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Also I make a decree as to what you shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of that house of God, that the exact expense be given to these men from the king's property, out of the tax Beyond the River, so that they may not haveto cease working.

so that they may offer sacrifices of sweet odor to the God of Heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons.

Then Tatnai, governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-boznai, and their associates exactly did so, according to that which Darius the king had sent.

Then I called a fast there at the river Ahava, so that we might humble ourselves before our God, in order to seek from Him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our goods.

So we fasted and prayed to our God for good. And He was pleased to hear us.

So the priests and the Levites took the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the articles, to bring them to Jerusalem, to the house of our God.

For they have taken from their daughters for themselves, and for their sons. So the holy seed have mixed themselves with the people of the lands. Yes, the hand of the leaders and the overseers has been foremost in this treachery.

And now, for a little time grace has been shown from Jehovah our God to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in His holy place, so that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a little reviving in our bondage.

And now do not give your daughters to their sons, and do not take their daughters to your sons, or seek their peace, or their wealth forever, so that you may be strong and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance toyour sons forever.

And the sons of the exile did so. And Ezra the priest with men, heads of the fathers, according to the house of their fathers, and all of them by names, were separated. And they sat down inthe first day of the tenth month to examinethe matter.

let Your ear now be open, and Your eyes open, so that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You today, day and night, for Your servants the sons of Israel; and confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both I and my father's house have sinned.

Then the king said to me, For what do you ask? So I prayed to the God of Heaven,

and I said to the king, If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you would send me to Judah to the city of my fathers' tombs, so that I might build it.

And the king said to me, the queen also sitting beside him, For until when shall your journey be? And when will you return? So it pleased the king, and he sent me; and I set him a time.

And I said to the king, If it is good to the king, let letters be given me to the governors Beyond the River, so that they may let me go through until I come to Judah;

also a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, so that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the temple which is for the house, and for the city wall, and for the house into which I shall enter. And the king granted it to me, according to the good hand of my God on me.

So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days.

Then I said to them, You see the evil that we are in, how Jerusalem is wasted, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer be a reproach.

Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good on me, and also the king's words that he had spoken to me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they made their hands strong for good.

So we built the wall, and all the wall was joined together to the half of it. For the people had a heart to work.