Study Desk

And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, so shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel [concerning] the words which thou hast heard;

Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thy eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.

So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that [they] may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king's commandment.

And they removed the burnt-offerings, that they might give according to the divisions of the families of the people, to offer to the LORD, as [it is] written in the book of Moses. And so [did they] with the oxen.

So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burnt-offerings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the commandment of king Josiah.

So the priests, and the Levites, and [some] of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of the joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

Be it known now to the king, that, if this city shall be built, and the walls set up [again], [then] they will not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and [so] thou wilt endamage the revenue of the kings.

That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so wilt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city [is] a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.

Then ceased the work of the house of God which [is] at Jerusalem. So it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Now therefore, if it [seemeth] good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure-house, which [is] there at Babylon, whether it is [so], that a decree was made by Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

Then Tatnai governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.

So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated by us.

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

For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of [those] lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.

Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldst thou not be angry with us till thou hadst consumed [us], so that [there should be] no remnant nor escaping?

Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.

And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, [with] certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by [their] names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

Then the king said to me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.