Thematic Bible: -ezra


Thematic Bible



This was in the time when Annas and Caiaphas were chief priests. The word of God was delivered to John the son of Zechariah. He was in the wilderness. John traveled in the region near the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. This was according to the words of Isaiah the prophet: The voice of one crying in the wilderness. Make ready the way of Jehovah. Make his paths straight. read more.
Every valley shall be filled. Every mountain and hill shall be brought low. The crooked shall become straight and the rough ways smooth. All flesh shall see the salvation of God. (Isaiah 40:3-6) He told the crowds that came to be baptized by him: You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Produce fruit that is worthy of repentance. Do not say we have Abraham for our father. I tell you, that God is able to make these stones into children for Abraham. The axe is now at the root of the trees. Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown in to the fire. The people asked him: What must we do? He answered: He who has two coats let him give to him who has none. He who has food let him do likewise. Tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him: Teacher, what must we do? He told them: Collect no more than that which is prescribed. Soldiers also asked him: What must we do? And he said: Do not take money from any one by force. Never falsely accuse any one wrongfully and be content with your wages.


Let us make an agreement with our God to put away all the wives and all their children, if it seems right to my lord and to those who go in fear of the words of our God. Let it be done in keeping with the law.


This was in the time when Annas and Caiaphas were chief priests. The word of God was delivered to John the son of Zechariah. He was in the wilderness. John traveled in the region near the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. This was according to the words of Isaiah the prophet: The voice of one crying in the wilderness. Make ready the way of Jehovah. Make his paths straight. read more.
Every valley shall be filled. Every mountain and hill shall be brought low. The crooked shall become straight and the rough ways smooth. All flesh shall see the salvation of God. (Isaiah 40:3-6) He told the crowds that came to be baptized by him: You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Produce fruit that is worthy of repentance. Do not say we have Abraham for our father. I tell you, that God is able to make these stones into children for Abraham. The axe is now at the root of the trees. Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown in to the fire. The people asked him: What must we do? He answered: He who has two coats let him give to him who has none. He who has food let him do likewise. Tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him: Teacher, what must we do? He told them: Collect no more than that which is prescribed. Soldiers also asked him: What must we do? And he said: Do not take money from any one by force. Never falsely accuse any one wrongfully and be content with your wages.


Then I gave orders for a time of going without food, there by the Ahava River, so that we might make ourselves low before our God in prayer, requesting from him a safe journey for us and for our little ones and for all our substance. I would not make request to the king for a band of armed men and horsemen to give us help against those who might attack us on the way. We said to the king: The hand (power) (protection) of our God is on his servants for good, but his power and his wrath are against all those who have turned away from him. So we went without food, requesting our God for this: and his ear was open to our prayer.


I said, O my God, shame keeps me from lifting up my face (praying) to you (being in your presence), my God: for our sins have increased higher than our heads and our evil-doing has come up to heaven.


I said, O my God, shame keeps me from lifting up my face (praying) to you (being in your presence), my God: for our sins have increased higher than our heads and our evil-doing has come up to heaven.

Terrifying sounds fill his ears. When all seems well, marauders attack him.


And of the sons of Adonikam, the last, whose names were Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah; and with them sixty males.


While Ezra was saying his prayer and his confession of wrongdoing he wept and fell down before the house of God. A very great number of men and women and children out of Israel came together around him, for the people were weeping bitterly.

His brothers, Shemaiah, and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel and Judah, Hanani, with the music-instruments of David, the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was at their head;

Now after these things, when Artaxerxes was king of Persia, Ezra, the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

And you, Ezra, by the wisdom of your God which is in you, are to put rulers and judges to have authority over all the people across the river who have knowledge of the laws of your God. You are to teach any who have no knowledge of them.

Ezra devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of Jehovah. He taught its decrees and laws in Israel.

So those who had come back did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of families, by their fathers' families, all of them by their names, were marked out. On the first day of the tenth month they took their places to go into the question with care.

These were in the days of Joiakim, the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the ruler and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.


His brothers, Shemaiah, and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel and Judah, Hanani, with the music-instruments of David, the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was at their head;

Ezra devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of Jehovah. He taught its decrees and laws in Israel.

Now after these things, when Artaxerxes was king of Persia, Ezra, the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, read more.
The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest: Ezra came from Babylon. He was a scribe (copyist) and an expert in the Law of Moses which Jehovah, the God of Israel, had given. The king was moved by Jehovah his God to give him whatever he requested.

And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, now give orders to all keepers of the king's money across the river, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may have need of from you, is to be done with all care,


Then I gave orders for a time of going without food, there by the Ahava River, so that we might make ourselves low before our God in prayer, requesting from him a safe journey for us and for our little ones and for all our substance.

While Ezra was saying his prayer and his confession of wrongdoing he wept and fell down before the house of God. A very great number of men and women and children out of Israel came together around him, for the people were weeping bitterly.


Ezra the priest brought the law to the meeting of the people. They were all able to listen to it. It was the first day of the seventh month. He read it in the wide place in front of the Water Gate from early morning till the middle of the day. Everyone who could understand it, men and women alike were able to listen to it. All the people got to hear the Book of the Law. Ezra the scribe took his place on a tower (podium) of wood that they had made for the purpose. By his side were placed Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Uriah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah on the right; and on the left, Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah and Hashum and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam. read more.
Ezra took the book and opened it before the eyes of all the people for he was higher than the people. When it was open, all the people stood on their feet. Ezra praised Jehovah, the great God. And all the people said: Amen! With lifted hands and bent heads they worshiped Jehovah. They dropped to their faces on the earth. And Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah and Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites made the law clear to the people: and the people kept in their places. They read from the book the Law of God making it clear (translating it), so that their minds were able to take it in.


While Ezra was saying his prayer and his confession of wrongdoing he wept and fell down before the house of God. A very great number of men and women and children out of Israel came together around him, for the people were weeping bitterly. Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answering, said to Ezra, We have done evil against our God, and have taken as our wives strange women of the peoples of the land. But still there is hope for Israel in this question. Let us make an agreement with our God to put away all the wives and all their children, if it seems right to my lord and to those who go in fear of the words of our God. Let it be done in keeping with the law. read more.
Up, now! For this is your business, and we are with you. Take heart and do it. Then Ezra got up, and made the chiefs of the priests and the Levites and all Israel take an oath that they would do this. So they took an oath. Then Ezra got up from before the house of God and went into the room of Jehohanan, the son of Eliashib. When he arrived there, he took no food or drink, for he was sorrowing for the sin of those who had come back. They made a public statement to all Judah and Jerusalem, to all those who came back, that they were to come together to Jerusalem. And that if anyone did not come before three days were past, as ordered by the rulers and the responsible men, all his goods would be put under the curse. He himself would be cut off from the meeting of the people who had come back. Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin came together to Jerusalem before three days were past. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people were seated in the wide square in front of the house of God. They shook with fear because of this business of this business and because of the great rain. Ezra the priest got to his feet and said to them: You have done wrong and taken strange women for your wives, thus increasing the sin of Israel. Give praise to Jehovah, the God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the strange women. Then all the people, answered with a loud voice: As you have said, so it is right for us to do. The number of people is great, and it is a time of much rain; it is not possible for us to go on waiting outside. This is not a thing that may be done in one day or even two: for our sin in this business is great. So now let our rulers be representatives for all the people. Let all those in our towns who are married to strange women come at fixed times, and with them the responsible men and the judges of every town, till the burning wrath of our God is turned away from us, and this has been done. Only Jonathan, the son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, the son of Tikvah, were against this, Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them. So those who had come back did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of families, by their fathers' families, all of them by their names, were marked out. On the first day of the tenth month they took their places to go into the question with care. they reached the end of all the men who were married to strange women by the first day of the first month.



It is my order that all the people of Israel, including their priests and Levites in my kingdom, who are ready and have a desire to go to Jerusalem, are to go with you. The king and his seven wise men send you to get knowledge about Judah and Jerusalem. The Law of your God orders you. You are to take with you the silver and gold freely offered by the king and his wise men to the God of Israel, who's Temple is in Jerusalem, read more.
As well as all the silver and gold which you get from the land of Babylon, together with the offering of the people and of the priests, freely given for the house of their God in Jerusalem. Use this money to buy bulls, sheep, and lambs, with their meal offerings and their drink offerings, to be offered on the altar of the house of your God, which is in Jerusalem. Whatever seems right to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, that do, as may be pleasing to your God. The vessels that have been given to you for the uses of the house of your God, you are to give to the God of Jerusalem. Whatever is needed for the house of your God, and which you may have to give, take it from the king's storehouse. And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, now give orders to all keepers of the king's money across the river, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may have need of from you, is to be done with all care, Up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred measures of grain, a hundred measures of wine, and a hundred measures of oil, and salt without measure. Whatever the God of heaven orders let it be done completely for the house of the God of heaven. Let there not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons. In addition, we make it clear to you, that it will be against the law to put any tax or payment in goods or forced payment on any of the priests or Levites, the music-makers, doorkeepers, Nethinim, or any servants of this house of God. And you, Ezra, by the wisdom of your God which is in you, are to put rulers and judges to have authority over all the people across the river who have knowledge of the laws of your God. You are to teach any who have no knowledge of them. If anyone does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, take care that punishment is given to him. This is by death or by driving him from his country or by taking away his goods or by putting him in prison.


Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answering, said to Ezra, We have done evil against our God, and have taken as our wives strange women of the peoples of the land. But still there is hope for Israel in this question. Let us make an agreement with our God to put away all the wives and all their children, if it seems right to my lord and to those who go in fear of the words of our God. Let it be done in keeping with the law. Up, now! For this is your business, and we are with you. Take heart and do it. read more.
Then Ezra got up, and made the chiefs of the priests and the Levites and all Israel take an oath that they would do this. So they took an oath.


When the time came for the wall of Jerusalem to be made holy, they sent for the Levites out of all their places to come to Jerusalem, to keep the feast with joy, and with praise and melody, with brass and corded instruments of music. The sons of the music-makers came together from the lowland round about Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites, From Beth-gilgal and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the music-makers made villages for themselves round about Jerusalem. read more.
The priests and the Levites made themselves clean; and they made the people clean, and the gateways and the wall. Then I made the rulers of Judah come up on the wall, and I put in position two great bands of them who gave praise, walking in ordered lines. One went to the right on the wall toward the gateway where the waste was put. Hoshaiah and half of the rulers of Judah followed after them, And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, Judah and Benjamin and Shemaiah and Jeremiah, Some of the priests' sons with wind instruments; Zechariah, the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, His brothers, Shemaiah, and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel and Judah, Hanani, with the music-instruments of David, the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was at their head; By the doorway of the fountain and straight in front of them, they went up by the steps of the town of David, at the slope up of the wall, over the house of David, as far as the water-doorway to the east. The other band of those who gave praise went to the left, and I went after them with half the people, on the wall, over the tower of the ovens, as far as the wide wall, Over the Gate of Ephraim and by the old door and the fish door and the tower of Hananel and the tower of Hammeah, as far as the Sheep Gate: and at the doorway of the watchmen they came to a stop. So the two bands of those who gave praise took up their positions in the house of God, and I and half of the chiefs with me: The priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with wind instruments; And Maaseiah and Shemaiah and Eleazar and Uzzi and Jehohanan and Malchijah and Elam and Ezer. The makers of melody made their voices loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer. On that day they made great offerings and were glad. God made them glad with great joy. The women and the children were glad with them. The joy of Jerusalem came to the ears of those who were far off.


This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra, the priest and the scribe-copyist, who put into writing the words of the orders of Jehovah and of his rules for Israel:


Ezra devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of Jehovah. He taught its decrees and laws in Israel.


Then Ezra got up from before the house of God and went into the room of Jehohanan, the son of Eliashib. When he arrived there, he took no food or drink, for he was sorrowing for the sin of those who had come back.


I would not make request to the king for a band of armed men and horsemen to give us help against those who might attack us on the way. We said to the king: The hand (power) (protection) of our God is on his servants for good, but his power and his wrath are against all those who have turned away from him.


The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher and Jalon. One of Mered's wives gave birth to Miriam, Shammai and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.


Then I gave orders for a time of going without food, there by the Ahava River, so that we might make ourselves low before our God in prayer, requesting from him a safe journey for us and for our little ones and for all our substance.


Take care of them and keep them, till you put them on the scales before the chiefs of the priests and the Levites and the chiefs of the families of Israel, in Jerusalem, in the rooms of the house of Jehovah.


He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, in the seventh year of the king's rule.


Now after these things, when Artaxerxes was king of Persia, Ezra, the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,

These are the priests and the Levites who went up with Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,



Then Ezra got up from before the house of God and went into the room of Jehohanan, the son of Eliashib. When he arrived there, he took no food or drink, for he was sorrowing for the sin of those who had come back.


Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel came together, taking no food and putting sackcloth and dust on their bodies.


I said, O my God, shame keeps me from lifting up my face (praying) to you (being in your presence), my God: for our sins have increased higher than our heads and our evil-doing has come up to heaven.

Terrifying sounds fill his ears. When all seems well, marauders attack him.


Ezra the scribe took his place on a tower (podium) of wood that they had made for the purpose. By his side were placed Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Uriah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah on the right; and on the left, Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah and Hashum and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.


While Ezra was saying his prayer and his confession of wrongdoing he wept and fell down before the house of God. A very great number of men and women and children out of Israel came together around him, for the people were weeping bitterly.


Ezra devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of Jehovah. He taught its decrees and laws in Israel.


Ezra praised Jehovah, the great God. And all the people said: Amen! With lifted hands and bent heads they worshiped Jehovah. They dropped to their faces on the earth.


So we went without food, requesting our God for this: and his ear was open to our prayer.

So you gave them up into the hands of their enemies who were cruel to them. In the time of their trouble, when they prayed to you, you listened to them from heaven. In your great mercy you gave them saviors, who made them free from the hands of their enemies.


He instructed me: O Daniel, he said, I have now come to give you wisdom (insight) and understanding.

Then he said: Do not fear Daniel! From the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come in response to your prayer.


I humbled myself before God at the evening offering. I got up, with signs of grief, and fell on my knees with my hands stretched out to Jehovah my God, I said, O my God, shame keeps me from lifting up my face (praying) to you (being in your presence), my God: for our sins have increased higher than our heads and our evil-doing has come up to heaven.


Then I gave orders for a time of going without food, there by the Ahava River, so that we might make ourselves low before our God in prayer, requesting from him a safe journey for us and for our little ones and for all our substance. I would not make request to the king for a band of armed men and horsemen to give us help against those who might attack us on the way. We said to the king: The hand (power) (protection) of our God is on his servants for good, but his power and his wrath are against all those who have turned away from him. So we went without food, requesting our God for this: and his ear was open to our prayer.


I humbled myself before God at the evening offering. I got up, with signs of grief, and fell on my knees with my hands stretched out to Jehovah my God, I said, O my God, shame keeps me from lifting up my face (praying) to you (being in your presence), my God: for our sins have increased higher than our heads and our evil-doing has come up to heaven.


Let us make an agreement with our God to put away all the wives and all their children, if it seems right to my lord and to those who go in fear of the words of our God. Let it be done in keeping with the law.


Let us make an agreement with our God to put away all the wives and all their children, if it seems right to my lord and to those who go in fear of the words of our God. Let it be done in keeping with the law.


Ezra devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of Jehovah. He taught its decrees and laws in Israel.


From the time when I was made ruler of the people in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year till the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, for twelve years, my servants and I have never taken the food that was the right of the ruler.


Ezra devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of Jehovah. He taught its decrees and laws in Israel.


Ezra devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of Jehovah. He taught its decrees and laws in Israel.