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Families Who Returned

These are the leaders of family groups and the family names of those who went up with me from Babylon during the rule of King Artaxerxes: there was Gershom of the sons of Phinehas, Daniel of the sons of Ithamar, and from the house of David, Hattush, the son of Shecaniah. There was Zechariah of the sons of Parosh, and with him were 150 men whose family names were written down. Of the sons of Pahath-moab, there was Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah, and 200 men with him. Of the sons of Zattu, there was Shecaniah the son of Jahaziel, and 300 men with him. Of the sons of Adin, there was Ebed the son of Jonathan, and fifty men with him. Of the sons of Elam, there was Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and seventy men with him. Of the sons of Shephatiah, there was Zebadiah the son of Michael, and eighty men with him. Of the sons of Joab, there was Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and 218 men with him. 10 Of the sons of Shelomith there was the son of Josiphiah, and 160 men with him. 11 Of the sons of Bebai, there was Zechariah the son of Bebai, and twenty-eight men with him. 12 Of the sons of Azgad, there was Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and 110 men with him. 13 Of the sons of Adonikam, the last to come, there were Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, and sixty men with them. 14 Of the sons of Bigvai, there were Uthai and Zabbud, and seventy men with them.

Ezra Finds Levites for the House of God

15 I gathered them at the river that flows to Ahava, where we had our camp for three days. When I saw the people and the religious leaders, I did not find any Levites there. 16 So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were teachers. 17 I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his brothers, servants in the house of worship at Casiphia. They were to bring men to us to care for the house of our God. 18 And by the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a man of wisdom, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel. His name is Sherebiah, and with him came his sons and brothers, eighteen men. 19 They also brought Hashabiah and Jeshaiah of the sons of Morari, with his brothers and their sons, twenty men. 20 They brought 220 men to work in the house of God, whom David and the leaders had chosen to help the Levites. All of them were chosen by name.

The People Pray

21 Then I set apart a time there at the river of Ahava when we would not eat any food. This was so we might put away our pride before our God, and pray that He would keep us and our children and all our things safe as we traveled. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to keep us safe from those who hate us on the way, because we had said to the king, “The hand of our God brings good to all who look for Him. But His power and His anger are against all who turn away from Him.” 23 So we did not eat, and prayed to God about this. And He listened to our prayer.

Gifts for the House of God

24 Then I set apart twelve of the head religious leaders: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers. 25 And I weighed and gave to them the silver, the gold and the dishes and objects, which had been given for the house of our God by the king and his wise men and leaders, and all the people of Israel who were there. 26 I gave them silver weighing as much as 650 men, silver dishes and objects weighing as much as 100 men, and gold weighing as much as 100 men. 27 I gave them twenty deep, gold dishes, worth 1,000 gold-pieces, and two pots of fine shining brass, worth as much as gold. 28 Then I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, and these objects are holy. The silver and the gold are a free-will gift to the Lord God of your fathers. 29 Watch and keep them until you weigh them in front of the head religious leaders, the Levites, and the heads of the family groups of Israel at Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord.” 30 So the religious leaders and the Levites took the weight of silver and gold and objects, to bring them to the house of our God at Jerusalem.

31 Then we left the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem. And God helped us and kept us safe from those who hated us and from those who hid waiting to fight us on the way. 32 We came to Jerusalem and stayed there for three days. 33 On the fourth day the silver and gold and objects were weighed in the house of our God and given to Meremoth the son of Uriah the religious leader. With him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas. And with them were the Levites, Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of Binnui. 34 Everything was numbered and weighed, and all the weight was written down.

35 The people who had returned from Babylon gave burnt gifts in worship to the God of Israel. They gave 12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, and 12 male goats for a sin gift. All this was a burnt gift to the Lord. 36 Then they let the king’s rulers and leaders in the lands on the other side of the River know what the king said for them to do. And they helped the people and the house of God.

List of the Family Heads Returning With Ezra

These are the family heads and those registered with them who came up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:(A)

of the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom;

of the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel;

of the descendants of David, Hattush of the descendants of Shekaniah;(B)

of the descendants of Parosh,(C) Zechariah, and with him were registered 150 men;

of the descendants of Pahath-Moab,(D) Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men;

of the descendants of Zattu,[a] Shekaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men;

of the descendants of Adin,(E) Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men;

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

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

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

10 of the descendants of Bani,[b] Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men;

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

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

13 of the descendants of Adonikam,(F) the last ones, whose names were Eliphelet, Jeuel and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men;

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

The Return to Jerusalem

15 I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava,(G) and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites(H) there. 16 So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of learning, 17 and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants(I) in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God. 18 Because the gracious hand of our God was on us,(J) they brought us Sherebiah,(K) a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, 18 in all; 19 and Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and nephews, 20 in all. 20 They also brought 220 of the temple servants(L)—a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name.

21 There, by the Ahava Canal,(M) I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey(N) for us and our children, with all our possessions. 22 I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers(O) and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone(P) who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.(Q) 23 So we fasted(R) and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.

24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, namely, Sherebiah,(S) Hashabiah and ten of their brothers, 25 and I weighed out(T) to them the offering of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his advisers, his officials and all Israel present there had donated for the house of our God. 26 I weighed out to them 650 talents[c] of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents,[d] 100 talents[e] of gold, 27 20 bowls of gold valued at 1,000 darics,[f] and two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold.

28 I said to them, “You as well as these articles are consecrated to the Lord.(U) The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your ancestors. 29 Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites and the family heads of Israel.” 30 Then the priests and Levites received the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in Jerusalem.

31 On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal(V) to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us,(W) and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. 32 So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days.(X)

33 On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out(Y) the silver and gold and the sacred articles into the hands of Meremoth(Z) son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, and so were the Levites Jozabad(AA) son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui.(AB) 34 Everything was accounted for by number and weight, and the entire weight was recorded at that time.

35 Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls(AC) for all Israel,(AD) ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering,[g] twelve male goats.(AE) All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. 36 They also delivered the king’s orders(AF) to the royal satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates,(AG) who then gave assistance to the people and to the house of God.(AH)

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 8:5 Some Septuagint manuscripts (also 1 Esdras 8:32); Hebrew does not have Zattu.
  2. Ezra 8:10 Some Septuagint manuscripts (also 1 Esdras 8:36); Hebrew does not have Bani.
  3. Ezra 8:26 That is, about 24 tons or about 22 metric tons
  4. Ezra 8:26 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons
  5. Ezra 8:26 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons
  6. Ezra 8:27 That is, about 19 pounds or about 8.4 kilograms
  7. Ezra 8:35 Or purification offering