Ezra 8
8Here is a list of the family leaders and the genealogies of those who came with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes.H7218H1H3187H5927H894H4438H783H44282From the family of Phinehas: Gershom. From the family of Ithamar: Daniel. From the family of David: Hattush,H1121H6372H1647H1121H385H1840H1121H1732H24073a descendant of Shecaniah. From the family of Parosh: Zechariah and 150 other men were registered.H1121H7935H1121H6551H2148H3187H2145H3967H25724From the family of Pahath-moab: Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah and 200 other men.H1121H6355H454H1121H2228H3967H21455From the family of Zattu: Shecaniah son of Jahaziel and 300 other men.H1121H7935H1121H3166H7969H3967H21456From the family of Adin: Ebed son of Jonathan and 50 other men.H1121H5720H5651H1121H3129H2572H21457From the family of Elam: Jeshaiah son of Athaliah and 70 other men.H1121H5867H3470H1121H6271H7657H21458From the family of Shephatiah: Zebadiah son of Michael and 80 other men.H1121H8203H2069H1121H4317H8084H21459From the family of Joab: Obadiah son of Jehiel and 218 other men.H1121H3097H5662H1121H3171H3967H8083H6240H214510From the family of Bani: Shelomith son of Josiphiah and 160 other men.H1121H8019H1121H3131H3967H8346H214511From the family of Bebai: Zechariah son of Bebai and 28 other men.H1121H893H2148H1121H893H6242H8083H214512From the family of Azgad: Johanan son of Hakkatan and 110 other men.H1121H5803H3110H1121H6997H3967H6235H214513From the family of Adonikam, who came later: Eliphelet, Jeuel, Shemaiah, and 60 other men.H314H1121H140H8034H467H3273H8098H8346H214514From the family of Bigvai: Uthai, Zaccur, and 70 other men.H1121H902H5793H2072H2139H7657H214515I assembled the exiles at the Ahava Canal, and we camped there for three days while I went over the lists of the people and the priests who had arrived. I found that not one Levite had volunteered to come along.H6908H5104H935H163H2583H7969H3117H995H5971H3548H4672H1121H387816So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders of the people. I also sent for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of discernment.H7971H461H740H8098H494H3402H494H5416H2148H4918H7218H3114H494H99517I sent them to Iddo, the leader of the Levites at Casiphia, to ask him and his relatives and the Temple servants to send us ministers for the Temple of God at Jerusalem.H6680H3318H112H7218H4725H3703H7760H6310H1697H1696H112H251H5411H5411H4725H3703H935H8334H1004H43018Since the gracious hand of our God was on us, they sent us a man named Sherebiah, along with eighteen of his sons and brothers. He was a very astute man and a descendant of Mahli, who was a descendant of Levi son of Israel.H2896H3027H430H935H376H7922H1121H4249H1121H3878H1121H3478H8274H1121H251H8083H624019They also sent Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and twenty of his sons and brothers,H2811H3470H1121H4847H251H1121H624220and 220 Temple servants. The Temple servants were assistants to the Levites—a group of Temple workers first instituted by King David and his officials. They were all listed by name.H5411H1732H8269H5414H5656H3881H3967H6242H5411H5344H803421And there by the Ahava Canal, I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled.H7121H6685H5104H163H6031H6440H430H1245H3477H1870H2945H739922For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to accompany us and protect us from enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king, "Our God's hand of protection is on all who worship him, but his fierce anger rages against those who abandon him."H954H7592H4428H2428H6571H5826H341H1870H559H4428H559H3027H430H2896H1245H5797H639H580023So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.H6684H1245H430H627924I appointed twelve leaders of the priests—Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten other priests—H914H8147H6240H8269H3548H8274H2811H6235H25125to be in charge of transporting the silver, the gold, the gold bowls, and the other items that the king, his council, his officials, and all the people of Israel had presented for the Temple of God.H8254H3701H2091H3627H8641H1004H430H4428H3289H8269H3478H4672H731126I weighed the treasure as I gave it to them and found the totals to be as follows: 24 tons of silver, 7,500 pounds of silver articles, 7,500 pounds of gold,H8254H3027H8337H3967H2572H3603H3701H3701H3627H3967H3603H2091H3967H36032720 gold bowls, equal in value to 1,000 gold coins, 2 fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold.H6242H3713H2091H505H150H8147H3627H2896H6668H5178H2532H209128And I said to these priests, "You and these treasures have been set apart as holy to the LORD. This silver and gold is a voluntary offering to the LORD, the God of our ancestors.H559H6944H3068H3627H6944H3701H2091H5071H3068H430H129Guard these treasures well until you present them to the leading priests, the Levites, and the leaders of Israel, who will weigh them at the storerooms of the LORD's Temple in Jerusalem."H8245H8104H8254H6440H8269H3548H3881H8269H1H3478H3389H3957H1004H306830So the priests and the Levites accepted the task of transporting these treasures of silver and gold to the Temple of our God in Jerusalem.H6901H3548H3881H4948H3701H2091H3627H935H3389H1004H43031We broke camp at the Ahava Canal on April 19 and started off to Jerusalem. And the gracious hand of our God protected us and saved us from enemies and bandits along the way.H5265H5104H163H8147H6240H7223H2320H3212H3389H3027H430H5337H3709H341H693H187032So we arrived safely in Jerusalem, where we rested for three days.H935H3389H3427H7969H311733On the fourth day after our arrival, the silver, gold, and other valuables were weighed at the Temple of our God and entrusted to Meremoth son of Uriah the priest and to Eleazar son of Phinehas, along with Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui—both of whom were Levites.H7243H3117H3701H2091H3627H8254H1004H430H3027H4822H1121H223H3548H499H1121H6372H3107H1121H3442H5129H1121H1131H388134Everything was accounted for by number and weight, and the total weight was officially recorded.H4557H4948H4948H3789H625635Then the exiles who had come out of captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel. They presented twelve bulls for all the people of Israel, as well as ninety-six rams and seventy-seven male lambs. They also offered twelve male goats as a sin offering. All this was given as a burnt offering to the LORD.H1121H1473H935H7628H7126H5930H430H3478H8147H6240H6499H3478H8673H8337H352H7657H7651H3532H8147H6240H6842H2403H5930H306836The king's decrees were delivered to his highest officers and the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, who then cooperated by supporting the people and the Temple of God.H5414H4428H1881H4428H323H6346H5676H5104H5375H5971H1004H430
Ezra 9
9When these things had been done, the Jewish leaders came to me and said, "Many of the people of Israel, and even some of the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the other peoples living in the land. They have taken up the detestable practices of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.H3615H8269H5066H559H5971H3478H3548H3881H914H5971H776H8441H3669H2850H6522H2983H5984H4125H4713H5672For the men of Israel have married women from these people and have taken them as wives for their sons. So the holy race has become polluted by these mixed marriages. Worse yet, the leaders and officials have led the way in this outrage."H5375H1323H1121H6944H2233H6148H5971H776H3027H8269H5461H7223H46043When I heard this, I tore my cloak and my shirt, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down utterly shocked.H8085H1697H7167H899H4598H4803H8181H7218H2206H3427H80744Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel came and sat with me because of this outrage committed by the returned exiles. And I sat there utterly appalled until the time of the evening sacrifice.H622H2730H1697H430H3478H4604H1473H3427H8074H6153H45035At the time of the sacrifice, I stood up from where I had sat in mourning with my clothes torn. I fell to my knees and lifted my hands to the LORD my God.H6153H4503H6965H8589H7167H899H4598H3766H1290H6566H3709H3068H4306I prayed, "O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to you. For our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached to the heavens.H559H430H954H3637H7311H6440H430H5771H7235H4605H7218H819H1431H80647From the days of our ancestors until now, we have been steeped in sin. That is why we and our kings and our priests have been at the mercy of the pagan kings of the land. We have been killed, captured, robbed, and disgraced, just as we are today.H3117H1H1419H819H3117H5771H4428H3548H5414H3027H4428H776H2719H7628H961H1322H6440H31178"But now we have been given a brief moment of grace, for the LORD our God has allowed a few of us to survive as a remnant. He has given us security in this holy place. Our God has brightened our eyes and granted us some relief from our slavery.H4592H7281H8467H3068H430H7604H6413H5414H3489H6944H4725H430H215H5869H5414H4592H4241H56599For we were slaves, but in his unfailing love our God did not abandon us in our slavery. Instead, he caused the kings of Persia to treat us favorably. He revived us so we could rebuild the Temple of our God and repair its ruins. He has given us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem.H5650H430H5800H5659H5186H2617H6440H4428H6539H5414H4241H7311H1004H430H5975H2723H5414H1447H3063H338910"And now, O our God, what can we say after all of this? For once again we have abandoned your commands!H430H559H310H5800H468711Your servants the prophets warned us when they said, 'The land you are entering to possess is totally defiled by the detestable practices of the people living there. From one end to the other, the land is filled with corruption.H6680H3027H5650H5030H559H776H935H3423H5079H776H5079H5971H776H8441H4390H6310H6310H293212Don't let your daughters marry their sons! Don't take their daughters as wives for your sons. Don't ever promote the peace and prosperity of those nations. If you follow these instructions, you will be strong and will enjoy the good things the land produces, and you will leave this prosperity to your children forever.'H5414H1323H1121H5375H1323H1121H1875H7965H2896H5704H5769H2388H398H2898H776H3423H1121H576913"Now we are being punished because of our wickedness and our great guilt. But we have actually been punished far less than we deserve, for you, our God, have allowed some of us to survive as a remnant.H310H935H7451H4639H1419H819H430H2820H4295H5771H5414H641314But even so, we are again breaking your commands and intermarrying with people who do these detestable things. Won't your anger be enough to destroy us, so that even this little remnant no longer survives?H7725H6565H4687H2859H5971H8441H599H3615H7611H641315O LORD, God of Israel, you are just. We come before you in our guilt as nothing but an escaped remnant, though in such a condition none of us can stand in your presence."H3068H430H3478H6662H7604H6413H3117H6440H819H5975H6440
Ezra 10
10While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and lying face down on the ground in front of the Temple of God, a very large crowd of people from Israel—men, women, and children—gathered and wept bitterly with him.H5830H6419H3034H1058H5307H6440H1004H430H6908H3478H3966H7227H6951H582H802H3206H5971H1058H7235H10592Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, a descendant of Elam, said to Ezra, "We have been unfaithful to our God, for we have married these pagan women of the land. But in spite of this there is hope for Israel.H7935H1121H3171H1121H5867H6030H559H5830H4603H430H3427H5237H802H5971H776H3426H4723H34783Let us now make a covenant with our God to divorce our pagan wives and to send them away with their children. We will follow the advice given by you and by the others who respect the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law of God.H3772H1285H430H3318H802H3205H6098H136H2730H4687H430H6213H84514Get up, for it is your duty to tell us how to proceed in setting things straight. We are behind you, so be strong and take action."H6965H1697H2388H62135So Ezra stood up and demanded that the leaders of the priests and the Levites and all the people of Israel swear that they would do as Shecaniah had said. And they all swore a solemn oath.H6965H5830H8269H3548H3881H3478H7650H6213H1697H76506Then Ezra left the front of the Temple of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. He spent the night there without eating or drinking anything. He was still in mourning because of the unfaithfulness of the returned exiles.H5830H6965H6440H1004H430H3212H3957H3076H1121H475H3212H398H3899H8354H4325H56H4604H14737Then a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should come to Jerusalem.H5674H6963H3063H3389H1121H1473H6908H33898Those who failed to come within three days would, if the leaders and elders so decided, forfeit all their property and be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.H935H7969H3117H6098H8269H2205H7399H2763H914H6951H14739Within three days, all the people of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. This took place on December 19, and all the people were sitting in the square before the Temple of God. They were trembling both because of the seriousness of the matter and because it was raining.H582H3063H1144H6908H3389H7969H3117H8671H2320H6242H2320H5971H3427H7339H1004H430H7460H1697H165310Then Ezra the priest stood and said to them: "You have committed a terrible sin. By marrying pagan women, you have increased Israel's guilt.H5830H3548H6965H559H4603H3427H5237H802H3254H819H347811So now confess your sin to the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and do what he demands. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from these pagan women."H5414H8426H3068H430H1H6213H7522H914H5971H776H5237H80212Then the whole assembly raised their voices and answered, "Yes, you are right; we must do as you say!H6951H6030H559H1419H6963H1697H621313Then they added, "This isn't something that can be done in a day or two, for many of us are involved in this extremely sinful affair. And this is the rainy season, so we cannot stay out here much longer.H61H5971H7227H6256H1653H3581H5975H2351H4399H259H3117H8147H7235H6586H169714Let our leaders act on behalf of us all. Let everyone who has a pagan wife come at a scheduled time, accompanied by the leaders and judges of his city, so that the fierce anger of our God concerning this affair may be turned away from us."H8269H6951H5975H3427H5237H802H5892H935H2163H6256H2205H5892H8199H2740H639H430H1697H772515Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this course of action, and they were supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite.H3129H1121H6214H3167H1121H8616H5975H4918H7678H3881H582616So this was the plan they followed. Ezra selected leaders to represent their families, designating each of the representatives by name. On December 29, the leaders sat down to investigate the matter.H1121H1473H6213H5830H3548H582H7218H1H1004H1H8034H914H3427H259H3117H6224H2320H1875H169717By March 27, the first day of the new year, they had finished dealing with all the men who had married pagan wives.H3615H582H3427H5237H802H259H3117H7223H232018These are the priests who had married pagan wives: From the family of Jeshua son of Jehozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.H1121H3548H4672H3427H5237H802H1121H3442H1121H3136H251H4641H461H3402H143619They vowed to divorce their wives, and they each acknowledged their guilt by offering a ram as a guilt offering.H5414H3027H3318H802H818H352H6629H81920From the family of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.H1121H564H2607H206921From the family of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.H1121H2766H4641H452H8098H3171H581822From the family of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.H1121H6583H454H4641H3458H5417H3107H50123These are the Levites who were guilty: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.H3881H3107H8096H7041H7042H6611H3063H46124This is the singer who was guilty: Eliashib. These are the gatekeepers who were guilty: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.H7891H475H7778H7967H2928H22125These are the other people of Israel who were guilty: From the family of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, and Benaiah.H3478H1121H6551H7422H3150H4441H4326H499H4441H114126From the family of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.H1121H5867H4983H2148H3171H5660H3406H45227From the family of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.H1121H2240H454H475H4983H3406H2066H581928From the family of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.H1121H893H3076H2608H2140H2079H627029From the family of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.H1121H1137H4918H4409H5718H3437H7594H743330From the family of Pahath-moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.H1121H6355H5733H3636H1141H4641H4983H1212H1131H451931From the family of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,H1121H2766H461H3449H4441H8098H809532Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.H1144H4409H811433From the family of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.H1121H2828H4982H4992H2066H467H3413H4519H809634From the family of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,H1121H1137H4572H6019H17735Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi,H1141H912H362236Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,H2057H4822H47537Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.H4983H4982H329938From the family of Binnui: Shimei,H1137H1131H809639Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,H8018H5416H571840Macnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,H4367H8343H829841Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,H5832H8018H811442Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.H7967H568H313043From the family of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.H1121H5015H3273H4993H2066H2081H3035H3100H114144Each of these men had a pagan wife, and some even had children by these wives.H5375H5375H5237H802H3426H802H7760H1121
Dublin, OH
: Shecaniah son of Jahaziel and 300 other men.H1121
