And whosoever remaineth yet in any manner of place, where he is a stranger, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with good and cattle, beside that which they willingly offer, for the house of God at Jerusalem.'"

And all they that were about them, strengthened their hands with vessels of silver and gold, with goods and cattle, and jewels, beside that which they gave of their own free will.

thirty cups of gold, and of other silver cups four hundred and ten, and of other vessels a thousand.

So that all the vessels both of gold and silver, were five thousand and four hundred. Sheshbazzar brought them all up, with them that came up out of the captivity of Babylon unto Jerusalem.

The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred and four and fifty;

The children of Adin, four hundred and four and fifty;

The children of the other Elam, a thousand, two hundred four and fifty;

The Levites: The children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, four and seventy.

four hundred and five and thirty camels, and six thousand, seven hundred and twenty asses.

And the altar set they upon his sockets - for there was a fearfulness among them because of the nations and the lands - and offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, in the morning and at evening.

so that the noise gave a great sound, insomuch that the people could not know the joyful sound for the noise of the weeping among the people: for the people shouted with a loud cry, so that the noise was heard afar off.

they came to Zerubbabel and to the principal fathers, and said unto them, "We will build with you: for we seek the Lord your God like as ye do. And we have done sacrifice unto him, since the time that Esarhaddon the king of Assyria brought us up hither."

But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the other ancient fathers of Israel answered them, "It belongeth not to you, but to us to build the house unto our God: for we ourselves will build alone unto the LORD our God of Israel, as Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us."

That it may be sought in the Chronicles of thy progenitors, and so shalt thou find in the same Chronicles, and perceive, that this city is seditious and noisome unto kings and lands, and that they cause others also to rebel of the old, and for the same cause was this city destroyed.

for the vessels of gold and silver in the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple at Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple at Babylon: those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and delivered them unto Sheshbazzar by name, whom he made captain,

"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 also, what shall be done to the Elders of Judah for the building of the house of God, that there shall diligently be taken of the king's goods, even of the rents beyond the water, and given unto the men, and that they be not hindered.

And if they have need of calves, lambs, or goats, for the burnt offering unto the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine and oil, after the custom of the priests at Jerusalem, there shall be given them daily as is according: and see that this be done without fault,

that they may offer sweet savours unto the God of heaven; and pray for the king's life, and for his children.

This commandment have I given. And what man soever he be that altereth these words, there shall a beam be taken from his house, and set up, and he shall be hanged thereon, and his house shall be made a dunghill for the deed.

and offered at the dedication of the house of God, a hundred calves, two hundred lambs, four hundred goats: and for the sin offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel,

for the priests and Levites had purified themselves, so that they were all clean as one man, and killed Passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

and held the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them glad, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, so that their hands were strengthened in the work of the house of God, which is the God of Israel.

For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon: and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of God upon him.

For Ezra prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach the precept and judgment in Israel.

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.

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 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."

And even there at the water beside Ahava, I proclaimed a fast, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and our children and all our substance.

For I was ashamed to require of the king, soldiers and horsemen, to help us against the enemy in the way. For we had said unto the king, "The hand of our God is upon all them that seek him in goodness, and his violence and wrath is upon all them that forsake him."

So we fasted, and besought our God for this; and he heard us.

and weighed them there the silver and gold and vessels for the heave offering unto the house of our God, which the king and his lords of his counsel and princes, and all Israel that were at hand, had given to the heave offering:

So we brake up, from the water of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and delivered us from the hand of the enemies and of such as laid wait for us by the way.

And the children of the captivity, which were come out of prison, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel: twelve bullocks for all Israel, six and ninety rams, seven and seventy lambs, twelve goats for a sin offering, all to the burnt offering of the LORD.

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 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.

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.

And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken thy commandments,

Therefore shall ye not give your daughters unto their sons, and their daughters shall ye not take unto your sons, and seek not their peace and wealth forever, that ye may be strong, and enjoy the good in the land, and that ye and your children may have the inheritance of it for evermore.'

As for us, we have turned back, and have let go thy commandments, to make contract with the people of these abominations. Wilt thou then be wroth at us, till we be utterly consumed, so that nothing remain, and there be no deliverance?

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."

And when Ezra prayed after this manner, and knowledged, wept, and lay before the house of God, there resorted unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: For the people wept very sore.

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.

Get thee up therefore, for the matter belongeth unto thee. We will be with thee; be of good comfort, and do it."

And Ezra stood up before the house of God, and went in to the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib. And when he came thither, he ate no bread, nor drank water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been in captivity.

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem in three days, that is on the twentieth day of the ninth month: and all the people sat in the street before of the house of God, and trembled because of this matter, and for the rain.

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.

Let us appoint our rulers therefore in all the congregation, that all they which have taken strange wives in our cities, may come at the time appointed - and the elders of every city and their judges with them - till the wrath of our God be turned away from us for this offense."

And they gave their hands thereupon, that they would put away their wives: and for their trespass offering to give a ram for their trespass.