Study Desk

And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land: yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.

but if you return to me, and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there.

And the rulers didn't know where I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our sons as their sons: and, look, we bring into slavery our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are brought into slavery [already]: neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards.

Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this I did not demand the bread of the governor, because the service was heavy on this people.

yet you in your manifold mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness: the pillar of cloud did not depart from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way wherein they should go.

But after they had rest, they did evil again before you; therefore you left them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried to you, you heard from heaven; and many times you delivered them according to your mercies,

and testified against them, that you might bring them again to your law. Yet they dealt proudly, and didn't listen to your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances, which if man does, he shall live in them, and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

Yet many years you bore with them, and testified against them by your Spirit through your prophets: yet they would not give ear: therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

And yet for all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, [and] our priests, seal to it.

Didn't your fathers do thus, and didn't our God bring all this evil on us, and on this city? yet you bring more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.

Didn't Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless foreign women caused even him to sin.

Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like when she was brought up with him.

Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.

While they were yet talking with him, the king's chamberlains came, and hurried to bring Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

And Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God has fallen from heaven, and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I only have escaped alone to tell you.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made three bands, and fell on the camels, and have taken them away, yes, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only have escaped alone to tell you.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house;

And though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would greatly increase.