The King James Version of the Bible
Part 159
2231 words | Chapter 159
hands.
5:9 Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded
you to build this house, and to make up these walls? 5:10 We asked
their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of
the men that were the chief of them.
5:11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of
the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded
these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.
5:12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto
wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of
Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the
people away into Babylon.
5:13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king
Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.
5:14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God,
which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and
brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take
out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose
name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; 5:15 And said unto
him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in
Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.
5:16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the
house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now
hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.
5:17 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search
made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether
it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house
of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us
concerning this matter.
6:1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the
house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.
6:2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the
province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:
6:3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a
decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be
builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the
foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore
cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; 6:4 With three rows
of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be
given out of the king’s house: 6:5 And also let the golden and silver
vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of
the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be
restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem,
every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.
6:6 Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai,
and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be
ye far from thence: 6:7 Let the work of this house of God alone; let
the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house
of God in his place.
6:8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these
Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods,
even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto
these men, that they be not hindered.
6:9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams,
and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt,
wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are
at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail: 6:10 That
they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and
pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.
6:11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word,
let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be
hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.
6:12 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all
kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy
this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree;
let it be done with speed.
6:13 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and
their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so
they did speedily.
6:14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through
the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo.
And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the
God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius,
and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
6:15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar,
which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
6:16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the
rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this
house of God with joy.
6:17 And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred
bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering
for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes
of Israel.
6:18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in
their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is
written in the book of Moses.
6:19 And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the
fourteenth day of the first month.
6:20 For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of
them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the
captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.
6:21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of
captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the
filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel,
did eat, 6:22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with
joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the
king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of
the house of God, the God of Israel.
7:1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia,
Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, 7:2
The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, 7:3 The son
of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, 7:4 The son of
Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, 7:5 The son of Abishua,
the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief
priest: 7:6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe
in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the
king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD
his God upon him.
7:7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the
priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the
Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
7:8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the
seventh year of the king.
7:9 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 his God upon him.
7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and
to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
7:11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave
unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the
commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.
7:12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the
law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.
7:13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of
his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own
freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.
7:14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven
counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to
the law of thy God which is in thine hand; 7:15 And to carry the
silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely
offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, 7:16
And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province
of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the
priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in
Jerusalem: 7:17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money
bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink
offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God
which is in Jerusalem.
7:18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to
do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of
your God.
7:19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house
of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.
7:20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God,
which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s
treasure house.
7:21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the
treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the
priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of
you, it be done speedily, 7:22 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and
to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and
to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
7:23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be
diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should
there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? 7:24 Also
we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers,
porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be
lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
7:25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine
hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that
are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach
ye them that know them not.
7:26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the
king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto
death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to
imprisonment.
7:27 Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a
thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the LORD
which is in Jerusalem: 7:28 And hath extended mercy unto me before the
king, and his counsellors, and before all the king’s mighty princes.
And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and
I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
8:1 These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the
genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of
Artaxerxes the king.
8:2 Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel:
of the sons of David; Hattush.
8:3 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and
with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty.
8:4 Of the sons of Pahathmoab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with
him two hundred males.
8:5 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three
hundred males.
8:6 Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him
fifty males.
8:7 And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with
him seventy males.
8:8 And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and
with him fourscore males.
8:9 Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two
hundred and eighteen males.
8:10 And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him
an hundred and threescore males.
8:11 And of the sons o
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