Ezra — Chapter 8

1These are the family heads and genealogical records of those who returned with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:

2from the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom; from the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel; from the descendants of David, Hattush

3of the descendants of Shecaniah; from the descendants of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him were registered 150 men;

4from the descendants of Pahath-Moab, Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men;

5from the descendants of Zattu, Shecaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men;

6from the descendants of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men;

7from the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men;

8from the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him 80 men;

9from the descendants of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him 218 men;

10from the descendants of Bani, Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men;

11from the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him 28 men;

12from the descendants of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him 110 men;

13from the later descendants of Adonikam, these were their names: Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men;

14and from the descendants of Bigvai, both Uthai and Zaccur, and with them 70 men.

15Now I assembled these exiles at the canal that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And when I searched among the people and priests, I found no Levites there.

16Then I summoned the leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, as well as the teachers Joiarib and Elnathan.

17And I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, with a message for him and his kinsmen, the temple servants at Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God.

18And since the gracious hand of our God was upon us, they brought us Sherebiah—a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel—along with his sons and brothers, 18 men;

19also Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah, from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and their sons, 20 men.

20They also brought 220 of the temple servants, all designated by name. David and the officials had appointed them to assist the Levites.

21And there by the Ahava Canal I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.

22For I was ashamed to ask the king for an escort of soldiers and horsemen to protect us from our enemies on the road, since we had told him, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek Him, but His great anger is against all who forsake Him.”

23So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He granted our request.

24Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, together with Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers,

25and I weighed out to them the contribution of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his counselors, his leaders, and all the Israelites there had offered for the house of our God.

26I weighed out into their hands 650 talents of silver, articles of silver weighing 100 talents, 100 talents of gold,

2720 gold bowls valued at 1,000 darics, and two articles of fine polished bronze, as precious as gold.

28Then I told them, “You are holy to the LORD, and these articles are holy. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the LORD, the God of your fathers.

29Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the LORD in Jerusalem before the leading priests, Levites, and heads of the Israelite families.”

30So the priests and Levites took charge of the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in Jerusalem.

31On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem, and the hand of our God was upon us to protect us from the hands of the enemies and bandits along the way.

32So we arrived at Jerusalem and rested there for three days.

33On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out the silver and gold and sacred articles into the hand of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, along with the Levites Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui.

34Everything was verified by number and weight, and the total weight was recorded at that time.

35Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: 12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, and a sin offering of 12 male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the LORD.

36They also delivered the king’s edicts to the royal satraps and governors of the region west of the Euphrates, who proceeded to assist the people and the house of God.

1These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.

2Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush.

3Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty.

4Of the sons of Pahath-moab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males.

5Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males.

6Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males.

7And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males.

8And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore males.

9Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males.

10And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him an hundred and threescore males.

11And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males.

12And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him an hundred and ten males.

13And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.

14Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.

15And I gathered them together to the river than runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.

16Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding.

17And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God.

18And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen;

19And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty;

20Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name.

21Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.

22For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

23So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.

24Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,

25And weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered:

26I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels an hundred talents, and of gold an hundred talents;

27Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold.

28And I said unto them, Ye are holy unto the LORD; the vessels are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the LORD God of your fathers.

29Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD.

30So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God.

31Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.

32And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.

33Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the vessels weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites;

34By number and by weight of every one: and all the weight was written at that time.

35Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats for a sin offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the LORD.

36And they delivered the king’s commissions unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the people, and the house of God.

1Now these are the heads of their fathers` [houses], and this is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king:

2Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons of David, Hattush.

3Of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah; and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males a hundred and fifty.

4Of the sons of Pahath-moab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah; and with him two hundred males.

5Of the sons of Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel; and with him three hundred males.

6And of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan; and with him fifty males.

7And of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah; and with him seventy males.

8And of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael; and with him fourscore males.

9Of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel; and with him two hundred and eighteen males.

10And of the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah; and with him a hundred and threescore males.

11And of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai; and with him twenty and eight males.

12And of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan; and with him a hundred and ten males.

13And of the sons of Adonikam, [that were] the last; and these are their names: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah; and with them threescore males.

14And of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud; and with them seventy males.

15And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there we encamped three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.

16Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, who were teachers.

17And I sent them forth unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia; and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, [and] his brethren the Nethinim, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God.

18And according to the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen;

19and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty;

20and of the Nethinim, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim: all of them were mentioned by name.

21Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek of him a straight way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.

22For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way, because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them that seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

23So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us.

24Then I set apart twelve of the chiefs of the priests, even Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,

25and weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his princes, and all Israel there present, had offered:

26I weighed into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels a hundred talents; of gold a hundred talents;

27and twenty bowls of gold, of a thousand darics; and two vessels of fine bright brass, precious as gold.

28And I said unto them, Ye are holy unto Jehovah, and the vessels are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill-offering unto Jehovah, the God of your fathers.

29Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chiefs of the priests and the Levites, and the princes of the fathers` [houses] of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of Jehovah.

30So the priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God.

31Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth [day] of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the lier-in-wait by the way.

32And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.

33And on the fourth day the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed in the house of our God into the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, the Levite;

34the whole by number and by weight: and all the weight was written at that time.

35The children of the captivity, that were come out of exile, offered burnt-offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he-goats for a sin-offering: all this was a burnt-offering unto Jehovah.

36And they delivered the king`s commissions unto the king`s satraps, and to the governors beyond the River: and they furthered the people and the house of God.

1These are the leaders and those enrolled with them by genealogy who were coming up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:

2from the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom; from the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel; from the descendants of David, Hattush

3the son of Shecaniah; from the descendants of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him were enrolled by genealogy 150 men;

4from the descendants of Pahath Moab, Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men;

5from the descendants of Zattu, Shecaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men;

6from the descendants of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men;

7from the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men;

8from the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him 80 men;

9from the descendants of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him 218 men;

10from the descendants of Bani, Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men;

11from the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him 28 men;

12from the descendants of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him 110 men;

13from the descendants of Adonikam there were the latter ones. Their names were Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men;

14from the descendants of Bigvai, Uthai, and Zaccur, and with them 70 men.

15I had them assemble at the canal that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there for three days. I observed that the people and the priests were present, but I found no Levites there.

16So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were teachers.

17I sent them to Iddo, who was the leader in the place called Casiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his relatives, who were the temple servants in Casiphia, so they would bring us attendants for the temple of our God.

18Due to the fact that the good hand of our God was on us, they brought us a skilled man, from the descendants of Mahli the son of Levi son of Israel. This man was Sherebiah, who was accompanied by his sons and brothers, 18 men;

19and Hashabiah, along with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, 20 men;

20and some of the temple servants that David and his officials had established for the work of the Levites—220 of them. They were all designated by name.

21I called for a fast there by the Ahava Canal, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from him a safe journey for us, our children, and all our property.

22I was embarrassed to request soldiers and horsemen from the king to protect us from the enemy along the way, because we had said to the king, “The good hand of our God is on everyone who is seeking him, but his great anger is against everyone who forsakes him.”

23So we fasted and prayed to our God about this, and he answered us.

24Then I set apart 12 of the leading priests, together with Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and 10 of their brothers,

25and I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels intended for the temple of our God—items that the king, his advisers, his officials, and all Israel who were present had contributed.

26I weighed out to them: 650 talents of silver, silver vessels worth 100 talents, 100 talents of gold,

2720 gold bowls worth 1,000 darics, and 2 exquisite vessels of gleaming bronze, as valuable as gold.

28Then I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, just as these vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a voluntary offering to the Lord, the God of your fathers.

29Be careful with them and protect them, until you weigh them out before the leading priests and the Levites and the family leaders of Israel in Jerusalem, in the storerooms of the temple of the Lord.

30Then the priests and the Levites took charge of the silver, the gold, and the vessels that had been weighed out, to transport them to Jerusalem to the temple of our God.

31On the twelfth day of the first month we began traveling from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from our enemies and from bandits along the way.

32So we came to Jerusalem, and we stayed there for three days.

33On the fourth day we weighed out the silver, the gold, and the vessels in the house of our God into the care of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest, and Eleazar son of Phinehas, who were accompanied by Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui, who were Levites.

34Everything was verified by number and by weight, and the total weight was written down at that time.

35The exiles who were returning from the captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel—12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, 77 male lambs, along with 12 male goats as a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord.

36Then they presented the decrees of the king to the king’s satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who assisted the people and the temple of God.

1Now these are the heads of their fathers’ households, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king:

2Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons of David, Hattush.

3Of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah; and with him were listed by genealogy of the males one hundred fifty.

4Of the sons of Pahathmoab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah; and with him two hundred males.

5Of the sons of Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel; and with him three hundred males.

6Of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan; and with him fifty males.

7Of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah; and with him seventy males.

8Of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael; and with him eighty males.

9Of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel; and with him two hundred eighteen males.

10Of the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah; and with him one hundred sixty males.

11Of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai; and with him twenty-eight males.

12Of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan; and with him one hundred ten males.

13Of the sons of Adonikam, who were the last; and these are their names: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah; and with them sixty males.

14Of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud; and with them seventy males.

15I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava; and there we encamped three days: and I looked around at the people the priests, and found there were none of the sons of Levi.

16Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, for Elnathan, for Jarib, for Elnathan, for Nathan, for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib and for Elnathan, who were teachers.

17I sent them out to Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia; and I told them what they should tell Iddo, and his brothers the temple servants, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God.

18According to the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen;

19and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty;

20and of the temple servants, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, two hundred twenty temple servants. All of them were mentioned by name.

21Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a straight way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our possessions.

22For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is on all those who seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all those who forsake him.”

23So we fasted and begged our God for this: and he granted our request.

24Then I set apart twelve of the chiefs of the priests, even Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them,

25and weighed to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, his counselors, his princes, and all Israel there present, had offered.

26I weighed into their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver, one hundred talents of silver vessels; one hundred talents of gold,

27twenty bowls of gold weighing one thousand darics; and two vessels of fine bright brass, precious as gold.

28I said to them, “You are holy to Yahweh, and the vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a freewill offering to Yahweh, the God of your fathers.

29Watch and keep them, until you weigh them before the chiefs of the priests and the Levites, and the princes of the fathers’ households of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the rooms of Yahweh’s house.”

30So the priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.

31Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the bandit by the way.

32We came to Jerusalem, and stayed there three days.

33On the fourth day the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed in the house of our God into the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, the Levite;

34everything by number and by weight; and all the weight was written at that time.

35The children of the captivity, who had come out of exile, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve male goats for a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to Yahweh.

36They delivered the king’s commissions to the king’s satraps, and to the governors beyond the River. So they supported the people and God’s house.