strkjv Ezra:4-7 SEEK
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*
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel Yisra #
el #;
*
Then they came to Zerubbabel ,
and to the chief of the fathers ,
and said unto them ,
Let us build with you :
for we seek your God ,
as ye do ;
and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon #
Ecar-Chaddown #
king of Assur ,
which brought us up hither .
*
But Zerubbabel ,
and Jeshua ,
and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel Yisra #
el #,
said unto them ,
Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God ;
but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel Yisra #
el #,
as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us .
*
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah ,
and troubled (
8675 )
them in building ,
*
And hired counsellors against them ,
to frustrate their purpose ,
all the days of Cyrus king of Persia ,
even until the reign of Darius king of Persia .
*
And in the reign of Ahasuerus ,
in the beginning of his reign ,
wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem .
*
And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam ,
Mithredath ,
Tabeel tab @#
el #,
and the rest of their companions ,
unto Artaxerxes king of Persia ;
and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue ,
and interpreted in the Syrian tongue .
*
Rehum the chancellor #
H2942and Shimshai the scribe wrote k @
a letter against Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#
to Artaxerxes the king in this sort :
*
Then wrote Rehum the chancellor #
H2942 t @#
em #,
and Shimshai the scribe ,
and the rest of their companions ;
the Dinaites ,
the Apharsathchites #
Apharc @
kay #,
the Tarpelites ,
the Apharsites #
Aphar @
cay #,
the Archevites #
Ark @
vay #,
the Babylonians ,
the Susanchites ,
the Dehavites ,
and the Elamites ,
*
And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over g @,
and set y @
in the cities of Samaria ,
and the rest that are on this side the river ,
and at such a time k @#
eneth #.
*
This is the copy of the letter that they sent sh @
unto him ,
even unto Artaxerxes the king ;
Thy servants the men on this side the river ,
and at such a time k @#
eneth #.
*
Be it known y @
unto the king ,
that the Jews which came up c @
from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#,
building b @
the rebellious and the bad city ,
and have set up k @ (
8675 )
k @
the walls thereof ,
and joined the foundations .
*
Be it known y @
now unto the king ,
that ,
if this city be builded b @,
and the walls set up k @
again ,
then will they not pay n @
toll ,
tribute ,
and custom ,
and so thou shalt endamage n @
the revenue of the kings .
*
Now because q @
bel #
we have maintenance m @
from the kings palace ,
and it was not meet for us to see the kings dishonour ,
therefore #
H1836have we sent sh @
and certified y @
the king ;
*
That search b @
may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers :
so shalt thou find sh @
in the book of the records ,
and know y @
that this city is a rebellious city ,
and hurtful n @
unto kings and provinces ,
and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time :
for which cause was this city destroyed .
*
We certify y @
the king that ,
if this city be builded b @
again ,
and the walls thereof set up k @,
by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river .
*
Then sent sh @
the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor #
H2942 t @#
em #,
and to Shimshai the scribe ,
and to the rest of their companions that dwell y @
in Samaria ,
and unto the rest beyond the river ,
Peace ,
and at such a time k @#
eneth #.
*
The letter which ye sent sh @
unto us hath been plainly p @
read q @
before me .
*
And I commanded t @#
em #,
and search b @
hath been made ,
and it is found sh @
that this city of old time hath made insurrection n @
against kings ,
and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein .
*
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#,
which have ruled over all countries beyond the river ;
and toll ,
tribute ,
and custom ,
was paid y @
unto them .
*
Give ye now commandment to cause #
these men to cease b @,
and that this city be not builded b @,
until another commandment ta #
am #
shall be given from me .
*
Take heed z @
now that ye fail not to do #
H5648this :
why should damage grow s @
to the hurt n @
of the kings ?
*
Now when min #
the copy of king Artaxerxes letter was read q @
before Rehum ,
and Shimshai the scribe ,
and their companions ,
they went up in haste to Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#
unto the Jews Y @
huwda #
iy #,
and made them to cease b @
by force and power .
*
Then ceased b @
the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#.
So it ceased b @
unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia .
*
Then the prophets ,
Haggai the prophet ,
and Zechariah the son of Iddo ,
prophesied n @
unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#
in the name of the God of Israel Yisra #
el #,
even unto them .
*
Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel Sh @#
altiy #
el #,
and Jeshua the son of Jozadak ,
and began sh @
to build b @
the house of God which is at Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#:
and with them were the prophets of God helping them .
*
At the same time came to them Tatnai ,
governor on this side the river ,
and Shetharboznai Sh @
thar ,
and their companions ,
and said thus unto them ,
Who hath commanded you to build b @
this house ,
and to make up k @
this wall ?
*
Then said we unto them after this manner ,
What are the names of the men that make b @
this building ?
*
But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews Y @
huwda #
iy #,
that they could not cause #
them to cease b @,
till the matter came to Darius :
and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter .
*
The copy of the letter that Tatnai ,
governor on this side the river ,
and Shetharboznai Sh @
thar ,
and his companions the Apharsachites #
Apharc @
kay #,
which were on this side the river ,
sent sh @
unto Darius the king :
*
They sent sh @
a letter unto him ,
wherein was written k @
thus ;
Unto Darius the king ,
all peace .
*
Be it known y @
unto the king ,
that we went into the province of Judea ,
to the house of the great God ,
which is builded b @
with great stones ,
and timber is laid in the walls ,
and this work goeth fast on ,
and prospereth ts @
in their hands .
*
Then asked we those elders ,
and said unto them thus ,
Who commanded you to build b @
this house ,
and to make up k @
these walls ?
*
We asked their names also ,
to certify y @
thee ,
that we might write k @
the names of the men that were the chief of them .
*
And thus they returned us answer ,
saying ,
We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth ,
and build b @
the house that was builded b @
these many years ago ,
which a great king of Israel builded b @
and set up k @.
*
But after that our fathers had provoked #
the God of heaven unto wrath r @,
he gave y @
them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon ,
the Chaldean ,
who destroyed c @
this house ,
and carried #
the people away g @
into Babylon .
*
But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build b @
this house of God .
*
And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God ,
which Nebuchadnezzar took n @
out of the temple that was in Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#,
and brought y @
them into the temple of Babylon ,
those did Cyrus the king take n @
out of the temple of Babylon ,
and they were delivered y @
unto one ,
whose name was Sheshbazzar ,
whom he had made governor ;
*
And said unto him ,
Take n @
these vessels ma #
n #,
go ,
carry n @
them into the temple that is in Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#,
and let the house of God be builded b @
in his place .
*
Then came the same Sheshbazzar ,
and laid y @
the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#:
and since that time even until now hath it been in building b @,
and yet it is not finished sh @.
*
Now therefore ,
if it seem good to the king ,
let there be search b @
made in the kings treasure house ,
which is there at Babylon ,
whether it be so ,
that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build b @
this house of God at Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#,
and let the king send sh @
his pleasure to us concerning this matter .
*
Then Darius the king made a decree t @#
em #,
and search b @
was made in the house of the rolls ,
where the treasures were laid up n @
in Babylon .
*
And there was found sh @
at Achmetha ,
in the palace that is in the province of the Medes ,
a roll ,
and therein was a record thus written k @:
*
In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#,
Let the house be builded b @,
the place where they offered d @
sacrifices ,
and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid c @;
the height thereof threescore cubits ,
and the breadth thereof threescore cubits ;
*
With three rows of great stones ,
and a row of new timber :
and let the expenses be given y @
out of the kings house :
*
And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God ,
which Nebuchadnezzar took forth n @
out of the temple which is at Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#,
and brought y @
unto Babylon ,
be restored ,
and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#,
every one to his place ,
and place n @
them in the house of God .
*
Now therefore ,
Tatnai ,
governor beyond the river ,
Shetharboznai Sh @
thar ,
and your companions the Apharsachites #
Apharc @
kay #,
which are beyond the river ,
be ye far from thence :
*
Let the work of this house of God alone sh @;
let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build b @
this house of God in his place .
*
Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building b @
of this house of God :
that of the kings goods ,
even of the tribute beyond the river ,
forthwith expenses be given y @
unto these men ,
that they be not hindered b @.
*
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 Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#,
let it be given y @
them day by day without fail :
*
That they may offer q @
sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven ,
and pray ts @
for the life of the king ,
and of his sons .
*
Also I have made a decree t @#
em #,
that whosoever kol #
shall alter sh @
this word ,
let timber be pulled down n @
from his house ,
and being set up z @,
let him be hanged m @
thereon ;
and let his house be made a dunghill for this .
*
And the God that hath caused his name to dwell sh @
there destroy m @
all kings and people ,
that shall put sh @
to their hand to alter sh @
and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#.
I Darius have made a decree t @#
em #;
let it be done with speed .
*
Then Tatnai ,
governor on this side the river ,
Shetharboznai Sh @
thar ,
and their companions ,
according to that which Darius the king had sent sh @,
so they did speedily .
*
And the elders of the Jews builded b @,
and they prospered ts @
through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo .
And they builded b @,
and finished k @
it ,
according to the commandment of the God of Israel Yisra #
el #,
and according to the commandment of Cyrus ,
and Darius ,
and Artaxerxes king of Persia .
*
And this house was finished y @
on the third day of the month Adar ,
which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king .
*
And the children of Israel Yisra #
el #,
the priests ,
and the Levites ,
and the rest of the children of the captivity ,
kept the dedication of this house of God with joy ,
*
And offered q @
at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks ,
two hundred rams ,
four hundred lambs ;
and for a sin offering chatta #
for all Israel Yisra #
el #,
twelve t @
reyn #
he goats ,
according to the number of the tribes of Israel Yisra #
el #.
*
And they set the priests in their divisions ,
and the Levites in their courses ,
for the service of God ,
which is at Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#;
as it is written in the book of Moses .
*
And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth #
H6240day of the first month .
*
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 .
*
And the children of Israel Yisra #
el #,
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 Yisra #
el #,
did eat ,
*
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 Yisra #
el #.
*
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 ,
*
The son of Shallum ,
the son of Zadok ,
the son of Ahitub ,
*
The son of Amariah ,
the son of Azariah ,
the son of Meraioth ,
*
The son of Zerahiah ,
the son of Uzzi ,
the son of Bukki ,
*
The son of Abishua ,
the son of Phinehas ,
the son of Eleazar #
El #
azar #,
the son of Aaron the chief priest :
*
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 .
*
And there went up some of the children of Israel Yisra #
el #,
and of the priests ,
and the Levites ,
and the singers ,
and the porters show #
er #,
and the Nethinims ,
unto Jerusalem ,
in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king .
*
And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month ,
which was in the seventh year of the king .
*
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 .
*
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 .
*
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 Yisra #
el #.
*
Artaxerxes ,
king of kings ,
unto Ezra the priest ,
a scribe of the law of the God of heaven ,
perfect g @
peace ,
and at such a time k @#
eneth #.
*
I make a decree t @#
em #,
that all they of the people of Israel Yisra #
el #,
and of his priests and Levites ,
in my realm ,
which are minded of their own freewill n @
to go up to Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#,
go with thee .
*
Forasmuch diy #
as thou art sent sh @
of min #
the king ,
and of his seven counsellors ,
to enquire b @
concerning Judah and Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#,
according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand ;
*
And to carry y @
the silver and gold ,
which the king and his counsellors have freely offered n @
unto the God of Israel Yisra #
el #,
whose habitation is in Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#,
*
And all the silver and gold that thou canst find sh @
in all the province of Babylon ,
with the freewill offering n @
of the people ,
and of the priests ,
offering willingly n @
for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#:
*
That kol #
thou mayest buy q @
speedily with this money bullocks ,
rams ,
lambs ,
with their meat offerings and their drink offerings ,
and offer q @
them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#.
*
And whatsoever mah #
shall seem good y @
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 .
*
The vessels also that are given y @
thee for the service of the house of thy God ,
those deliver sh @
thou before the God of Jerusalem Y @
ruwshalem (
Chald )#.
*
And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God ,
which thou shalt have occasion n @
to bestow n @,
bestow n @
it out of the kings treasure house .
*
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 ,
*
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 .
*
Whatsoever is commanded by #
H4481the 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 ?
*
Also we certify y @
you ,
that touching any of the priests and Levites ,
singers ,
porters ,
Nethinims ,
or ministers p @
of this house of God ,
it shall not be lawful to impose r @
toll ,
tribute ,
or custom ,
upon them .
*
And thou ,
Ezra ,
after the wisdom of thy God ,
that is in thine hand ,
set m @
magistrates sh @
and judges ,
which may judge all the people that are beyond the river ,
all such as know y @
the laws of thy God ;
and teach y @
ye them that know y @
them not .
*
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 .
*
Blessed barak (
8803 )
be the LORD God of our fathers ,
which hath put such a thing as this in the kings heart ,
to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem :
*
And hath extended mercy unto me before the king ,
and his counsellors ,
and before all the kings 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 .
*
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 .