These, sought their writing wherein they were registered, but they were not found, - so they were desecrated out of the priesthood;

So the priests and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers and the doorkeepers and the Nethinim, took up their abode, in their cities, - and, all Israel, in their cities.

So they settled the altar upon its stands, for, dread, was upon them, because of the peoples of the countries, - therefore caused they to go up thereon, ascending-sacrifices unto Yahweh, ascending-sacrifices for the morning and for the evening.

And they gave silver, unto the masons and carpenters, - and food and drink and oil, unto them of Zidon and unto them of Tyre, to bring in cedar-trees out of the Lebanon, unto the sea of Joppa, according to the grant of Cyrus king of Persia unto them.

So they took their station - even Jeshua, his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, sons of Judah, as one man to preside over the doer of the work in the house of God, the sons of Henadad, their sons and their brethren, the Levites.

so that the people could not distinguish the noise of the shout of joy, from the noise of the weeping of the people, - for, the people, did shout with a great shout, and, the noise, was heard afar off.

and the rest of the peoples, whom the great and noble Osnappar hath exiled, and set in the city of Samaria, - and the rest Beyond the River, and so forth:

This, is a copy of the letter which they sent unto him - unto Artaxerxes the king, - Thy servants, the men Beyond the River and so forth:

Now be it known to the king, that, if this city, be built, and, the walls thereof, be finished, neither, tribute, excise, nor toll, will they render, and so, the revenue of the kings, shalt thou damage.

Now, because the salt of the palace we have eaten, the impoverishment of the king, it is not meet for us to see, - therefore have we sent, and certified the king;

so that search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers, so shalt thou find out in the book of records - and shalt ascertain, that, this city, is a rebellious city, and one that causeth damage unto kings and provinces, and that, rebellion, have they been wont to cause in the midst thereof since the days of age-past time, - for this cause, was this city laid waste.

The king sent, a message, unto Rehum holder of judicial authority, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, who were dwelling in Samaria, and the rest Beyond the River, Peace and so forth.

Now, therefore, if, unto the king, it seem good, let search be made in the treasure-house of the king which is there, in Babylon, whether it be so, that, from Cyrus the king, issued an edict, to build this house of God, in Jerusalem, - and, the pleasure of the king concerning this, let him send unto us.

Then, Tattenai the pasha Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, - according as Darius the king had sent, so, forthwith, they did.

for the priests and the Levites, had purified themselves, as one man, all of them, were pure, - so they slaughtered the passover for all the Sons of the Exile, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

So then there came up some of the sons of Israel, and some of the priests and the Levites and the singers and the doorkeepers and the Nethinim, unto Jerusalem, - in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

Artaxerxes, king of kings, Unto Ezra the priest, scribe of the law of the God of the heavens - To despatch and so forth.

So I sent for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men, - also for Joiarib and for Elnathan, teachers.

So they brought unto us, according to the good hand of our God upon us, a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel, - and Sherebiah, and his sons and his brethren, eighteen;

So we fasted and sought of our God, concerning this, - and he suffered himself to be entreated by us.

So the priests and the Levites accepted the weight of the silver and the gold, and the utensils, - to bring to Jerusalem, unto the house of our God.

So we came to Jerusalem, - and we rested there, three days.

for they have taken of their daughters, for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have intermingled themselves among the peoples of the lands, - and, the hand of the rulers and the deputies, hath, in this unfaithfulness, been, foremost.

But, now, what can we say, O our God, after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments,