Bible (Bishops')/1 Esdras

Chapter 1
In the first yere of Cyrus king of Persia (that the worde of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Ieremia might be fulfilled) the Lorde stirred vp the spirite of Cyrus king of Persia, that he caused to be proclaymed throughout all his empyre, and to be written, saying, Thus saith Cyrus the king of Persia: The Lorde God of heauen hath geuen me all the kingdomes of the earth, and hath commaunded me to build him an house at Hierusalem, which is in Iuda.

Whosoeuer nowe among you is of his people, the Lord his God be with him, and let him go vp to Hierusalem in Iuda, and builde the house of the Lorde God of Israel, he is the God that is at Hierusalem.

And whosoeuer remayneth yet in any maner of place where he is a straunger, let the men of that place helpe him with siluer and golde, with good and cattaile, beside that which they willingly offer for the house of God that is at Hierusalem.

Then gat vp the principall fathers of Iuda and Beniamin, and the priestes and Leuites, and all they whose spirite God had raysed to go vp and to builde the house of the Lorde which is at Hierusalem.

And all they that were about them, strengthed their hande with vessels of siluer & golde, with goodes, and cattaile, and iewels, besides all that was wyllingly offered.

And king Cyrus brought foorth the vessels of the house of the Lord: which Nabuchodonosor had taken out of Hierusalem, and had put in the house of his God.

Those did Cyrus the king of Persia bryng foorth by the hande of Michridates the treasurer, & numbred them vnto Sesbazer the prince of Iuda.

And this is the number of them: thirtie chargers of golde, a thousand chargers of siluer, twentie and nine kniues:

Thirtie basons of golde, and of other siluer basons foure hundred & ten: and of other vessels a thousand.

Al the vessels of golde and siluer were fiue thousand and foure hundred: All these did Sesbazer cary away with them that came vp out of the captiuitie of Babylon, vnto Hierusalem.

Chapter 2
These are the children of the prouince, that went vp out of the captiuitie, whom Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon had caried away vnto Babylon: & came againe vnto Hierusalem and into Iuda euery one vnto his citie.

They that came with Zorobabel [are these:] Iesua, Nehemiah, Saraiah, Rehelaia, Mardochai, Bilsan, Mispar, Biguai, Rehum, Baana. This is the number of the men of the people of Israel:

The children of Pharos, two thousand an hundred seuentie and two.

The children of Sephatia, three hundred seuentie and two.

The children of Arath, seuen hundred seuentie and fiue.

The children of the captaine of Moab, of the children of Iesua and Ioab, two thousand eyght hundred and twelue.

The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fiftie and foure.

The children of Zathu, nine hundred and fouretie and fiue.

The children of Zaccai, seuen hundred and threescore.

The children of Bani, sixe hundred fouretie and two.

The children of Bebal, sixe hundred twentie and three.

The children of Asgad, a thousand two hundred twentie and two.

The children of Adonicam, sixe hundred sixtie and sixe.

The childre of Beguai, two thousand fiftie and sixe.

The children of Adin, foure hundred fiftie and foure.

The children of Ater of Hezekia, ninetie and eyght.

The children of Bezai, three hundred twentie and three.

The children of Iora, an hundred and twelue.

The children of Hasum, two hundred twentie and three.

The children of Gebbar, ninetie & fiue.

The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twentie and three.

The men of Netopha, fiftie and sixe.

The men of Anathoth, an hundred twentie and eyght.

The children of Asinaueth, fouretie and two.

The children of Kiriathiarim, euen the children of Cephira and Beeroth, seuen hundred fouretie and three.

The children of Harama and Geba, sixe hundred twentie and one.

The men of Michmas, an hundred twentie and two.

The men of Bethel and Hay, two hundred twentie and three.

The children of Nebo, fiftie and two.

The children of Magbis, an hundred fiftie and sixe.

The childre of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fiftie and foure.

The children of Harim, three hundred and twentie.

The children of Lodhadid and Ono, seuen hundred twentie and fiue.

The childre of Iericho, three hundred fouretie and fiue.

The children of Senaa, three thousand sixe hundred and thirtie.

The priestes: of the children of Iedaia of the house of Iesua, nine hundred seuentie and three.

The children of Immer, a thousand fiftie and two.

The children of Phashur, a thousand two hundred fouretie and seuen.

The children of Arim, a thousand and seuenteene.

The Leuites: the children of Iesua & Cadmiel, of the children of Hodauia, seuentie and foure.

The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twentie and eyght.

The children of the doore kepers, the children of Sallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Accub, the children of Hatita, the children of Sobai, altogether an hundred thirtie and nine.

The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Asupha, the children of Tabaoth,

The children of Ceros, the children of Siaa, the children of Padon,

The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Accub,

The children of Hagab, the children of Semlai, the children of Hanan,

The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaia,

The children of Razin, the children of Necoda, the children of Gasam,

The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,

The children of Asna, the children of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim,

The children of Bacbuc, the children of Hacupa, the children of Harhur,

The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsa,

The children of Barcos, the children of Sisara, the children of Thamah,

The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.

The children of Solomons seruautes, the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda,

The children of Iaala, the children of Darcon, the children of Giddel,

The children of Sephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth Hazbaim, the children of Ami.

All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomons seruauntes, were altogether three hundred ninetie and two.

And these went vp from Thelmelah, and from Thelharsa, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they coulde not discerne their fathers house & their seede, whether they were of Israel.

The children of Delata, the children of Tobia, the children of Necoda, sixe hundre fiftie and two.

And of the children of the priestes: the children of Habaia, the children of Accoz, the childre of Berzillai, which toke one of the daughters of Berzillai the Gileadite to wyfe, and was called after their name.

These sought their euidence among them that had the regester of birth, and were not founde therein, therefore were they put from the priesthood.

And Hathirsatha said vnto them that they should not eate of the most holy, till there rose vp a priest [to weare] Urim and Thummim.

The whole congregation together, was fouretie & two thousand, three hundred and threescore:

Beside their seruauntes and maydens, of whom there were seuen thousand three hundred thirtie and seuen: And there were among them two hundred singing men and women.

Their Horses were seuen hundred thirtie and sixe: their Mules two hundred fouretie and fiue,

And their Camels foure hundred thirtie and fiue: their Asses sixe thousand seuen hundred and twentie.

And certaine of the chiefe fathers, when they came to the house of the Lorde at Hierusalem, they offred them selues wylling for the house of God, to set it vp in his place:

And gaue golde after their habilitie, vnto the treasure of the worke, euen threescore and one thousand peeces, and fiue thousand pounde of siluer, and an hundred priestes garmentes.

So the priestes, and the Leuites and certaine of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

Chapter 3
And when the seuenth moneth came, and the childre of Israel were now in their cities, the people came together euen as one man to Hierusalem.

And there stoode vp Iesua the sonne of Ioseder, and his brethren the priestes, and Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel and his brethren, and builded the aulter of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offeringes thereon, as it is written in the law of Moyses the man of God.

And the aulter set they vpon his sockets: for there was a fearefulnesse among them, because of the people of those countries, therefore they offered burnt offeringes theron vnto the lorde, euen burnt offeringes in the morning and at euening.

And they helde the feast of tabernacles as it is written, and offered burnt sacrifices dayly, according to the number and custome, day by day.

Afterwarde they offered dayly burnt offringes also, and in the new moones, and in al the feast dayes that were consecrated vnto the Lord, and for all them which did of their owne free wyll offer vnto the Lorde.

From the first day of the seuenth moneth, began they to offer burnt sacrifices vnto the Lord: euen when the foundation of the temple of the Lorde was not yet layde.

They gaue money also vnto the masons and carpenters, and meate and drincke, and oyle vnto them of Sidon and of Tyre, to bring the Cedar timber from Libanus by sea vnto Ioppa, according to the graunt that they had of Cyrus the king of Persia.

In the second yere of their comming vnto the house of God at Hierusalem in the second moneth, began Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel, and Iesua the sonne of Iosedec, and the remnaunt of their brethren, the priestes and Leuites, and all they that were come out of the captiuitie vnto Hierusalem: and appoynted the Leuites from twentie yeres olde and aboue, to see that the worke of the house of the Lorde went forwarde.

And Iesua stoode with his sonnes and brethren, and Cadmiel with his sonnes & the children of Iuda together, to set forwarde the workmen of the house of God, euen the childre of Henadad, with their children, and their brethren the Leuites.

And when the builders layed the foundation of the temple of the Lorde, they appoynted the priestes in their araye with trumpettes, and the Leuites the children of Asaph with cymbales, to prayse the Lorde after the maner of Dauid king of Israel.

And they sang together when they gaue prayse and thankes vnto the lorde, Because he is gracious, and because his mercie endureth for euer vpon Israel: And all the people showted loude in praysing the Lorde, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was layd.

Many also of the priestes & Leuites and chiefe fathers, and auncient men which had seene the first house, when the foundation was layde before their eyes, wept with a loude voyce, and many showted aloude with ioy:

So that the people coulde not discerne the ioyfull sounde & gladnesse, from the noyse of the weeping among the people: for the people showted with a loude crye, and the noyse was heard farre of.

Chapter 4
But the aduersaries of Iuda and Beniamin, heard that the children of the captiuitie builded the temple vnto the Lorde God of Israel:

And they came to Zorobabel and to the principall fathers, and saide vnto them: We wyll builde with you, for we seeke the Lorde your God, as ye do, and we haue done sacrifice vnto him since the time of Asor Hadon the king of Assur which brought vs vp hither.

And Zorobabel, and Iesua, and the other auncient fathers of Israel, sayde vnto them: It can not be, that you and we together shoulde builde the house vnto our God: for we our selues wyll builde alone vnto the Lorde our God of Israel, as Cyrus the king of Persia hath commaunded vs.

And it came to passe, that the folke of the lande discouraged the people of Iuda, & troubled them as they were building:

And hyred counsellers against them, to hinder their deuice as long as Cyrus the king of Persia liued, vntil the raigne of Darius king of Persia.

And in the raigne of Ahasuerus, euen at the beginning of his raigne, wrote they vnto him a complaynt against the inhabiters of Iuda and Hierusalem.

And in the dayes of Artaxerxes, wrote Mithridach, Tabel, and the other of his counsell, vnto Artaxerxes the king of Persia with faire wordes: And the writing of the letter was in the Syrians speache, and interpreted in the language of the Syrians:

Rehum the recorder, and Samsai the scribe wrote a letter from Hierusalem to Artaxerxes the king, as it foloweth.

Then Rehum the recorder, and Samsai the scribe, and other of their company, they of Dina, of Apharsath, of Tharpelai, of Persia, of Arache, of Babylon, of Susan, of Deha, of Elan,

And other of the people whom the great & noble Asnappar brought ouer, and set in the cities of Samaria, and other that are nowe beyond the water, and Cheeneth.

This is the copie of the letter that they sent vnto king Artaxerxes: Thy seruauntes, and the men that are nowe beyond the water, and Cheeneth.

Be it knowen vnto the king that the Iewes which came vp from thee to vs, are come vnto Hierusalem, a citie seditious and froward, and builde the same, and set vp the walles thereof, and lay the foundations.

Be it knowen now vnto the king, that if this citie be builded, and the walles made vp againe, then shal not they geue toule, tribute, and custome, & the kinges profite shall incurre damage.

And now in the meane season we haue destroyed the temple, and woulde no longer see the kinges dishonour, therefore sent we out also and certified the king,

That it may be sought in the booke of the cronicles of thy progenitours, and so shalt thou finde in the booke of the cronicles, and perceaue that this citie is seditious and noysome vnto the kinges and landes, and that they cause other also among them to rebell of olde: and for the same cause was this citie destroyed.

Therfore do we certifie the king, that if this citie be builded againe, and the walles thereof made vp, thou shalt hereafter haue no portion beyond the water.

Then sent the king an aunswere vnto Rehum the recorder and Samsai the scribe, and to the other of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and vnto the other that were beyond the water in Selam and Cheeth.

The letter which ye sent vnto vs, hath ben openly read before me.

And I haue commaunded to make searche, and it is found that this citie of olde hath made insurrection against kinges, and that rebellion and sedition hath ben committed therein.

There haue ben mightie kinges also at Hierusalem, which haue raigned ouer all countreys beyond the water: and toule, tribute, and custome was geuen vnto them,

Geue ye nowe therefore commaundement, that the same men be forbidden, and that the citie be not builded againe, till I haue geuen another commaundement.

Take heede now that ye be not negligent to do this: for why should the king haue harme there through?

Nowe when the copie of king Artaxerxes letter was read before Rehum & Simsai the scribe, and their companyons, they went vp in all the haste to Hierusalem vnto the Iewes, and forbad them with violence and power.

Then ceassed the worke of the house of God at Hierusalem, and continued so vnto the second yere of Darius king of Persia.

Chapter 5
The prophetes Aggens, and Zachari the sonne of Iddo, prophecied vnto the Iewes that were in Iuda and Hierusalem in the name of the God of Israel, eue vnto them.

Then gat vp Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel, and Iesua the sonne of Iosedec, and began to builde the house of God at Hierusalem: and with them were the prophetes of God, which helped them.

At the same time came to them Thathanai which was captaine beyond the water, and Stharbuzanai, and their companions, and saide thus vnto them: Who hath commaunded you to builde this house, & to make vp these walles?

Then saide we vnto them after this maner: What are the names of the men that make this building?

But the eye of their God was vpon the elders of the Iewes, that they could not cause them to ceasse, till the matter was brought to Darius: and then they aunswered by letters thereunto.

This is the copie of the letter that Thathanai which was captayne beyond the water, & Stharbuzanai, & the counsailours of Apharsath which were beyond the water, sent vnto king Darius.

And the matter that they sent vnto him, was written thus within the letter: Unto Darius the king, all peace.

Be it knowen vnto the king that we went into the prouince of Iurie to the house of the great God, which is builded with mightie great stones, and beames are layde in the walles, and the worke goeth fast foorth, and prospereth in their handes.

Then asked we the elders, and saide vnto them as it foloweth: Who commaunded you to builde this house, and to make vp the walles thereof?

We asked their names also, that we might certifie thee, and write the names of the men that were their rulers.

But they aunswered vs with these wordes, and saide: We are the seruauntes of him that is God of heauen and earth, and builde the house that was builded of olde and many yeres ago, which the great king of Israel builded, and set vp.

But after our fathers had prouoked the God of heauen vnto wrath, he gaue them ouer into the hande of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon & of the Chaldees, which brake downe this house, and caried the people away captiue vnto Babylon.

But in the first yere of Cyrus the king of Babylon, the same king Cyrus gaue commaundement concerning this house of God, that it shoulde be built againe.

And the vessels of golde and siluer of the house of God which Nabuchodonosor toke out of the temple that was at Hierusalem, and brought them into the temple at Babylon: those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple at Babylon, and they were deliuered vnto one Sasbazar by name, whom he made captaine,

And saide vnto him: Take these vessels, and go thy way, and set them in the temple that is at Hierusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.

Then came the same Sasbazar, and layed the foundation of the house of God which is at Hierusalem: Since that time also vntill nowe hath it ben in building, and yet is it not finished.

Now therefore if it please the king, let there be searche made in the kinges librarie which is there at Babylon, whether it haue ben king Cyrus commaundement that this temple of God at Hierusalem shoulde be builded: and let the king send his minde concerning the same matter.

Chapter 6
Then comaunded king Darius: & they made searche in the librarie, eue in the place where they layed vp the treasure at Babylon:

And there was found in a coffer in the palace that is in the prouince of the Medes, a volume: and therein was it thus written as a memoriall.

In the first yere of king Cyrus, gaue the same king Cyrus commaundement concerning the house of God at Hierusalem, that the same house should be builded in the place where they offer the sacrifices, & to ioyne the walles together of threescore cubites heyght, and threescore cubites breadth.

Three rowes of rough stones, and one rowe of newe timber: and the expences shalbe geuen of the kinges house.

And let the golde and siluer vessels of the house of God, which Nabuchodonosor toke out of the temple at Hierusalem and brought vnto Babylon, be restored, and brought againe vnto the temple at Hierusalem to their place in the house of God.

Now therefore thou Thathanai captaine beyond the water, & Stharbuzanai, and your counsailers, and Aphersechei which are beyond the water, get ye away from them.

Let the worke of the house of this God alone, that the captaine of the Iewes and their elders may builde the house of God in his place.

I haue commaunded what ye shall do to the elders of Iuda for the building of the house of God, that of the kinges goodes, euen of the tribute beyond the water, foorthwith expences be geuen vnto the men, that they be not hindred.

And if they haue neede of calues, rammes, and lambes for the burnt offering of the God of heauen, wheate, salte, wine, and oyle, after the custome of the priestes at Hierusalem, let the same be geuen them dayly without any delay:

That they may haue to offer sweete sauours vnto the God of heauen, & pray for the kinges lyfe, and for his children.

And such a commaundement haue I geuen, that what man soeuer he be that altereth this word, there shall a beame be taken from his house, and set vp, and he shalbe hanged thereon, & his house shalbe made a dounghill for the same thing.

And the God that set his name there, destroy all kinges and people that put to their hande to aulter and to breake downe the house of God which is at Hierusalem. I Darius haue made a decree, that this be done with speede.

Then Thathanai the captaine [of the countrey] beyond the water, & Stharbuzanai, with their counsailours, according to that which king Darius had sent, so they did speedyly their diligence.

And the elders of the Iewes builded, and they prospered through the prophecying of Aggeus the prophete and Zachari the sonne of Iddo, and they builded, and they finished it according to the commaundement of the God of Israel, and after the commaundement of Cyrus and Darius & Artaxerxes, kinges of Persia.

And this house was finished the third day of the moneth Adar, euen in the sixt yere of the raigne of king Darius.

And the childre of Israel, the priestes, the Leuites, and the other children of the captiuitie, helde the dedication of this house of God with ioy:

And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred oxen, two hudred rammes, foure hudred lambes: and for the reconciling of all Israel twelue hee goates, according to the number of the tribes of Israel:

And set the priestes in their sundry courses, and the Leuites in their diuers offices, to minister vnto God at Hierusalem, as it is written in the booke of Moyses.

And the children of the captiuitie held Passouer vpon the foureteenth day of the first moneth.

For the priestes and Leuites were purified all together, & killed Passouer for all the children of the captiuitie, and for their brethren the priestes, and for them selues.

And the children of Israel which were come againe out of captiuitie, and all such as had seperated them selues vnto them from the filthinesse of the heathen of the lande, to seeke the Lorde God of Israel, did eate,

And helde the feast of vnleauened bread seuen dayes with ioy: For the Lorde had made them glad, and turned the heart of the king of Assur vnto them, to strengthen their handes in the worke of the house of God, euen the God of Israel.

Chapter 7
After these thinges, ther was in the raigne of Artaxerxes king of Persia, one Esdras the sonne of Saraia, the sonne of Asaria, the sonne of Helkia,

The sonne of Sallum, the sonne of Zador, the sonne of Ahitob,

The sonne of Amaria, the sonne of Asaria, the sonne of Meraioth,

The sonne of Zeraia, the sonne of Uzzi, the sonne of Bucci,

The sonne of Abisua, the sonne of Phinehes, the sonne of Eleasar, the sonne of Aaron the chiefe priest.

This Esdras also went vp from Babylon, and was a perfect scribe in the law of Moyses which the Lorde God of Israel did geue: And the king gaue him al that he required, according to the hand of the Lorde his God which was vpon him.

And there went vp certaine of the children of Israel, of the priestes, leuites, singers, porters, and of the Nethinims vnto Hierusalem, in the seuenth yere of king Artaxerxes.

And he came to Hierusalem in the fifth moneth, euen in the seuenth yere of the king.

For vpon the first day of the first moneth, began he to go vp from Babylon: and on the first day of the fifth moneth came he to Hierusalem, according to the good hand of his God that was vpon him.

For Esdras prepared his heart to seeke the law of the Lorde, and to do it, and to teache the preceptes and iudgementes in Israel.

And this is the copie of the letter that king Artaxerxes gaue vnto Esdras the priest, and scribe, which was a writer of the wordes and commaundementes of the Lorde, and of his statutes ouer Israel.

Artaxerxes a king of kinges, vnto Esdras the priest and scribe of the law of the God of heauen, peace and salutation.

I haue commaunded that all they of the people of Israel, and of the priestes and Leuites in my realme, which are minded of their owne good wyll to go vp to Hierusalem, go with thee:

And therfore art thou sent of the king and of his seuen counsailers, to visite Iuda and Hierusalem, according to the law of thy God, which is in thy hande:

And that thou shouldest take with thee siluer and golde which the king and his counsailers offer of their owne good wyll vnto the God of Israel, whose habitation is at Hierusalem:

And all the siluer and golde that thou canst finde in al the countrey of Babylon, with it that the people offer of their owne good wyll, and the priestes geue wyllingly for the house of their God which is at Hierusalem:

That thou mayst bye diligently with the same money, oxen, rammes, and lambes, with their meate offringes and drinke offringes, & thou shalt offer them vpon the aulter of the house of your God which is at Hierusalem.

And looke what lyketh thee and thy brethren to do with the remnaunt of the siluer and golde, that do after the wyll of your God.

And the vessels that are geuen thee for the ministration in the house of thy God, those deliuer thou before God at Hierusalem.

And whatsoeuer thing more shalbe nedefull for the house of thy God which is necessary for to spend, thou shalt receaue the charges out of the kinges treasure house.

I king Artaxerxes haue commaunded all the treasures beyond the water, that loke what soeuer Esdras the priest and scribe in the law of the God of heauen requireth of you, that ye fulfill the same speedylie,

Untill an hundred talentes of siluer, and till an hundred quarters of wheate, and till an hundred battes of wine, and till an hundred vattes of oyle, & salt without measure.

Whatsoeuer also is by the commaundement of the God of heauen, let the same be done without any delay for the house of the God of heauen, that he be not wroth against the realme, & against the king and his children.

And we certifie you, that ye haue no aucthoritie to require taxing and custome and yerely rentes, vpon any of the priestes, leuites, singers, porters, Nethinims, and ministers in the house of his God.

And thou Esdras, after the wysdome of thy God that is in thyne hande, set iudges and arbitrers [by my aucthoritie] to iudge all the people that is beyond the water, euen all such as know the law of thy God: and them that knowe it not, those see that ye teache.

And whosoeuer wyll not fulfill the lawe of thy God, and the kinges lawe, let him haue his iudgement without delay, whether it be vnto death, or to be rooted out, or to be condempned in goodes, or to be put in prison.

Blessed be the Lorde God of our fathers, which so had inspired the kinges heart, to garnishe the house of the Lord that is at Hierusalem:

And hath enclined mercie vnto me in the presence of the king and his counsailers, and before all the kinges high estates: And I was comforted euen as the hande of the Lord my God was vpon me, and so gathered I the heades of Israel together, that they might go vp with me.

Chapter 8
These are now the principall fathers of them, and this is the register of them that went vp with me from Babylon, what time as king Artaxerxes raigned.

Of the children of Phinehes, Gersom: of the children of Ithamar, Daniel: of the children of Dauid, Hattus:

Of the children of Zechania, among the children of Pharos, Zachari & with him were numbred an hundred and fiftie men.

Of the childre of the captaine of Moab, Elioenai the sonne of Zerahia, & with him two hundred men.

Of the children of Zechania the sonne of Iahasiel, and with him three hundred men.

Of the children of Adin, Abed the sonne of Ionathan, and with hym fiftie men.

Of the children of Elam, Isai the sonne of Athalia, and with hym seuentie men.

Of the children of Saphatia, Zebadia the sonne of Michael, and with hym fourescore men.

Of the children of Ioab, Obadia the sonne of Iehiel, and with him two hundred and eyghteene men.

Of the children of Selomith, the sonne of Iosephia, and with hym an hundred and threescore men.

Of the children of Bebai, Zachari the sonne of Bebai, and with hym twentie and eyght men.

Of the children of Asgad, Iohanan the sonne of Hakatan, and with hym an hundred and ten men.

Of the children of Adonicam that were the last, whose names are these: Eliphelet, Iehiel, and Samaiah, & with them threescore men.

Of the children of Biguai, Uthai, and Zabud, & with them seuentie men.

And I gathered them together by the water that runneth towarde Ahaua, and there abode we three dayes: And I loked among the people and the priestes, and founde there none of the children of Leui.

Then sent I to Eliezer, to Ariel, Semeia, Elnachan, Iarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zacharia, and to Mesullam, the rulers, and to Ioiarib and Elnathan, which were men of vnderstanding.

And to those gaue I commaundement vnto Iddo the chiefest at Casphia, and I told them what they should say vnto Iddo & to his brethren the Nethinims at Casphia, that they shoulde cause the ministers of the house of our God to come vnto vs.

And through the good hande of our God vpon vs, they brought vs a very wyse man from among the children of Moholi the sonne of Leui the sonne of Israel, and Sarabia with his sonnes and his brethren, euen eyghteene.

And Hasabia and with him Isai of the children of Merari, with his brethren, and their sonnes, twentie.

And of the Nethinims whom Dauid and the princes gaue to minister vnto the Leuites, two hundred and twentie of Nethininis: which al were named by name.

And euen there at the water beside Ahaua I proclaymed a fast, that we might humble our selues before our God, and seke of hym a right way for vs, and for our children, and for all our substaunce.

For I was ashamed to require of the king souldiers and horsemen, to helpe vs against the enemie in the way: for we had spoken vnto the king, saying: The hande of our God is vpon all them that seke him in goodnesse, & his power and wrath is against all them that forsake hym.

So we fasted, and besought our God for this, and he was entreated of vs.

And I toke out twelue of the chiefe priestes, Sarabia, and Hasabia, and ten of their brethren with them,

And wayed them the siluer and golde, and vessels that were appoynted for the house of our God, whiche the king and his consaylers, and his lordes, and al Israel that were there at hand, had geuen together.

And I wayed vnto their hande sixe hundred and fiftie talentes of siluer, and in siluer vessels an hundred talentes, and in golde an hundred talentes:

Twentie basons of gold of a thousand drammes, and two costly vessels of good brasse, as cleare as golde.

And I sayde vnto them: Ye are consecrate vnto the Lord, like as the vessels are holy also: and the gold and siluer are geuen of a good wil vnto the Lord God of your fathers.

Watch ye, and kepe them: for ye shall way them downe before the chiefe priestes, and Leuites, and auncient fathers of Israel at Hierusalem, in the treasuries of the house of the Lorde.

Then toke the priestes and Leuites the wayed siluer and golde, and vessels, to bring it to Hierusalem vnto the house of our God.

And we brake vp from the water of Ahaua on the twelfth day of the first moneth, to go vnto Hierusalem: and the hande of our God was vpon vs, and deliuered vs from the hande of the enemies, and of such as layed wayte for vs by the way.

And we came to Hierusalem, and abode there three dayes.

But on the fourth day was the siluer and gold and vessels wayed in the house of our God by the hande of Meremoth the sonne of Uria the priest, and with him was Eleazar the sonne of Phinehes, and with them was Iosabad the sonne of Iesua, and Noadia the sonne of Bennoi the Leuites.

According to the number and weyght of euery one, was the wayght all written vp at the same time.

And the children of the captiuitie, which were come out of captiuitie, offred burnt offringes vnto the God of Israel, twelue bullockes for all Israel, ninetie and sixe rammes, seuentie and seuen lambes, twelue hee goates for sinne [offering] all to the burnt offering of the Lorde.

And they deliuered the kinges commission vnto the kinges officers, and to the captaynes that were beyonde the water: And they promoted the people, and the house of God.

Chapter 9
When these thinges were done, the rulers came to me, and sayde: The people of Israel, and the priestes & Leuites are not separated from the people of the landes, as touching their abhominations: namely of the Chanaanites, Hethites, Pherezites, Iebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.

For they haue taken the daughters of the same to them selues and to their sonnes, and the holy seede is mixed with the nations of the landes, & the hand of the princes and rulers hath ben principall in the trespasse.

And when I heard this saying, I rent my clothes and my garment, & pluckt of the heere of my head & of my beard, and sate mourning.

And there resorted vnto me all such as feared the wordes of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of the [people] of the captiuitie: And I sat mourning vntill the euening sacrifice.

And about the euening sacrifice I arose vp from my heauinesse, and rent my clothes and my rayment, and fell vpon my knees, and spread out my handes vnto the Lorde my God,

And sayde: My God, I am ashamed, and dare not lift vp myne eyes vnto thee my God: for our wickednesses are growen ouer our head, and our trespasse is waxed great vnto the heauen.

Since the time of our fathers haue we ben in great trespasse vnto this day, and because of our wickednesses haue we and our kinges and our priestes ben deliuered into the hande of the kinges of the nations, vnto the sworde, into captiuitie, into a spoyle, and into confusion of face, as it is to see this day.

And nowe for a litle space grace hath ben shewed from the Lorde our God, in causing a remnaunt to escape, and in geuing vs a nayle in his holy place, that our God may light our eyes, and geue vs a litle lyfe to take breath in our bondage:

For we were bondmen, and yet our God hath not forsaken vs in our bondage, but hath enclined mercie vnto vs in the sight of the king of Persia, to geue vs lyfe to set vp the house of our God, and to redresse the desolation therof, and to geue vs a wall in Iuda and Hierusalem.

And nowe O our God, what shall we say after this? for we haue forsaken thy commaundementes

Whiche thou hast commaunded by thy seruauntes the prophetes, saying: The lande vnto which ye go to possesse, it is an vncleane lande, because of the filthinesse of the people of the landes, whiche with their abhominations haue made it full of vncleannesse on euery syde.

Therfore shal ye not geue your daughters vnto their sonnes, and their daughters shall ye not take vnto your sonnes, nor seke their peace and wealth for euer: that ye may be strong and enioy the goodnesse of the lande, and that ye and your children may haue the inheritaunce of it for euermore.

And after that all these thinges are come vpon vs because of our euyll deedes and great trespasses, seyng that thou our God hast stayed vs from beyng beneath for our iniquities, and hast geuen vs such deliuerance:

Shoulde we returne to breake thy commaundementes, and ioyne in affinitie with the people of these abhominations? wouldest not thou be angry towardes vs till thou hadst consumed vs, so that there should be no remnaunt, nor any escaping?

O Lorde God of Israel, thou art righteous, for we remayne yet escaped, as it is to see this day: Beholde also, in thy presence are we in our trespasses, & because of it may we not stand before thee.

Chapter 10
And when Esdras prayed after this maner, and knowledged, wept, and lay before the house of God, there resorted vnto hym out of Israel a very great congregation, of men, and women, and children: and the people wept very sore.

And Sechania the sonne of Iehiel, one of the children of Elam, aunswered, and sayde vnto Esdras: We haue trespassed against our God, & haue taken straunge wyues of the people of the lande: Yet nowe there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.

For nowe we will make a couenaunt with our God, and put away all the wiues and such as are borne of them, according to the counsel of the Lorde: and we wil be in the feare of the commaundementes of our God, that we may do according to the lawe.

Get thee vp, for this matter belongeth vnto thee, we also will be with thee: be of good comfort therfore, and do it.

Then rose Esdras, and toke an oth of the chiefe priestes and Leuites, and of all Israel, that they should do according to this worde: And they sware.

And Esdras rose vp from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Iohanan the sonne of Eliasib: and when he came thyther, he dyd eate no bread, nor dronke water: for he mourned, because of the transgression of the people that had ben in captiuitie.

And they caused a proclamation to go throughout Iuda & Hierusalem vnto al them of the captiuitie, that they shoulde gather them selues together vnto Hierusalem:

And that whosoeuer came not within three dayes, according to the deuice of the rulers and elders, all his substaunce should be forfayted, and he should be put out from the congregation of them of the captiuitie.

Then all the men of Iuda and Beniamin gathered them selues together vn- Hierusalem within three dayes, euen the twentith day of the nynth moneth: & all the people sate in the streete of the house of God, and trembled, because of this matter, and for the rayne.

And Esdras the priest stoode vp, and sayd vnto them: Ye haue transgressed, & haue taken straunge wyues, to make the trespasse of Israel yet more.

Confesse now therfore vnto the Lord God of our fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate your selues from the people of the lande, and from the straunge wyues.

And all the congregation aunswered, and sayde with a loude voyce: It shalbe so, and we will do as thou hast sayde.

But the people are many, and it is a rayny weather, & the people are to faynt to tary without in the streete, neither is this a worke of one day or two: for we haue offended very sore in this thing.

Let our rulers stande therefore in all the congregation, and let al them which haue taken straunge wyues in our cities come at the time appoynted, and let the elders of euery citie and their iudges be with them, till the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from vs.

Then were appoynted Ionathan the sonne of Asahel, and Iahasia the sonne of Thecua ouer this matter: & Mesullam and Sabathai the Leuites helped them.

And the children of the captiuitie dyd euen so: And Esdras the priest, and the auncient heads through the house of their fathers, all men of great fame, separated themselues, & sate them downe in the first day of the tenth moneth to examine the matter.

And vntill the first day of the first moneth they were finishing the businesse, with al the men that had taken straunge wyues.

And among the children of the priestes there were men found that had taken straunge wiues, namely among the children of Iesua, the sonne of Iosedec, and of his brethren, Maasia, and Eliezer, Iarib, and Gedalia.

And they gaue their handes that they woulde put away their wiues: and they that had trespassed, gaue a ramme for their trespasse.

And among the children of Immer: Hanani, and Zebadia.

Among the children of Harim: Maasia, Elia, Semeia, Iehiel, and Uzziah.

Among the children of Pashur: Elioenai, Maasia, Ismael, Nethanel, Iosabad, and Elasah.

Among the Leuites: Iosabad, Semei, and Celaia (whiche same is Celitah) Phathaiah, Iuda, and Eliezer.

Among the singers also, Eliasib: And among the porters, Sellum, and Telem, and Uri.

And of Israel: Among the children of Pharos, Remeia, Iesia, Melchia, Miamin, Eliezer, Melchia, & Banaiah.

Among the children of Elam: Mathama, Zacharia, Iehiel, Abdi, Ierimoth, and Elia.

Among the children of Zatthu: Elioenai, Eliasib, Mathania, Ierimoth, Zabad, and Aziza.

Among the children of Bebai: Iehohanan, Hanania, Zabbai, and Athalai.

Among the children of Bani: Mesullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Iasub, Saal, and Ieramoth.

Among the children of the captayne of Moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaia, Maasia, Mathania, Besalel, Bennui, & Manasse.

Among the children of Harim: Eliezer, Isuah, Melchiia, Semeia, and Simeon,

Beniamin, Malluch, and Semariah.

Among the children of Hasum: Matthenai, Mathatha, Zabad, Eliphelet, Ieremai, Manasse, and Semei.

Among the children of Bani: Maadai, Amram, and Uel,

Banea, Badaia, Cheliau,

Uaniah, Maremoth, Eliasib,

Mathaniah, Mathanai, Iasi,

Bani, Bennui, and Semei,

Selemia, Nathan, Adaiah,

Machnadebai, Sasai, Sarai,

Asarel, Selennahu, and Semariah,

Sallum, Amaria, and Ioseph.

Among the children of Nebo, Iehiel, Mathathia, Zabad, Zabina, Iadau, Ioel, and Banaia.

All these had taken straunge wyues, and among the same there were some that had children by the wyues.