1 Esdras 5

1 After this were the principal men of the families chosen according to their tribes to go up with their wives and sons and daughters, with their menservants and maidservants, and their cattle.
2 And Darius sent with them a thousand horsemen, till they had brought them back to Jerusalem safely, with musical instruments, tabrets and flutes.
3 And all their brethren played, and he made them go up together with them.
4 And these are the names of the men who went up, according to their families among their tribes, according to their several heads:
5 the priests, the sons of Phinehas the son of Aaron; Jeshua the son of Jozadak, the son of Seraiah, and Joakim the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, of the house of David, out of the kindred of Phares, of the tribe of Judah,
6 who spoke wise sentences before Darius the king of Persia in the second year of his reign, in the month of Nisan, which is the first month.
7 And these are those of Jewry who came up from the captivity where they dwelt as strangers, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon.
8 And they returned unto Jerusalem and to the other parts of Jewry, every man to his own city, who came with Zerubbabel, with Jeshua, Nehemiah, and Seraiah, and Resaiah, Bilgai, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Reelaiah, Rehum, and Baanah, their guides.
9 The number of those of the nation, and their governors: sons of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy and two; the sons of Shephatiah, four hundred seventy and two;
10 the sons of Arah, seven hundred fifty and six;
11 the sons of Pahath-moab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve;
12 the sons of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four; the sons of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five; the sons of Chorbe, seven hundred and five; the sons of Bani, six hundred forty and eight;
13 the sons of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three; the sons of Azgad, three thousand two hundred twenty and two;
14 the sons of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and seven; the sons of Bigvai, two thousand sixty and six; the sons of Adin, four hundred fifty and four;
15 the sons of Ater, ninety and two; the sons of Kilan and Azetas threescore and seven; the sons of Azuran, four hundred thirty and two;
16 the sons of Annias, a hundred and one; the sons of Arom, thirty-two; and the sons of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three; the sons of Jorah, a hundred and two;
17 the sons of Baiterus, three thousand and five; the sons of Bethlehem, a hundred twenty and three;
18 they of Netophah, fifty and five; they of Anathoth, a hundred fifty and eight; they of Beth-azmaveth, forty and two;
19 they of Kirjath-jearim, twenty and five; they of Chephirah and Beeroth, seven hundred forty and three; they of Pira, seven hundred;
20 they of Chadias and Ammidoi, four hundred twenty and two; they of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty and one;
21 they of Michmas, a hundred twenty and two; they of Bethel, fifty and two; the sons of Magbish, a hundred fifty and six;
22 the sons of Elam and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five; the sons of Jericho, two hundred forty and five;
23 the sons of Senaah, three thousand three hundred and thirty.
24 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, the son of Jeshua among the sons of Anasib, nine hundred seventy and two; the sons of Immer, a thousand fifty and two;
25 the sons of Pashhur, a thousand forty and seven; the sons of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
26 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, and Kadmiel, and Bannas, and Sudias, seventy and four.
27 The holy singers: the sons of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight.
28 The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, in all a hundred thirty and nine.
29 The servants of the temple: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, the sons of Keros, the sons of Sia, the sons of Padon, the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagabah,
30 the sons of Akkub, the sons of Uthai, the sons of Ketab, the sons of Hagab, the sons of Shalmai, the sons of Hanan, the sons of Cathua, the sons of Gahar,
31 the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Chezib, the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Hasrah, the sons of Besai, the sons of Asnha, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephishesim, the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, the sons of Pharakim, the sons of Bazlith,
32 the sons of Mehida, the sons of Cutha, the sons of Harsha, the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Tamah, the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.
33 The sons of the servants of Solomon: the sons of Soph-ereth,the sons of Perida, the sons of Jaala, the sons of Lozon, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Shephatiah,
34 the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of Sabi, the sons of Sarothie, the sons of Masiah, the sons of Gas, the sons of Addus, the sons of Subas, the sons of Apherra, the sons of Barodis, the sons of Shaphat, the sons of Allom.
35 All the ministers of the temple and the sons of the servants of Solomon were three hundred seventy and two.Œ
36 These came up from Tel-melah and Tel-haresha, Cherub leading them, and Immer;
37 neither could they show by their families nor their stock how they were of Israel: the sons of Delaiah, the son of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.
38 And of the priests who usurped the office of the priesthood and were not recorded: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Koz, the sons of Jaddus, who married Agia one of the daughters of Barzillai, and was named after his name.
39 And when the description of the kindred of these men was sought in the register and was not found, they were removed from executing the office of the priesthood.
40 For unto them said Nehemiah and Attharias that they should not be partakers of the holy things till there arose up a high priest clothed with doctrine and truth.
41 So of Israel, from those of twelve years old and upward, they were all in number forty thousand, besides menservants and womenservants two thousand three hundred and sixty.
42 Their menservants and handmaids were seven thousand three hundred forty and seven; the singing men and singing women, two hundred forty and five;
43 four hundred thirty and five camels, seven thousand thirty and six horses, two hundred forty and five mules, five thousand five hundred twenty and five beasts used to the yoke.
44 And certain of the chief of their families, when they came to the temple of God that is in Jerusalem, vowed to set up the house again in his own place according to their ability,
45 and to give into the holy treasury of the works a thousand pounds of gold, five thousand of silver, and a hundred priestly vestments.
46 And so dwelt the priests and the Levites and the people in Jerusalem and in the country, the singers also and the gatekeepers, and all Israel in their villages.
47 But when the seventh month was at hand, and when the children of Israel were every man in his own place, they came all together with one consent into the open place of the first gate which is toward the east.
48 Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and made ready the altar of the God of Israel
49 to offer burnt sacrifices upon it, according as it is expressly commanded in the book of Moses, the man of God.
50 And they were gathered unto them out of the other nations of the land, and they erected the altar upon his own place, because all the nations of the land were at enmity with them and oppressed them; and they offered sacrifices according to the time and burnt offerings to the Lord both morning and evening.
51 Also they held the Feast of Tabernacles, as it is commanded in the law, and offered sacrifices daily as was meet,
52 and after that, the continual oblations and the sacrifice of the Sabbaths and of the new moons and of all holy feasts.
53 And all those who had made any vow to God began to offer sacrifices to God from the first day of the seventh month, although the temple of the Lord was not yet built.Œ
54 And they gave unto the masons and carpenters money, meat, and drink with cheerfulness.
55 Unto those of Sidon also and Tyre they gave carts, that they should bring cedar trees from Lebanon, which should be brought by floats to the haven of Joppa, according as it was commanded them by Cyrus king of the Persians.
56 And in the second year and second month after his coming to the temple of God at Jerusalem began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and their brethren, and the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come unto Jerusalem out of the captivity;
57 and they laid the foundation of the house of God on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come to Jewry and Jerusalem.
58 And they appointed the Levites from twenty years old over the works of the Lord. Then stood up Jeshua and his sons and brethren, and Kadmiel his brother, and the sons of Jeshua Emadabun, with the sons of Joda the son of Iliadun, with their sons and brethren, all Levites, setters forward of the business, laboring with one accord to advance the work on the house of God. So the workmen built the temple of the Lord.
59 And the priests stood arrayed in their vestments with musical instruments and trumpets; and the Levites the sons of Asaph had cymbals,
60 singing songs of thanksgiving and praising the Lord, according as David the king of Israel had ordained.
61 And they sang with loud voices songs to the praise of the Lord, because His mercy and glory is for ever in all Israel.
62 And all the people sounded trumpets and shouted with a loud voice, singing songs of thanksgiving unto the Lord for the rearing up of the house of the Lord.
63 Also of the priests and Levites and of the chief of their families, the elders who had seen the former house, came to the building of this with weeping and great crying.
64 But many with trumpets and joy shouted with loud voice,
65 insomuch that the trumpets might not be heard for the weeping of the people; yet the multitude sounded marvelously, so that it was heard afar off.
66 Therefore when the enemies of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin heard it, they came to know what that noise of trumpets should mean.
67 And they perceived that those who were of the captivity were building the temple unto the Lord God of Israel.
68 So they went to Zerubbabel and Jeshua and to the chief of the families, and said unto them, "We will build together with you.
69 For we likewise, as ye, do obey your Lord, and do sacrifice unto Him from the days of Esarhaddon the king of the Assyrians, who brought us hither."
70 Then Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the chief of the families of Israel said unto them, "It is not for us and you to build together a house unto the Lord our God.
71 We ourselves alone will build unto the Lord of Israel, according as Cyrus the king of the Persians hath commanded us."
72 But the heathen of the land, laying heavily upon the inhabitants of Judea and holding them straitened, hindered their building;
73 and by their secret plots and popular persuasions and commotions, they hindered the finishing of the building all the time that King Cyrus lived. So they were hindered from building for the space of two years, until the reign of Darius.
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.