Ezra sendeth to Iddo. B. C. about 457. Or, the youngest son. EZRA. 5 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males. He proclaimeth a fast. B. C. about 457. 4 Of the sons of Pahath-moab; | David and the princes had appointed 6 Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males. 7 And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males. 8 And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore males. 9 Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males. 10 And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him a hundred and threescore males. 11 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males. 12 And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him a hundred and ten males. + Heb. I put mouth. See 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. 17 And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them words in their what they should say unto Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinim, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God. 2 Sam. 14. 3, 19. 22 For I was ashamed to require i So 1 Cor. 9. 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 ch. 7. 6, 9, 28. 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. m 1 Ps. 33. 18. 19. 23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated 1 Chr. 5. 20. 2 Chr. 33. 13. of us. Is. 19. 22 24 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them, 25 And weighed unto them Pthe Pch. 7. 15, 16. 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: 26 I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels a hundred talents, and of gold a hundred talents; 27 Also twenty basins of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold. q 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. 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. 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. 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. + Heb, yellow, or, shining brass. + Heb. desirable. q Lev. 21. 6,7, 8. Deut. 33. & r Lev. 22. 2, 3. Num. 4. 4, 15, 19, 20, sch. 7. 6, 9, 2. 32 And we came to Jerusalem, and t Neh. 2. 11. abode there three days. 33 Now on the fourth day was The sin of the people. B. C. a ver. 26, 30. ᎬᏃᎡᎪ. the silver and the gold and the vesabout 457. sels 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; 1 So ch. 6. 17. 7 ch. 7. 21. 457. ach. 6 21. Neh. 9. 2. e Ex. 34. 16. Deut. 7. 3. Neh. 13. 23. 4 Ex. 19.6. & 2231. Deut. 2 Cor. 6. 14. 7.6. & 14.2. 1 Job L. 20. (Pa. 143. 4. 66. 2. The confession of Ezra. 7 Since the days of our fathers have | °we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities Phave we, our kings, and our priests, been de- p Deut. 28. 36, 34 By number and by weight of ev-livered into the hand of the kings of ery one: and all the weight was writ- the lands, to the sword, to captivity, ten at that time. and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. 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. 36 ¶ And they delivered the king's y 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 For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but "hath extended mercy ch. 7. 28. 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† Heb. to set repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jeru-x Is. 5. 2. salem. 10 And now, O dur God, what shall we say after this? for we have for Ndone, the princes came to me, saken thy commandments, b saying, The people of Israel, and 2 For they have taken of their 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 astonished. 4 Then were assembled unto me evch 10.3. Is. ery 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 astonished until the evening sacrifice. up. 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 † Heb. hast iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this 14 Should we again break thy d John 5. 14. 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? 2 Pet. 2. 20, e ver. 2. Neh. Dan. 9. 14. 15 O LORD God of Israel, thou art 8 Neh. 9. 33. righteous; for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are h before thee in our trespasses; for we cannot stand before thee because of this. k Rom. 3. 19. 1 Cor. 15. 17. k Ps. 130. 3. EZRA. Ezra is encouraged to begin the work of reform. 6 He assembleth and exhorteth the people. 9 They The names of those who had married strange wives confess their sins, and promise amendment. NOW 18 OW a a when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down b2 Chr. 20. 9. before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore. + Heb. wept a great weeping. c Neh. 13. 27. d 2 Chr. 34. 31. + Heb. to bring forth. C 2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. 3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God † to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble f Deut. 7.2, 3. at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. e ch. 9. 4. 4 Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: 1 Chr. 28. 10. be of good courage, and do it. h Neh. 5. 12. i Deut. 9. 18. + Heb. devoted. k See 1 Sam. 12. 18. + Heb. the showers. 5 Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware. 6 ¶ Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been car ried away. 7 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem; 8 And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be + forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away. 9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain. The people reformed. B. C. 457. 10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange + Heb. have wives, to increase the trespass of Is rael. m 11 Now therefore 'make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. 12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do. 13 But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for "we are many that have transgressed in this thing. 14 Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God" for this matter be turned from us. n caused to dwell, or, have brought back. 1 Josh. 7. 19. Prov. 28. 13. m ver. S. Or, we have greatly of fended in this thing. 2 Chr. 30, & Or, till this matter be dispatched. 15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter: + Heb. stood. and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them. 16 And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. 17 And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month. 18 And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 And they gave their hands that 2 Kings 10. they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass. 20 And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah. 21 And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah. 22 And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah. 23 Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. 15. 1 Chr. 29.24. 2 Chr. 50. 8. P Lev. 6. 4, 6. The names of those who B. C. 456. 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shem 24 of the singers also; Eliashib : 25 Moreover of Israel: of the sons 26 And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah. 27 And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza. 28 Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai. and 29 And of the sons of Bani; Me- 30 And of the sons of Pahath-moab; 31 And of the sons of Harim; Eli- 33 Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. 34 of the sons of Bani; Maadai, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh, 38 And Bani, and Binnui, Shim- 39 And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. B. C. about 446. a ch. 10. 1. b ch. 2. 17. d Dan. 9. 4. e Ex. 20. 6. f 1 Kings 8. 28, 29. 2 Chr. 6. 40. Dan. 9. 17, 18. g Dan. 9. 20. h Ps. 106. 6. Dan. 9. 5. i Deut. 28. 15. k Lev, 26. 33. Deut. 4. 25, 26, 27. & 28. 64. 1 Lev. 26. 39, &c. Deut. 4. 29, 30, 31. & 30. 2. m Deut. 30. 4. 10 Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. 11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer. 3 And they said unto me, The rem- 4 ¶ And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, e 5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: 6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and 'thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned. 7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. 8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, * If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: 9 'But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out m a Deut. 9. 29. Dan. 9. 15. o ver. 6. p Is. 26. 8. Heb. 13. 18. q ch. 2. 1. about 445. a Ezra 7. 1. a Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him and I took up the wine, b ch. 1. 11. and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. 2 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid, e Prov. 15. 13. Dan. 24 & 5. 10. & 6. 6, 21. • ch. 1. 3. And said unto the king, "Let the 1 Kings 1.31. king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? 4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it. |
