Study Desk

Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artachshasta gave to Ezra the Kohen, the Sofer, even the Sofer of the words of the mitzvot of the LORD, and of his statutes to Yisra'el:

Because you are sent of the king and his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Yehudah and Yerushalayim, according to the law of your God which is in your hand,

and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Yisra'el, whose habitation is in Yerushalayim,

Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

and has extended lovingkindness to me before the king, and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty princes. I was strengthened according to the hand of the LORD my God on me, and I gathered together out of Yisra'el chief men to go up with me.

I sent them forth to `Iddo the chief at the place Kasifyah; and I told them what they should tell `Iddo, [and] his brothers the temple servants, at the place Kasifyah, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God.

According to the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Machli, the son of Levi, the son of Yisra'el; and Sherevyah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen;

and Hashavyah, and with him Yesha`yah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty;

For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our God is on all those who seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all those who forsake him.

and weighed to them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, and his counselors, and his princes, and all Yisra'el there present, had offered:

Now for a little moment grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.

and that whoever didn't come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the Zakenim, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the assembly of the captivity.

Now therefore make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women.

Among the sons of the Kohanim there were found who had married foreign women: [namely], of the sons of Yeshua, the son of Yotzadak, and his brothers, Ma`aseyah, and Eli`ezer, and Yariv, and Gedalyahu.

and said, I beg you, LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and lovingkindness with those who love him and keep his mitzvot:

It happened in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artachshasta the king, when wine was before him, that I took up the wine, and gave it to the king. Now I had not been [before] sad in his presence.

Then answered I them, and said to them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Yerushalayim.

Then Elyashiv the Kohen Gadol rose up with his brothers the Kohanim, and they built the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even to the tower of Hammeah they sanctified it, to the tower of Hanan'el.

Next to them repaired Yedayah the son of Harumaf, over against his house. Next to him repaired Hattush the son of Hashavneyah.

Next to him repaired Shallum the son of Hallochesh, the ruler of half the district of Yerushalayim, he and his daughters.