Ezra
First group – Zerubbabel (chapters 1-6)
Cyrus' decree
11
The Cyrus Cylinder is a 2 cm long cylinder of clay discovered in 1879 in Babylon and dated to around 538 BC. Here Cyrus describes his victory over Babylonia and the liberation of the oppressed peoples. The proclamation concerns religious freedom and legal security and is considered the first human rights declaration. Parts of the text are engraved above the entrance to the UN headquarters in New York. The original is kept at the British Museum in London.
2Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia:
All the kingdoms of the earth, the Lord (Yahweh), the God of heaven (Elohim), has given to me, and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
3Let everyone among you who belongs to his people be blessed by his God (Elohim). Let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the Lord (Yahweh), the God (Elohim) of Israel. He is the God (Elohim) who dwells in Jerusalem. 4And for all [Jews] who remain (the remnant) [who do not have sufficient resources of their own to return], wherever they may live [throughout the great Persian Empire], let the people [non-Jews] in those places provide him with silver and gold, with goods [clothes, tents] and livestock, in addition to the voluntary offerings to the house of God (Elohim) in Jerusalem [so that they may return]. [The meaning depends on who "the people in those places" refers to. If it is non-Jews, then the meaning is that all Jews who want to return would be given the opportunity to do so. This interpretation is reinforced by the fact that the gifts mentioned are the gifts they take with them, see .] [Cyrus ruled in Persia from 539 to 530 BC. This decree ends the 70-year captivity of the Jewish people in Babylon. There were three deportations (605, 597, and 586 BC) and also three returns (Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah). The seventy years can be calculated in two ways. Either from Nebuchadnezzar's first attack in 605 BC to 535 BC (when the foundation of the temple was laid) or from the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC to the completion of the temple in 516 BC when it was rededicated. Verses 1-3 are found almost verbatim in . Archaeological finds such as the Cyrus Cylinder confirm that Cyrus made similar proclamations to other peoples and religions. The phrase "it was written down" in is a technical term for documenting. Thousands of clay tablets with laws, receipts, and covenants have been found in excavations from this period.]Preparations and gifts
5The leaders of Judah and Benjamin, together with the priests and Levites, all whose spirits God (Elohim) had stirred up, rose up and went to build the house of the Lord (Yahweh) in Jerusalem. 6And all those around them strengthened their hands with silver, gold, goods, livestock, and valuable gifts, in addition to everything they offered voluntarily. 7And King Cyrus brought all the accessories from the house of the Lord (Yahweh) that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. 8Cyrus, king of Persia, commanded the treasurer Mitredath [80 years later, another Mitredath served under Artaxerxes I, see ] to bring them (the temple objects) and list them for Sheshbatsar [probably another name for Zerubbabel, see and ; ], the prince of Judah. 9This is the number of them: gold basins: 30
silver basins: 1,000
silver knives: 29
10gold bowls: 30
another kind (double; second; matching – Hebr. mishnim) of silver bowls: 410
other utensils: 1,000 11All the gold and silver utensils numbered 5,400. Sheshbatsar [probably Zerubbabel] took all these with him when they left captivity in Babylon for Jerusalem. [The sum of the items listed in verses 9-10 is 2,499, which does not match the total of 5,400. Most likely, only the most important vessels are listed, or the author has only included part of a compilation along with the total sum.]The names of those who returned
21[No matter where you come from, you always go up to Jerusalem. There is also a special word for this in Hebrew, alija, which is used here. The name Zerubbabel (Hebr. Zerobavel) means 'one who is scattered/sown in Babylon'.]These are the sons of the province who went up [to Jerusalem] from captivity, of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had brought to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city; 2who came with Zerubbabel (Hebr. Zerobavel), Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rechom, Baana. [The list given here bears great similarity to a corresponding list in . Many of the families are mentioned in both lists and the number of family members is often the same, but there are differences. Some consider these lists to be two different ones, but the chiastic pattern suggests that they are the same, but with different focuses. This list mentions just over 42,000 people, but the vast majority of the Jews never returned with Zerubbabel, Ezra, or Nehemiah, but remained in Babylon. Their descendants have remained there until modern times, when some of them moved back to Israel after the state was formed in 1948. Between 1948 and 2021, over 3 million Jews have made aliyah. In 2021, there were a total of 15 million Jews in the world (including about 15,000 in Sweden), and just under half (6.9 million) lived in Israel. In Sweden, rising anti-Semitism has led to more and more Jews choosing to move to Israel.] The number of men of the people of Israel: 3The sons of Parosh: 2,172
4The sons of Shephatiah: 372
5The sons of Arach: 775
6The sons of Pahath-Moab, from Jeshoa and the sons of Joab: 2,812
7The sons of Elam: 1,254
8The sons of Zattu: 945
9The sons of Zacchaeus: 760
10The sons of Bani: 642
11The sons of Bevai: 623
12The sons of Azegad: 1,222
13The sons of Adonikam: 666
14The sons of Bigvai: 2,056
15The sons of Adin: 454
16The sons of Ater from Hezekiah (Hebr. Jechizqijah): 98
17The sons of Bezai: 323
18The sons of Jora: 112
19The sons of Hashum: 223
20The sons of Gibbar: 95 21[From geographical locations:] The sons of Bethlehem: 123
22The people of Netophah: 56
23The people of Anatoth: 128
24The sons of Azmaveth: 42
25The sons of Kirjat Arim, Kefira, and Beerot: 743
26The sons of Ramah and Geva: 621
27The people of Michmas: 122
28The people of Bethel and Ai: 223 29The sons of Navo: 52
30The sons of Magebbish: 156
31The rest of the sons of Elam: 1,254
32The sons of Charim: 320
33The sons of Lod, Chadid, and Ono: 725
34The sons of Jericho: 345
35The sons of Zenaah: 3,630 36The priests:The sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua: 973
37The sons of Immer: 1,052
38The sons of Pashhur: 1,247
39The sons of Charim: 1,017 40The Levites: The sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah: 74
41The singers: The sons of Asaph: 128
42The sons of the gatekeepers: The sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, and the sons of Shobab: 139 in all
43The temple servants [Hebr. netinim; meaning "given to" or "set apart for," they were assigned to help the Levites with simple tasks such as fetching water and cutting wood, see ]: The sons of Zichah, the sons of Chasoph, the sons of Tabbaoth, 44the sons of Keros, the sons of Siah, the sons of Paden, 45the sons of Levana, the sons of Chagava, the sons of Akkov, 46the sons of Hagav, the sons of Shalmai, the sons of Hanan, 47the sons of Giddeth, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah, 48the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam, 49the sons of Uz, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai, 50the sons of Asna, the sons of Meonim, the sons of Nefisim, 51the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Chakof, the sons of Charchor, 52the sons of Batslot, the sons of Mechida, the sons of Charsha, 53the sons of Barkos, the sons of Siseras, the sons of Temach, 54the sons of Netsiach, and the sons of Chatifa. 55The children of Solomon's servants: The sons of Sotai, the sons of Hassoferet, the sons of Peroda, 56the sons of Jael, the sons of Dagon, the sons of Giddel, 57the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Haggith, the sons of Pochereth-Hazzim, the sons of Ammi. 58All the temple servants [the Nethinim, see verses 43-54] and the sons of Solomon's servants were 392. 59[Others:]And there were those who came up from Tel-Melach, Tel-Charesha, Kerov, Addan, and Immer, but they could not tell (account for) which were their fathers' houses (which families they came from) and their seed (descendants), whether they were Israelites or not. 60The sons of Delaja, the sons of Tobias, the sons of Nekoda: 652. 61And the sons of the priests: the sons of Chavaja, the sons of Hakkot, the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife from the daughters of Barzillai, the Gileadite, and then took their family name. 62These searched for their records, their kinship (the names of their ancestors), but could not find them. Therefore, they were considered unclean and separated from the priesthood. 63And Tirshata told them that they should not eat of the holy things (the parts of the sacrificial animals that belonged to the priest) until a priest (high priest) came with the Urim and Thummim [which could determine whether they were true priests or not].
[Urim and Thummim were the names of the two objects (probably two small stones or rods) that the priest carried in his priestly breastplate and which were probably used for casting lots, see ; .] 64The entire congregation numbered 42,360 people, 65not counting their servants and maids, who numbered 7,337. They also had 200 male and female singers. 66They had 736 horses, 245 donkeys, 67435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 68When they arrived at the house of the Lord (Yahweh) in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave voluntary gifts for the rebuilding of the foundation of the house of the Lord (Yahweh). 69According to their ability, they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 gold drachmas, 5,000 silver minas, and 100 priestly garments. 70Now the priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants settled in their own cities, and all the rest of Israel in their cities.The foundation of the temple is laid
31And when the seventh month [the autumn month of Tishri, falling in September/October; probably 538 BC] had come and the children of Israel had settled in their cities, the people gathered as one man (as a unit; in unison) in Jerusalem. 2Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers, the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers rose up and built the altar to offer burnt offerings to the God of Israel (Elohim) as it is written in the teaching of Moses the man of God. 3They set up the altar in its designated place (adjacent to/in front of/east of the temple itself), despite their fear of the people of the land. And they offered burnt offerings to the Lord (Yahweh) on it, both morning and evening offerings. 4They also celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles (Hebr. sukkah) as it is written and offered the prescribed number of daily sacrifices in accordance with the commandment for each day.[During the Feast of Tabernacles, in addition to all the other festival sacrifices, a total of 70 oxen are sacrificed, one for each country in the then known world, which means that no other festival has as many sacrifices in terms of number of animals, see ; ; . The Feast of Tabernacles is also the only one of the Lord's (Yahweh's) feasts when it is a commandment to be joyful for seven days, which many rabbis consider to be one of the most difficult commandments to fulfill!] 5After that, they brought the daily burnt offering, the new moon offering, and the offerings for all the Lord's (Yahweh's) holy convocations [all the Lord's (Yahweh's) feasts described in ], as well as all the voluntary offerings brought to the Lord (Yahweh). 6From the first day of the 7th month [Tishri], they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord (Yahweh) even though the foundation of the Lord's (Yahweh's) temple had not yet been laid. 7They gave money to the stonecutters and carpenters and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and Tyrians so that they would bring cedar wood from Lebanon, via the sea to Jaffa, as the Persian king Cyrus had permitted. 8In the second month [Iyar – April/May] of the second year [of Cyrus' reign – corresponding to 537 BC], after they had come to the house of the Lord (Elohim) in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers, the priests, the Levites, and all those who had returned from captivity to Jerusalem, began the work. They appointed the Levites from the age of 20 and older to supervise the work on the house of the Lord (Yahweh). 9Then Jeshua, his sons, and his brothers, and Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, stood together to supervise the craftsmen in the house of God (Elohim)—also the sons of Henadad with their sons and their brothers, [all] the Levites [were there]. [The verse is not entirely clear, but it probably refers to three people (Jeshua, Kadmiel, and Chenadad) together with their families—all the Levites.] 10When the craftsmen had laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord (Yahweh), they set up the priests in their robes and with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord (Yahweh) according to the instructions of David, king of Israel. 11With praise and thanksgiving, they sang to the Lord (Yahweh): For he is good,
for his mercy (caring, faithful love) endures forever (eternally) over Israel! []
And all the people gave a shout (cried out with a loud voice) when they praised the Lord (Yahweh) because the foundation of the house of the Lord (Yahweh) was laid.
12But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers' tribes (clans, the twelve tribes of Israel), the old men who had seen the first house [Solomon's temple], wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this house [the temple] being laid, while many [others] shouted aloud for joy, 13so that the sound of the joyful shouting could not be distinguished from the sound of the weeping, for the people shouted at the top of their voices, and the sound was heard far away.Opposition
41When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles had returned and were building a temple to the Lord (Yahweh), the God of Israel (Elohim), 2they approached Zerubbabel and the leaders [the leading fathers, patriarchs, heads of the returnees] and said to them: Let us build with you, for we, like you, seek your God (Elohim) and have sacrificed to him since the days of Esarhaddon [681-669 BC], king of Assyria, who brought us here. [The Assyrian king Sargon had already carried out population transfers when Samaria fell (722 BC). This was continued by subsequent kings, such as Esarhaddon (681-669 BC) and Ashurbanipal (668-627 BC). Non-biblical sources confirm how Esarhaddon relocated groups of people to Sidon after he had conquered those areas.] 3But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other prominent leaders of Israel said to them: "It is not for you and us (together) to build a house for the Lord (Yahweh) our God (Elohim); we ourselves will build it for the Lord (Yahweh), the God (Elohim) of Israel, just as Cyrus, king of Persia, has commanded us." 4Then the inhabitants of the land began to hinder [the returning] Jews (the people of Judah) [] and made them afraid to build. 5They bribed counselors with the intention of thwarting their plans every day from the time of Cyrus, the [first] king of Persia, until [539 BC] the reign of Darius, the [third] king of Persia [522-486 BC].[The first three kings of the Persian Empire were: Cyrus (539-530 BC), Cambyses II (530-522 BC), and Darius I (Darius the Great) (522-486 BC). The story continues from in , but in between there is a flash forward showing that even after the temple was completed under Zerubbabel, the Samaritans continued to oppose the rebuilding of Jerusalem.]Examples of later resistance
6During the reign of [Persia's fourth king] Ahasuerus (Xerxes), at the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. [Ahasuerus reigned in Persia from 486 to 465 BC; he is also known by the Greek name Xerxes, see also .] 7Even during the days of [his successor] Artaxerxes (Hebr. Artachshasta) [the first] [465-425 BC], Bishlam, Mitredat, Tavel, and the rest of their relatives wrote a letter in Aramaic that was translated. [Here in , the text shifts from Hebrew to Aramaic until . The Jews were bilingual at this time, so to avoid switching between Aramaic (in which the Persian documents quoted were written) and Hebrew, the comments between the letters are also written in Aramaic. Verses 9-10 were probably the summary of the contents that was on the outside of the scroll.] 8Rechum, the commander (literally: lord of commands), and Shimshaj, the city secretary, wrote a letter concerning Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes (Hebr. Artachshaste) [here with an "e" at the end] with the following content: 9Rechum, the commander, and Shimshaj, the city secretary, together with their colleagues (government officials): the judges, the officials, the administrators, the clerks, the men from Erek, Babylon, and Susa, i.e., the Elamites, 10and all the other peoples whom the great and powerful Asenappar had taken away and settled in the cities of Samaria and in other parts of the province west of the Euphrates. [Asenappar is another name for Ashurbanipal. He succeeded his father Esarchaddon as king of Assyria in 669 BC. Around 645 BC, they plundered the Elamite capital of Susa, and some of these peoples were taken away to Samaria and other places.] 11This is a copy of the letter they sent to him: "To King Artaxerxes (Hebr. Artachshaste).
From your servants, the men on the other side of the river [west of the Euphrates].
12The king should know that the Jews who left you have come here to us in Jerusalem. They are now rebuilding the rebellious and wicked city, repairing the walls and improving the foundations. 13The king should now know that if this city is rebuilt and the walls repaired, they will not pay taxes, customs duties, or road tolls, and this will harm the kings' income. 14Since we eat the salt of the palace [are salaried; are in the king's service and loyal to him, see ; ; ] and it is not right for us to see the king dishonored, we are now sending this letter and letting the king know 15so that it may be investigated in the chronicles of your fathers. You will then find in these chronicles that this city has been a rebellious city, to the detriment of kings and countries. Since ancient times, unrest has been stirred up there, and therefore this city has also been destroyed. 16We now let the king know that if this city is rebuilt and its walls repaired, then you will have no possessions left in the country on the other side of the river." [The expression "to eat the salt of the palace" is an idiomatic expression for being in the king's service. The English word for salary comes from the Latin salarium, meaning salt money.] 17The king sent this reply: "To the councilor Rechum and the scribe Shimshaj and the others, their brothers, who live in Samaria and in the rest of the land beyond the river. Peace!
18The letter you sent us has been carefully read to me. 19After I ordered an investigation, it was found that this city has a long history of rebelling against kings and that revolts and unrest have been instigated there. 20In Jerusalem, there have also been powerful kings who have ruled over the whole country on the other side of the river. Taxes, customs duties, and tolls have been paid to them. 21Therefore, issue a command that these men should cease. This city shall not be rebuilt until I command it. 22Make sure you do not neglect this matter, lest the damage increase and the kings suffer." 23When the letter from King Artaxerxes (Hebr. Artachshaste) had been read to Rechum, the scribe Shimshai, and their fellow brothers, they went to the Jews in Jerusalem and prevented them by force and power.Work is delayed
[After a forward-looking section (with an introduction in verses 4-5 and examples from a letter in verses 6-23) that indicates future opposition, the chronological narrative from resumes here.] 24Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem ceased. It was prevented until the second year of the reign of the Persian king Darius [520 BC]. [Darius I took power in Persia after the civil war following the death of Cambyses. A few years into his reign, the political situation had stabilized (except for some battles with Egypt in 518-519 BC). Under Darius' reign from 522 to 486 BC, the Persian Empire reached its heyday.]Tattenai's letter to Darius
51The prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. 2Then Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, son of Jozadak, began to build the house of God in Jerusalem. The prophets of God were with them and helped them. 3At that time [an important and decisive moment], Tatnai [whose name means "gift"], the governor of the province beyond the River [the province west of the Euphrates], and Shethar-Boznai [meaning "brilliant star"] and their fellow brothers (colleagues) and said to them [the Jews who were building the temple], "Who gave you permission to build this house and finish this wall?" 4Then they asked what the names of the men who were building the structure were. 5The eye of God was watching over the elders of the Jews, so that no one hindered them until the matter had come before Dareyavesh [who reigned 522-486 BC] and they had received a letter back from him about this. 6This is what was written in the letter that Tatnai, the governor of the province beyond the River, and Shethar-Boznai and his colleagues, the Afars, beyond the River, sent to King Darius. 7They sent him a report, which said: "Peace be with King Darius. 8The king should know that we came to the province of Judea, to the house of the great God. This is now being built with large stones [literally: "stones that must be rolled"] and timber [beams] are being placed in the walls. The work is being carried out with care and is progressing rapidly under their leadership. 9Then we asked the elders there: Who commanded you to build this house and restore this wall? 10We also asked them their names, so that we could inform you and write down the names of the men who were leading them. 11This is the answer they gave us: We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that stood here many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed. 12But because our fathers angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. He destroyed this house and carried the people away to Babylon. 13But inthe firstyear ofhisreign, Cyrus, king of Babylon, commanded that this house of God be rebuilt. 14Moreover, King Cyrus (Koresh) brought from the temple in Babylon the vessels of gold and silver that had belonged to the house of God, but which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple in Babylon. King Cyrus (Koresh) gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed as governor, 15and said to him, "Take these vessels, go and carry them into the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its site. 16So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God in Jerusalem. From that time until now, it has been under construction, and it is not yet finished. 17If the king agrees, let a search be made in the royal archives in Babylon to find out whether King Cyrus gave orders to build this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king inform us of his decision on this matter." Dareyavesh's command
61Then King Darius gave his order, and inquiries were made in the archives of the treasury in Babylon. 2In the castle of Ecbatana [one of the ancient capitals] in the province of Media [present-day northwestern Iran], a scroll was found with the following written on it: 3"In the first year of his reign, King Cyrus gave this command concerning the house of God in Jerusalem []: The house shall be rebuilt and be a place where sacrifices are offered. The foundation shall be laid. It shall be built 60 cubits [27 meters] high and 60 cubits [27 meters] wide 4with three courses of large stones and one course of new timber. The expenses shall be paid from the king's treasury. [A cubit is approximately 45 cm. The measurement is derived from the length of a man's forearm; the distance between the elbow and the middle finger. These measurements for rebuilding the temple are double those of Solomon's temple, see .] 5The vessels of gold and silver from the house of God that Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon [] shall also be returned. They shall be restored to their rightful place in the temple in Jerusalem and placed in the house of God." 6Now you, Tatnai, governor of the province beyond the River, and you, Shethar-Boznai, and your colleagues, the Afarsites, beyond the River, keep away from there. [] 7Leave the work on this house of God alone. The governor and elders of the Jews shall build this house of God on its site. 8I hereby give orders concerning what you are to do for the elders of the Jews when they build this house of God. From the money that the king receives in taxes from the land on the other side of the river, whatever is needed for the expenses shall be paid in full to these men so that the work is not interrupted. 9Whatever they need in terms of young bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, as well as wheat, salt, wine, and oil, shall be given to them day by day without fail, according to the instructions of the priests in Jerusalem. 10Then they will be able to offer sacrifices of a pleasing aroma to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons. 11I hereby decree that if anyone violates this ordinance, a beam shall be torn from his house and he shall be hanged on it. His house shall be turned into a rubbish heap because he has done this. 12May the God who has made his name dwell there strike down all kings and peoples who raise their hands to violate this decree and destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Dareyavesh, give this command. See that it is carried out carefully!" 13Since King Darius had sent out such a command, it was carefully carried out by Tatnai, the governor on the other side of the river, and by Shethar-Boznai, as well as by their fellow brothers. 14The elders of the Jews continued to build and made progress in the work through the prophetic words of Haggai and Zechariah, the son of Iddo. They built and completed it as the God of Israel had commanded and as Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes (Hebr. Artachshaste) [who reigned from 465 to 424 BC, see , ], king of Persia, had commanded. 15The temple was completed on the third day of the month of Adar [in the spring—March 12] in the sixth year of Darius' reign [516 BC—almost exactly 70 years after the destruction of the temple in August 587 BC]. [Ezra gives the exact date of completion since Zerubbabel laid the foundation 21 years earlier, see . From the time the work was resumed, through the influence of the two prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the time was only four years, five months, and ten days.] 16The children of Israel, the priests and Levites, and the others who had returned from captivity celebrated the dedication of the house with joy. 17For the dedication of the house of God, they sacrificed 100 bulls, 200 rams, and 400 lambs, and as a sin offering [] for all Israel, twelve goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18They appointed the priests according to their divisions and the Levites according to their divisions [exact details are given in 1 Chron. 23-27] to perform the service of God in Jerusalem, as it was prescribed in the book of Moses. [Here ends the Aramaic section that began in ; is in Hebrew.] 19Those who had returned from exile celebrated the Passover [, ; ] on the 14th [day] of the first month [14th of Nisan – April 21, 516 BC, see ], 20for all the priests and Levites had purified themselves and were ceremonially clean. They slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves. 21All the children (sons) of Israel who had returned from exile, together with all those who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the nations to seek the Lord (Yahweh), the God (Elohim) of Israel, 22celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread [Hebr. chag matsah; see ; ] with joy for seven days, because the Lord (Yahweh) had given them joy and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work on the house of God (Elohim), the God (Elohim) of Israel. [Between chapters 6 and 7, the events in the Book of Esther take place during the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) (486-465 BC), see . Esther becomes queen around 479 BC.]Second group – Ezra (chapters 7-10)
[Chapter 6 ended with the temple finally being dedicated in 516 BC by the first group that returned from exile. Chapter 7 picks up 58 years later (458 BC), see . Zerubbabel had led the first group, and now, 80 years later, Ezra leads the second group back. Eventually, Nehemiah will lead the third group (444 BC), see .] 71Now, after all this, during the reign of Artaxerxes (Hebr. Artachshasta), king of Persia, Ezra, son of Seraiah, son of Azariah (Hebr. Azarjah), son of Hilkiah, 2son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Achitov, 3son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5son of Avishoa, son of Pinchas, son of Elazar, son of Aaron, the high priest. [As a descendant of Aaron, he came from the highest and most respected Jewish priestly family. His status as a priest also gave him political influence.] 6This Ezra came up from Babylon. He was skilled in the teachings of Moses (Hebr. ) that the Lord (Yahweh), the God of Israel (Elohim), had given. The king granted him everything he asked for, because the hand of the Lord (Yahweh), his God (Elohim), was upon him. 7And some of the children (sons) of Israel and some of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of the reign of King Artaxerxes (Hebr. Artachshasta). [Artaxerxes I came to power in 465 BC after the satrap Artabanos had murdered his father Xerxes I and his older brother Darius had also been killed. Seven years after this is the year 458 BC.] 8He arrived in Jerusalem in the 5th month [of] the 7th year of the king's reign. [The first day of the 7th year of Artachshasta's reign corresponds to August 4, 458 BC.] 9He began his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month [Nisan] and arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month [of], [the long journey went well] because the good hand of God (Elohim) was upon him. [The journey, via Carchemish in northern Syria, was long and dangerous, see . The date 1 Nisan corresponds to April 8 and the 1st of the Hebrew month av on August 4, 458 BC. It took just over three and a half months to travel the 1,400 km, walking an average of 15 km per day. The latter part of the journey during the summer months is particularly hot in the area. The dates also allude to a new exodus similar to that from Egypt, see ; . There is also a connection to the prophet Isaiah, see .] 10For Ezra had wholeheartedly decided (had set his heart ) to seek and explore the teachings of the Lord (Yahweh) (Hebr. Torah), to live by them and to teach their statutes and ordinances in Israel. 11Now this is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes (Hebr. Artachshasta) gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a teacher of the law of the Lord (Yahweh) and his statutes for Israel.Artaxerxes' letter to Ezra
12[Verses 12-26 are in Aramaic:] " [From:] Artaxerxes (Hebr. Artachshaste), king of kings [a popular title at the time – describing rule over many peoples],
to Ezra the priest, teacher of the commandments of the God of heaven (Aramaic: dat). 13I now issue a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and Levites who live in my kingdom and who wish (of their own free will) to go to Jerusalem may travel with you. 14The king and his seven counselors are sending you to investigate the situation in Judah and Jerusalem based on the commandments of your God, which are in your hand. 15You shall take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely given to the God of Israel, who dwells in Jerusalem. 16Also take with you all the silver and gold you can find in all of Babylon, along with the voluntary gifts that the people and priests give to the house of their God in Jerusalem. 17With this money, you shall carefully select and purchase bulls, rams, lambs [for burnt offerings and sin offerings] and whatever else is needed for the food offerings and drink offerings that go with them. You shall offer these on the altar in the house of your God in Jerusalem. [Ezra had surely told Artaxerxes what was needed for the sacrifices in the temple, see .] 18And with the silver and gold that is left over, you and your brothers may do what you think is best, according to God's will. 19All the vessels you receive for the temple service in the house of your God, you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem. 20Whatever you need to pay for the rest of what is needed for the house of your God, you shall pay from the king's treasury. 21I, King Artaxerxes (Hebr. Artachshaste), now issue a decree to all the treasurers in the land beyond the river: Whatever the priest Ezra, teacher of the law of the God of heaven, asks of you, it shall be done and given, 22up to 100 talents [3.4 tons] of silver,
100 kor [23 cubic meters] of wheat,
100 bat [2.2 cubic meters] of wine,
100 bat [2.2 cubic meters] of oil, and
as much salt as is needed. [A Babylonian talent weighed about 34 kg. 100 talents of silver was a large sum of over 3 tons. In comparison, the contemporary Greek historian Herodotus (in his work History, 3.95) writes that the annual contribution to the entire province on the other side of the river was 350 talents. The fact that an upper limit is specified nevertheless shows that the information is reliable. One kor measure corresponded to 10 bat measures. Each area paid taxes in both goods and money, see , so these goods were available and could be collected from the stores.] 23Everything that the God of heaven commands shall be done carefully and given to the house of the God of heaven, lest wrath come upon the kingdom of the king and his sons. 24We proclaim to you that no one shall have the right to impose taxes, customs duties, or tolls on any priest, Levite, singer, doorkeeper, temple servant, or other servant in this house of God. 25And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom God has given you, appoint judges and lawyers who will administer justice to all the people in the land beyond the river, all those who know the statutes of your God. If anyone does not know them, you shall teach them. 26Anyone who does not obey the commands of your God and the king's commands shall be punished immediately (carefully), either by death or exile, confiscation of property, or imprisonment." 27Blessed be the Lord (Yahweh), the God of our fathers (Elohim), who has put it into the king's heart to beautify the house of the Lord (Yahweh) in Jerusalem in this way, 28and has extended his mercy (caring love – Hebr. chesed) toward me before the king and his counselors and all the mighty princes of the king. I have gained strength when the hand of the Lord (Yahweh) my God (Elohim) has been upon me, and I gathered together the leaders of Israel to go up with me.Leaders who returned with Ezra
81These are the leaders (the leading fathers, patriarchs, heads of the returnees) and their records, their genealogy (names of their ancestors), who came with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes (Hebr. Artachshasta). 2From the sons of Phinehas, Gershom; from the sons of Ithamar, Daniel; from the sons of David, Hattush;
3from the sons of Shecaniah, from the sons of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him were 150 men enrolled by genealogy,
4from the sons of Pahath-Moab, Elihoenai, the son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men enrolled by genealogy,
5from the sons of Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel, and 300 men with him,
6from the sons of Adin, Ebed, the son of Jonathan, and 50 men with him,
7from the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah [not the prophet Isaiah], the son of Athaliah, and 70 men with him,
8from the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah, son of Michael, and 80 men with him,
9from the sons of Joab, Obadiah, the son of Jehiel, and 128 men with him,
10from the sons of Shelemith, the son of Josiphiah, and 160 men with him,
11from the sons of Bebai, Zechariah, son of Bebai, and 28 men with him,
12from the sons of Azegad, Johanan, son of Hakkat, and 110 men with him,
13from the sons of Adonikam, they came later, but these are their names: Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and 60 men with them,
14from the sons of Bigvai, Otai and Zakkur and 70 men with him. The journey to Jerusalem
15And I gathered them together to the river that flows to Ahava. There we stayed for three days, and I examined the people and the priests, but could not find any Levites there. [Ezra mentions 1,513 men, probably over 5,000 together with women and children.] 16Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jariv, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, Meshullam, who was a leader, and Jojariv and Elnathan, who were teachers. 17I sent a message with them to Iddo, the leader in Hashim, and told them what to say to Iddo and his brother, who were temple servants in Hashim, in order to provide us with priests for the house of our God (Elohim). 18Because the good hand of God (Elohim) was upon me, they sent Sherevja—son (descendant) of Machli, son of Levi, son of Israel—a man of insight (knowledge, understanding), and his sons and brothers [in total]: 18 men. 19And Chashavja and with him Jeshajah [not the prophet Isaiah] from the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons [in total]: 20. 20And from the Nethinim, whom David and the princes had given to serve the Levites, 220 Nethinim, all of them named. [With the low number of 38 Levites (see verses 18-19), this group of 220 servants was important in order to carry out all the tasks required in the temple.] 21Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava, so that we might humble ourselves before our God (Elohim) to seek from him a straight path for us and for our little ones and for all our possessions. 22I was ashamed to ask the king for a group of soldiers and horsemen to help us against enemies along the way, because we had spoken to the king and said, "The hand of God (Elohim) is upon all those who seek him and his goodness, and his wrath is against those who forsake him." 23We fasted and pleaded with our God for this, and he heard us (responded positively to our prayers). 24Then I set apart twelve of the leaders of the priests beside Sherevja, Chashavja, and ten of their brothers with them, 25and I weighed out for them the silver and the gold and the vessels, along with the sacrifices to the house of our God (Elohim) that the king and his advisers and his princes and all Israel who were there had sacrificed. 26I weighed out into their hands 650 talents [22 tons] of silver, silver utensils worth 100 talents [3 tons], 100 talents [3 tons] of gold, 2720 gold bowls valued at 1,000 darics [Persian gold coin and unit of weight – equivalent to a total of 8.6 kg], and two exquisite, shiny (polished, gleaming) bronze vessels, as precious as gold. 28And I said to them, "You are holy to the Lord (Yahweh), and the vessels are holy, and the silver and gold are voluntary gifts to the Lord (Yahweh), the God (Elohim) of your fathers. 29Watch over them and keep them until you weigh them out before the leading priests and Levites and princes of the house of the fathers of Israel in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the Lord (Yahweh)." 30The priests and Levites received the silver, gold, and vessels by weight to bring them to Jerusalem, to the house of our God (Elohim). 31Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem. The hand of God was upon us, and he preserved us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes along the way. 32So we came to Jerusalem and stayed there for three days. 33On the fourth day, the silver, gold, and vessels were weighed in the house of our God (Elohim), in the hands of Meremoth, son of Uriah, the priest, and with him was Elazar, son of Pinchas, and with them were Jozabad, son of Jeshoa, and Noadiah, son of Binnoj, the Levite. 34Everything was counted by number and weight, and the total weight was recorded [probably written on a clay tablet, which was the way of taking notes at that time] on that occasion. 35Then those who had returned from exile offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel (Elohim): 12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, and as a sin offering, 12 male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord (Yahweh). 36And they delivered the king's command to the king's satraps and to the governors beyond the River, and they favored the people and the house of God (Elohim).Ezra's prayer
91When these things had been accomplished, the leaders came to me and said, "The people of Israel and the priests and Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, but are doing according to their abominations (following their ungodly customs and practices) just like the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. 2They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mixed the holy seed with the people of the land. Yes, the princes and leaders have been the first to commit this unfaithfulness. 3When I heard this, I tore my clothes and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down in horror. 4Then all gathered around me, trembling at the words of the God of Israel (Elohim) because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles, and I sat down in horror until the evening sacrifice. 5At the time of the evening sacrifice, I rose from my fast, with my clothes and my cloak torn, and I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord (Yahweh) my God (Elohim), 6and I prayed:
"O my God (Elohim), I am ashamed and blush with shame to lift up my face before you, my God (Elohim), for our transgressions have increased and gone over our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens. 7From the days of our fathers to this day, our guilt has been great. Because of our transgressions, we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hands of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to destruction, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. 8Now for a brief moment the Lord (Yahweh) our God (Elohim) has shown us mercy (favor) by allowing a remnant to escape and giving us a tap (a stick) in his holy place, so our God has enlightened our eyes and given us a little relief in our bondage. 9Even though we are slaves, our God (Elohim) has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has extended his mercy (loving kindness) toward us before the king of Persia, Revived us to build the house of our God, raise up its ruins, and give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. 10And now, our God (Elohim), what shall we say after this? We have forsaken your commandments, 11which you commanded through your servants the prophets, saying, "The land that you are entering to possess is a land defiled with the uncleanness of the peoples of the land. By their abominations they have defiled it from one end to the other with their uncleanness. 12Therefore, you shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons. Never seek their peace (shalom) or their prosperity. Then you will be strong, eat the good of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your children forever. 13After all this has befallen us because of our evil deeds and our great guilt, you, our God (Elohim), have punished us less than our transgressions deserve and have given us a remnant like this. 14shall we again break your commandments and intermarry with people who commit such abominable deeds as these? Would you not be angry with us until you destroyed us, so that there would be no remnant, not a single one who could escape? 15Lord (Yahweh), God of Israel (Elohim), you are righteous, for we are left, a remnant that has escaped, as it is this day. Behold, we are before your face in our guilt, because of which no one can stand before your face."The people confess their sin
101While Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and prostrating himself (face down on the ground) before the house of God (Elohim), a very large crowd of Israelites, men, women, and children, gathered around him. The people also wept bitterly. 2And Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, "We have been unfaithful to our God (Elohim) and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land. Nevertheless, there is still hope (Hebr. miqveh) for Israel in this matter. [The Messiah is Israel's hope for purification and salvation, see ; .] 3Let us now make a covenant with our God (Elohim) and drive away all the wives and those born of them, in accordance with the counsel of the Lord (Adonai), and with those who fear (revere) the commandments of our God. And let it be done in accordance with the teaching (Torah – the five books of Moses). 4Arise, for this matter concerns (belongs to) you, and we are with you; be bold and do it." 5Then Ezra stood up and took the leaders of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, and made them swear an oath according to this word. They swore this oath. 6Then Ezra rose from the place before the house of God and went into the chamber belonging to Jehohanan, son of Eliashib, and when he got there, he ate no bread and drank no water, for he mourned because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles. 7A decree was sent throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the sons of the exiles that they should gather in Jerusalem. 8Anyone who did not appear within three days, in accordance with the decision of the princes and elders, would have all his property confiscated and be excluded from the assembly of the exiles (no longer counted as an Israelite). 9Within three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem. It was the 20th day of the 9th month [Kislev – Nov/Dec; when the rainy season has begun in Israel], and all the people sat in the open space before the house of God (Elohim), trembling (shivering) both because of the matter and because of the rain. 10And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have been unfaithful (broken your faith) and married foreign women to increase the guilt of Israel. 11Therefore, confess now with thanksgiving before the Lord (Yahweh), the God (Elohim) of your fathers, and do his will, and separate yourselves from the people of the land and from the foreign women." 12Then the whole assembly answered and said with a loud voice, "According to your words, we will do. 13However, there are many people here, and we are in the rainy season, so we cannot stand outside. Furthermore, this matter cannot be resolved in a day or two, for we have sinned greatly (extensively) in this Zech. 14Now let our princes (leaders) stand for the whole assembly, and let those who are in our cities and have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders of each city and their judges, until the fierce anger of our God (Elohim) has turned away from us, as we now take up this matter." 15Only Jonathan, son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, son of Tikvah, stood up against this proposal, and Meshullam and Shabbethai, the Levites, helped them. 16And the sons of the exiles did so. And Ezra the priest, together with selected leaders of each family (literally "the heads of the fathers' houses"), each of them designated by name, sat down on the first day of the 10th month [Tevet – Dec/Jan] and examined the matter. 17And they finished with all the men who had married foreign women on the first day of the first month [Nisan, which falls in March/April]. [This work of separating the men from their foreign wives thus took three months to complete. This shows that they were both thorough and careful. In addition, everything was written down.]Those who had married foreign women
18Among the sons of the priests, the following were found to have married foreign women: The sons of Jeshoa, son of Jotsadak, and his brothers, Maaseja, Eliezer, Jariv, and Gedalia. 19And they gave their hand (handshake) that they would send away their wives and be guilty. They sacrificed a ram from the flock for their guilt. 20And from the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
21And from the sons of Charim: Maaseiah, Eliah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah (Hebr. Uzzijaho).
22And from the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael (Hebr. Jishmael), Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasa.
23And from the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaja (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Jehoda, and Eliezer.
24And from the singers: Eljashev, and from the gatekeepers: Shallom, Telem, and Ori.
25And from Israel, from the sons of Parosh, Ramah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Elazar, Malchijah, and Benayah.
26And from the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah (Hebr. Zecharjaho), Jehiel, Aveddi, Jeremoth, and Elia.
27And from the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Elashiv, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28And from the sons of Bevai: Jehochanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29And from the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malloch, and Adaja, Jashov, Sheal, and Ramot.
30And from the sons of Pachat-Moab: Adna and Chelal, Benayahu, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, and Binnoh, and Manasseh (Hebr. Menasheh).
31And from the sons of Charim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Simeon, 32Benjamin, Malloch, Shemariah.
33From the sons of Hashum: Mattaniah, Mattatta, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh (Hebr. Menasheh), Shimei.
34From the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, and Uel, 35Benayahu, Bedeya, Keloho, 36Vanja, Meremot, Eljashiv, 37Mattanja, Mattenaj, and Jaasaj, 38Bani, Binnoh, Shimei, 39Shelemja, Natan, Adaja, 40Machnadvaj, Shashaj, Sharaj, 41Azarel, Shelemjaho, Shemarja, 42Shallom, Amariah, and Joseph.
43From the sons of Neco: Jiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddaiah, and Joel, Benajah. 44All these had taken foreign wives, and some had sons (children) with them.
