Study Desk

This, is a copy of the letter which they sent unto him - unto Artaxerxes the king, - Thy servants, the men Beyond the River and so forth:

Now be it known to the king, that, if this city, be built, and, the walls thereof, be finished, neither, tribute, excise, nor toll, will they render, and so, the revenue of the kings, shalt thou damage.

so that search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers, so shalt thou find out in the book of records - and shalt ascertain, that, this city, is a rebellious city, and one that causeth damage unto kings and provinces, and that, rebellion, have they been wont to cause in the midst thereof since the days of age-past time, - for this cause, was this city laid waste.

The king sent, a message, unto Rehum holder of judicial authority, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, who were dwelling in Samaria, and the rest Beyond the River, Peace and so forth.

Now, therefore, if, unto the king, it seem good, let search be made in the treasure-house of the king which is there, in Babylon, whether it be so, that, from Cyrus the king, issued an edict, to build this house of God, in Jerusalem, - and, the pleasure of the king concerning this, let him send unto us.

Then, Tattenai the pasha Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, - according as Darius the king had sent, so, forthwith, they did.

for the priests and the Levites, had purified themselves, as one man, all of them, were pure, - so they slaughtered the passover for all the Sons of the Exile, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

So then there came up some of the sons of Israel, and some of the priests and the Levites and the singers and the doorkeepers and the Nethinim, unto Jerusalem, - in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

Artaxerxes, king of kings, Unto Ezra the priest, scribe of the law of the God of the heavens - To despatch and so forth.

So I sent for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men, - also for Joiarib and for Elnathan, teachers.

So they brought unto us, according to the good hand of our God upon us, a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel, - and Sherebiah, and his sons and his brethren, eighteen;

So we fasted and sought of our God, concerning this, - and he suffered himself to be entreated by us.

So the priests and the Levites accepted the weight of the silver and the gold, and the utensils, - to bring to Jerusalem, unto the house of our God.

So we came to Jerusalem, - and we rested there, three days.

for they have taken of their daughters, for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have intermingled themselves among the peoples of the lands, - and, the hand of the rulers and the deputies, hath, in this unfaithfulness, been, foremost.

that Hanani one of my brethren came, he and certain men out of Judah, - so I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

And it came to pass, in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that, wine, was before him, - so I took up the wine, and gave unto the king, and I had never been sad before him.

Then the king said to me, Concerning what, is it, thou, wouldst make request? So I prayed unto the God of the heavens,

And the king said unto me, the queen, also sitting beside him, For how long would be thy journey? and when wouldst thou return? So it seemed good before the king to send me, and I set him a time.

So I entered Jerusalem, - and was there three days.