Ezra 1-3 - Prayer Tents

Ezra 1

Cyrus Allows the Exiles to Return

1In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the LORD fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah. He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom.H259H8141H3566H4428H6539H1697H3068H6310H3414H3615H3068H5782H7307H3566H4428H6539H5674H6963H4438H4385H5592"This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: "The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.H559H3566H4428H6539H3068H430H8064H5414H4467H776H6485H1129H1004H3389H30633Any of you who are his people may go to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild this Temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, who lives in Jerusalem. And may your God be with you!H5971H430H5927H3389H3063H1129H1004H3068H430H3478H430H33894Wherever this Jewish remnant is found, let their neighbors contribute toward their expenses by giving them silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock, as well as a voluntary offering for the Temple of God in Jerusalem."H7604H4725H1481H582H4725H5375H3701H2091H7399H929H5071H1004H430H33895Then God stirred the hearts of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the LORD.H6965H7218H1H3063H1144H3548H3881H7307H430H5782H5927H1129H1004H3068H33896And all their neighbors assisted by giving them articles of silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock. They gave them many valuable gifts in addition to all the voluntary offerings.H5439H2388H3027H3627H3701H2091H7399H929H4030H50687King Cyrus himself brought out the articles that King Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the LORD's Temple in Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his own gods.H3566H4428H3318H3627H1004H3068H5019H3318H3389H5414H1004H4308Cyrus directed Mithredath, the treasurer of Persia, to count these items and present them to Sheshbazzar, the leader of the exiles returning to Judah.H3566H4428H6539H3318H3027H4990H1489H5608H8339H5387H30639This is a list of the items that were returned: gold basins 30, silver basins 1,000, silver incense burners 29,H4557H7970H105H2091H505H105H3701H8672H6242H425210gold bowls 30, silver bowls 410, other items 1,000.H7970H3713H2091H3701H3713H4932H702H3967H6235H312H3627H50511In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and silver. Sheshbazzar brought all of these along when the exiles went from Babylon to Jerusalem.H3627H2091H3701H2568H505H702H3967H8339H5927H1473H5927H894H3389

Ezra 2

Exiles Who Returned with Zerubbabel

2Here is the list of the Jewish exiles of the provinces who returned from their captivity. King Nebuchadnezzar had deported them to Babylon, but now they returned to Jerusalem and the other towns in Judah where they originally lived.H1121H4082H5927H7628H1473H5019H4428H894H1540H894H7725H3389H3063H376H58922Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. This is the number of the men of Israel who returned from exile.H935H2216H3442H5166H8304H7480H4782H1114H4558H902H7348H1196H4557H582H5971H34783The family of Parosh 2,172H1121H6551H505H3967H7657H81474The family of Shephatiah 372H1121H8203H7969H3967H7657H81475The family of Arah 775H1121H733H7651H3967H7657H25686The family of Pahath-moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab) 2,812H1121H6355H1121H3442H3097H505H8083H3967H8147H62407The family of Elam 1,254H1121H5867H505H3967H2572H7028The family of Zattu 945H1121H2240H8672H3967H705H25689The family of Zaccai 760H1121H2140H7651H3967H834610The family of Bani 642H1121H1137H8337H3967H705H814711The family of Bebai 623H1121H893H8337H3967H6242H796912The family of Azgad 1,222H1121H5803H505H8147H3967H6242H814713The family of Adonikam 666H1121H140H8337H3967H8346H833714The family of Bigvai 2,056H1121H902H505H2572H833715The family of Adin 454H1121H5720H702H3967H2572H70216The family of Ater (descendants of Hezekiah) 98H1121H333H3169H8673H808317The family of Bezai 323H1121H1209H7969H3967H6242H796918The family of Jorah 112H1121H3139H3967H8147H624019The family of Hashum 223H1121H2828H3967H6242H796920The family of Gibbar 95H1121H1402H8673H256821The people of Bethlehem 123H1121H1035H3967H6242H796922The people of Netophah 56H582H5199H2572H833723The people of Anathoth 128H582H6068H3967H6242H808324The people of Beth-azmaveth 42H1121H5820H705H814725The people of Kiriath-jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth 743H1121H7157H3716H881H7651H3967H705H796926The people of Ramah and Geba 621H1121H7414H1387H8337H3967H6242H25927The people of Micmash 122H582H4363H3967H6242H814728The people of Bethel and Ai 223H582H1008H5857H3967H6242H796929The citizens of Nebo 52H1121H5015H2572H814730The citizens of Magbish 156H1121H4019H3967H2572H833731The citizens of West Elam 1,254H1121H312H5867H505H3967H2572H70232The citizens of Harim 320H1121H2766H7969H3967H624233The citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono 725H1121H3850H2307H207H7651H3967H6242H256834The citizens of Jericho 345H1121H3405H7969H3967H705H256835The citizens of Senaah 3,630H1121H5570H7969H505H8337H3967H797036These are the priests who returned from exile: The family of Jedaiah (through the line of Jeshua) 973H3548H1121H3048H1004H3442H8672H3967H7657H796937The family of Immer 1,052H1121H564H505H2572H814738The family of Pashhur 1,247H1121H6583H505H3967H705H765139The family of Harim 1,017H1121H2766H505H7651H624040These are the Levites who returned from exile: The families of Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah) 74H3881H1121H3442H6934H1121H1938H7657H70241The singers of the family of Asaph 128H7891H1121H623H3967H6242H808342The gatekeepers of the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai 139H1121H7778H1121H7967H1121H333H1121H2929H1121H6126H1121H2410H1121H7630H3967H7970H867243The descendants of the following Temple servants returned from exile: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,H5411H1121H6727H1121H2817H1121H288444Keros, Siaha, Padon,H1121H7026H1121H5517H1121H630345Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub,H1121H3838H1121H2286H1121H612646Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan,H1121H2285H1121H8073H1121H260547Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah,H1121H1435H1121H1515H1121H721148Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam,H1121H7526H1121H5353H1121H150249Uzza, Paseah, Besai,H1121H5798H1121H6454H1121H115350Asnah, Meunim, Nephusim,H1121H619H1121H4586H1121H5300H530451Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,H1121H1227H1121H2709H1121H274452Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,H1121H1213H1121H4240H1121H279753Barkos, Sisera, Temah,H1121H1302H1121H5516H1121H854754Neziah, and Hatipha.H1121H5335H1121H241255The descendants of these servants of King Solomon returned from exile: Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda,H1121H8010H5650H1121H5479H1121H5618H1121H651456Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel,H1121H3279H1121H1874H1121H143557Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Ami.H1121H8203H1121H2411H1121H6380H1121H53258In all, the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants numbered 392.H5411H1121H8010H5650H7969H3967H8673H814759Another group returned at this time from the towns of Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Kerub, Addan, and Immer. However, they could not prove that they or their families were descendants of Israel.H5927H8528H8521H3743H135H564H3201H5046H1H1004H2233H347860This group included the families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda—a total of 652 people.H1121H1806H1121H2900H1121H5353H8337H3967H2572H814761Three families of priests—Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai—also returned. (This Barzillai had married a woman who was a descendant of Barzillai of Gilead, and he had taken her family name.)H1121H3548H1121H2252H1121H6976H1121H1271H3947H802H1323H1271H1569H7121H803462They searched for their names in the genealogical records, but they were not found, so they were disqualified from serving as priests.H1245H3791H3187H4672H1351H355063The governor told them not to eat the priests' share of food from the sacrifices until a priest could consult the LORD about the matter by using the Urim and Thummim—the sacred lots.H8660H559H398H6944H6944H5975H3548H224H855064So a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah,H6951H259H702H7239H505H7969H3967H834665in addition to 7,337 servants and 200 singers, both men and women.H5650H519H7651H505H7969H3967H7970H7651H428H3967H7891H789166They took with them 736 horses, 245 mules,H5483H7651H3967H7970H8337H6505H3967H705H256867435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.H1581H702H3967H7970H2568H2543H8337H505H7651H3967H624268When they arrived at the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the family leaders made voluntary offerings toward the rebuilding of God's Temple on its original site,H7218H1H935H1004H3068H3389H5068H1004H430H5975H434969and each leader gave as much as he could. The total of their gifts came to 61,000 gold coins, 6,250 pounds of silver, and 100 robes for the priests.H5414H3581H214H4399H8337H7239H505H1871H2091H2568H505H4488H3701H3967H3548H380170So the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, the Temple servants, and some of the common people settled in villages near Jerusalem. The rest of the people returned to their own towns throughout Israel.H3548H3881H5971H7891H7778H5411H3427H5892H3478H5892

Ezra 3

The Altar Is Rebuilt

3In early autumn, when the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled in Jerusalem with a unified purpose.H7637H2320H5060H1121H3478H5892H5971H622H259H376H3389 2Then Jeshua son of Jehozadak joined his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his family in rebuilding the altar of the God of Israel. They wanted to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, as instructed in the Law of Moses, the man of God.H6965H3442H1121H3136H251H3548H2216H1121H7597H251H1129H4196H430H3478H5927H5930H3789H8451H4872H376H430 3Even though the people were afraid of the local residents, they rebuilt the altar at its old site. Then they began to sacrifice burnt offerings on the altar to the LORD each morning and evening.H3559H4196H4350H367H5971H776H5927H5930H3068H5930H1242H6153 4They celebrated the Festival of Shelters as prescribed in the Law, sacrificing the number of burnt offerings specified for each day of the festival.H6213H2282H5521H3789H3117H3117H5930H4557H4941H1697H3117H3117 5They also offered the regular burnt offerings and the offerings required for the new moon celebrations and the annual festivals as prescribed by the LORD. The people also gave voluntary offerings to the LORD.H310H8548H5930H2320H4150H3068H6942H5068H5071H3068 6Fifteen days before the Festival of Shelters began, the priests had begun to sacrifice burnt offerings to the LORD. This was even before they had started to lay the foundation of the LORD's Temple.H259H3117H7637H2320H2490H5927H5930H3068H3245H1964H3068H3245

The People Begin to Rebuild the Temple

7Then the people hired masons and carpenters and bought cedar logs from the people of Tyre and Sidon, paying them with food, wine, and olive oil. The logs were brought down from the Lebanon mountains and floated along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to Joppa, for King Cyrus had given permission for this.H5414H3701H2672H2796H3978H4960H8081H6722H6876H935H730H6086H3844H3220H3305H7558H3566H4428H6539 8The construction of the Temple of God began in midspring, during the second year after they arrived in Jerusalem. The work force was made up of everyone who had returned from exile, including Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jehozadak and his fellow priests, and all the Levites. The Levites who were twenty years old or older were put in charge of rebuilding the LORD's Temple.H8145H8141H935H1004H430H3389H8145H2320H2490H2216H1121H7597H3442H1121H3136H7605H251H3548H3881H935H7628H3389H5975H3881H6242H8141H1121H4605H5329H4399H1004H3068 9The workers at the Temple of God were supervised by Jeshua with his sons and relatives, and Kadmiel and his sons, all descendants of Hodaviah. They were helped in this task by the Levites of the family of Henadad.H5975H3442H1121H251H6934H1121H1121H3063H259H5329H6213H4399H1004H430H1121H2582H1121H251H3881 10When the builders completed the foundation of the LORD's Temple, the priests put on their robes and took their places to blow their trumpets. And the Levites, descendants of Asaph, clashed their cymbals to praise the LORD, just as King David had prescribed.H1129H3245H1964H3068H5975H3548H3847H2689H3881H1121H623H4700H1984H3068H3027H1732H4428H3478 11With praise and thanks, they sang this song to the LORD: "He is so good! His faithful love for Israel endures forever!" Then all the people gave a great shout, praising the LORD because the foundation of the LORD's Temple had been laid.H6030H1984H3034H3068H2896H2617H5769H3478H5971H7321H1419H8643H1984H3068H3245H1004H3068H3245 12But many of the older priests, Levites, and other leaders who had seen the first Temple wept aloud when they saw the new Temple's foundation. The others, however, were shouting for joy.H7227H3548H3881H7218H1H2205H7200H7223H1004H3245H1004H3245H5869H1058H1419H6963H7227H8643H7311H8057 13The joyful shouting and weeping mingled together in a loud noise that could be heard far in the distance.H5971H5234H6963H8643H8057H6963H1065H5971H5971H7321H1419H8643H6963H8085H7350