Ezra 3:1 - Nehemiah 3:20

New International Version

Rebuilding the Altar

3 When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,^(A) the people assembled^(B) together as one in Jerusalem. ² Then Joshua^(C) son of Jozadak^(D) and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel^(E) and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses^(F) the man of God. ³ Despite their fear^(G) of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices.^{(H) 4} Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles^(I) with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day. ⁵ After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon^(J) sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred festivals of the Lord,^(K) as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the Lord. ⁶ On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, though the foundation of the Lord’s temple had not yet been laid.

Rebuilding the Temple

⁷ Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters,^(L) and gave food and drink and olive oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs^(M) by sea from Lebanon^(N) to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus^(O) king of Persia.

⁸ In the second month^(P) of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel^(Q) son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak and the rest of the people (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work. They appointed Levites twenty^(R) years old and older to supervise the building of the house of the Lord. ⁹ Joshua^(S) and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Hodaviah^[a]) and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers—all Levites—joined together in supervising those working on the house of God.

¹⁰ When the builders laid^(T) the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets,^(U) and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise^(V) the Lord, as prescribed by David^(W) king of Israel.^{(X) 11} With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:

And all the people gave a great shout^(Z) of praise to the Lord, because the foundation^(AA) of the house of the Lord was laid. ¹² But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple,^(AB) wept^(AC) aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. ¹³ No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy^(AD) from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.

Opposition to the Rebuilding

4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building^(AE) a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, ² they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon^(AF) king of Assyria, who brought us here.”^(AG)

³ But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”^(AH)

⁴ Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.^{[b](AI) 5} They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Later Opposition Under Xerxes and Artaxerxes

⁶ At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes,^[c](AJ) they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.^(AK)

⁷ And in the days of Artaxerxes^(AL) king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic script and in the Aramaic^(AM) language.^[d][e]

⁸ Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:

¹¹ (This is a copy of the letter they sent him.)

¹⁷ The king sent this reply:

²³ As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates,^(BA) they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.

²⁴ Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius^(BB) king of Persia.

Tattenai’s Letter to Darius

5 Now Haggai^(BC) the prophet and Zechariah^(BD) the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied^(BE) to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. ² Then Zerubbabel^(BF) son of Shealtiel and Joshua^(BG) son of Jozadak set to work^(BH) to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

³ At that time Tattenai,^(BI) governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai^(BJ) and their associates went to them and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and to finish it?”^{(BK) 4} They^[g] also asked, “What are the names of those who are constructing this building?” ⁵ But the eye of their God^(BL) was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received.

⁶ This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates, the officials of Trans-Euphrates, sent to King Darius. ⁷ The report they sent him read as follows:

The Decree of Darius

6 King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives^(BW) stored in the treasury at Babylon. ² A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media, and this was written on it:

Completion and Dedication of the Temple

¹³ Then, because of the decree King Darius had sent, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates^(CM) carried it out with diligence. ¹⁴ So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching^(CN) of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus,^(CO) Darius^(CP) and Artaxerxes,^(CQ) kings of Persia. ¹⁵ The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.^(CR)

¹⁶ Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication^(CS) of the house of God with joy. ¹⁷ For the dedication of this house of God they offered^(CT) a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering^[k] for all Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel. ¹⁸ And they installed the priests in their divisions^(CU) and the Levites in their groups^(CV) for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses.^(CW)

The Passover

¹⁹ On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles celebrated the Passover.^{(CX) 20} The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were all ceremonially clean. The Levites slaughtered^(CY) the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their relatives the priests and for themselves. ²¹ So the Israelites who had returned from the exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves^(CZ) from the unclean practices^(DA) of their Gentile neighbors in order to seek the Lord,^(DB) the God of Israel. ²² For seven days they celebrated with joy the Festival of Unleavened Bread,^(DC) because the Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude^(DD) of the king of Assyria so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

Ezra Comes to Jerusalem

7 After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes^(DE) king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah,^(DF) the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,^{(DG) 2} the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok,^(DH) the son of Ahitub,^{(DI) 3} the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, ⁴ the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, ⁵ the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas,^(DJ) the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— ⁶ this Ezra^(DK) came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted^(DL) him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.^{(DM) 7} Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.^(DN)

⁸ Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. ⁹ He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.^{(DO) 10} For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching^(DP) its decrees and laws in Israel.

King Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra

¹¹ This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the Lord for Israel:

²⁷ Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart^(EH) to bring honor^(EI) to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way ²⁸ and who has extended his good favor^(EJ) to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me,^(EK) I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

List of the Family Heads Returning With Ezra

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

The Return to Jerusalem

¹⁵ I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava,^(ER) and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites^(ES) 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^(ET) 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,^(EU) they brought us Sherebiah,^(EV) 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^(EW)—a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name.

²¹ There, by the Ahava Canal,^(EX) I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey^(EY) for us and our children, with all our possessions. ²² I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers^(EZ) 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^(FA) who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.^(FB)” ²³ So we fasted^(FC) and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.

²⁴ Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, namely, Sherebiah,^(FD) Hashabiah and ten of their brothers, ²⁵ and I weighed out^(FE) 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^[s] of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents,^[t] 100 talents^[u] of gold, ²⁷ 20 bowls of gold valued at 1,000 darics,^[v] 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.^(FF) 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^(FG) to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us,^(FH) and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. ³² So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days.^(FI)

³³ On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out^(FJ) the silver and gold and the sacred articles into the hands of Meremoth^(FK) son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, and so were the Levites Jozabad^(FL) son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui.^{(FM) 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^(FN) for all Israel,^(FO) ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering,^[w] twelve male goats.^(FP) All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. ³⁶ They also delivered the king’s orders^(FQ) to the royal satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates,^(FR) who then gave assistance to the people and to the house of God.^(FS)

Ezra’s Prayer About Intermarriage

9 After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate^(FT) from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites,^(FU) Ammonites,^(FV) Moabites,^(FW) Egyptians and Amorites.^{(FX) 2} They have taken some of their daughters^(FY) as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled^(FZ) the holy race^(GA) with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”^(GB)

³ When I heard this, I tore^(GC) my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled.^{(GD) 4} Then everyone who trembled^(GE) at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled^(GF) until the evening sacrifice.

⁵ Then, at the evening sacrifice,^(GG) I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands^(GH) spread out to the Lord my God ⁶ and prayed:

The People’s Confession of Sin

10 While Ezra was praying and confessing,^(HL) weeping^(HM) and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. ² Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam,^(HN) said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful^(HO) to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel.^{(HP) 3} Now let us make a covenant^(HQ) before our God to send away^(HR) all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. ⁴ Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.”

⁵ So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath^(HS) to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath. ⁶ Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water,^(HT) because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.

⁷ A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem. ⁸ Anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.

⁹ Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin^(HU) had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain. ¹⁰ Then Ezra^(HV) the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt.^{(HW) 11} Now honor^[y] the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.”^(HX)

¹² The whole assembly responded with a loud voice:^(HY) “You are right! We must do as you say. ¹³ But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing. ¹⁴ Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges^(HZ) of each town, until the fierce anger^(IA) of our God in this matter is turned away from us.” ¹⁵ Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai^(IB) the Levite, opposed this.

¹⁶ So the exiles did as was proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, one from each family division, and all of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to investigate the cases, ¹⁷ and by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women.

Those Guilty of Intermarriage

⁴⁴ All these had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.^[aa]

Nehemiah’s Prayer

1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:

In the month of Kislev^(IN) in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,^{(IO) 2} Hanani,^(IP) one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant^(IQ) that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.

³ They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.^(IR)”

⁴ When I heard these things, I sat down and wept.^(IS) For some days I mourned and fasted^(IT) and prayed before the God of heaven. ⁵ Then I said:

I was cupbearer^(JH) to the king.

Artaxerxes Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem

2 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,^(JI) when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, ² so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”

I was very much afraid, ³ but I said to the king, “May the king live forever!^(JJ) Why should my face not look sad when the city^(JK) where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?^(JL)”

⁴ The king said to me, “What is it you want?”

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, ⁵ and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”

⁶ Then the king^(JM), with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.

⁷ I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates,^(JN) so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? ⁸ And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel^(JO) by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me,^(JP) the king granted my requests.^{(JQ) 9} So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry^(JR) with me.

¹⁰ When Sanballat^(JS) the Horonite and Tobiah^(JT) the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.^(JU)

Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls

¹¹ I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days^{(JV) 12} I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.

¹³ By night I went out through the Valley Gate^(JW) toward the Jackal^[ab] Well and the Dung Gate,^(JX) examining the walls^(JY) of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. ¹⁴ Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate^(JZ) and the King’s Pool,^(KA) but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; ¹⁵ so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. ¹⁶ The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.

¹⁷ Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire.^(KB) Come, let us rebuild the wall^(KC) of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.^(KD)” ¹⁸ I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me^(KE) and what the king had said to me.

They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.

¹⁹ But when Sanballat^(KF) the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem^(KG) the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us.^(KH) “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”

²⁰ I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding,^(KI) but as for you, you have no share^(KJ) in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”

Builders of the Wall

3 Eliashib^(KK) the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt^(KL) the Sheep Gate.^(KM) They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel.^{(KN) 2} The men of Jericho^(KO) built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them.

³ The Fish Gate^(KP) was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. ⁴ Meremoth^(KQ) son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs. ⁵ The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa,^(KR) but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.^[ac]

⁶ The Jeshanah^[ad] Gate^(KS) was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. ⁷ Next to them, repairs were made by men from Gibeon^(KT) and Mizpah—Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronoth—places under the authority of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. ⁸ Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.^{(KU) 9} Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section. ¹⁰ Adjoining this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs next to him. ¹¹ Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens.^{(KV) 12} Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.

¹³ The Valley Gate^(KW) was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah.^(KX) They rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. They also repaired a thousand cubits^[ae] of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.^(KY)

¹⁴ The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Rekab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem.^(KZ) He rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place.

¹⁵ The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Kol-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofing it over and putting its doors and bolts and bars in place. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam,^[af](LA) by the King’s Garden, as far as the steps going down from the City of David. ¹⁶ Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur,^(LB) made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs^[ag](LC) of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes.

¹⁷ Next to him, the repairs were made by the Levites under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him, Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah,^(LD) carried out repairs for his district. ¹⁸ Next to him, the repairs were made by their fellow Levites under Binnui^[ah] son of Henadad, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah. ¹⁹ Next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section, from a point facing the ascent to the armory as far as the angle of the wall. ²⁰ Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the entrance of the house of Eliashib the high priest.