Ezra 7.27-9.15

25. And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God that is in thy hand, appoint magistrates and judges, who may judge all the people that are beyond the River, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye him that knoweth them not. 26. And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him with all diligence, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

27. Blessed be Jehovah, the God of our fathers, who hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of Jehovah which is in Jerusalem; 28. and hath extended lovingkindness unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened according to the hand of Jehovah my God upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me. 8:1. Now 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: 8:2. Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons of David, Hattush. 8:3. Of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah; and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males a hundred and fifty. 8:4. Of the sons of Pahath-moab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah; and with him two hundred males. 8:5. Of the sons of Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel; and with him three hundred males. 8:6. And of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan; and with him fifty males. 8:7. And of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah; and with him seventy males. 8:8. And of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael; and with him fourscore males. 8:9. Of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel; and with him two hundred and eighteen males. 8:10. And of the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah; and with him a hundred and threescore males. 8:11. And of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai; and with him twenty and eight males. 8:12. And of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan; and with him a hundred and ten males. 8:13. And of the sons of Adonikam, that were the last; and these are their names: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah; and with them threescore males. 8:14. And of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud; and with them seventy males. 8:15. And 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. 8:16. Then 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. 8:17. And 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. 8:18. And 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; 8:19. and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty; 8:20. and 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. 8:21. Then 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. 8:22. For 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. 8:23. So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us. 8:24. Then I set apart twelve of the chiefs of the priests, even Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them, 8:25. and 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: 8:26. I weighed into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels a hundred talents; of gold a hundred talents; 8:27. and twenty bowls of gold, of a thousand darics; and two vessels of fine bright brass, precious as gold. 8:28. And 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. 8:29. Watch 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. 8:30. So 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. 8:31. Then 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. 8:32. And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days. 8:33. And 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; 8:34. the whole by number and by weight: and all the weight was written at that time. 8:35. The 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. 8:36. And 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. 9:1. Now when these things were done, the princes drew near unto me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 9:2. For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the peoples of the lands: Yes, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass. 9:3. And when I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded. 9:4. Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the trespass of them of the captivity; and I sat confounded until the evening oblation. 9:5. And at the evening oblation I arose up from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe tore; and I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto Jehovah my God; 9:6. and I said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God; for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our guiltiness is grown up unto the heavens. 9:7. Since the days of our fathers we have been exceedingly guilty unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to plunder, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. 9:8. And now for a little moment grace has been showed from Jehovah our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. 9:9. For we are bondmen; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended lovingkindness unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the ruins there, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. 9:10. And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken your commandments, 9:11. which you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which you go to possess it, is an unclean land through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their filthiness: 9:12. now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity for ever; that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your sons for ever. 9:13. And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great guilt, seeing that you our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such a remnant, 9:14. shall we again break your commandments, and join in affinity with the peoples that do these abominations? would not you be angry with us until you had consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor any to escape? 9:15. O Jehovah, the God of Israel, you are righteous; for we are left a remnant that is escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before you in our guiltiness; for none can stand before you because of this. (Ezra 7:25-9:15, ASV)

25. You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges, who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, who all know the laws of your God; and teach him who doesn’t know them. 26. Whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with all diligence, whether it is to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

27. Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify Yahweh’s house which is in Jerusalem; 28. and has extended loving kindness to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. I was strengthened according to Yahweh my God’s hand on me, and I gathered together chief men out of Israel to go up with me. 8:1. Now 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: 8:2. Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons of David, Hattush. 8:3. Of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah; and with him were listed by genealogy of the males one hundred fifty. 8:4. Of the sons of Pahathmoab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah; and with him two hundred males. 8:5. Of the sons of Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel; and with him three hundred males. 8:6. Of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan; and with him fifty males. 8:7. Of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah; and with him seventy males. 8:8. Of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael; and with him eighty males. 8:9. Of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel; and with him two hundred eighteen males. 8:10. Of the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah; and with him one hundred sixty males. 8:11. Of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai; and with him twenty-eight males. 8:12. Of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan; and with him one hundred ten males. 8:13. Of the sons of Adonikam, who were the last; and these are their names: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah; and with them sixty males. 8:14. Of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud; and with them seventy males. 8:15. I 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. 8:16. Then 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. 8:17. I 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. 8:18. According 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; 8:19. and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty; 8:20. and 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. 8:21. Then 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. 8:22. For 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.” 8:23. So we fasted and begged our God for this: and he granted our request. 8:24. Then I set apart twelve of the chiefs of the priests, even Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them, 8:25. and 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. 8:26. I weighed into their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver, one hundred talents of silver vessels; one hundred talents of gold, 8:27. twenty bowls of gold weighing one thousand darics; and two vessels of fine bright brass, precious as gold. 8:28. I 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. 8:29. Watch 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.” 8:30. So 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. 8:31. Then 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. 8:32. We came to Jerusalem, and stayed there three days. 8:33. 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; 8:34. everything by number and by weight; and all the weight was written at that time. 8:35. The 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. 8:36. They 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. 9:1. Now when these things were done, the princes came near to me, saying, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, following their abominations, even those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 9:2. For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy offspring have mixed themselves with the peoples of the lands. Yes, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass.” 9:3. When I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled the hair out of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded. 9:4. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel were assembled to me, because of their trespass of the captivity; and I sat confounded until the evening offering. 9:5. At the evening offering I arose up from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn; and I fell on my knees, and spread out my hands to Yahweh my God; 9:6. and I said, “My God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God; for our iniquities have increased over our head, and our guiltiness has grown up to the heavens. 9:7. Since the days of our fathers we have been exceeding guilty to this day; and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests, have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. 9:8. Now for a little moment grace has been shown from Yahweh our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and revived us a little in our bondage. 9:9. For we are bondservants; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended loving kindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to set up the house of our God, and to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. 9:10. “Now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments, 9:11. which you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land, to which you go to possess it, is an unclean land through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their filthiness. 9:12. Now therefore don’t give your daughters to their sons. Don’t take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity forever; that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.’ 9:13. “After all that has come on us for our evil deeds, and for our great guilt, since you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such a remnant, 9:14. shall we again break your commandments, and join in affinity with the peoples that do these abominations? Wouldn’t you be angry with us until you had consumed us, so that there would be no remnant, nor any to escape? 9:15. Yahweh, the God of Israel, you are righteous; for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Behold, we are before you in our guiltiness; for no one can stand before you because of this.” (Ezra 7:25-9:15, WEB)

25. And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not. 26. And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. ^{to banishment: Chaldee, to rooting out}

27. Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem: 28. And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me. 8:1. These 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. 8:2. Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush. 8:3. Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty. 8:4. Of the sons of Pahathmoab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males. 8:5. Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males. 8:6. Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males. 8:7. And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males. 8:8. And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore males. 8:9. Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males. 8:10. And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him an hundred and threescore males. 8:11. And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males. 8:12. And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him an hundred and ten males. ^{the son: or, the youngest son} 8:13. And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males. 8:14. Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males. ^{Zabbud: or, Zaccur, as some read} 8:15. And I gathered them together to the river that 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. ^{abode: or, pitched} 8:16. Then 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. 8:17. And 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. ^{I told: Heb. I put words in their mouth} 8:18. And 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; 8:19. And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty; 8:20. Also 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. 8:21. Then 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. 8:22. For 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. 8:23. So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us. 8:24. Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them, 8:25. And 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: 8:26. I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels an hundred talents, and of gold an hundred talents; 8:27. Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold. ^{fine: Heb. yellow, or, shining brass precious: Heb. desirable} 8:28. And 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. 8:29. Watch 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. 8:30. So 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. 8:31. Then 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. 8:32. And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days. 8:33. Now 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; 8:34. By number and by weight of every one: and all the weight was written at that time. 8:35. Also 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. 8:36. And 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. 9:1. Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 9:2. For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass. 9:3. And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied. 9:4. Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice. 9:5. And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God, ^{heaviness: or, affliction} 9:6. And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. ^{trespass: or, guiltiness} 9:7. Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. 9:8. And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. ^{space: Heb. moment a nail: or, a pin: that is, a constant and sure abode} 9:9. For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. ^{to repair: Heb. to set up} 9:10. And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, 9:11. Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness. ^{by: Heb. by the hand of from: Heb. from mouth to mouth} 9:12. Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever. 9:13. And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; ^{hast punished: Heb. hast withheld beneath our iniquities} 9:14. Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping? 9:15. O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this. (Ezra 7:25-9:15, KJV)

25. 'And thou, Ezra, according to the wisdom of thy God, that [is] in thy hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may be judges to all the people who are beyond the river, to all knowing the law of thy God, and he who hath not known ye cause to know; 26. and any who doth not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, speedily is judgment done upon him, whether to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of riches, and to bonds.'

27. Blessed [is] Jehovah, God of our fathers, who hath given such a thing as this in the heart of the king, to beautify the house of Jehovah that [is] in Jerusalem, 28. and unto me hath stretched out kindness before the king and his counsellors, and before all the mighty heads of the king: and I have strengthened myself as the hand of Jehovah my God [is] upon me, and I gather out of Israel heads to go up with me. 8:1. And these [are] heads of their fathers, and the genealogy of those going up with me, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king, from Babylon. 8:2. From the sons of Phinehas: Gershom; from the sons of Ithamar: Daniel; from the sons of David: Hattush; 8:3. from the sons of Shechaniah, from the sons of Pharosh: Zechariah, and with him, reckoning themselves by genealogy, of males a hundred and fifty. 8:4. From the sons of Pahath-Moab: Elihoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred who are males. 8:5. From the sons of Shechaniah: the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred who are males. 8:6. And from the sons of Adin: Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him fifty who are males. 8:7. And from the sons of Elam: Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him seventy who are males. 8:8. And from the sons of Shephatiah: Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him eighty who are males. 8:9. From the sons of Joab: Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen who are males. 8:10. And from the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah, and with him a hundred and sixty who are males. 8:11. And from the sons of Bebai: Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight who are males. 8:12. And from the sons of Azgad: Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him a hundred and ten who are males. 8:13. And from the younger sons of Adonikam, and these [are] their names, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them sixty who are males. 8:14. And from the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud, and with them seventy who are males. 8:15. And I gather them unto the river that is going unto Ahava, and we encamp there three days; and I consider about the people, and about the priests, and of the sons of Levi I have found none there; 8:16. and I send for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, heads, and for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding; 8:17. and I charge them for Iddo the head, in the place Casiphia, and put in their mouth words to speak unto Iddo, [and] his brethren the Nethinim, in the place Casiphia, to bring to us ministrants for the house of our God. 8:18. And they bring to us, according to the good hand of our God upon us, a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel, and Sherebiah, and his sons, and his brethren, eighteen; 8:19. and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah, of the sons of Merari, his brethren, and their sons, twenty; 8:20. and from the Nethinim, whom David and the heads gave for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim, all of them defined by name. 8:21. And I proclaim there a fast, by the river Ahava, to afflict ourselves before our God, to seek from Him a right way for us, and for our infants, and for all our substance, 8:22. for I was ashamed to ask from the king a force and horsemen to help us because of the enemy in the way, for we spake to the king, saying, 'The hand of our God [is] upon all seeking Him for good, and His strength and His wrath [is] upon all forsaking Him.' 8:23. And we fast, and seek from our God for this, and He is entreated of us. 8:24. And I separate from the heads of the priests, twelve, even Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and with them of their brethren ten, 8:25. and I weigh to them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, a heave-offering of the house of our God, that the king, and his counsellors, and his heads, and all Israel, those present, lifted up; 8:26. and I weigh to their hand, of silver, talents six hundred and fifty, and of vessels of silver a hundred talents, of gold a hundred talents, 8:27. and basins of gold twenty, of a thousand drams, and two vessels of good shining brass, desirable as gold. 8:28. And I say unto them, 'Ye [are] holy to Jehovah, and the vessels [are] holy, and the silver and the gold [are] a willing-offering to Jehovah, God of your fathers; 8:29. watch, and keep, till ye weigh before the heads of the priests, and of the Levites, and the heads of the fathers of Israel, in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of Jehovah.' 8:30. And the priests and the Levites took the weight of the silver, and of the gold, and of the vessels, to bring to Jerusalem to the house of our God. 8:31. And we journey from the river Ahava, on the twelfth of the first month, to go to Jerusalem, and the hand of our God hath been upon us, and He delivereth us from the hand of the enemy and the lier in wait by the way; 8:32. and we come in to Jerusalem, and dwell there three days. 8:33. And on the fourth day hath been weighed the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, in the house of our God, unto the hand of Meremoth son of Uriah the priest, and with him Eleazar son of Phinehas, and with them Jozabad son of Jeshua, and Noadiah son of Binnui, the Levites: 8:34. by number, by weight of every one, and all the weight is written at that time. 8:35. Those coming in of the captives, sons of the removal, have brought near burnt-offerings to the God of Israel, bullocks twelve, for all Israel, rams ninety and six, lambs seventy and seven, young he-goats for a sin-offering twelve, the whole a burnt-offering to Jehovah; 8:36. and they give the laws of the king to the lieutenants of the king and the governors beyond the river, and they have lifted up the people and the house of God. 9:1. And at the completion of these things, drawn nigh unto me have the heads, saying, 'The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not been separated from the peoples of the lands, as to their abominations, even the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, the Ammonite, the Moabite, the Egyptian, and the Amorite, 9:2. for they have taken of their daughters to them, and to their sons, and the holy seed have mingled themselves among the peoples of the lands, and the hand of the heads and of the seconds have been first in this trespass.' 9:3. And at my hearing this word, I have rent my garment and my upper robe, and pluck out of the hair of my head, and of my beard, and sit astonished, 9:4. and unto me are gathered every one trembling at the words of the God of Israel, because of the trespass of the removal, and I am sitting astonished till the present of the evening. 9:5. And at the present of the evening I have risen from mine affliction, and at my rending my garment and my upper robe, then I bow down on my knees, and spread out my hands unto Jehovah my God, 9:6. and say, 'O my God, I have been ashamed, and have blushed to lift up, O my God, my face unto Thee, for our iniquities have increased over the head, and our guilt hath become great unto the heavens. 9:7. 'From the days of our fathers we [are] in great guilt unto this day, and in our iniquities we have been given, we, our kings, our priests, into the hand of the kings of the lands, with sword, with captivity, and with spoiling, and with shame of face, as [at] this day. 9:8. 'And now, as a small moment hath grace been from Jehovah our God, to leave to us an escape, and to give to us a nail in His holy place, by our God's enlightening our eyes, and by giving us a little quickening in our servitude; 9:9. for servants we [are], and in our servitude our God hath not forsaken us, and stretcheth out unto us kindness before the kings of Persia, to give to us a quickening to lift up the house of our God, and to cause its wastes to cease, and to give to us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. 9:10. 'And now, what do we say, O our God, after this? for we have forsaken Thy commands, 9:11. that Thou hast commanded by the hands of thy servants the prophets, saying, The land into which ye are going to possess it, [is] a land of impurity, by the impurity of the people of the lands, by their abominations with which they have filled it, from mouth unto mouth, by their uncleanness; 9:12. and now, your daughters ye do not give to their sons, and their daughters ye do not take to your sons, and ye do not seek their peace, and their good, unto the age, so that ye are strong, and have eaten the good of the land, and given possession to your sons unto the age. 9:13. 'And after all that hath come upon us for our evil works, and for our great guilt (for Thou, O our God, hast kept back of the rod from our iniquities, and hast given to us an escape like this), 9:14. do we turn back to break Thy commands, and to join ourselves in marriage with the people of these abominations? art not Thou angry against us, even to consumption, till there is no remnant and escaped part? 9:15. 'O Jehovah, God of Israel, righteous [art] Thou, for we have been left an escape, as [it is] this day; lo, we [are] before Thee in our guilt, for there is none to stand before Thee concerning this.' (Ezra 7:25-9:15, YLT)