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So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their places and the Levites in their courses,

And the Levites flayed the victims and gave the burnt offerings to the divisions of the families of the people, to offer to the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses. And so they did every morning.

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.

Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him; for he had gone to fight with him. And he did not listen to the words of Pharaoh the lame; for Josiah did not know that it was from the LORD, so he went forth to fight against him in the plain of Megiddo.

So his servants took him out of the chariot, and put him into his own royal chariot; and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died and was buried in the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

So the priests and the Levites and some of the people and the temple ministers and the porters and the Nethanites and those who dwelt in their cities returned every man to his place, and all Israel to their cities.

So that the people could not discern the sound of the trumpets from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people blew trumpets with a loud blast and the noise of weeping was heard afar off.

Be it known now to the king that, if this city is built and the walls are completed, then you will have no tribute, toll, and custom, and so you shall endanger the revenue of the kings.

That the book of the records of your fathers may be read; so shall you find in the book of the records and know that this city is a rebellious city and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that great conflicts have taken place in it of old time; that is why this city was destroyed:

Now therefore, if it please the king, let search be made in the scrolls which are in the kings treasure house, which is there in Babylon, to see whether it be 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.

So we fasted and besought our God for this; and he hearkened to us

So the priests and the Levites took upon themselves to deliver by the weight 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 mixed themselves with the people of the lands; and the hand of the elders and the Levites have been first in this iniquity.

And the exiles did so. And Ezra the priest selected ten men, chiefs of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them were called by their names; and they sat down on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

And they also consented that they would put away their wives; so they offered rams of the flock for their sins.

And the king said to me, You are foolish. For how long shall your journey be? And when will you return? So it pleased the king to send me; and he set me a time.

So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days.

Then I went up in the night by the valley and viewed the wall, and turned back and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.

Then f told them of the hand of my God which was with me for good, and also the kings words that he had spoken to me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.

And the Jews said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is diminishing, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.