First year of Cyrus, king of Persia. Babylon has fallen to him, and the Jews have been exiles there for a lifetime. Jeremiah said this day would come. Now the LORD moves Cyrus to act, and the king sends an announcement round his whole empire. In writing.
EZRA 1:1 · BSB
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows:
The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me every kingdom on earth, and he's put me in charge of building him a house in Jerusalem.
If you're one of his people: go. Go up and build it. And whoever's staying behind, help them on their way with silver, gold, goods and animals, plus a gift for God's house.
EZRA 1:2–4 · BSB
“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah. Whoever among you belongs to His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let every survivor, wherever he lives, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem.’”
We're going. The family heads of Judah and Benjamin, the priests, the Levites, everyone God has moved to go. The neighbours keep turning up at the door with silver and gold, goods and animals.
EZRA 1:5–6 · BSB
So the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites—everyone whose spirit God had stirred—prepared to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD in Jerusalem. And all their neighbors supported them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuables, in addition to all their freewill offerings.
Then Cyrus brings out the dishes and bowls from the LORD's house. The ones Nebuchadnezzar looted from Jerusalem and put in his own gods' temple. Counted out by the treasurer to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah:
1. 30 gold dishes
2. 1,000 silver dishes
3. 29 silver utensils
4. 30 gold bowls
5. 410 silver bowls
6. 1,000 other pieces
5,400 in all. Every one of them going home.
EZRA 1:7–11 · BSB
King Cyrus also brought out the articles belonging to the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the temple of his gods. Cyrus king of Persia had them brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. This was the inventory: 30 gold dishes, 1,000 silver dishes, 29 silver utensils, 30 gold bowls, 410 matching silver bowls, and 1,000 other articles. In all, there were 5,400 gold and silver articles. Sheshbazzar brought all these along when the exiles went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
The book stops here for a long list of everyone who came home, family by family, town by town. Totals: 42,360 people, 7,337 servants, 200 singers. And 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.
EZRA 2:1; EZRA 2:64–67 · BSB
Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles carried away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar its king. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, The whole assembly numbered 42,360, in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 200 male and female singers. They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.
Three priestly families went looking for their family records and couldn't find them. So they're kept out of the priesthood, and the governor says they can't eat the holy food until there's a priest who can ask God with the Urim and Thummim, the sacred lots.
EZRA 2:61–63 · BSB
And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). These men searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest to consult the Urim and Thummim.
Seventh month. Everyone gathers in Jerusalem as one. Jeshua the priest and Zerubbabel rebuild the altar of the God of Israel on its old foundation, so the offerings can start again the way the Law of Moses says. Morning and evening.
They're scared of the people living round them. They build it anyway.
EZRA 3:1–3 · BSB
By the seventh month, the Israelites had settled in their towns, and the people assembled as one man in Jerusalem. Then Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests, along with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates, began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. They set up the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the LORD—both the morning and evening burnt offerings—even though they feared the people of the land.
The festivals are back on, the Feast of Shelters and all the rest. Still no temple, not even a foundation. Just an altar in the open air. Meanwhile, money for masons and carpenters, and food and oil to Sidon and Tyre for cedar logs from Lebanon, floated down the coast to Joppa. Cyrus signed off on all of it.
EZRA 3:4–7 · BSB
They also celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles in accordance with what is written, and they offered burnt offerings daily based on the number prescribed for each day. After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings and those for New Moons and for all the appointed sacred feasts of the LORD, as well as all the freewill offerings brought to the LORD. On the first day of the seventh month, the Israelites began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, although the foundation of the temple of the LORD had not been laid. They gave money to the masons and carpenters, and food and drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to Joppa by sea, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia.
Second year back, and the foundation's down. The priests in their robes with trumpets, us with the cymbals, all in our places the way King David set it up. We sang it back and forth: he is good. His love for Israel lasts for ever.
Then everyone shouted.
EZRA 3:8; EZRA 3:10–11 · BSB
In the second month of the second year after they had arrived at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their associates including the priests, the Levites, and all who had returned to Jerusalem from the captivity, began the work. They appointed Levites twenty years of age or older to supervise the construction of the house of the LORD. When the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their positions to praise the LORD, as David king of Israel had prescribed. And they sang responsively with praise and thanksgiving to the LORD: “For He is good; for His loving devotion to Israel endures forever.” Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD had been laid.
I saw the first temple. When I saw this foundation I cried out loud. I couldn't stop. A lot of us old ones were the same.
EZRA 3:12 · BSB
But many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads who had seen the first temple wept loudly when they saw the foundation of this temple. Still, many others shouted joyfully.
When the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their positions to praise the LORD, as David king of Israel had prescribed. And they sang responsively with praise and thanksgiving to the LORD: “For He is good; for His loving devotion to Israel endures forever.” Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD had been laid.
Heard the exiles are building a temple, so we went to offer to help. We worship their God too, you know. Have done ever since Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, brought us here.
EZRA 4:1–2 · BSB
When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families, saying, “Let us build with you because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the time of King Esar-haddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”
And we told you no. You've got no part in building a house for our God. We'll build it ourselves for the LORD, the God of Israel. That's what King Cyrus ordered.
EZRA 4:3 · BSB
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.”
So the people of the land set out to wear them down and frighten them off. They even pay advisers at court to work against them. It goes on through the rest of Cyrus's reign and into Darius's.
EZRA 4:4–5 · BSB
Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build. They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Jumping ahead a few kings here, because it's the same story. Years later, under Artaxerxes, the Jews are rebuilding Jerusalem's walls, and Rehum the commander writes to the king about it.
EZRA 4:6–8 · BSB
At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, an accusation was lodged against the people of Judah and Jerusalem. And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic and then translated. Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote the letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:
Kindly note: a letter has gone to the king today. In short, the Jews who came up from Babylon are rebuilding that rebellious city. If the walls go back up, they'll stop paying tax. A search of the old records will show it has always been trouble. That is why it was destroyed in the first place.
EZRA 4:11–16 · BSB
(This is the text of the letter they sent to him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men west of the Euphrates: Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring its walls and repairing its foundations. Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer. Now because we are in the service of the palace and it is not fitting for us to allow the king to be dishonored, we have sent to inform the king that a search should be made of the record books of your fathers. In these books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, inciting sedition from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, you will have no dominion west of the Euphrates.
Your letter was read to me. I had the records searched, and you are right. That city has a long history of revolting against kings. Tell them to stop. Nothing gets rebuilt until I say so.
EZRA 4:17–21 · BSB
Then the king sent this reply: To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of your associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates: Greetings. The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence. I issued a decree, and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has revolted against kings from ancient times, engaging in rebellion and sedition. And mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates; and tribute, duty, and toll were paid to them. Now, therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.
When the text of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.
Back to the temple. Work on God's house has stopped, and it stays stopped until the second year of Darius, king of Persia.
EZRA 4:24 · BSB
Thus the construction of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Then two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, start speaking to the Jews in the name of the God of Israel. Zerubbabel and Jeshua get up and start building again, and the prophets are right there with them, helping.
EZRA 5:1–2 · BSB
Later, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak rose up and began to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, helping them.
Site visit in Judah today. Large stones, timber set into the walls, rapid progress. Enquired who authorised it, and took down the names of the men in charge.
EZRA 5:3–4; EZRA 5:8–10 · BSB
At that time Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates went to the Jews and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?” They also asked, “What are the names of the men who are constructing this building?” Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. The people are rebuilding it with large stones and placing timbers in the walls. This work is being carried out diligently and is prospering in their hands. So we questioned the elders and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?” We also asked for their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.
We told him who we are. We serve the God of heaven and earth. A great king of Israel built this temple long ago. Our ancestors made God angry, so he handed them over to Nebuchadnezzar, who destroyed it and took the people to Babylon. Then King Cyrus ordered it rebuilt. It's been going up ever since, and it isn't finished.
EZRA 5:11–16 · BSB
And this is the answer they returned: “We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed. But since our fathers angered the God of heaven, He delivered them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean who destroyed this temple and carried away the people to Babylon. In the first year of his reign, however, Cyrus king of Babylon issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. He also removed from the temple of Babylon the gold and silver articles belonging to the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken and carried there from the temple in Jerusalem. King Cyrus gave these articles to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he appointed governor and instructed, ‘Take these articles, put them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its original site.’ So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it has been under construction, but it has not yet been completed.”
They search in Babylon. It turns up somewhere else entirely: a scroll in the fortress at Ecbatana, in Media. Cyrus's memo from his first year. Rebuild the house of God. Pay for it from the royal treasury. And send back the gold and silver Nebuchadnezzar took.
Thus King Darius ordered a search of the archives stored in the treasury of Babylon. And a scroll was found in the fortress of Ecbatana, in the province of Media, with the following written on it: Memorandum: In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: Let the house be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices, and let its foundations be firmly laid. It is to be sixty cubits high and sixty cubits wide, with three layers of cut stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid from the royal treasury. Furthermore, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and carried to Babylon, must also be returned to the temple in Jerusalem and deposited in the house of God.
Finished. The house of God is complete on the third day of the month of Adar, in Darius's sixth year. Built the way the God of Israel commanded, with Haggai and Zechariah prophesying the whole way.
EZRA 6:14–15 · BSB
So the Jewish elders built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia. And this temple was completed on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
Dedicated it today, and it was pure joy. Priests, Levites, everyone who came back. A hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs. And twelve goats as an offering for sin, one for each tribe of Israel.
EZRA 6:16–17 · BSB
Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy. For the dedication of the house of God they offered a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and a sin offering for all Israel of twelve male goats, one for each tribe of Israel.
Passover in the new temple. Then seven days of the feast of bread without yeast. The LORD made us so happy, and changed the king's attitude so he helped us build.
EZRA 6:19–22 · BSB
On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles kept the Passover. All the priests and Levites had purified themselves and were ceremonially clean. And the Levites slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their priestly brothers, and for themselves. The Israelites who had returned from exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to seek the LORD, the God of Israel. For seven days they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread with joy, because the LORD had made them joyful and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to strengthen their hands in the work on the house of the God of Israel.
Many years later, under Artaxerxes. Meet Ezra. A priest whose family line goes all the way back to Aaron. He comes up from Babylon. He's a scribe who knows the Law of Moses inside out, and the king gives him everything he asks for, because the LORD his God is looking after him.
EZRA 7:1; EZRA 7:5–6 · BSB
Many years later, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted Ezra all his requests, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.
To Ezra the priest, scribe of the law of the God of heaven.
Any Israelite in my kingdom who wants to go with you, can. Take the silver and gold my advisers and I are giving to the God of Israel. My treasurers west of the Euphrates will give you whatever you ask for, up to a hundred talents of silver, with wheat, wine, oil and as much salt as you want. Nobody taxes the people who serve at that temple.
And with the wisdom your God has given you, appoint judges, and teach his laws to anyone who doesn't know them.
EZRA 7:12–25 · BSB
Artaxerxes, king of kings. To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings. I hereby decree that any volunteers among the Israelites in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may go up with you to Jerusalem. You are sent by the king and his seven counselors to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand. Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, together with all the silver and gold you may find in all the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem. With this money, therefore, you are to buy as many bulls, rams, and lambs as needed, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem. You and your brothers may do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God. You must deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God. And if anything else is needed for the house of your God that you may have occasion to supply, you may pay for it from the royal treasury. I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers west of the Euphrates: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it must be provided promptly, up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit. Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for His house. For why should wrath fall on the realm of the king and his sons? And be advised that you have no authority to impose tribute, duty, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God. And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God, which you possess, are to appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people west of the Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach these laws to anyone who does not know them.
Praise the LORD, the God of our ancestors, who put it into the king's mind to do this. God was with me, so I found the courage and gathered the leaders to come with me.
Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put into the heart of the king to so honor the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, and who has shown me favor before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officials. And because the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, I took courage and gathered the leaders of Israel to return with me.
Everyone gathered at the canal that runs to Ahava. Three days camping. Went through the list. People, priests. Not one Levite.
EZRA 8:15 · BSB
Now I assembled these exiles at the canal that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And when I searched among the people and priests, I found no Levites there.
Sent a message to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia. They sent us Sherebiah, a man with real insight, with his sons and brothers, and more after him. God was being kind to us.
EZRA 8:16–20 · BSB
Then I summoned the leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, as well as the teachers Joiarib and Elnathan. And I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, with a message for him and his kinsmen, the temple servants at Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God. And since the gracious hand of our God was upon us, they brought us Sherebiah—a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel—along with his sons and brothers, 18 men; also Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah, from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and their sons, 20 men. They also brought 220 of the temple servants, all designated by name. David and the officials had appointed them to assist the Levites.
Called a fast by the canal, to ask God for a safe journey for us, our children and everything we're carrying.
Honestly? I was too embarrassed to ask the king for soldiers. We'd told him our God looks after everyone who looks to him.
EZRA 8:21–22 · BSB
And there by the Ahava Canal I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. For I was ashamed to ask the king for an escort of soldiers and horsemen to protect us from our enemies on the road, 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 forsake Him.”
Weighed out the gifts for God's house to twelve of the leading priests: 650 talents of silver, silver bowls and dishes weighing another 100, and 100 talents of gold. Told them: you belong to the LORD, and so does this. Guard it until it's weighed out again in Jerusalem.
EZRA 8:24–29 · BSB
Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, together with Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers, and I weighed out to them the contribution of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his counselors, his leaders, and all the Israelites there had offered for the house of our God. I weighed out into their hands 650 talents of silver, articles of silver weighing 100 talents, 100 talents of gold, 20 gold bowls valued at 1,000 darics, and two articles of fine polished bronze, as precious as gold. Then I told them, “You are holy to the LORD, and these articles are holy. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the LORD, the God of your fathers. Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the LORD in Jerusalem before the leading priests, Levites, and heads of the Israelite families.”
Four months on the road. God looked after us the whole way and kept us safe from enemies and bandits. And no soldiers. Rested three days, then weighed everything out in the house of our God. Every item counted, the total written down.
He had begun the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him. On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem, and the hand of our God was upon us to protect us from the hands of the enemies and bandits along the way. So we arrived at Jerusalem and rested there for three days. On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out the silver and gold and sacred articles into the hand of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, along with the Levites Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui. Everything was verified by number and weight, and the total weight was recorded at that time.
Some of us had to go and tell Ezra. The people, even priests and Levites, have married into the peoples round us, the ones whose ways God hates. And the leaders and officials were the first to do it.
EZRA 9:1–2 · BSB
After these things had been accomplished, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the surrounding peoples whose abominations are like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. Indeed, the Israelites have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has been mixed with the people of the land. And the leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!”
When I heard, I tore my clothes. Pulled hair out of my head and my beard. Sat there in shock until the evening sacrifice. Everyone who trembled at God's word came and sat round me.
EZRA 9:3–4 · BSB
When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled out some hair from my head and beard, and sat down in horror. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles, while I sat there in horror until the evening offering.
My God, I'm too ashamed to lift my face to you. Our wrongs are piled higher than our heads.
EZRA 9:5–6 · BSB
At the evening offering, I got up from my humiliation with my tunic and cloak torn, and I fell on my knees, spread out my hands to the LORD my God, and said: “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached the heavens.
And yet, for a short moment, you've been kind. You've left a few of us, and given us a foothold in your holy place. Light in our eyes. We're slaves, but you haven't left us.
EZRA 9:8–9 · BSB
But now, for a brief moment, grace has come from the LORD our God to preserve for us a remnant and to give us a stake in His holy place. Even in our bondage, our God has given us new life and light to our eyes. Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but He has extended to us grace in the sight of the kings of Persia, giving us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and giving us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.
Ezra is face down in front of God's house, praying and crying. A huge crowd gathers round him, men, women and children, and they're all crying too.
EZRA 10:1 · BSB
While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, a very large assembly of Israelites—men, women, and children—gathered around him, and the people wept bitterly as well.
We've been unfaithful to our God. But there's still hope for Israel. Let's make an agreement before God to send away the foreign wives and their children, the way the Law says.
Get up, Ezra. It's yours to do, and we're with you. Be strong.
EZRA 10:2–4 · BSB
Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, said to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the people of the land, yet in spite of this, there is hope for Israel. So now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. Get up, for this matter is your responsibility, and we will support you. Be strong and take action!”
Three days' notice to get to Jerusalem or lose everything. So here we all are, sitting in the square in front of God's house. Shaking. Partly because of what this is about. Partly because it's absolutely chucking it down.
EZRA 10:7–9 · BSB
And a proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem. Whoever failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, according to the counsel of the leaders and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles. So within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem, and on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God, trembling regarding this matter and because of the heavy rain.
You've been unfaithful and married foreign women, and added to Israel's guilt. Confess it to the LORD and do what he wants. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from your foreign wives.
EZRA 10:10–11 · BSB
Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to the guilt of Israel. Now, therefore, make a confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from your foreign wives.”
He's right. We have to do what he says. But there are loads of us, it's the rainy season, and we can't stand out here in this. It won't be sorted in a day or two either. Let our leaders deal with it, town by town.
EZRA 10:12–14 · BSB
And the whole assembly responded in a loud voice: “Truly we must do as you say! But there are many people here, and it is the rainy season. We are not able to stay out in the open. Nor is this the work of one or two days, for we have transgressed greatly in this matter. Let our leaders represent the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at an appointed time, together with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.”
Only four men speak against the plan. Ezra picks family heads to look into it, and three months later every case has been dealt with.
EZRA 10:15–17 · BSB
(Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this plan.) So the exiles did as proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, each of them identified by name, to represent their families. On the first day of the tenth month they launched the investigation, and by the first day of the first month they had dealt with all the men who had married foreign women.
The book ends with the list of the men who had married foreign women, priests first. And a last, quiet line: some of them had children with them.
EZRA 10:18; EZRA 10:44 · BSB
Among the descendants of the priests who had married foreign women were found these descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. All these men had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.
Asaph
