Ezra 8:1-36 The Genealogy of Those Who Returned from Captivity in Babylon

The Genealogy of Those Who Returned from Captivity in Babylon

Ezra 8:1-36         The Book of Ezra in [Smaller Chunks]

These are the now, the chief, [a.k.a. leaders,] of their [forefathers’ families,] & this is [their] genealogy of [those who] went up with me, & [returned with me] from Babylon, [when] Artaxerxes, the king, [ruled:] [From] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Phinehas: Gersham. [From] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of  Ithamar: Daniel. [From] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of David: Hattush.

[From] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Shechaniah, [a.k.a. Shekaiah,] [who was] a descendant] of Pharosh: Zechariah & with him, 150 males [registered] by [their] genealogy. [From] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Pahath Moab: Elihoenani, [who was] the son of Zerahiah, & with him, 200 males.

[From] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Shechaniah, [a.k.a. Shekaniah,] [who was] the son of Jahaziel, & with him, 300 males. [From] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Adin: Ebed, [who was] the son of Jonathan, & with him, 50 males.

And [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Elam: Jeshaiah, [who was] the son of Athaliah, & with him 70 males. And [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Shephatiah: Zebadiah, [who was] the son of Michael, & with him, 80 males.

[From] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Joab: Obadiah, [who was] the son of Jehiel, & with him, 218 males. And [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Shelomith, [a.k.a. Bani’s descendant,] [who was] the son of Josiphiah, & with him, 160 males.

And [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Bebai: Zechariah, [who was] the son of Bebai, & with him, 28 males. And [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Asgad, [a.k.a. Azgad:] Johanan, [who was] the son of Hakkata,n & with him, 110 males.

And the last of the [descendants] of Adonikam, whose names are these: Eliphelet, Jeiel, [a.k.a. Jenel,] & Shemaiah, & with them, 60 males. Also, [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Bigvai: Uthai & Zabbud, [a.k.a. Zakkur,] & with them, 70 males.

And I gathered them together to the river that runs toward Ahava; & we [camped] in tents [there] 3 days. And I [saw] the people, & priests, & [I didn't] [find] there [any] [descendants] of Levi.

Then, I sent for: Eliezer, Ariel, Semaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, Meshullam, [who were] chief men, [a.k.a. leaders,] & also for: Joiarib, & Elnathan, [knowledgeable] men of understanding.

I sent them with a [command] to Iddo, the chief [priest] at Casiphia, [a.k.a. Kasipra,] & I told them what they should say to Iddo, & his brethren, the Nethinims, at Casiphia, [so] they [could] bring to us ministers [to serve in] the house of our God.

And [with] the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a [knowledgeable] man, [from the descendants] of Mahli. [Mahli was] the son of Levi. [Levi was] the son of Israel, [a.k.a. Jacob.] And Sherebiah, with his sons, & his brethren, [a.k.a. relatives,] 18 [total.]

And Hashabiah, & with him: Jeshaiah, [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Merari, & his [relatives,] & their sons, 20. Also, [they brought] [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Nethinims, whom David & the princes had appointed for the service of Levites, 220 Nethinims, all of them were [registered] by name.

Then, I [declared] a fast there, at the River of Ahava, [so] that we might [humble] ourselves before our God, to seek [from] Him a right way, [a.k.a. road,] for us, & our little ones, & all our [possessions.]

For I was ashamed to [need from] the king, a band of soldiers, & horsemen, to help [protect] us against the enemy [on] the [road,] because we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all [those who] seek Him for good; but [God’s] power, & His [anger, are] against all [those who abandon] Him.

So, we fasted & [pleaded with] our God for this [reason,] & He [answered our prayer for] us. Then, I separated 12 of the chief priests, Sherebiah & Hashabiah, & 10 of their brethren with them.

And [I] weighed to them the silver, & gold, & the vessels, even the offering [from] the house of our God, [that] the king, his [counselors,] his lords, & all [of] Israel present there, had offered. I even weighed [into] their [hands:] 650 talents of silver, & 100 talents of silver vessels, & 100 talents of gold.

Also, 20 gold [basins] [worth] 1,000 drams, [a.k.a. drachmas,] & 2 vessels of fine copper, [as] precious as gold. And I said to them, You are holy to the Lord: the vessels are also holy; & the silver & gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your [forefathers.]

You, watch, & keep them [safe,] until you weigh them [in front of] the chief priests, & the Levites, & the [leaders of our forefathers’ families] of Israel, [in] Jerusalem, in the [rooms] of the [Lord’s] house.

So, the priests, & the Levites took the weight of the silver, gold, & vessels, to bring them to the house of our God [in] Jerusalem. Then, we [left] from the River of Ahava on the 12th day of the 1st month, to go to Jerusalem.

And the hand of [the Lord] our God was upon us, & He delivered us from the hand of the enemy, [who] lay in wait by the [road] [to ambush us.] And we came to Jerusalem, & [stayed] there 3 days.

Now, on the 4th day, the silver, gold, & vessels [were] weighed in [God’s] house by the hand of Meremoth, [Uriah’s] son, the priest. And Eleazar, [Phinehas’] son, was with them, & [so] [were] Jozabad, [Jeshua’s] son, & Noadiah, [Binnui’s] son, [from the] Levites.

At that time, all the weight was written by number, & by weight. Also, the children of those [who] had been carried away, & [who returned from] captivity, offered burnt offerings to the [Lord] God of Israel: 12 [bulls] for all [of] Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, & 12 [male] goats for a sin offering.

All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. And they delivered the king’s [orders] to the king’s lieutenants, & to the governors on this side [of] the [Euphrates] River, & they [encouraged] the people, & the house of God.

Ezra 7:1-28 Ezra’s Genealogy & Funding the Rebuilding of the Lord’s House.

Ezra’s Genealogy & Funding the Rebuilding of the Lord’s House.

Ezra 7:1-28      The Book of Ezra in [Smaller Chunks]

Now, after these things, [during] the reign of Artaxerxes, [Persia’s] king, [was:] Ezra, [Seraiah’s] son. [Seraiah was] [Azariah’s] son. [Azariah was] [Hilkiah’s] son. [Hilkiah was] the son of Shallum. [Shallum was] [Zadok’s] son.

[Zadok was] [Ahitub’s] son. [Ahitub was] [Amariah’s] son. [Amariah was] [Azariah’s] son. [Azariah was] [Meraioth’s] son. [Meraioth was] [Zerahiah’s] son. [Zerahiah was] [Uzzi’s] son. [Uzzi was] [Bukki’s] son. [Bukki was] [Abishua’s] son.

[Abishua was] [Phinehas’] son. [Phinehas was] [Eleazar’s] son. [Eleazar was] [Aaron’s] son, the chief priest. This Ezra [left] from Babylon, & was a scribe, [capable] in the Law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given.

And the king granted [Ezra] all [he requested, because] the hand of the Lord his God, [was] upon him. [Also,] some of the children, [a.k.a. people,] of Israel, the priests, the Levites, the singers, [& musicians,] & the porters, [a.k.a. gate keepers,] & the Nethinims, went up to Jerusalem, [during] the 7th year king Artaxerxes [ruled.]

And [Ezra] came to Jerusalem in the 5th month, which was [during] the 7th year of the king. For upon the 1st day of the 1st month, [Ezra] began to [leave] from Babylon, & on the 1st day of the 5th month, [Ezra] came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, & to do it, & to teach [mandates,] & judgments in Israel.

Now, this is the copy of the letter king Artaxerxes gave to Ezra, the priest, & scribe, even a scribe of the Words of the commandments of the Lord, & His [mandates] to Israel. [From] Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra, the priest, & a scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, & perfect peace, at a time such [as this.]

[Isaiah 49:8-10 The Lord says [this,] In an acceptable time, I have heard You, & in a day of Salvation I have helped You, & I will preserve You for a covenant, [a.k.a. contract, for] My people, to establish the earth, & to cause [them] to inherit the desolate, [& empty] heritages. That you may say to the prisoners, Go [out;] & to those [who] are in darkness, Show yourselves.

They shall feed in the [paths,] & their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger, nor thirst. Neither shall the heat nor the sun [scorch] them. For He, [Who] has mercy on them, shall lead them, even by the springs of water, He shall guide them.]

I make a decree, that all [who] are [of a mind,] of their own free will, of the people of Israel, & of His priests, & Levites, in my [kingdom] [may] go up to Jerusalem, with you. [Since,] you are sent [by] the king, & his 7 [counselors,] to [inquire about] Judah & Jerusalem, according to the Law of your God, [Who] is in your, [a.k.a. Ezra’s,] hand.

And carry the silver & the gold, which the king & his [counselors] have freely offered to the [Lord] God of Israel, Whose habitation is in Jerusalem. And all the silver & gold that you [can] find in all [of] the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, & the priests, [who] [offer] willingly for the house of their God in Jerusalem.

[So] you [may quickly] buy with this money: [bulls,] rams, & lambs, to offer them on the altar of [God’s] house, which is in Jerusalem, with their [meat/grain] offerings, & drink offerings. And do [whatever seems best] to you, & your brethren, do that with the rest of the silver & gold, [according to] the will of your God.

Also, deliver before the God of Jerusalem, the vessels that are also given [to] you for the service of the house of your God. Out of the king’s treasure house, [will be given whatever] more shall [still] be [needed] for the house of your God.

And I, even I, king Artaxerxes, do make a decree to all the treasurers, [who] are beyond the [Euphrates] River, [do] speedily [whatever] Ezra, the priest, & scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, [might need from] you, [up to:] 100 talents of silver, 100 measures, [a.k.a. kors,] of wheat, 100 baths of wine, & 100 baths of oil, & [an unlimited amount of] salt.

[Whatever] the [Lord] God of heaven [commands,] let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven. For why should there be [any] [anger] against the [kingdom] of the king & his sons?

Also, we certify [to] you, that it isn't lawful to impose [a] toll, [a.k.a. tax,] tribute, or [customs, a.k.a. import taxes,] upon [any] of the: priests, Levites, singers, [& musicians,] [gate keepers,] Nethinims, or ministers of [God’s] house.

And you, [according to] the wisdom of your God, [Who] is in your hand, Ezra, [put law officers,] judges, & all [who] may know the Laws of your God [to] judge all the people [who] are beyond the [Euphrates] River, & to teach [those who don’t] know them.

Let judgment be [carried out] speedily, whether [for] death, [exile,] imprisonment, or confiscation of goods [from those who] won’t do the Law of your God, & the law of the king.

Blessed be the Lord God of our [forefathers, Who has] put [something] such as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the [Lord’s] house, which is in Jerusalem. And [the Lord God] [has] extended mercy to me before the king, his [counselors,] & the king’s mighty princes. As the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, I was strengthened, & gathered [leaders] of Israel together to go up with me.

[Ezra 8:18-19 And by the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a man of understanding, [from the descendants] of Mahli, [Levi’s] son, [from] Israel, & Sherebiah, with his sons & brethren, 18. And Hashabiah & with him, Jeshaiah, [from the descendants] of Merari, his brethren, & sons, 20.]

Ezra 6:1-22 They Found King Cyrus’ Decree to Rebuild the Lord God’s House

They Found King Cyrus’ Decree to Rebuild the Lord God’s House

Ezra 6:1-22         The Book of Ezra in [Smaller Chunks]

Then, king Darius made a decree, & [a] search was made in the house of [scrolls,] where [they put] the treasures [of] Babylon. A [scroll] was found in the palace at Achmetha, [a.k.a. Ecbatana,] in the province of the Medes.

[This] record was written [on it.] In the 1st year of king Cyrus, the king made a decree [about] the house of God [in] Jerusalem. Let the house, & the place where they offer sacrifices, be [rebuilt.]

And let the foundations be [strong when it is] laid; the height [of it] 60 cubits, & the [width] 60 cubits. With 3 rows of [large] stones, & a row of new [lumber,] & let the expenses be [paid] out of the king’s [palace.]

Also, let the golden & silver vessels [from] the house of God, [that] Nebuchadnezzar [had taken] out of the temple [in] Jerusalem, & brought to Babylon, be restored, & brought [back] to [its] [own] place in the temple, in the house of God, [in] Jerusalem.

Therefore, now, governor, Tatnai, beyond the [Euphrates] River, Shethar Boznai, & your companions, the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, [stay] far from [there &] let the work of this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews & the elders of the Jews [rebuild God’s] house in [its] [own] place.

[Also,] I decree [that] the expenses [are] given to the elders of the Jews, for [rebuilding God’s] house, from the king’s [possessions,] even [from] the tribute, [a.k.a. taxes, of [those] beyond the [Euphrates] River, [so] these men [aren’t] [financially] hindered.

Let them it be given [to] them day by day without fail, [what] they have need of: both young: [bulls,] rams, & lambs, for the burnt offerings of the [Lord] God of heaven, [&] wheat, salt, wine, & oil, according to the priests [appointed in] Jerusalem. [So] they may offer sacrifices of sweet [aromas] to the God of heaven, & pray for the [lives] of the king, & his sons.

I have also [decreed,] that [whoever alters] this word, [shall have the] [lumber] pulled down from his house, & [put] up, [to] let him be [hung there.] And let his house be made a [garbage dump] for [doing] this.

I, Darius, have made a decree. Let it be done with speed, & [may] the God, [Who has] caused His Name to dwell there, destroy all [the] kings & people, [who try] to alter [this,] & [try] to destroy this house of God [in] Jerusalem. Then, governor Tatnai, on this side of the [Euphrates] River, Shethar Boznai, & their companions, speedily did according to [what] king Darius had sent [in the decree.]

And the elders of the Jews [continued to] [rebuild,] & they prospered through the prophesying of the [prophets:] Haggai, & Zechariah, [Iddo’s] son. And they [rebuilt,] & finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, & according to the [commands] of: Cyrus, Darius, & Artaxerxes, [king] of Persia.

And [the Lord’s] house was finished on the 3rd day of the month Adar, [during] the 6th year king Darius [ruled.] And the children, [a.k.a. people,] of Israel, the priests, & the Levites, & the rest of [those] [who returned from] captivity, kept the dedication of [God’s] house with joy.

At the dedication of [God’s] house, [they] offered: 100 [bulls,] 200 rams, 400 lambs, & for a sin offering: 12 [male] goats, according to the number of tribes of Israel. And they [appointed] the priests in their divisions, & the Levites in their [groups,] for [their] service of God, [in] Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses.

The children, [a.k.a. people,] [who returned from] captivity, kept the Passover on the 14th day of the 1st month. For the priests & Levites [had] purified [themselves] together, & were pure. And [they] killed the Passover [animals] for all the [people] [who returned from] captivity, & for their brethren, the priests, & for themselves.

And the children, [a.k.a. people, who had] come again [from] captivity, & all [those who] separated themselves from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, [in order] to seek the Lord God of Israel, [ate.]

[Ezra 9:10-11 O our God, & now what shall we say after this? For we have [abandoned] Your commandments, [that] You have commanded by the prophets, Your servants, saying, The land [where] you go to possess, 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.]

And [they] have kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread, 7 days with joy: for the Lord had made them joyful, & turned the heart of [Assyria’s] king to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

Ezra 5:1-17 The Enemies Continue to Try to Stop the Rebuilding of the Lord’s House

The Enemies Try to Stop the Rebuilding of the Lord’s House

Ezra 5:1-17               The Book of Ezra in [Smaller Chunks]

Then, the prophets: Haggai, & Zechariah, [Iddo’s] son, prophesied even to the Jews [who] were in Judah & Jerusalem in the Name of the God of Israel.

Then, Zerubbabel, [Shealtiel’s] son, & Jeshua, [a.k.a. Joshua, Jozadak’s] son, rose up, & began to [rebuild] the house of God [in] Jerusalem: with [God’s] prophets helping them.

At the same time, Tatnai, governor on this side of the [Euphrates] River, & Shethar Boznai, & their companions came, & said [this] to them, Who [has] commanded you to [rebuild] this house, & [put] up this wall? Then we said to them, What are the names of the men [who construct] this building?

But the eye of their God was upon the [Jews’] elders, [so] they couldn’t [make them stop, until] the matter came to Darius. And then, they returned [an] answer by letter, [about] this matter.

The copy of the letter sent to king Darius, [by:] Tatnai, governor on this side [of] the [Euphrates] River, Shethar Boznai, & his companions: the Apharsachites, which were on this side of the river.

[In] the letter they sent to him was written [this,] All peace [be to] king Darius. The king [should know] that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is [being rebuilt with large] stones, & timber is laid in the walls, & the work goes [quickly,] & their hands [prosper.]

[When] we asked those elders, & said [this] to them, Who commanded you to [rebuild] this house, & to [put] up these walls? We also asked their names, [so] we might write the names of the [leaders] of the men & [inform] you.

And they [replied like this,] We are the servants of the [Lord] God of heaven & earth, & [have rebuilt] the house that the great king [Solomon] of Israel [built] many years ago.

But after that, our [forefathers] had provoked the God of heaven [to anger,] & He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, [Babylon’s] king, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, & carried the people away into Babylon.

[2 Kings 17:9-12 And the children, [a.k.a. people,] of Israel secretly did those things that weren’t right, against the Lord their God, & they built [themselves] high places in all their cities, from the Tower of the Watchman [all the way] to the fenced city. And they [put up for themselves:] images, & groves in every high hill, & under every green tree.

And they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen, whom the Lord carried away before them, & [they formed] wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger; for they served idols, where the Lord had said to them, You shall not do this thing.]

But in the 1st year of king Cyrus of Babylon, [king Cyrus] made a decree to [rebuild] this house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar [had taken] the vessels of gold & silver [from] the temple of [God’s] house, that was in Jerusalem, & brought them into the temple [in] Babylon.

King Cyrus [took] those out of the temple of Babylon, & they were delivered to [someone,] whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom [king Cyrus] had made governor. And said to him, Take these vessels, & go, carry them to the temple [site] that is in Jerusalem, & let [God’s] house be [rebuilt] in [its] place.

Then, Sheshbazzar came, & laid the foundation of [God’s] house, which is in Jerusalem. And since that time, even until now, it [has] [continued to] [be rebuilt,] & isn’t finished yet.

Therefore, now, if it [seems] good to the king, let [a] search be made in the king’s treasure house, which is there [in] Babylon, [to see] whether it [is] so, that a decree was made [by] king Cyrus to [rebuild God’s] house [in] Jerusalem. And let the king send to us [his response about] this matter, [at] his pleasure.

[Ezra 6:3 In the 1st year of king Cyrus, this same Cyrus made a decree [about] the house of God in Jerusalem, Let the house be [rebuilt,] the place where they offer sacrifices, & [its] foundations, should be strongly laid. [It should be] 60 cubits [high,] & 60 cubits wide.]