Historical
1 During the first year of King Cyrus of Persia’s reign in 539 b.c., the Eternal One influenced the spirit of the Persian king to send a proclamation and written letter throughout his empire, fulfilling the Eternal’s earlier message through the prophet Jeremiah.[a]
King Cyrus actually rules the Persian Empire from 559–530 b.c., but it is in 539 b.c. when Persia finishes its conquest of Babylonian territory and Cyrus sends a decree that the Jews might return to Judah.
Cyrus’ Proclamation: 2 The Eternal One, the God of heaven, has decided to give me all the kingdoms of the world to rule as my own. In return for this, He has told me to build Him a new house in Jerusalem of Judah. 3 Any of His people living in my empire may return to Jerusalem of Judah with the help of the Eternal God. There you may rebuild the temple of the Eternal, Israel’s God, with my resources and blessing, because He is the God who lives in Jerusalem. 4 Every Jew who lives here or in any other part of my empire and wishes to return to Jerusalem should be supported by his neighbors. They should give him silver, gold, goods, and cattle for his journey and should send a freewill offering to the True God’s temple in Jerusalem.
5 The tribal leaders of Judah and Benjamin, the priests and Levites, and everyone motivated in his or her spirit by the True God prepared to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Eternal’s temple. 6 All their neighbors gave them silver, gold, goods, cattle, and valuable things for the journey, just as Cyrus had requested, and sent freewill offerings. 7-8 Even King Cyrus commanded his treasurer, Mithredath, to return the vessels from the Eternal’s temple (which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and stored in his gods’ temple) to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. 9 The vessels included 30 gold basins, 1,000 silver basins, 29 extra dishes, 10 30 gold bowls, 410 silver bowls of a different pattern, and 1,000 other articles. 11 Sheshbazzar and the exiles carried a total of 5,400 gold and silver vessels from Babylon to Jerusalem.
When Nebuchadnezzar conquered any nation, he plundered the temples of the local gods and took their treasures as trophies. Judah was no exception. He plundered the Lord’s temple and put the treasures in the Babylonian gods’ temple along with the treasures of the conquered pagan gods. By returning the temple treasures to Jerusalem, Cyrus recognizes and supports the development of the Jews’ renewed government while maintaining governmental control over the nation.
2 1-2 These leaders of Israel followed Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah back to the province of Judah, to their ancestral cities or the city of Jerusalem, from their Babylonian exile at the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon: 3 The descendants of Parosh (2,172), 4 Shephatiah (372), 5 Arah (775), 6 Pahath-moab of the families of Jeshua and Joab (2,812), 7 Elam (1,254), 8 Zattu (945), 9 Zaccai (760), 10 Bani (642), 11 Bebai (623), 12 Azgad (1,222), 13 Adonikam (666), 14 Bigvai (2,056), 15 Adin (454), 16 Ater of Hezekiah (98), 17 Bezai (323), 18 Jorah (112), 19 Hashum (223), and 20 Gibbar (95); 21 the citizens of Bethlehem (123), 22 Netophah (56), and 23 Anathoth (128); 24 the descendants of Azmaveth (42); 25 Kiriath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth (743); and 26 Ramah and Geba (621); 27 the citizens of Michmas (122) and 28 Bethel and Ai (223); 29 the descendants of Nebo (52), 30 Magbish (156), 31 the other Elam (1,254), 32 Harim (320), and 33 Lod, Hadid, and Ono (725); 34 the citizens of Jericho (345); 35 The descendants of Senaah (3,630).
36 These priests returned to Jerusalem: the descendants of Jedaiah the Jeshuite (973), 37 Immer (1,052), 38 Pashhur (1,247), 39 and Harim (1,017).
40 These Levites returned to Jerusalem: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel the Hodaviahites (74).
41 These singers returned to Jerusalem: the descendants of Asaph (128).
42 These sons of the gatekeepers: the descendants Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai (139).
43 These temple servants returned to Jerusalem: 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, Nephisim, 51 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, 52 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, 53 Barkos, Sisera, Temah, 54 Neziah, and Hatipha.
55 These descendants of Solomon’s servants returned to Jerusalem: the descendants of Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda, 56 Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel, 57 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth-hazzebaim, and Ami. 58 All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants totaled 392.
59-60 But not everyone was readily accepted into Jerusalem. These people returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian provinces of Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer: the descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda (652). These people could not produce genealogies to prove their identities as Israelites.
61 Three priestly lines—the descendants of Habaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai (so called because he married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite)— 62 could not be located in their genealogies. Therefore they were considered ritually impure and excluded from the priesthood in case they should taint the Lord’s new temple. 63 The governor decided they should abstain from eating the most holy things until the high priest could divine answers using the Urim and Thummim. 64 This decision affected 42,360 people, 65 in addition to 7,337 male and female servants, 200 male and female singers, 66 736 horses, 245 mules, 67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.
68 When some of the tribal leaders arrived at the Eternal’s temple in Jerusalem, they gave their offerings willingly, hoping to rebuild the True God’s house on the same site Solomon had used. 69 Their gifts, which the treasury used to finance the construction of the new temple, amounted to about 1,000 pounds[b] of gold, 3 tons[c] of silver, and 100 priestly garments.
70 From that time forward, the priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, the temple servants, and all Israel lived in their ancestral cities.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.