1 And after these matters, when Artaḥshashta the sovereign of Paras reigned, Ezra came, the son of Serayah, the son of Azaryah, the son of Ḥilqiyah, the son of Shallum,
2 the son of Tsaḏoq, the son of Aḥituḇ, the son of Amaryah, the son of Azaryah, the son of Merayoth, the son of Zeraḥyah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Buqqi, the son of Aḇishua, the son of Pineḥas, the son of Eli’ezer, the son of Aharon the chief kohĕn.
3 This Ezra went up from Baḇel, as a scribe, being very skilled in the Law of Mosheh, that was given by the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl.
4 And the sovereign esteemed him; for he found favour in his sight in all his requests.
5 There also went up with him to Yerushalayim, some of the children of Yisra’ĕl, of the kohenim of the Lĕwites, of the qodesh singers, gatekeepers and servants of the Hĕyḵal,
6 in the seventh year of the reign of Artaḥshashta, in the fifth month. This was the sovereign’s seventh year; for they went from Baḇel in the first day of the first month, and came to Yerushalayim, according to the prosperous journey which 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 gave them.
7 For Ezra had such great knowledge, that he omitted naught from the Torah and Commands of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, but taught all Yisra’ĕl the Torot and Right-Rulings.
8 Now the copy of the commission, which was written from Artaḥshashta the sovereign, and came to Ezra the kohĕn and reader of the Torah of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 is as follows:
9 Sovereign Artaḥshashta, to Ezra the kohĕn and reader of the Torah of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, greetings.
10 Having determined to deal favourably, I have given an order, that those of the nation of the Yahuḏim and of the kohenim and Lĕwites being within our reign, who desire and are willing, should go with you to Yerushalayim.
11 As many therefore as have a heart to do so, let them depart with you, as it has seemed good both to me and my seven friends the counsellors;
12 that they may look to the affairs of Yahuḏah and Yerushalayim, agreeable to that which is in the Torah of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄;
13 and carry the gifts to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of Yisra’ĕl to Yerushalayim, which I and my friends have vowed, and all the gold and silver that is found in the land of Baḇel, to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 in Yerushalayim;
14 also with that which is given from the people for the Hĕyḵal of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 their Elohim at Yerushalayim; and that silver and gold may be collected for bulls, rams, and lambs, and matters pertaining to it;
15 so that that they may offer slaughterings to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 upon the altar of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 their Elohim, which is in Yerushalayim.
16 And whatever you and your brothers do with the silver and gold, do so according to the desire of your Elohim.
17 And the qodesh vessels of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, which have been given to you for the use of the Hĕyḵal of your Elohim, which is in Yerushalayim, you shall put before your Elohim in Yerushalayim;
18 and whatever else you shall remember for the use of the Hĕyḵal of your Elohim, you shall give it out of the sovereign’s treasury.
19 And I Sovereign Artaḥshashta have also commanded the keepers of the treasuries in Suria and Phoinikĕ, that whatever Ezra the kohĕn and the reader of the Torah of the Most High Elohim shall send for, they should give it to him with haste,
20 to the sum of one hundred Kiḵars of silver, likewise also of wheat even to a hundred kors, and a hundred baths of wine, and other matters in abundance.
21 Let all be performed after the Torah of Elohim diligently unto the Most High Elohim, so that wrath does not come upon the reign of the sovereign and his sons.
22 I also command you, that you require no tax, nor any other tribute from any of the kohenim, or Lĕwites, or qodesh singers, or gatekeepers, or servants of the Hĕyḵal, or from any who are employed in this Hĕyḵal, and that no man has authority to impose any matter upon them.
23 And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of Elohim, appoint judges and Right-Rulings, that they may judge in all Suria and Phoinikĕ all those who know the Torah of your Elohim; and those who do not know it, you shall teach;
24 and whoever transgresses the Torah of your Elohim, and of the sovereign, shall be strictly punished, whether it be by death, or other punishment, by penalty of silver, or by imprisonment.
25 Then Ezra the scribe said, “Baruḵ be the only Aḏon, Elohim of my fathers, who has put these into the heart of the sovereign, to esteem His House that is in Yerushalayim,
26 and has esteemed me in the sight of the sovereign, and his counsellors, and all his friends and nobles.”
27 Therefore I was encouraged with the help of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 my Elohim, and gathered together men of Yisra’ĕl to go up with me.
28 And these are the heads according to their families and several nobles, that went up with me from Baḇel in the reign of Sovereign Artaḥshashta:
29 Of the sons of Pineḥas, Gĕreshon; of the sons of Ithamar, Dani’ĕl; of the sons of Dawiḏ, Ḥattush the son of Sheḵanyah;
30 of the sons of Perets, Zeḵaryah; and a hundred and fifty men were counted with him.
31 Of the sons of Paḥath-Mo’aḇ, Elyaho’ĕynai, the son of Zeraḥyah, and two hundred men with him.
32 Of the sons of Zattu, Sheḵanyah the son of Yaḥazi’ĕl, and with him three hundred men. Of the sons of Aḏin, Oḇĕḏ the son of Yahonathan, and two hundred and fifty men with him.
33 Of the sons of Ĕylam, Yoshiyahu son of Geḏalyahu, and seventy men with him.
34 Of the sons of Shephatyah, Tseruyah son of Miḵa’ĕl, and seventy men with him.
35 Of the sons of Yo’aḇ, Oḇaḏyah son of Yizli’ah, and two hundred and twelve men with him.
36 Of the sons of Shelomith, the son of Yosiphyah, and a hundred and sixty men with him.
37 Of the sons of Bĕḇai, Zeḵaryah son of Bĕḇai, and twenty-eight men with him.
38 Of the sons of Azgaḏ, Yoḥanan son of Haqqatan, and a hundred and ten men with him.
39 Of the sons of Aḏoniqam the last, and these are the names of them: Eliphelet, Ye’i’ĕl, and Shemayah, and seventy men with them.
40 Of the sons of Biḡwai, Uthai the son of Zabbuḏ, and seventy men with him.
41 And I gathered these together to the river called Ahawa, where we pitched our tents for three days; and then I inspected them.
42 But when I had found there none of the kohenim and Lĕwites,
43 then I sent to Eli’ezer, and Deu’ĕl, and Mishmannah,
44 and Elnathan, and Shemayah, and Yoyariḇ, and Nathan, Yahonathan, Zeḵaryah, and Meshullam, leaders and learned.
45 And I told them that they should go to Iddo the captain, who was treasurer in the place;
46 and ordered them that they should speak to Iddo, and to his brothers, and to the treasurers in that place, to send us such men who might execute the office of the kohenim in the House of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.
47 And by the mighty hand of our Aḏon they brought to us skilled men of the sons of Maḥli the son of Lĕwi, the son of Yisra’ĕl: Shereḇyah, and his sons, and his brothers, eighteen.
48 And Ḥashaḇyah, and Bani, and Hoshĕa his brother, of the sons of Ḥananyah, and their sons, were twenty men.
49 And of the servants of the Hĕyḵal whom Dawiḏ had appointed, and the leaders of the service of the Lĕwites, that is, the servants of the Hĕyḵal: two hundred and twenty, the list of whose names were shown.
50 And there I proclaimed a fast to the young men before our Aḏon, to seek from Him a prosperous journey for both us and they who were with us, for our children, and for the cattle;
51 for I was ashamed to ask from the sovereign footmen and horsemen and conduct for safeguard against our adversaries.
52 For we had said to the sovereign, that the power of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 our Elohim would be with those who seek him, to support them in all ways.
53 And again we sought our Aḏon regarding these, and found Him favourable to us.
54 Then I separated twelve of the heads of the kohenim, Shereḇyah, and Ḥashaḇyah, and ten men of their brothers with them;
55 and I weighed them the gold, and silver, and the qodesh vessels of the House of our Aḏon, which the sovereign and his council and the princes, and all Yisra’ĕl, had given.
56 And when I had weighed it, I gave six hundred and fifty kiḵars of silver to them, and silver vessels of a hundred kiḵars, and a hundred kiḵars of gold,
57 and twenty golden vessels, and twelve vessels of bronze, even of fine bronze, glittering like gold.
58 And I said to them, “Both you and the vessels are qodesh to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and the gold and the silver is vowed to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, the Aḏon of our fathers.
59 “Watch, and guard them till you deliver them to the heads of the kohenim and the Lĕwites, and to the leaders of the families of Yisra’ĕl, in Yerushalayim, into the rooms of the House of our Elohim.”
60 So the kohenim and the Lĕwites, who had received the silver and gold and the vessels, brought them to Yerushalayim, into the Hĕyḵal of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.
61 And from the River Ahawa we departed the twelfth day of the first month, and came to Yerushalayim by the mighty hand of our Aḏon, who was with us; and from the beginning of our journey 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 delivered us from every enemy, and so we came to Yerushalayim.
62 And when we had been there three days, the gold and silver that was weighed was delivered on the fourth day into the House of our Aḏon, to Merĕmoth the kohĕn, the son of Uriyah.
63 And with him was Eli’ezer the son of Pineḥas, and with them were Yozaḇaḏ the son of Yĕshua and No’aḏyah the son of Binnui, Lĕwites – all was delivered to them by number and weight,
64 and all the weight of them was recorded that same hour.
65 And those who were come out of the captivity brought an offering to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, even twelve bulls for all Yisra’ĕl, ninety-six rams,
66 seventy-two lambs, twelve goats for a peace offering; all of them slaughterings to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.
67 And they delivered the sovereign’s orders to the sovereign’s trustees and to the governors of Koĕlĕ-Suria and Phoinikĕ; and they esteemed the people and the Hĕyḵal of Elohim.
68 Now when these matters were done, the rulers came to me, and said,
69 “The nation of Yisra’ĕl, the princes, the kohenim and Lĕwites, have not put away the foreigners of the land from them, nor the defilements of the gentiles that is, of the Kena’anites, Ḥittites, Perizzites, Yeḇusites, and the Mo’aḇites, Mitsrites, and Eḏomites.
70 For both they and their sons have married with their daughters, and the qodesh seed is mixed with the foreigners of the land; and from the beginning, the rulers and the great men have taken part in this wickedness.”
71 And as soon as I had heard this, I tore my garments, and the qodesh garment, and pulled the hair from my head and beard, and sat down grieved and very heavy.
72 So all those who were then moved at the Word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim of Yisra’ĕl assembled to me, while I mourned for the wickedness; but I sat full of heaviness until the evening offering.
73 Then rising from the fast with my garments and the qodesh garment torn and bowing my knees and stretching out my hands to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄,
74 I said, “O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 I am disappointed and ashamed before your face;
75 for our sins have multiplied above our heads, and our ignorances have reached up to the shamayim.
76 “For ever since the time of our fathers we have been and are in great sin, even to this day.
77 “And for ours and our fathers’ sins, we with our brothers and our sovereigns and our kohenim were given up to the sovereigns of the earth, to the sword, and to captivity, and for a prey with shame, unto this day.
78 “And now in some measure, kindness has been shown to us from you, O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, that there should be left to us a root and a name in the place of your Miqdash;
79 and to uncover for us a light in the House of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 our Elohim, and to give us food in the time of our service.
80 “Indeed, when we were in bondage, we were not forsaken by our Aḏon; but He made us favourable before the sovereigns of Paras, so that they gave us food;
81 and also esteemed the Hĕyḵal of our Aḏon, and raised up Tsiyon that was laid waste, and they have given us a permanent place in Yahuḏah and Yerushalayim.
82 “And now, O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, what shall we say, having these? For we have transgressed Your Commands, which You gave by the hand of your servants the neḇi’im, saying,
83 ‘The land, which you enter in to possess as an inheritance, is a land defiled with the abominations of the gentiles of the land, and they have filled it with their uncleanness.
84 ‘Now therefore, you shall not join your daughters unto their sons, neither shall you take their daughters for your sons.
85 ‘And you shall never seek to have peace with them, that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and that you leave the inheritance of the land to your children forever.’
86 “And all that has come to be has been done to us because of our wicked works and great sins! And You, O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, lifted our sins,
87 and gave to us a root, but we have turned back again to transgress Your Torah, and to mingle ourselves with the uncleanness of the nations of the land.
88 “Were You not wroth with us to destroy us, till You had left us neither root, seed nor name?
89 “O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of Yisra’ĕl, You are true! For we are left a root this day.
90 “See, we are now before You in our wickednesses, for we cannot stand any longer by reason of these matters before You.”
91 And as Ezra made his confession in his prayer, weeping and lying flat on the ground before the Hĕyḵal, a very great crowd of men, women and children there gathered to him from Yerushalayim; for there was great weeping among the crowd.
92 Then Sheḵanyah the son of Yeḥi’ĕl, one of the sons of Yisra’ĕl, called out, and said, “O Ezra, we have sinned against 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim, we have married foreign women of the nations of the land, but now there is expectancy for all Yisra’ĕl!
93 “Let us make an oath to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, that we shall put away all our wives which we have taken from the gentiles, with their children,
94 as you have said, and as many who obey the Torah of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.
95 “Arise and act on this; for this is your word, and we shall be with you. Be strong.”
96 So Ezra arose, and made the chief of the kohenim and Lĕwites of all Yisra’ĕl swear to do after these matters; and so they swore.