Reference: Ezra
Hastings
A Jewish exile in Babylon in the reign of Artaxerxes I. Longimanns (b.c. 464
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After these acts in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, there went up from Babylon, 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, read more. the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, 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.
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest and scribe in the law of the God of heaven: peace and salutation. I have commanded, that all they of the people of Israel, and of the priests and Levites in my realm, which are minded of their own good will to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee; read more. and therefore art thou sent of the king and of the seven lords of the counsel, to visit Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of God, which is in thy hand; and that thou shouldest take with thee, silver and gold, which the king and the lords of his counsel give of their own good will unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is at Jerusalem, and all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the country of Babylon; with it that the people and priests give of their own good will unto the house of God at Jerusalem. Take thou the same, and buy diligently with the same money, calves, lambs, goats, and meat offerings and drink offerings, to be offered upon the altar of the house of your God at Jerusalem. And look: what it liketh thee and thy brethren to do with the remnant of the money, that do after the will of your God. And the vessels that are given thee for the ministration in the house of thy God, those deliver thou before God at Jerusalem. And whatsoever thing more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which is necessary for thee to spend, let the same be given out of the king's chamber. I king Artaxerxes have commanded all the treasurers beyond the water, that look: whatsoever Ezra, the priest and scribe in the law of the God of heaven, requireth of you; that ye fulfill the same diligently, until a hundred talents of silver, until a hundred quarters of wheat, and until a hundred baths of wine, and till a hundred baths of oil, and salt without measure. Whatsoever belongeth to the law of the God of heaven, let the same be done with diligence for the house of the God of heaven, that there come no wrath upon the king's realm and his children. And known be it unto you, that ye shall have no authority to require taxing and custom, yearly rents upon any of the priests, Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, and ministers in the house of this God. But thou Ezra - after the wisdom of thy God that is in thy hand - set thou judges and arbiters, to judge all the people that is beyond the Jordan, even all such as know the law of thy God: and them that know it not, those see that ye teach. And whosoever will not diligently fulfill the law of thy God, and the king's law, shall have his judgment for the deed, whether it be unto death, or to be banished, or to be condemned in goods, or to be put in prison."
These are the principal fathers of them, and this is their register, that went up with me from Babylon; what time as king Artaxerxes reigned. Of the children of Phinehas, Gershom; of the children of Ithamar, Daniel; of the children of David, Hattush; read more. of the children of Shecaniah, of the children of Parosh; Zechariah, and with him were numbered a hundred and fifty men. Of the children of Pahathmoab, Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred men. Of the children of Shecaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred men. Of the children also of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty men. Of the children of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy men. Of the children of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore men. Of the children of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen men. Of the children of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him a hundred and three men. Of the children of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him eight and twenty men. Of the children of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him a hundred and ten men. Of the children of Adonikam, that were the last whose names were there: Eliphelet, Jeuiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore men. Of the children of Bigvai, Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy men.
For they have taken the daughters of the same, and their sons, and have mixed the holy seed with the nations in the lands: and the hand of the rulers and lords of council hath been principal in this trespass."
And on the next day were gathered together the chief fathers among all the people and the priests and Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, that he should teach them the words of the law. And they found written in the law, how that the LORD had commanded by Moses that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month. read more. And so they caused it be declared and proclaimed in all their cities, and at Jerusalem, saying, "Go up unto the mount and fetch Olive branches, and Pine branches, Myrtle branches, Palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written." And the people went up, and fetched them, and made them booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street by the Watergate, and in the street by port Ephraim. And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity, made booths, and dwelt therein. For since the time of Jeshua the son of Nun unto this day, had not the children of Israel done so, and there was very great gladness. And every day from the first day unto the last, read he in the book of the law of God. And seven days held they the feast, and on the eighth day they gathered together, according unto the manner.
These are the priests and Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and with Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,