Those Returning with Ezra

These are the family heads and the genealogical records of those who returned with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:(A)

Gershom, from Phinehas’s descendants;

Daniel, from Ithamar’s descendants;

Hattush, from David’s descendants,

who was of Shecaniah’s descendants;(B)

Zechariah, from Parosh’s(C) descendants,

and 150 men[a] with him who were registered by genealogy;

Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah

from Pahath-moab’s descendants,(D)

and 200 men with him;

Shecaniah[b] son of Jahaziel

from Zattu’s descendants,

and 300 men with him;

Ebed son of Jonathan

from Adin’s descendants,(E)

and 50 men with him;

Jeshaiah son of Athaliah

from Elam’s descendants,

and 70 men with him;

Zebadiah son of Michael

from Shephatiah’s descendants,

and 80 men with him;

Obadiah son of Jehiel

from Joab’s descendants,

and 218 men with him;

10 Shelomith[c] son of Josiphiah

from Bani’s descendants,

and 160 men with him;

11 Zechariah son of Bebai

from Bebai’s descendants,

and 28 men with him;

12 Johanan son of Hakkatan

from Azgad’s descendants,

and 110 men with him;

13 these are the last ones, from Adonikam’s descendants,(F)

and their names are

Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah,

and 60 men with them;

14 Uthai and Zaccur[d]

from Bigvai’s descendants,

and 70 men with them.

15 I gathered them at the river[e] that flows to Ahava,(G) and we camped there for three days. I searched among the people and priests, but found no Levites(H) there. 16 Then I summoned the leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam,(I) as well as the teachers Joiarib and Elnathan. 17 I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, with a message for[f] him and his brothers, the temple servants(J) at Casiphia, that they should bring us ministers for the house of our God. 18 Since the gracious hand of our God was on us,(K) they brought us Sherebiah(L)—a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli, a descendant of Levi son of Israel—along with his sons and brothers, 18 men, 19 plus Hashabiah,(M) along with Jeshaiah, from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and their sons, 20 men. 20 There were also 220 of the temple servants,(N) who had been appointed by David and the leaders for the work of the Levites. All were identified by name.

Preparing to Return

21 I proclaimed a fast(O) by the Ahava River,[g] so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us, our dependents, and all our possessions. 22 I did this because I was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry to protect us from enemies during the journey, since we had told him, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his fierce anger is against all who abandon him.”(P) 23 So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and he was receptive to our prayer.

24 I selected twelve of the leading priests, along with Sherebiah,(Q) Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers. 25 I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the articles—the contribution for the house of our God that the king, his counselors, his leaders, and all the Israelites who were present had offered. 26 I weighed out to them 24 tons[h] of silver, silver articles weighing 7,500 pounds,[i] 7,500 pounds of gold, 27 twenty gold bowls worth a thousand gold coins,[j] and two articles of fine gleaming bronze, as valuable as gold.(R) 28 Then I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, and the articles are holy. The silver and gold are a freewill offering(S) to the Lord God of your ancestors. 29 Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the Lord’s house before the leading priests, Levites, and heads of the Israelite families in Jerusalem.” 30 So the priests and Levites took charge of the silver, the gold, and the articles that had been weighed out, to bring them to the house of our God in Jerusalem.(T)

Arrival in Jerusalem

31 We set out from the Ahava River on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem. We were strengthened by our God,[k](U) and he kept us from the grasp of the enemy and from ambush along the way.(V) 32 So we arrived at Jerusalem and rested there for three days.(W) 33 On the fourth day the silver, the gold, and the articles were weighed out in the house of our God into the care of the priest Meremoth son of Uriah. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him. The Levites Jozabad(X) son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui were also with them. 34 Everything was verified by number and weight, and the total weight was recorded at that time.

35 The exiles who had returned from the captivity(Y) offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, and seventy-seven lambs, along with twelve male goats as a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering for the Lord.(Z) 36 They also delivered the king’s edicts to the royal satraps and governors of the region west of the Euphrates,(AA) so that they would support the people and the house of God.(AB)

Footnotes

  1. 8:3 Or males; also in vv. 4–14
  2. 8:5 LXX, 1 Esdras 8:32; MT reads the descendants of Shecaniah
  3. 8:10 Some LXX mss, 1 Esdras 8:36; MT reads the descendants of Shelomith
  4. 8:14 Alt Hb tradition, some LXX mss read Zabud
  5. 8:15 Or canal
  6. 8:17 Lit Casiphia, and I put in their mouth the words to speak to
  7. 8:21 Or Canal, also in v. 31
  8. 8:26 Lit 650 talents
  9. 8:26 Lit 100 talents
  10. 8:27 Or 1,000 drachmas, or 1,000 darics
  11. 8:31 Lit The hand of our God was on us

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.

From the sons of Phinehas: Gershom; from the sons of Ithamar: Daniel; from the sons of David: Hattush;

from the sons of Shechaniah, from the sons of Pharosh: Zechariah, and with him, reckoning themselves by genealogy, of males a hundred and fifty.

From the sons of Pahath-Moab: Elihoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred who are males.

From the sons of Shechaniah: the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred who are males.

And from the sons of Adin: Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him fifty who are males.

And from the sons of Elam: Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him seventy who are males.

And from the sons of Shephatiah: Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him eighty who are males.

From the sons of Joab: Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen who are males.

10 And from the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah, and with him a hundred and sixty who are males.

11 And from the sons of Bebai: Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight who are males.

12 And from the sons of Azgad: Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him a hundred and ten who are males.

13 And from the younger sons of Adonikam -- and these [are] their names -- Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them sixty who are males.

14 And from the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud, and with them seventy who are males.

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;

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;

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.

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;

19 and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah, of the sons of Merari, his brethren, and their sons, twenty;

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.

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,

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.'

23 And we fast, and seek from our God for this, and He is entreated of us.

24 And I separate from the heads of the priests, twelve, even Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and with them of their brethren ten,

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;

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,

27 and basins of gold twenty, of a thousand drams, and two vessels of good shining brass, desirable as gold.

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;

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.'

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.

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;

32 and we come in to Jerusalem, and dwell there three days.

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:

34 by number, by weight of every one, and all the weight is written at that time.

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;

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.

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.

Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush.

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.

Of the sons of Pahathmoab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males.

Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males.

Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males.

And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males.

And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore males.

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 an 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 an hundred and ten males.

13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.

14 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.

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.

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 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.

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;

19 And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty;

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.

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.

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.

23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.

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 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:

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;

27 Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold.

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.

32 And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.

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;

34 By number and by weight of every one: and all the weight was written at that time.

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 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.