah and Malchiah and Mijamin and Eleazar and Malchijah and Benaiah.
26 And of the sons of Elam were Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth and Eliah.
27 And of the sons of Zattu were Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jerimoth, Zabad and Aziza.
28 And of the sons of Bebai were Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai.
29 And of the sons of Bani were Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal and Jeremoth.
30 And of the sons of Pahath-Moab were Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, Binnui and Manasseh.
31 And of the sons of Harim were Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
32 Benjamin, Malluch and Shamariah.
33 Of the sons of Hashum were Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei.
34 Of the sons of Bani were Maadai, Amram, Uel,
35 Banaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,
36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, 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 were Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadai, Joel and Benaiah.
44 All these had taken strange wives. And among them were women who had children.
© 2019, 2024 by Five Talents Audio. All rights reserved.