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The Decree of Cyrus
1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the Lord given through the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia. Cyrus circulated a proclamation throughout his kingdom and recorded it in a written document.
2 This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
The Lord, the God of Heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me. He has appointed me to build a house[a] for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 From all his people, whoever among you is willing (may the Lord his God be with him) is permitted to go up to Jerusalem in Judah. He may build the House of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 Any of the exiles who have survived, in any place where they are living as resident aliens, may receive support from the people of that place: silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with their voluntary contributions for the House of the God who is in Jerusalem.
Preparations for the Return
5 Then the heads of the families[b] of Judah and Benjamin, the priests, and the Levites arose—everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to build the House of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem. 6 All of their neighbors supported them with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, with livestock, and with valuables, in addition to all kinds of voluntary contributions.
7 King Cyrus also brought out the vessels of the House of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and put into the house of his gods. 8 Now Cyrus king of Persia entrusted them to the treasurer Mithredath, and he counted them out to Sheshbazzar, the leader[c] of Judah.
9 This is a tally of several different kinds of vessels:
| gold dishes | 30 |
| silver dishes | 1,000 |
| pans[d] | 29 |
| 10 gold bowls | 30 |
| silver bowls of other kinds | 410 |
| other articles | 1,000 |
11 The total number of all of the gold and silver vessels was 5,400.
Sheshbazzar brought these things up to Jerusalem along with the exiles who went up to Jerusalem.
The List of Those Who Returned
2 Now these are the people[e] of the province who went up from the captivity of the exiles whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had exiled to Babylon. 2 The people who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua,[f] Nehemiah, Seraiah, Re’elaiah,[g] Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Ba’anah returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each man to his own city.
This is the tally of the men from the people of Israel:[h]
| 3 the male descendants[i] of Parosh: | 2,172 |
| 4 the male descendants of Shephatiah: | 372 |
| 5 the male descendants of Arah: | 775 |
| 6 the male descendants of Pahath Moab through the descendants of Jeshua and Joab: | 2,812 |
| 7 the male descendants of Elam: | 1,254 |
| 8 the male descendants of Zattu: | 945 |
| 9 the male descendants of Zakkai: | 760 |
| 10 the male descendants of Bani: | 642 |
| 11 the male descendants of Bebai: | 623 |
| 12 the male descendants of Azgad: | 1,222 |
| 13 the male descendants of Adonikam: | 666 |
| 14 the male descendants of Bigvai: | 2,056 |
| 15 the male descendants of Adin: | 454 |
| 16 the male descendants of Ater through Hezekiah: | 98 |
| 17 the male descendants of Bezai: | 323 |
| 18 the male descendants of Jorah: | 112 |
| 19 the male descendants of Hashum: | 223 |
| 20 the male descendants of Gibbar: | 95 |
| 21 the citizens[j] of Bethlehem: | 123 |
| 22 the men of Netophah: | 56 |
| 23 the men of Anathoth: | 128 |
| 24 the citizens of Azmaveth: | 42 |
| 25 the citizens of Kiriath Arim,[k] Kephirah, and Be’eroth: | 743 |
| 26 the citizens of Ramah and Geba: | 621 |
| 27 the men of Mikmash: | 122 |
| 28 the men of Bethel and Ai: | 223 |
| 29 the citizens of Nebo: | 52 |
| 30 the citizens of Magbish: | 156 |
| 31 the citizens of the other Elam: | 1,254 |
| 32 the citizens of Harim: | 320 |
| 33 the citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: | 725 |
| 34 the citizens of Jericho: | 345 |
| 35 the citizens of Sena’ah: | 3,630 |
| 36 The priests:the descendants[l] of Jedaiah through the house of Jeshua: | 973 |
| 37 the descendants of Immer: | 1,052 |
| 38 the descendants of Pashhur: | 1,247 |
| 39 the descendants of Harim: | 1,017 |
| 40 The Levites:the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel through the descendants of Hodaviah: | 74 |
| 41 The singers:the descendants of Asaph: | 128 |
| 42 The descendants of the gatekeepers:the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater,the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub,the descendants of Hatita, the descendants of Shobai, in total: | 139 |
43 The temple servants:
the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha,
the descendants of Tabbaoth, 44 the descendants of Keros,
the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon,
45 the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah,
the descendants of Akkub, 46 the descendants of Hagab,
the descendants of Shamlai,[m] the descendants of Hanan,
47 the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar,
the descendants of Reaiah, 48 the descendants of Rezin,
the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam,
49 the descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Paseah,
the descendants of Besai, 50 the descendants of Asnah,
the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephusim,[n]
51 the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha,
the descendants of Harhur, 52 the descendants of Bazluth,
the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha,
53 the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera,
the descendants of Temah, 54 the descendants of Neziah,
the descendants of Hatipha.
55 The descendants of the servants of Solomon:
the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Hassophereth,
the descendants of Peruda, 56 the descendants of Ja’alah,
the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel,
57 the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil,
the descendants of Pokereth Hazzebaim, the descendants of Ami.
58 The total of the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants was 392.
59 The following are the people who came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addan, and Immer. They were not able to prove their ancestry or descent—whether they were from Israel:
60 the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah,
the descendants of Nekoda: 652,
61 from the descendants of the priests: the descendants of Habaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, the descendants of Barzillai, through a man who married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and so they were called by his family name.
62 These people searched for their genealogical records, but they could not find them, so they were disqualified from the priesthood. 63 The governor told them that they should not eat from the most holy sacrifices until a priest would arise who could serve with Urim and Thummim.
64 The entire assembly together numbered 42,360, 65 not counting their male slaves and their female slaves, who numbered 7,337. They also had 200 male and female singers. 66 Their horses numbered 736, their mules 245, 67 their camels 435, and their donkeys 6,720.
68 So when the heads of the families came to the House of the Lord in Jerusalem, they gave voluntary contributions for God’s house in order to construct it on its site. 69 On the basis of their wealth, they gave the following amounts to the treasury to support the work: 61,000 gold darics,[o] 5,000 silver minas,[p] and 100 garments for the priests.
70 The priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, the temple servants, and some of the people settled in Jerusalem and its towns,[q] and all the rest of Israel settled in their towns.
God’s Way of Saving People Seems Foolish to Some
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. 19 In fact, it is written:
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will bring to nothing.[a]
20 Where is the wise man? Where is the expert in the Jewish law? Where is the probing thinker of the present age? Has God not shown that the wisdom of this world[b] is foolish? 21 Indeed, since the world through its wisdom did not know God, God in his wisdom decided to save those who believe, through the foolishness of the preached message. 22 Yes, Jews ask for signs, Greeks desire wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified—which is offensive to Jews and foolishness to Greeks, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 We preach Christ crucified, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For example, consider your call, brothers. Not many of you were wise from a human point of view, not many were powerful, and not many were born with high status. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world to put to shame the things that are strong, 28 and God chose the lowly things of the world and the despised things, and[c] the things that are not, to do away with the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before God. 30 But because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us the wisdom from God, namely, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 31 God did this so that, just as it is written, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[d]
2 As for me, brothers, when I came to you, I did not come with superior speech or wisdom in order to proclaim to you the testimony[e] of God. 2 For I had no intention of knowing anything among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 I came to you[f] in weakness, in fear, and with much trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not marked by persuasive words of human[g] wisdom, but by a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
Confident in Prayer
7 Hear me, O Lord. With my voice I call.
Be merciful to me and answer me.
8 When you say, “Seek my face,” my heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
9 Do not hide your face from me.
Do not turn your servant away in anger.
You have been my help.
Do not reject me or forsake me, O God who saves me.
10 If my father and my mother abandoned me,
the Lord would take me in.
Walking in God’s Path
11 Lord, teach me your way,
and lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
12 Do not give me up to the desire of my foes,
because false witnesses rise up against me,
and so do those who breathe out violence.
At Home in God’s Land
13 Unless I was confident to see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living—[a]
14 Wait for the Lord. Be strong and take heart,
and wait for the Lord!
22 Do not say, “I’ll get even with you!”
Wait for the Lord, and he will rescue you.
23 Differing weights are disgusting[a] to the Lord,
and dishonest scales are not good.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.