Study Desk

In the first year Cyrus was king of Persia, the Lord caused Cyrus to send an announcement to his whole kingdom and to put it in writing. This happened so the Lord 's message spoken by Jeremiah would come true. He wrote:

May God be with all of you who are his people. You are free to go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the Temple of the Lord , the God of Israel, who is in Jerusalem.

Also, King Cyrus brought out the bowls and pans that belonged in the Temple of the Lord , which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and put in the temple of his own god.

These are the people of the area who returned from captivity, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken away to Babylon. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each going back to his own town.

Then Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests joined Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and began to build the altar of the God of Israel where they could offer burnt offerings, just as it is written in the Teachings of Moses, the man of God.

These men were in charge of the work of building the Temple of God: Jeshua and his sons and brothers; Kadmiel and his sons who were the descendants of Hodaviah; and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers. They were all Levites.

With praise and thanksgiving, they sang to the Lord : "He is good; his love for Israel continues forever." And then all the people shouted loudly, "Praise the Lord ! The foundation of his Temple has been laid."

But their God was watching over the elders of the Jewish people. The builders were not stopped until a report could go to King Darius and his written answer could be received.

Cyrus brought out from the temple in Babylon the gold and silver bowls and pans that came from the Temple of God. Nebuchadnezzar had taken them from the Temple in Jerusalem and had put them in the temple in Babylon. "Then King Cyrus gave them to Sheshbazzar, his appointed governor.

Then they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven, and they may pray for the life of the king and his sons.

Also, I give this order: If anyone changes this order, a wood beam is to be pulled from his house and driven through his body. Because of his crime, make his house a pile of ruins.

This Ezra came to Jerusalem from Babylon. He was a teacher and knew well the Teachings of Moses that had been given by the Lord , the God of Israel. Ezra received everything he asked for from the king, because the Lord his God was helping him.

Ezra had worked hard to know and obey the Teachings of the Lord and to teach his rules and commands to the Israelites.

Carefully give him whatever the God of heaven wants for the Temple of the God of heaven. We do not want God to be angry with the king and his sons.

Whoever does not obey the law of your God or of the king must be punished. He will be killed, or sent away, or have his property taken away, or be put in jail.

The Lord has shown me, Ezra, his love in the presence of the king, those who advise the king, and the royal officers. Because the Lord my God was helping me, I had courage, and I gathered the leaders of Israel to return with me.

I sent these men to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, and told them what to say to Iddo and his relatives, who are the Temple servants in Casiphia. I sent them to bring servants to us for the Temple of our God.

And they brought to us Hashabiah and Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and nephews. In all there were twenty men.

I weighed the offering of silver and gold and the utensils given for the Temple of our God, and I gave them to the twelve priests I had chosen. The king, the people who advised him, his officers, and all the Israelites there with us had given these things for the Temple.

Then I said to the priests, "You and these utensils belong to the Lord for his service. The silver and gold are gifts to the Lord , the God of your ancestors.