Ezr 8 | HCSB | STEP | These are the family leaders and the genealogical records of those who returned with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes :

‏ Ezra 8

Those Returning with Ezra

1 These are the family leaders and the genealogical records of those who returned with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes: ^a

2 Gershom, from Phinehas’s descendants;
Daniel, from Ithamar’s descendants;
Hattush, from David’s descendants,
3 who was of Shecaniah’s descendants; ^b
Zechariah, from Parosh’s ^c descendants,
and 150 men ^{▼▼Or males; also in vv. 4-14} with him who were registered by genealogy;
4 Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah
from Pahath-moab’s descendants, ^e
and 200 men with him;
5 Shecaniah ^{▼▼LXX, 1 Esdras 8:32; MT reads the descendants of Shecaniah} son of Jahaziel
from Zattu’s descendants,
and 300 men with him;
6 Ebed son of Jonathan
from Adin’s descendants, ^g
and 50 men with him;
7 Jeshaiah son of Athaliah
from Elam’s descendants,
and 70 men with him;
8 Zebadiah son of Michael
from Shephatiah’s descendants,
and 80 men with him;
9 Obadiah son of Jehiel
from Joab’s descendants,
and 218 men with him;
10 Shelomith ^{▼▼Some LXX mss, 1 Esdras 8:36; MT reads the descendants of Shelomith} son of Josiphiah
from Bani’s descendants,
and 160 men with him;
11 Zechariah son of Bebai
from Bebai’s descendants,
and 28 men with him;
12 Johanan son of Hakkatan
from Azgad’s descendants,
and 110 men with him;
13 these are the last ones, from Adonikam’s descendants, ⁱ
and their names are:
Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah,
and 60 men with them;
14 Uthai and Zaccur ^{▼▼Alt Hb tradition, some LXX mss read Zabud}
from Bigvai’s descendants,
and 70 men with them.

15 I gathered them at the river ^{▼▼Or canal} that flows to Ahava, ^l and we camped there for three days. I searched among the people and priests, but found no Levites ^m there. 16 Then I summoned the leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, ⁿ as well as the teachers Joiarib and Elnathan. 17 I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, with a message for ^{▼▼Lit Casiphia, and I put in their mouth the words to speak to} him and his brothers, the temple servants ^p at Casiphia, that they should bring us ministers for the house of our God. 18 Since the gracious hand of our God was on us, ^q they brought us Sherebiah ^r – a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli, a descendant of Levi son of Israel – along with his sons and brothers, 18 men, 19 plus Hashabiah, ^s along with Jeshaiah, from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and their sons, 20 men. 20 There were also 220 of the temple servants, ^t who had been appointed by David and the leaders for the work of the Levites. All were identified by name.

Preparing to Return

21 I proclaimed a fast ^u by the Ahava River, ^{▼▼Or Canal} so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us, our children, and all our possessions. 22 I did this because I was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry to protect us from enemies during the journey, since we had told him, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek Him, but His great anger is against all who abandon Him.” ^w 23 So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and He granted our request.

24 I selected 12 of the leading priests, along with Sherebiah, ^x Hashabiah, and 10 of their brothers. 25 I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the articles – the contribution for the house of our God that the king, his counselors, his leaders, and all the Israelites who were present had offered. 26 I weighed out to them 24 tons ^{▼▼Lit 650 talents} of silver, silver articles weighing 7,500 pounds, ^{▼▼Lit 100 talents} 7,500 pounds ^{▼▼Lit 100 talents} of gold, 27 20 gold bowls worth 1,000 gold coins, ^{▼▼Or 1,000 drachmas, or 1,000 darics} and two articles of fine gleaming bronze, as valuable as gold. ^ac 28 Then I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, and the articles are holy. The silver and gold are a freewill offering ^ad to the Lord God of your fathers. 29 Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the Lord’s house before the leading priests, Levites, and heads of the Israelite families in Jerusalem.” 30 So the priests and Levites took charge of the silver, the gold, and the articles that had been weighed out, to bring them to the house of our God in Jerusalem. ^ae

Arrival in Jerusalem

31 We set out from the Ahava River ^{▼▼Or Canal} on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem. We were strengthened by our God, ^{▼▼Lit The hand of our God was on us
,} ^ah and He protected us from the power of the enemy and from ambush along the way. ^ai 32 So we arrived at Jerusalem and rested there for three days. ^aj 33 On the fourth day the silver, the gold, and the articles were weighed out in the house of our God into the care of Meremoth the priest, son of Uriah. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him. The Levites Jozabad ^ak son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui were also with them. 34 Everything was verified by number and weight, and the total weight was recorded at that time.

35 The exiles who had returned from the captivity ^al offered ^{▼▼burnt offering(s): Or holocaust, an offering completely burned to ashes; it was used in connection with worship, seeking God's favor, expiating sin, or averting judgment.}burnt offerings to the God of Israel: 12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, and 77 lambs, along with 12 male goats as a ^{▼▼sin offering(s): Or purification offering, the sin offering was the most important OT sacrifice for cleansing from impurities. It provided purification from sin and certain forms of ceremonial uncleanness.}sin offering. All this was a burnt offering for the Lord. ^ao 36 They also delivered the king’s edicts to the royal satraps and governors of the region west of the Euphrates, ^ap so that they would support the people and the house of God. ^aq