Study Desk

For I was ashamed to require of the kynge, soudyers & horsmen, to helpe us agaynst the enemye in the waye. For we had sayde vnto the kynge: The hande of oure God is for the best vpon all them that seke him, and his violence and wrath vpon all them that forsake him.

So we fasted, and soughte this at oure God, and he herde us.

and weyed them there the syluer and golde and vessels for the Heueofferinge vnto the house of oure God, which the kynge, and the lordes of his councell and prynces, and all Israel that were at hande, had geuen to the Heue offerynge:

and sayde vnto them: Ye are holy vnto the LORDE, therfore are the vessels holy also, and so is the syluer and golde that is geuen of a good wyll vnto the LORDE God of youre fathers:

Then toke the prestes and Leuites that weyed syluer and golde & vessell, to brynge it to Ierusalem vnto ye house of oure God.

So we brake vp, from the water of Aheua on the twolueth daye of the first moneth, to go vnto Ierusalem: and the hande of oure God was vpon us, and delyuered us fro the hande of the enemies and preuy waytinges by the waye.

But on ye fourth daye was the syluer and golde, and vessell weyed in the house of oure God vnder the hande of Meremoth the sonne of Vrias the prest, and with him Eleasar the sonne of Phineas, and with them Iosabad the sonne of Iesua, and Noadia ye sonne of Benui the Leuites,

And the children of the captiuyte, which were come out of preson, offred burntofferinges vnto ye God of Israel: twolue bullockes for all Israel, sixe and nynetye rammes, seuen and seuentye lambes, and twolue goates for a synofferynge, all to the burnt offeringe of the LORDE.

And they delyuered the kynges commyssion vnto the kynges officers, & to the Debytes on this syde the water. And they promoted the people and the house of God.

And there resorted vnto me all soch as feared the worde of the LORDE God of Israel because of the greate transgression. And I sat mournynge vntyll the euenynge sacrifyce.

And aboute the euenynge sacrifice I rose vp fro my heuynes, and rente my clothes and my raiment, and fell vpon my knees, and spred out my handes vnto the LORDE my God,

and sayde: My God, I am ashamed, and darre not lifte vp mine eies vnto the my God: for oure wickednesses are growne ouer oure heade, & oure trespaces are waxen greate vnto ye heaue.

But now is there a litle and sodane graciousnes come from the LORDE oure God, so that some of vs are escaped, that he maie geue vs a nayle in his holy place, that oure God maye lighte oure eyes, and geue vs a litle lyfe in oure bondage.

For we are bondmen, and or God hath not forsake vs though we be bondmen, and hath enclyned mercy vnto vs in the sighte of the kynges of Persia, that they shulde geue vs lyfe, and promote the house of oure God, and to sett vp the desolacion therof, and to geue vs an hedge in Iuda and Ierusalem.

O oure God, what shall we saye now after this? that we haue forsaken thy commaundementes,

And after all this that is come vpon vs (because of oure euell dedes and greate trespace) thou oure God hast spared oure wickednesses, and hast geuen vs a delyueraunce as it is come to passe.

O LORDE God of Israel, thou art righteous, for we remaine yet escaped, as it is this daie. Beholde, in thy presence are we in oure trespace, for because of it is there no stondinge before the.

And whan E?dras prayed after this maner and knowleged, wepte, and laie before the house of God, there resorted vnto him out of Israel a very greate congregacion of men and wemen, and children: for the people wepte very sore.

And Sachania the sonne of Iehiel one of the children of Elam, answered, and sayde vnto E?dras: We haue trespaced agaynst the LORDE oure God, in that we haue taken straunge wyues of all the people of the londe. Now there is hope yet in Israel cocerninge this,

therfore let vs make a couenaut now with oure God, that we shal put awaye all the wyues (and soch as are borne of them) acordynge to the councell of ye LORDE, and of them that feare the commaundement of oure God, yt we maye do acordynge to the lawe.