The house of God is finished, 7. and dedicated, 10. the feast of Pasch is also celebrated seuen dayes with Azimes.
THEN Sisennes the deputie of Coelesyria, and Phaenice, and Satrabuzames, and their felowes, obeying those thinges which were decreed of Darius the king, (1 Esd 6:13) 2 applied the sacred workes most diligently, working together with the ancientes of the Iewes, the princes of Syria. 3 And the sacred workes prospered, Aggeus & Zacharias the prophetes prophecying. 4 And they accomplished al thinges by the precept of our Lord the God of Israel, and by the counsel of Cyrus, & Darius, and Artaxerxes the king of the Persians. 5 And our house was a finishing vntil the three and twentith day of the moneth of Adar, the sixth yeare of Darius the king. 6 And the children of Israel, and the Priestes and Leuites, and the rest that were of the captiuitie, which were added did according to those thinges that are written in the booke of Moyses. 7 And they offered for the dedication of the temple of our Lord, oxen an hundred, rammes two hundred, lambes foure hundred. 8 And kiddes for the sinnes of al Israel, twelue, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 9 And the Priestes and Leuites stood clothed with stoles by tribes, ouer al the workes of our Lord the God of Israel, according to the booke of Moyses, and the porters at euerie gate. 10 And the children of Israel, wih them that were of the captiuitie celebrated the phase of the fourtenth moone of the first moneth, when the Priestes and Leuites were sanctified. 11 Al the children of the captiuitie were not sanctified together, because al the Leuites were sanctified together. 12 And al the children of the captuitie immolated the phase, both for their brethren the Priestes, and for them selues. 13 And the children of Israel did eate, they that were of the captiuitie al that remayned apart from al the abominations of the nations of the land seeking our Lord. 14 And they celebrated the festiual day of Azymes seuen dayes feasting in the sight of our Lord. 15 Because he turned the counsel of the king of the Assirians toward them, to strengthen their handes to the workes of our Lord the God of Israel.
CHAP. VIII.
Esdras going from Babylon to Ierusalem, 9. carieth king Artaxerxes fauourable letters, 14. with licence to take gold, siluer, and al thinges necessarie at their pleasure. 31. The chief men that goe with him are recited. 51. He voweth a fast praying for good success in their iorney. 56. weigheth the gold and siluer, which he deliuereth to the Priestes, and Leuites. 69. And seuerely admonisheth the people to repentance, for their mariages made with infideles.
AND after him when Artaxerxes king of the Persians reigned, came Esdras the sonne of Azarias, the sonne of Helcias the sonne of Salome, (1 Esd 7:1) 2 the sonne of Sadoc, the sonne of Achitob, the sonne of Ameri, the sonne of Azahel, the sonne of Bocci, the sonne of Abisue, the sonne of Phinees the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron the first priest. 3 This Esdras came vp from Babylon being scribe & wise in the law of Moyses, which was geuen of our Lord the God of Israel to teach and to doe. 4 And the king gaue him glorie, because he had found grace in al dignitie and desire in his sight. 5 And there went vp with him of the children of Israel, and the Priestes, and the Leuites, and the sacred singers of the temple, and the porters, and the seuantes of the temple into Ierusalem. 6 In the seuenth yeare when Artaxerxes reigned in the fifth moneth, this is the seuenth yeare of his reigne, going forth of Babylon in the newmoone of the fifth moneth, 7 they came to Ierusalem according to his commandment, according to the prosperitie of their iourney, which their Lord gaue them. 8 For in these Esdras had great knowlege, that he would not pretermitte anie of those thinges, which were according to the law, and the preceptes of our Lord, and in teaching al Israel al iusticie and iudgement. 9 And they that wrote the writinges of Araxerxes the king, coming deliuered the writing which was granted of Artaxerxes the king to Esdras the Priest, & the reader of the law of our Lord, the copie wherof here foloweth. 10 KING Artaxerxes to Esdras the Priest, and reader of the law of the Lord, greeting. 11 I of curtesie esteming it among benifites, haue commanded them that of their owne accord are desirous of the nation of the Iewes, and of the Priestes and Leuites, which are in my kingdom, to goe with thee into Ierusalem. 12 If anie therfore desire to goe with thee, let them come together, and set forward as it hath pleased me, and my seuen freindes my counselers: 13 that they may visite those thinges which are done touching Iurie and Ierusalem, obseruing as thou hast in the law of the Lord. 14 And let them carie the giftes to the Lord the God of Israel, which I haue vowed and my freindes to Ierusalem, and al the gold and siluer, that shal be found in the countrie of Babylon to the Lord in Ierusalem, with that, 15 which is geuen for the nation it self vnto the temple of their Lord which is in Ierusalem: that this gold and siluer be gathered for oxen, and rammes, and lambes, and kiddes, and for the thinges that are agreable to these, 16 that they may offer hostes to the Lord vpon the altar of their Lord, which is in Ierusalem. 17 And al thinges whatsoeuer thou with thy brethren wilt doe with gold and siluer, doe it at thy pleasure according to the precept of the Lord thy God. 18 And the sacred vessels, which are geuen thee to the workes of the house of the Lord thy God, which is in Ierusalem. 19 And other thinges whatsoeuer shal helpe thee to the workes of the temple of thy God, thou shalt geue it out of the kings treasure. 20 When thou with thy brethren wilt doe ought with gold and siluer, doe according to the wil of the Lord. 21 And I king Artaxerxes haue geuen commandment to the keepers of the treasure of Syria and Phaenice, that what thinges soeuer Esdras the Priest and reader of the law of the Lord, shal write for, they geue him vnto an hundred talentes of siluer, likewise also of gold. 22 And vnto an hundred measures of corne, & an hundred vessels of wine, and other thinges whatsoeuer abound without taxing. 23 Let al thinges be done to the most high God according to the law of God, lest perhaps there arise wrath in the reigne of the king, and of his sonne, and his sonnes. 24 And to you it is sayd, that vpon al the Priestes, and Leuites, and sacred singers, and seruantes of the temple, & scribes of this temple 25 no tribute, nor any other taxe be sette, and that no man haue auctoritie to obiect any thing to them. 26 But thou Esdras according to the wisedom of God appoynt iudges, and arbitrers in al Syria and Phaenice: and teach al them that know no the law of thy God: 27 that whosoeuer shal transgresse the law, they be diligently punished either with death, or with torment, or els with a forfeite of money, or with banishment. 28 And Esdras the scribe sayd: Blessed be the God of our fathers, which hath geuen this wil into the kings hart, to glorifie his house, which is in Ierusalem. 29 And hath honoured me in the sight of the king, and of his counselers, and freindes, and them that weare purple. 30 And I was made constant in minde according to the ayde of our Lord my God, and gathered together of Israel men, that should goe vp together with me. 31 And these are the princes according to their kindredes, and seueral principalities of them that came vp from Babylon the kingdom of Artaxerxes. (1 Esd 8:1) 32 Of the children of Phares, Gerfomus: and of the children of Siemarith, Amenus: of the children of Dauid, Acchus the sonne of Scecilia: 33 Of the children of Phares, Zacharias, and with him returned an hundred fiftie men. 34 Of the children of leader Moabilion, Zaraei, and with him two hundred fiftie men: 35 Of the children of Zachues, Iechonias of Zechoel, and with him two hundred fiftie men: 36 of the children of Sala, Maasias of Gotholia, & with him seuentie men: 37 of the children of Saphatia, Zarias of Michel, and with him eightie men: 38 of the children of Iob, Abdias of Iehel, and with him two hundred twelue men: 39 of the children of Bania, Salimoth, the sonne of Iosaphia, and with him an hundred sixtie men: 40 of the children of Beer, Zacharias Bebei, and with him two hundred eight men: 41 of the children of Ezead, Ioannes of Eccetan, and with him an hundred ten men: 42 of the children of Adonicam, which were last, and these are their names, Eliphalam the sonne of Gebel, and Semeias, and with him seuentie men. 43 And I gathered them together to the riuer that is called Thia, and we camped there three dayes, and vewed them againe. 44 And of the children of the Priestes and Leuites I found not there. 45 And I sent to Eleazarus, and Eccelon, and Masman, and Maloban, and Enaathan, and Samea, and Ioribum, Nathan, Enuaugam, Zacharias, and Mosolam the leaders them selues, and that were skilful. 46 And I sayd to them that they should come to Loddeus, who was at the place of the treasurie. 47 And I commanded them to say to Loddeus, and his brethren, and to them that were in the treasurie, that they should send vs them that might doe the function of priesthood in the house of the Lord our God. 48 And they brought vnto vs according to the mightie hand of the Lord our God cunning men: of the children of Moholi, the sonne of Leui, the sonne of Israel, Sebebia, & his sonnes and brethren, which were eightene: 49 Asbia, and Amin of the sonnes of the children of Chananeus, and their children twentie men. 50 And of them that serued the temple, whom Dauid gaue, and the princes themselues to the ministerie of the Leuites of them that serued the temple, two hundred twentie. Al their names were signified in writings. 51 And I vowed there a fast to the yong men in the sight of God, that I might aske of him a good iourney for vs, and them that were with vs, and for the children, and the cattel because of ambushementes. 52 For I was ashamed to aske of the king footemen and horsemen in my companie, to guard vs, against our aduersaries. 53 For we sayd to the king that the power of our Lord wil be with them that seeke him with al affection. 54 And agayne we besought the Lord our God according to these thinges: whom also we had propicious, and we obteyned of our God. 55 And I separated of the rulers of the people, and of the Priestes of the temple, twelue men, and Sedebia, and Asanna, and with them of their brethren ten men. 56 And I weyed to them the gold and siluer, and the vessels of the house of our God perteyning to the Priestes, which the king had geuen, and his counselers, and the princes, and al Israel. 57 And when I had weyed it, I deliuered of siluer an hundred fiftie talentes, and siluer vessels of an hundred talentes, and of gold an hundred talentes. 58 And of vessels of gold seuen score and twelue brasen vessels good of shyning brasse, resembling the forme of gold. 59 And I sayd to them: You are also sanctified to our Lord, and the vessels be holie, and the gold and siluer is vowed to our Lord the God of our fathers. 60 Watch and keepe, til you deliuer them to some of the rulers of the people, and to the Priestes, and Leuites, and to the princes of the cities of Israel in Ierusalem, in the treasurie of the house of our God. 61 And those Priestes and Leuites that receiued the gold and siluer and vessels, brought it to Ierusalem into the temple of our Lord. 62 And we went forward from the riuer Thia, the twelfth day of the first moneth, til we entred into Ierusalem. 63 And when the third day was come, in the fourth day the gold being weyed, and the siluer, was deliuered in the house of the Lord our God, to Marimoth Priest the sonne of Iori. 64 And with him was Eleazar the sonne of Phinees: and with them were Iosadus the sonne of Iesus, and Medias, and Banni the sonne of a Leuite, by number and weight al thinges. 65 And the weight of them was writen the same houre. 66 And they that came out of the captiuitie, offered sacrifice to our Lord the God of Israel, oxen twelue, for al Israel, rammes eightie six, 67 lambes seuentie two, bucke goates for sinne twelue, and for health twelue kyne, al for the sacrifice of our Lord. 68 And they read againe the preceptes of the king to the kinges officers, and to the deputies of Coelesyria, and Phoenice: and they honored the nation, and the temple of our Lord. 69 And these thinges being finished, the rulers came to me, saying: The stocke of Isreal, and the princes, and the Priestes, and the Leuites, (1 Esd 9:1) 70 and the strange people, and nations of the land haue not separated their vncleannes from the Chananeites, and Hetheites, and Pherezeites, and Iebuseites, and Moobites, & AEgyptians, and Idumeians. 71 For they are ioyned to their daughters both themselues, and their sonnes: and the holie sede is mingled with the strange nations of the earth, and the rulers and magistrates were partakers of that iniquitie from the beginning of the reigne it self. 72 And forthwith as I heard these thinges, I rent my garmentes and sacred tunike: and tearing the heares of my head, and my beard, I sate sorowful and heauie. 73 And there assembled to me mourning vpon this iniquitie, as manie as were then moued by the word of our Lord the God of Israel, and I sate sad vntil the euening sacrifice. 74 And I rising vp from fasting, hauing my garmentes rent and the sacred tunike, kneeling, and stretching forth my handes to our Lord, 75 I sayd: Lord I am confounded, and ashamed before thy face, 76 for our sinnes are multiplied ouer our heades, and our iniquities are exalted euen to heauen. 77 Because from the times of our fathers we are in great sinne vnto this day. 78 And for the sinnes of vs, and of our fathers we haue bene deliuered with our brethren, and with our Priestes to the kinges of the earth, into sword and captiuitie, and spoile with confusion vnto this present day. 79 And now what a great thing is this that mercie hath happened to vs from thee o Lord God, & leaue thou vnto vs a roote, and a name in the place of thy sanctification, 80 to discouer our light in the house of the Lord our God, to geue vs meate in al the time of our bondage. 81 And when we serued, we were not forsaken of the Lord our God: but he sette vs in fauour, appointing the kinges of the Persians to geue us meate, 82 and to glorifie the temple of the Lord our God, and to build the desolations of Sion, to geue vs stabilitie in Iurie, and Ierusalem. 83 And now what say we Lord, hauing these thinges? For we haue transgressed thy preceptes, which thou gauest into the handes of thy seruantes the prophetes, 84 saying: That the land into which ye entred to possesse the inheritance therof, is a land polluted with the coinquinations of the strangers of the land, and their vncleanes hath filled it wholy with their filthines. 85 And now your daughters you shal not match with their sonnes, and their daughters you shal not take for your sonnes. 86 And you shal not seeke to haue peace with them for euer, that growing strong you may eate the best things of the land, and may distribute the inheritance to your children for euer. 87 And the thinges that happen to vs, al are done for our nauhtie workes, and our great sinnes. 88 And thou gauest vs such a roote, and we are returned againe to transgresse thy ordinances, that we would be mingled with the vncleannes of the nations of this land. 89 Wilt not thou be wrath with vs to destroy vs, til there be no roote left nor our name? 90 Lord God of Israel thou art true. For there is a roote left vntil this present day. 91 Behold, now we are in thy sight in our iniquities. For it is not to stand any longer before thee in these matters. 92 And when Esdras with adoration confessed weeping, lying flat on the ground before the temple, there were gathered before him out of Ierusalem a verie great multitude, men and wemen, and yong men and yong wemen. For there was great weeping in the multitude it self. (1 Esd 10:1) 93 And when he had cried, Iechonias of Ieheli of the children of Israel, sayd to Esdras: We haue sinned against our Lord, for that we haue taken vnto vs in mariage strange wemen of the nations of the land. 94 And now thou art ouer al Israel, in these therfore let there be an othe from our Lord to expel al our wiues that are of strangers with their children. 95 As it was decreed to thee of the ancesters according to the law of our Lord, rising vp declare it. 96 For to thee the busines perteineth, and we are with thee: doe manfully. 97 And Esdras rysing vp adiured the princes of the Priestes and Leuites, and al Israel to doe according to these thinges and they sware.
CHAP. IX.
Esdras fasting for the sinnes of the people, commandeth that they separate al strange wemen from them. 18. The Priestes and Leuites, which had offended herein, are recited. 38 He readeth the law before the people: 48 certaine doe expound to the multitudes in seueral places. 52 And so they are dismissed with ioy.
AND Esdras rysing vp from before the court of the temple, went into the chamber of Ionathas the sonne of Nasabi. (1 Esd 10:6) 2 And lodging there he tasted no bread, nor dranke water for the iniquitie of the multitude. 3 And there was proclamation made in al Iurie, & in Ierusalem to al that were of the captiuitie gathered in Ierusalem, 4 that whosoeuer shal not appeare with in two or three dayes, according to the iudgement of the ancients sitting vpon it, their goods should be taken away, and himselfe should be iudged an alien from the multitude of the captiuitie. 5 And al were gathered that were of the tribe of Iuda, and of Beniamin within three dayes in Ierusalem: this is the ninth moneth, the twentith day of the moneth. 6 And al the multitude sate in the court of the temple trembling, for the present winter. 7 And Esdras rysing vp sayd to them: You haue done vnlawfully taking to you in mariage strang wiues, that you might adde to the sinnes of Israel. 8 And now geue confession, & magnificence to our Lord the God of our fathers: 9 and accomplish his wil, and depart from the nations of the land, and from your wiues the strangers. 10 And al the multitude cried, and they sayd with a lowde voice: As thou hast sayd, we wil doe. 11 But because the multitude is great, and winter time, and we can not stand in the ayre without succour: and this is a worke for vs not of one day, nor of two, for we haue sinned much in these thinges: 12 Let the rulers of the multitude stand, and that dwel with vs, and as manie as haue with them forreine wiues, 13 and at a time appointed let the priestes out of euerie place, and the iudges assist, vntil they appeaze the wrath of our Lord concerning this busines. 14 And Ionathas the sonne of Ezeli, and Ozias of Thecam tooke vpon them according to these wordes: and Bosoramus, and Leuis, and Sabbathaeus, wrought together with them. 15 And al that were of the captiuitie stood according to al these thinges. 16 And Esdras the priest chose vnto him men the great princes of their fathers according to their names: & they sate together in the newmoone of the tenth moneth to examine this busines. 17 And they determined of the men that had outlandish wiues, vntil the newmoone of the first moneth. 18 And there were found of the priestes entermingled that had outlandish wiues. 19 Of the sonnes of Iesus the sonne of Iosedec, and his brethren: Maseas, and Eleazarus, and Ioribus, and Ioadeus, 20 and they put to their handes to expel their wiues: and to offer a ramme to obtayne pardon for their ignorance. 21 And the sonnes of Semmeri: Maseas and Esses, Ieelech, and Azarias. 22 And of the children of Fofere: Limosias, Hismaenis, and Nathanee, Iussio, Reddus, and Thalsas. 23 And of the Leuites: Iorabdus, and Semeis, and Colnis, and Calitas, and Facteas, and Coluas, and Eliomas, 24 and of the sacred singing men, Eliasib, Zaccarus. 25 And of the porters, Salumus, and Tolbanes. 26 And of Israel: of the sonnes of Foro, Ozi, and Remias, and Geddias, & Melchias, and Michelus, Eleazarus, and Iammebias, and Bannas. 27 And of the sonnes of Iolaman: Chamas, and Zacharias, and Iezuelus, and Ioddius, and Erimoth, and Helias. 28 And of the sonnes of Zathoim: Eliadas, and Liasumus, Zochias, and Larimoth, & Zabdis, and Thebedias. 29 And of the sonnes of Zebes: Ioannes, and Amanias, and Zabdias, and Emeus. 30 And of the sonnes of Banni: Olamus, & Maluchus, and Ieddeus, and Iasub, and Azabus, & Ierimoth. 31 And of the sonnes of Addin: Nathus, and Moosias, & Caleus, and Raanas, Maaseas, Mathathias, and Beseel, and Bonnus, and Manasses. 32 And of the sonnes of Nuae: Noneas, and Aseas, and Melchias, and Sameas, and Simon, Beniamin, and Malchus, and Marras. 33 And of the sonnes of Asom: Carianeus, Mathathias, & Bannus, & Eliphalach, and Manasses, and Semei. 34 And of the sonnes of Banni: Ieremias, and Moadias, and Abramus, & Iohel, and Baneas, & Pelias, and Ionas, and Marimoth, & Eliasib, and Matheneus, and Eliasis, and Orizas, and Dielus, and Semedius, & Zambris, and Iosephus. 35 And of the sonnes of Nobei: Idelus, and Mathathias, and Sabadus, and Zecheda, Zedmi, and Iessei, Baneas. 36 Al these maried outlandish wiues, and did put them away with their children. 37 And the Priestes and the Leuites, and they that were of Israel, dwelt in Ierusalem, and in the whole countrie in the newmoone of the seuenth moneth. And the children of Israel were in their habitations. 38 And al the multitude was gathered together into the court, which is on the east of the sacred gate: 39 and they sayd to Esdras the high priest, and reader, that he should bring the law of Moyses, which was deliuered of our Lord the God of Israel. 40 And Esdras the high priest brought the law to al the multitude of them from man vnto woman, and to al the priestes to heare the law in the newmoone of the seuenth moneth. 41 And he read in the court, which is before the sacred gate of the temple, from breake of day vntil euening before men and wemen. And they al gaue their minde to the law. 42 And Esdras the priest, and reader of the law stoode vpon a tribunal of wood, which was made. 43 And by him stood Mathathias, and Samus, and Ananias, Azarias, Vrias, Ezechias, and Balsamus on the right hand, 44 and on the left Faldeus, Misael, Malachias, Ambusthas, Sabus, Nabadias, and Zacharias. 45 And Esdras tooke the booke before al the multitude: for he was chiefe in glorie in the sight of al. 46 And when he had ended the law, they stood al vpright: and Esdras blessed our Lord the most high God, the God of Sabaoth omnipotent. 47 And al the people answered: Amen. And lifting vp their handes falling on the ground, they adored our Lord. 48 Iesus and Banaeus, and Sarebias, and Iaddimus, and Accubus, and Sabbathaeus, and Calithes, & Azarias, and Ioradus, and Ananias, and Philias Leuites, 49 who taught the law of our Lord, and read the same in the multitude, & euerie one preferred them that vnderstood the lesson. 50 And Atharathes sayd to Esdras the high priest and the reader, and to the Leuites, that taught the multitude, 51 saying: This day is sancitified to our Lord. And they al wept, when they had heard the law. 52 And Esdras sayd, departing therfore eate ye al the fattest thinges, & drinke al most swete things, and send giftes to them that haue not. 53 For this is the holy day of our Lord, & be not sad. For our Lord wil glorifie you. 54 And the Leuites denounced openly to al, saying: This day is holie, be not sad. 55 And they went al to eate, and drinke, and make merie, and to geue giftes to them that had not, that they might make merie, for they were excedingly exalted with the wordes that they were taught. 56 And they were al gathered in Ierusalem to celebrate the ioy, according to the testament of our Lord the God of Israel.