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2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 34

Black Basic Cute Bible Text People Background

Josiah Succeeds Amon in Judah

1 Josiahwaseight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.

2 He did right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father David and did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

3 For in the eighth year of his reign while he was still a youth, he began to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, the carved images and the molten images.

4 They tore down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and the incense altars that were high above them he chopped down; also the Asherim, the carved images and the molten images he broke in pieces and ground to powder and scatterediton the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.

5 Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars and purged Judah and Jerusalem.

6 In the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, even as far as Naphtali, in their surrounding ruins,

7 he also tore down the altars and beat the Asherim and the carved images into powder, and chopped down all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

Josiah Repairs the Temple

8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah an official of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the Lordhis God.

9 They came to Hilkiah the high priest and delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the doorkeepers, had collected from Manasseh and Ephraim, and from all the remnant of Israel, and from all Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

10 Then they gaveitinto the hands of the workmen who had the oversight of the house of the Lord, and the workmen who were working in the house of the Lordused it to restore and repair the house.

11 They in turn gaveitto the carpenters and to the builders to buy quarried stone and timber for couplings and to make beams for the houses which the kings of Judah had let go to ruin.

12 The men did the work faithfully with foremen over them to supervise: Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites of the sons of Merari, Zechariah and Meshullam of the sons of the Kohathites, and the Levites, all who were skillful with musical instruments.

13 They werealso over the burden bearers, and supervised all the workmen from job to job; andsomeof the Leviteswerescribes and officials and gatekeepers.

Hilkiah Discovers Lost Book of the Law

14 When they were bringing out the money which had been brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of the Lordgivenby Moses.

15 Hilkiah responded and said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan.

16 Then Shaphan brought the book to the king and reported further word to the king, saying, “Everything that was entrusted to your servants they are doing.

17 They have also emptied out the money which was found in the house of the Lord, and have delivered it into the hands of the supervisors and the workmen.”

18 Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king saying, “Hilkiah the priest gave me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

19 When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.

20 Then the king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying,

21 “Go, inquire of the Lordfor me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book which has been found; for great is the wrath of the Lordwhich is poured out on us because our fathers have not observed the word of the Lord, to do according to all that is written in this book.”

Huldah, the Prophetess, Speaks

22 So Hilkiah andthosewhom the king had told went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, the keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter); and they spoke to her regarding this.

23 She said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to Me,

24 thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am bringing evil on this place and on its inhabitants,evenall the curses written in the book which they have read in the presence of the king of Judah.

25 Because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore My wrath will be poured out on this place and it shall not be quenched.” ’

26 But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus you will say to him, ‘Thus says the LordGod of Israelregardingthe words which you have heard,

27 “Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, andbecauseyou humbled yourself before Me, tore your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the Lord.

28 “Behold, I will gather you to your fathers and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, so your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants.” ’ ” And they brought back word to the king.

29 Then the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

30 The king went up to the house of the Lordand all the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests, the Levites and all the people, from the greatest to the least; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord.

Josiah’s Good Reign

31 Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the Lordto walk after the Lord, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant written in this book.

32 Moreover, he made all who were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to standwith him.So the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

33 Josiah removed all the abominations from all the lands belonging to the sons of Israel, and made all who were present in Israel to serve the Lordtheir God. Throughout his lifetime they did not turn from following the LordGod of their fathers.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/2CH/34-434a332309d4800f0ad1f7d7fcb989e9.mp3?version_id=100—

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2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 35

The Passover Observed Again

1 Then Josiah celebrated the Passover to the Lordin Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passoveranimalson the fourteenthdayof the first month.

2 He set the priests in their offices and encouraged them in the service of the house of the Lord.

3 He also said to the Levites who taught all Israelandwho were holy to the Lord, “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built; it will be a burden onyourshoulders no longer. Now serve the Lordyour God and His people Israel.

4 Prepareyourselvesby your fathers’ households in your divisions, according to the writing of David king of Israel and according to the writing of his son Solomon.

5 Moreover, stand in the holy place according to the sections of the fathers’ households of your brethren the lay people, and according to the Levites, by division of a father’s household.

6 Now slaughter the Passoveranimals,sanctify yourselves and prepare for your brethren to do according to the word of the Lordby Moses.”

7 Josiah contributed to the lay people, to all who were present, flocks of lambs and young goats, all for the Passover offerings, numbering 30,000 plus 3,000 bulls; these were from the king’s possessions.

8 His officers also contributed a freewill offering to the people, the priests and the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, the officials of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings 2,600from the flocksand 300 bulls.

9 Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the officers of the Levites, contributed to the Levites for the Passover offerings 5,000from the flocksand 500 bulls.

10 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood at their stations and the Levites by their divisions according to the king’s command.

11 They slaughtered the Passoveranimals,and while the priests sprinkled the bloodreceivedfrom their hand, the Levites skinnedthem.

12 Then they removed the burnt offerings thattheymight give them to the sections of the fathers’ households of the lay people to present to the Lord, as it is written in the book of Moses.They didthis also with the bulls.

13 So they roasted the Passoveranimalson the fire according to the ordinance, and they boiled the holy things in pots, in kettles, in pans, and carriedthemspeedily to all the lay people.

14 Afterwards they prepared for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron,wereoffering the burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron.

15 The singers, the sons of Asaph,werealso at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer; and the gatekeepers at each gate did not have to depart from their service, because the Levites their brethren prepared for them.

16 So all the service of the Lordwas prepared on that day to celebrate the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of the Lordaccording to the command of King Josiah.

17 Thus the sons of Israel who were present celebrated the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days.

18 There had not been celebrated a Passover like it in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet; nor had any of the kings of Israel celebrated such a Passover as Josiah did with the priests, the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

19 In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign this Passover was celebrated.

Josiah Dies in Battle

20 After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Neco king of Egypt came up to make war at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to engage him.

21 But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, “What have we to do with each other, O King of Judah?I amnotcomingagainst you today but against the house with which I am at war, and God has ordered me to hurry. Stop for your own sake frominterfering withGod who is with me, so that He will not destroy you.”

22 However, Josiah would not turn away from him, but disguised himself in order to make war with him; nor did he listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but came to make war on the plain of Megiddo.

23 The archers shot King Josiah, and the king said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am badly wounded.”

24 So his servants took him out of the chariot and carried him in the second chariot which he had, and brought him to Jerusalem where he died and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

25 Then Jeremiah chanted a lament for Josiah. And all the male and female singers speak about Josiah in their lamentations to this day. And they made them an ordinance in Israel; behold, they are also written in the Lamentations.

26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his deeds of devotion as written in the law of the Lord,

27 and his acts, first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/2CH/35-9e9a654eda55dbec94d491650f04bb7a.mp3?version_id=100—

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2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 36

Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, then Jehoiachin Rule

1 Then the people of the land tookJoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in place of his father in Jerusalem.

2 Joahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.

3 Then the king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem, and imposed on the land a fine of one hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold.

4 The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took Joahaz his brother and brought him to Egypt.

5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and he did evil in the sight of the Lordhis God.

6 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him and bound him with bronzechainsto take him to Babylon.

7 Nebuchadnezzar also broughtsomeof the articles of the house of the Lordto Babylon and put them in his temple at Babylon.

8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim and the abominations which he did, and what was found against him, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin his son became king in his place.

9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem, and he did evil in the sight of the Lord.

Captivity in Babylon Begun

10 At the turn of the year King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon with the valuable articles of the house of the Lord, and he made his kinsman Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Zedekiah Rules in Judah

11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

12 He did evil in the sight of the Lordhis God; he did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet who spoke for the Lord.

13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swearallegianceby God. But he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LordGod of Israel.

14 Furthermore, all the officials of the priests and the people were very unfaithfulfollowingall the abominations of the nations; and they defiled the house of the Lordwhich He had sanctified in Jerusalem.

15 The Lord, the God of their fathers, sentwordto them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place;

16 but theycontinuallymocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lordarose against His people, until there was no remedy.

17 Therefore He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or infirm; He gavethemall into his hand.

18 All the articles of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king and of his officers, he broughtthemall to Babylon.

19 Then they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all its fortified buildings with fire and destroyed all its valuable articles.

20 Those who had escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon; and they were servants to him and to his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia,

21 to fulfill the word of the Lordby the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept sabbath until seventy years were complete.

Cyrus Permits Return

22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia—in order to fulfill the word of the Lordby the mouth of Jeremiah—the Lordstirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and alsoput itin writing, saying,

23 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may the Lordhis God be with him, and let him go up!’ ”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/2CH/36-5517998930c9834116b1c66b26b12876.mp3?version_id=100—

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Ezra

Ezra 1

Cyrus’s Proclamation

1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lordby the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lordstirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and alsoput itin writing, saying:

2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

3 Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.

4 Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.’ ”

Holy Vessels Restored

5 Then the heads of fathers’householdsof Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the Lordwhich is in Jerusalem.

6 All those about them encouraged them with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, with cattle and with valuables, aside from all that was given as a freewill offering.

7 Also King Cyrus brought out the articles of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and put in the house of his gods;

8 and Cyrus, king of Persia, had them brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and he counted them out to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

9 Now thiswastheir number: 30 gold dishes, 1,000 silver dishes, 29 duplicates;

10 30 gold bowls, 410 silver bowls of a secondkind and1,000 other articles.

11 All the articles of gold and silvernumbered5,400. Sheshbazzar brought them all up with the exiles who went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/EZR/1-7142fe731ffe459ffb7923b0f2ee73d1.mp3?version_id=100—

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Ezra

Ezra 2

Number of Those Returning

1 Now these are the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city.

2 These came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, RehumandBaanah.

The number of the men of the people of Israel:

3 the sons of Parosh, 2,172;

4 the sons of Shephatiah, 372;

5 the sons of Arah, 775;

6 the sons of Pahath-moab of the sons of JeshuaandJoab, 2,812;

7 the sons of Elam, 1,254;

8 the sons of Zattu, 945;

9 the sons of Zaccai, 760;

10 the sons of Bani, 642;

11 the sons of Bebai, 623;

12 the sons of Azgad, 1,222;

13 the sons of Adonikam, 666;

14 the sons of Bigvai, 2,056;

15 the sons of Adin, 454;

16 the sons of Ater of Hezekiah, 98;

17 the sons of Bezai, 323;

18 the sons of Jorah, 112;

19 the sons of Hashum, 223;

20 the sons of Gibbar, 95;

21 the men of Bethlehem, 123;

22 the men of Netophah, 56;

23 the men of Anathoth, 128;

24 the sons of Azmaveth, 42;

25 the sons of Kiriath-arim, Chephirah and Beeroth, 743;

26 the sons of Ramah and Geba, 621;

27 the men of Michmas, 122;

28 the men of Bethel and Ai, 223;

29 the sons of Nebo, 52;

30 the sons of Magbish, 156;

31 the sons of the other Elam, 1,254;

32 the sons of Harim, 320;

33 the sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 725;

34 the men of Jericho, 345;

35 the sons of Senaah, 3,630.

Priests Returning

36 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, 973;

37 the sons of Immer, 1,052;

38 the sons of Pashhur, 1,247;

39 the sons of Harim, 1,017.

Levites Returning

40 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, 74.

41 The singers: the sons of Asaph, 128.

42 The sons of the gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, in all 139.

43 The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth,

44 the sons of Keros, the sons of Siaha, the sons of Padon,

45 the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons of Akkub,

46 the sons of Hagab, the sons of Shalmai, the sons of Hanan,

47 the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah,

48 the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam,

49 the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai,

50 the sons of Asnah, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephisim,

51 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur,

52 the sons of Bazluth, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha,

53 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah,

54 the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.

55 The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Hassophereth, the sons of Peruda,

56 the sons of Jaalah, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel,

57 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of Ami.

58 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants were 392.

59 Now these are those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, AddanandImmer, but they were not able to give evidence of their fathers’ households and their descendants, whether they were of Israel:

60 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 652.

Priests Removed

61 Of the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and he was called by their name.

62 These searchedamongtheir ancestral registration, but they could not be located; therefore they were considered uncleanand excludedfrom the priesthood.

63 The governor said to them that they should not eat from the most holy things until a priest stood up with Urim and Thummim.

64 The whole assembly numbered 42,360,

65 besides their male and female servants who numbered 7,337; and they had 200 singing men and women.

66 Their horses were 736; their mules, 245;

67 their camels, 435;theirdonkeys, 6,720.

68 Some of the heads of fathers’households,when they arrived at the house of the Lordwhich is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for the house of God to restore it on its foundation.

69 According to their ability they gave to the treasury for the work 61,000 gold drachmas and 5,000 silver minas and 100 priestly garments.

70 Now the priests and the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants lived in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/EZR/2-6c37a73f203413f396b2eddbf6b97d0c.mp3?version_id=100—

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Ezra

Ezra 3

Altar and Sacrifices Restored

1 Now when the seventh month came, and the sons of Israelwerein the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem.

2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers arose and built the altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God.

3 So they set up the altar on its foundation, for they were terrified because of the peoples of the lands; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, burnt offerings morning and evening.

4 They celebrated the Feast ofBooths, as it is written, andofferedthe fixed number of burnt offerings daily, according to the ordinance, as each day required;

5 and afterwardthere wasa continual burnt offering, also for the new moons and for all the fixed festivals of the Lordthat were consecrated, and from everyone who offered a freewill offering to the Lord.

6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, but the foundation of the temple of the Lordhad not been laid.

7 Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and food, drink and oil to the Sidonians and to the Tyrians, to bring cedar wood from Lebanon to the sea at Joppa, according to the permission they had from Cyrus king of Persia.

Temple Restoration Begun

8 Now in the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all who came from the captivity to Jerusalem, beganthe workand appointed the Levites from twenty years and older to oversee the work of the house of the Lord.

9 Then Jeshuawithhis sons and brothers stood unitedwithKadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judahandthe sons of Henadadwiththeir sons and brothers the Levites, to oversee the workmen in the temple of God.

10 Now when the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lordaccording to the directions of King David of Israel.

11 They sang, praising and giving thanks to the Lord,saying,“For He is good, for His lovingkindness is upon Israel forever.” And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lordbecause the foundation of the house of the Lordwas laid.

12 Yet many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’households,the old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy,

13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard far away.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/EZR/3-531a5d3e683c81654b3de990404f29eb.mp3?version_id=100—

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Ezra

Ezra 4

Adversaries Hinder the Work

1 Now when the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people of the exile were building a temple to the LordGod of Israel,

2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers’households,and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we, like you, seek your God; and we have been sacrificing to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”

3 But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of fathers’householdsof Israel said to them, “You have nothing in common with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves will together build to the LordGod of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.”

4 Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah, and frightened them from building,

5 and hired counselors against them to frustrate their counsel all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

6 Now in the reign ofAhasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his colleagues wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the text of the letter was written in Aramaic and translatedfromAramaic.

The Letter to King Artaxerxes

8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes, as follows—

9 thenwroteRehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their colleagues, the judges and the lesser governors, the officials, the secretaries, the men of Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites,

10 and the rest of the nations which the great and honorable Osnappar deported and settled in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the region beyond theRiver. Now

11 this is the copy of the letter which they sent to him:

“To King Artaxerxes: Your servants, the men in the region beyond the River, and now

12 let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem; they are rebuilding the rebellious and evil city and are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations.

13 Now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, custom or toll, and it will damage the revenue of the kings.

14 Now because we are in the service of the palace, and it is not fitting for us to see the king’s dishonor, therefore we have sent and informed the king,

15 so that a search may be made in the record books of your fathers. And you will discover in the record books and learn that that city is a rebellious city and damaging to kings and provinces, and that they have incited revolt within it in past days; therefore that city was laid waste.

16 We inform the king that if that city is rebuilt and the walls finished, as a result you will have no possession inthe provincebeyond the River.”

The King Replies and Work Stops

17 Thenthe king sent an answer to Rehum the commander, to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and in the rest ofthe provincesbeyond the River: “Peace. And now

18 the document which you sent to us has been translated and read before me.

19 A decree has been issued by me, and a search has been made and it has been discovered that that city has risen up against the kings in past days, that rebellion and revolt have been perpetrated in it,

20 that mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem, governing allthe provincesbeyond the River, and that tribute, custom and toll were paid to them.

21 So, now issue a decree to make these men stopwork,that this city may not be rebuilt until a decree is issued by me.

22 Beware of being negligent in carrying out thismatter;why should damage increase to the detriment of the kings?”

23 Then as soon as the copy of King Artaxerxes’ document was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their colleagues, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them by force of arms.

24 Then work on the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it was stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/EZR/4-ccb51714757a18a5b27f0ddb3012f158.mp3?version_id=100—

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Ezra

Ezra 5

Temple Work Resumed

1 When the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them,

2 then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them supporting them.

3 At that time Tattenai, the governor ofthe provincebeyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues came to them and spoke to them thus, “Who issued you a decree to rebuild thistemple and to finish this structure?”

4 Then we told them accordingly what the names of the men were who were reconstructing this building.

5 But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until a report could come to Darius, and then a written reply be returned concerning it.

Adversaries Write to Darius

6 This isthe copy of the letter which Tattenai, the governor ofthe provincebeyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and his colleagues the officials, who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king.

7 They sent a report to him in which it was written thus: “To Darius the king, all peace.

8 Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with huge stones, and beams are being laid in the walls; and this work is going on with great care and is succeeding in their hands.

9 Then we asked those elders and said to them thus, ‘Who issued you a decree to rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?’

10 We also asked them their names so as to inform you, and that we might write down the names of the men who were at their head.

11 Thus they answered us, saying, ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.

12 But because our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean,whodestroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.

13 However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God.

14 Also the gold and silver utensils of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, and brought them to the temple of Babylon, these King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon and they were given to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor.

15 He said to him, “Take these utensils, goanddeposit them in the temple in Jerusalem and let the house of God be rebuilt in its place.”

16 Then that Sheshbazzar cameandlaid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem; and from then until now it has been under construction and it is notyetcompleted.’

17 Now if it pleases the king, let a search be conducted in the king’s treasure house, which is there in Babylon, if it be that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send to us his decision concerning thismatter.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/EZR/5-80bc35539f5a3ba8b5d7694c7bf265e5.mp3?version_id=100—

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Ezra

Ezra 6

Darius Finds Cyrus’s Decree

1 Then King Darius issued a decree, and search was made in thearchives, where the treasures were stored in Babylon.

2 InEcbatana in the fortress, which is in the province of Media, a scroll was found and there was written in it as follows: “Memorandum—

3 In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree: ‘Concerningthe house of God at Jerusalem, let the temple, the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its foundations be retained, its height being 60 cubits and its width 60 cubits;

4 with three layers of huge stones and one layer of timbers. And let the cost be paid from the royal treasury.

5 Also let the gold and silver utensils of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be returned and brought to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; and you shall putthemin the house of God.’

6 “Nowtherefore,Tattenai, governor ofthe provincebeyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and your colleagues, the officials ofthe provincesbeyond the River, keep away from there.

7 Leave this work on the house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site.

8 Moreover, I issue a decree concerning what you are to do for these elders of Judah in the rebuilding of this house of God: the full cost is to be paid to these people from the royal treasury out of the taxes ofthe provincesbeyond the River, and that without delay.

9 Whatever is needed, both young bulls, rams, and lambs for a burnt offering to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and anointing oil, as the priests in Jerusalem request,itis to be given to them daily without fail,

10 that they may offeracceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

11 And I issued a decree that any man who violates this edict, a timber shall be drawn from his house and he shall be impaled on it and his house shall be made a refuse heap on account of this.

12 May the God who has caused His name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who attempts to changeit,so as to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issuedthisdecree, letitbe carried out with all diligence!”

The Temple Completed and Dedicated

13 Then Tattenai, the governor ofthe provincebeyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues carried outthe decreewith all diligence, just as King Darius had sent.

14 And the elders of the Jews were successful in building through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

15 This temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar; it was the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

16 And the sons of Israel, the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.

17 They offered for the dedication of this temple of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel 12 male goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel.

18 Then they appointed the priests to their divisions and the Levites in their orders for the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.

The Passover Observed

19 The exiles observed the Passover on the fourteenth of the first month.

20 For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure. Then they slaughtered the Passoverlambfor all the exiles, both for their brothers the priests and for themselves.

21 The sons of Israel who returned from exile and all those who had separated themselves from the impurity of the nations of the land tojointhem, to seek the LordGod of Israel, atethe Passover.

22 And they observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lordhad caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to encourage them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/EZR/6-3d75e436d34168a73e51ced2789b82b3.mp3?version_id=100—

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Ezra

Ezra 7

Ezra Journeys from Babylon to Jerusalem

1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia,there went upEzra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,

2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,

3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,

4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,

5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest.

6 This Ezra went up from Babylon, and he was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which the LordGod of Israel had given; and the king granted him all he requested because the hand of the Lordhis Godwasupon him.

7 Some of the sons of Israel and some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

8 He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.

9 For on the first of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, because the good hand of his Godwasupon him.

10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lordand to practiceit,and to teachHisstatutes and ordinances in Israel.

King’s Decree on Behalf of Ezra

11 Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, learned in the words of the commandments of the Lordand His statutes to Israel:

12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfectpeace.And now

13 I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.

14 Forasmuch as you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God which is in your hand,

15 and to bring the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,

16 with all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, who offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem;

17 with this money, therefore, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings and offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

18 Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do according to the will of your God.

19 Also the utensils which are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem.

20 The rest of the needs for the house of your God, for which you may have occasion to provide, providefor itfrom the royal treasury.

21 “I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who arein the provincesbeyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently,

22 evenup to 100 talents of silver, 100 kors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt as needed.

23 Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons.

24 We also inform you that it is not allowed to impose tax, tribute or tollonany of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim or servants of this house of God.

25 “You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges that they may judge all the people who are inthe provincebeyond the River,evenall those who know the laws of your God; and you may teach anyone who is ignorantof them.

26 Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.”

The King’s Kindness

27 Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who has putsuch a thingas this in the king’s heart, to adorn the house of the Lordwhich is in Jerusalem,

28 and has extended lovingkindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king’s mighty princes. Thus I was strengthened according to the hand of the Lordmy God upon me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/EZR/7-7659715ad3231546c4ae8ae22739d169.mp3?version_id=100—