1 And in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, at the completion of the word of Jehovah from the mouth of Jeremiah, hath Jehovah waked up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and he causeth an intimation to pass over into all his kingdom, and also in writing, saying,

² `Thus said Cyrus king of Persia, All kingdoms of the earth hath Jehovah, God of the heavens, given to me, and He hath laid a charge on me to build to Him a house in Jerusalem, that [is] in Judah;

³ who [is] among you of all His people? His God is with him, and he doth go up to Jerusalem, that [is] in Judah, and build the house of Jehovah, God of Israel -- He [is] God -- that [is] in Jerusalem.

⁴ `And every one who is left, of any of the places where he [is] a sojourner, assist him do the men of his place with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, along with a free-will offering for the house of God, that [is] in Jerusalem.'

⁵ And heads of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin rise, and the priests and the Levites, even every one whose spirit God hath waked, to go up to build the house of Jehovah, that [is] in Jerusalem;

⁶ and all those round about them have strengthened [them] with their hands, with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, apart from all that hath been offered willingly.

⁷ And the king Cyrus hath brought out the vessels of the house of Jehovah that Nebuchadnezzar hath brought out of Jerusalem, and putteth them in the house of his gods;

⁸ yea, Cyrus king of Persia bringeth them out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbereth them to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.

⁹ And this [is] their number: dishes of gold thirty, dishes of silver a thousand, knives nine and twenty,

¹⁰ basins of gold thirty, basins of silver (seconds) four hundred and ten, other vessels a thousand.

¹¹ All the vessels of gold and of silver [are] five thousand and four hundred; the whole hath Sheshbazzar brought up with the going up of the removal from Babylon to Jerusalem.

2 And these [are] sons of the province who are going up -- of the captives of the removal that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed to Babylon, and they turn back to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city --

² who have come in with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah: The number of the men of the people of Israel:

³ Sons of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy and two.

⁴ Sons of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.

⁵ Sons of Arah, seven hundred five and seventy.

⁶ Sons of Pahath-Moab, of the sons of Jeshua, Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.

⁷ Sons of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

⁸ Sons of Zattu, nine hundred and forty and five.

⁹ Sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty.

¹⁰ Sons of Bani, six hundred forty and two.

¹¹ Sons of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.

¹² Sons of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two.

¹³ Sons of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.

¹⁴ Sons of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.

¹⁵ Sons of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.

¹⁶ Sons of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.

¹⁷ Sons of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.

¹⁸ Sons of Jorah, a hundred and twelve.

¹⁹ Sons of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.

²⁰ Sons of Gibbar, ninety and five.

²¹ Sons of Beth-Lehem, a hundred twenty and three.

²² Men of Netophah, fifty and six.

²³ Men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight.

²⁴ Sons of Azmaveth, forty and two.

²⁵ Sons of Kirjath-Arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three.

²⁶ Sons of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.

²⁷ Men of Michmas, a hundred twenty and two.

²⁸ Men of Beth-El and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.

²⁹ Sons of Nebo, fifty and two.

³⁰ Sons of Magbish, a hundred fifty and six.

³¹ Sons of another Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

³² Sons of Harim, three hundred and twenty.

³³ Sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five.

³⁴ Sons of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.

³⁵ Sons of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.

³⁶ The Priests: sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.

³⁷ Sons of Imner, a thousand fifty and two.

³⁸ Sons of Pashhur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.

³⁹ Sons of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.

⁴⁰ The Levites; sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, seventy and four.

⁴¹ The singers: sons of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight.

⁴² Sons of the gatekeepers; sons of Shallum, sons of Ater, sons of Talmon, sons of Akkub, sons of Hatita, sons of Shobai, the whole [are] a hundred thirty and nine.

⁴³ The Nethinim: sons of Ziha, sons of Hasupha, sons of Tabbaoth,

⁴⁴ Sons of Keros, sons of Siaha, sons of Padon,

⁴⁵ Sons of Lebanah, sons of Hagabah, sons of Akkub,

⁴⁶ Sons of Hagab, sons of Shalmai, sons of Hanan,

⁴⁷ Sons of Giddel, sons of Gahar, sons of Reaiah,

⁴⁸ Sons of Rezin, sons of Nekoda, sons of Gazzam,

⁴⁹ Sons of Uzza, sons of Paseah, sons of Besai,

⁵⁰ Sons of Asnah, sons of Mehunim, sons of Nephusim,

⁵¹ Sons of Bakbuk, sons of Hakupha, sons of Harhur,

⁵² Sons of Bazluth, sons of Mehida, sons of Harsha,

⁵³ Sons of Barkos, sons of Sisera, sons of Thamah,

⁵⁴ Sons of Neziah, sons of Hatipha.

⁵⁵ Sons of the servants of Solomon: sons of Sotai, sons of Sophereth, sons of Peruda,

⁵⁶ Sons of Jaalah, sons of Darkon, sons of Giddel,

⁵⁷ Sons of Shephatiah, sons of Hattil, sons of Pochereth of Zebaim, sons of Ami.

⁵⁸ All the Nethinim, and the sons of the servants of Solomon [are] three hundred ninety and two.

⁵⁹ And these [are] those going up from Tel-Melah, Tel-Harsa, Cherub, Addan, Immer, and they have not been able to declare the house of their fathers, and their seed, whether they [are] of Israel:

⁶⁰ sons of Delaiah, sons of Tobiah, sons of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.

⁶¹ And of the sons of the priests: sons of Habaiah, sons of Koz, sons of Barzillai (who took from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite a wife, and is called by their name;)

⁶² these have sought their register among those reckoning themselves by genealogy, and they have not been found, and they are redeemed from the priesthood,

⁶³ and the Tirshatha saith to them, that they eat not of the most holy things till the standing up of a priest with Urim and with Thummim.

⁶⁴ All the assembly together [is] four myriad two thousand three hundred sixty,

⁶⁵ apart from their servants and their handmaids; these [are] seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and of them [are] singers and songstresses two hundred.

⁶⁶ Their horses [are] seven hundred thirty and six, their mules, two hundred forty and five,

⁶⁷ their camels, four hundred thirty and five, asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

⁶⁸ And some of the heads of the fathers in their coming in to the house of Jehovah that [is] in Jerusalem, have offered willingly for the house of God, to establish it on its base;

⁶⁹ according to their power they have given to the treasure of the work; of gold, drams six myriads and a thousand, and of silver, pounds five thousand, and of priests' coats, a hundred.

⁷⁰ And the priests dwell, and the Levites, and of the people, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim, in their cities; even all Israel in their cities.

3 And the seventh month cometh, and the sons of Israel [are] in the cities, and the people are gathered, as one men, unto Jerusalem.

² And rise doth Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and they build the altar of the God of Israel, to cause to ascend upon it burnt-offerings, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God.

³ And they establish the altar on its bases, because of the fear upon them of the peoples of the lands, and he causeth burnt-offerings to ascend upon it to Jehovah, burnt-offerings for the morning and for the evening.

⁴ And they make the feast of the booths as it is written, and the burnt-offering of the day daily in number according to the ordinance, the matter of a day in its day;

⁵ and after this a continual burnt-offering, and for new moons, and for all appointed seasons of Jehovah that are sanctified; and for every one who is willingly offering a willing-offering to Jehovah.

⁶ From the first day of the seventh month they have begun to cause burnt-offerings to ascend to Jehovah, and the temple of Jehovah hath not been founded,

⁷ and they give money to hewers and to artificers, and food, and drink, and oil to Zidonians and to Tyrians, to bring in cedar-trees from Lebanon unto the sea of Joppa, according to the permission of Cyrus king of Persia concerning them.

⁸ And in the second year of their coming in unto the house of God, to Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all those coming from the captivity to Jerusalem, and they appoint the Levites from a son of twenty years and upward, to overlook the work of the house of Jehovah.

⁹ And Jeshua standeth, [and] his sons, and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, sons of Judah together, to overlook those doing the work in the house of God; the sons of Henadad, [and] their sons and their brethren the Levites.

¹⁰ And those building have founded the temple of Jehovah, and they appoint the priests, clothed, with trumpets, and the Levites, sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise Jehovah, by means of [the instruments of] David king of Israel.

¹¹ And they respond in praising and in giving thanks to Jehovah, for good, for to the age His kindness [is] over Israel, and all the people have shouted -- a great shout -- in giving praise to Jehovah, because the house of Jehovah hath been founded.

¹² And many of the priests, and the Levites, and the heads of the fathers, the aged men who had seen the first house -- in this house being founded before their eyes -- are weeping with a loud voice, and many with a shout, in joy, lifting up the voice;

¹³ and the people are not discerning the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people are shouting -- a great shout -- and the noise hath been heard unto a distance.

4 And adversaries of Judah and Benjamin hear that the sons of the captivity are building a temple to Jehovah, God of Israel,

² and they draw nigh unto Zerubbabel, and unto heads of the fathers, and say to them, `Let us build with you; for, like you, we seek to your God, and we are not sacrificing since the days of Esar-Haddon king of Asshur, who brought us up hither.'

³ And Zerubbabel saith to them, also Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers of Israel, `Not for you, and for us, to build a house to our God; but we ourselves together do build to Jehovah God of Israel, as the king Cyrus, king of Persia, commanded us.'

⁴ And it cometh to pass, the people of the land are making the hands of the people of Judah feeble, and troubling them in building,

⁵ and are hiring against them counsellors to make void their counsel all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even till the reign of Darius king of Persia.

⁶ And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the commencement of his reign, they have written an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem;

⁷ and in the days of Artaxerxes have Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions written unto Artaxerxes king of Persia, and the writing of the letter is written in Aramaean, and interpreted in Aramaean.

⁸ Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe have written a letter concerning Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, thus:

⁹ Then Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe, and the rest of their companions, Dinaites, and Apharsathchites, Tarpelites, Apharsites, Archevites, Babylonians, Susanchites, (who are Elamites),

¹⁰ and the rest of the nations that the great and honourable Asnapper removed and set in the city of Samaria, and the rest beyond the river, and at such a time:

¹¹ This [is] a copy of a letter that they have sent unto him, unto Artaxerxes the king: `Thy servants, men beyond the river, and at such a time;

¹² Be it known to the king, that the Jews who have come up from thee unto us, have come in to Jerusalem, the rebellious and base city they are building, and the walls they have finished, and the foundations they join.

¹³ `Now, be it known to the king, that if this city be builded, and the walls finished, toll, tribute, and custom they do not give; and at length [to] the kings it doth cause loss.

¹⁴ Now, because that the salt of the palace [is] our salt, and the nakedness of the king we have no patience to see, therefore we have sent and made known to the king;

¹⁵ so that he doth seek in the book of the records of thy fathers, and thou dost find in the book of the records, and dost know, that this city [is] a rebellious city, and causing loss [to] kings and provinces, and makers of sedition [are] in its midst from the days of old, therefore hath this city been wasted.

¹⁶ We are making known to the king that, if this city be builded and the walls finished, by this means a portion beyond the river thou hast none.'

¹⁷ An answer hath the king sent unto Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe, and the rest of their companions who are dwelling in Samaria, and the rest beyond the river, `Peace, and at such a time:

¹⁸ The letter that ye sent unto us, explained, hath been read before me,

¹⁹ and by me a decree hath been made, and they sought, and have found that this city from the days of old against kings is lifting up itself, and rebellion and sedition is made in it,

²⁰ and mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, even rulers over all beyond the river, and toll, tribute, and custom is given to them.

²¹ `Now, make ye a decree to cause these men to cease, and this city is not builded, till by me a decree is made.

²² And beware ye of negligence in doing this; why doth the hurt become great to the loss of the kings?'

²³ Then from the time that a copy of the letter of king Artaxerxes is read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they have gone in haste to Jerusalem, unto the Jews, and caused them to cease by force and strength;

²⁴ then ceased the service of the house of God that [is] in Jerusalem, and it ceased till the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.