These are the children of the land that went up out of the captivity, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and in Judah, every one unto his city;

and other of the people, whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and others that are now on this side the water.

And this is the sum of the letter that they sent: "Unto king Artaxerxes: Thy servants, the men that are now on this side the water.

Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which are come up from thee to us unto Ierusalem, into that seditious and wicked city, build the same? And make up the walls of it? And bring it out of the foundation?

Be it known unto the king, that we came into Jewry to the house of the great God, which is builded with all manner of stone, and beams are laid in the walls, and the work goeth fast forth, and prospereth in their hands?

But they answered us with these words, and said, 'We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.

"Get you far from them therefore, thou Tattenai, captain beyond the water, and Shetharbozenai, and your counselors, which are beyond the water, get ye away from them.

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;

And the vessels that are given thee for the ministration in the house of thy God, those deliver thou before God at Jerusalem.

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.

and said unto them, "Ye are holy unto the LORD, therefore are these vessels holy also, and so is the silver and the gold that is given of a good will unto the LORD God of your fathers:

Then all this was performed, the rulers came to me, and said, "The people of Israel, and the priests, and Levites are not separated from the nations in the lands as touching their abominations, namely of the Cananites, Hittites, Perezites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.

and said, "My God, I am ashamed, and dare not lift up mine eyes unto thee my God: for our wickednesses are grown over our head, and our trespasses are waxen great unto the heaven.

But now is there a little and sudden graciousness come from the LORD our God, so that some of us are escaped: that he may give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may light our eyes, and give us a little life in our bondage.

For we are bondmen, and our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, and hath inclined mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, that he should give us life, and promote the house of our God, and to set up the desolation thereof, and to give us a hedge in Judah and in Jerusalem.

O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous, for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day. Behold, in thy presence are we in our trespass: for because of it is there no standing before thee."

for now will we make a covenant with our God, that we shall put away all the wives - and such as are born of them - according to the counsel of the LORD and of them that fear the commandment of our God, that we may do according to the law.

But the people are many, and it is a rainy weather; and the people are too faint to tarry without in the street - neither is this a work of one day or two, for we are many that have offended in this transgression.