1 Un šie ir viņu tēvu namu galvenie, kas, sakārtoti pēc viņu cilšu piederības, devās kopā ar mani prom no Bābeles ķēniņa Artakserksa valdīšanas laikā: 2 no Pinehasa dēliem Geršoms; no Ītamāra dēliem Daniēls; no Dāvida dēliem Hatušs, 3 no Šehanjas dēliem; no Paroša dēliem Zaharja, un ar viņu kopā bija ierakstīti simts piecdesmit vīri; 4 no Pahat-Moāba dēliem Ēljoenajs, Zerahjas dēls, un ar viņu divi simti vīri; 5 no Zatus dēliem Šehanja, Jahaziēla dēls, un ar viņu trīs simti vīri; 6 no Adina dēliem Ebeds, Jonatāna dēls, un ar viņu septiņdesmit vīri; 7 no Ēlāma dēliem Jesaja, Ataljas dēls, un ar viņu septiņdesmit vīri; 8 no Šefatjas dēliem Zebadja, Mihaēla dēls, un ar viņu astoņdesmit vīri; 9 no Joāba dēliem Obadja, Jehiēla dēls, un ar viņu divi simti astoņpadsmit vīri; 10 no Banija dēliem Šelomits, Josifjas dēls, un ar viņu simts sešdesmit vīri; 11 no Bebaja dēliem Zaharja, Bebaja dēls, un ar viņu divdesmit astoņi vīri; 12 no Azgada dēliem Johanāns, Hakatana dēls, un ar viņu simts desmit vīri; 13 no Adonikāma dēliem tie, kas nāca vēlāk; šie ir viņu vārdi: Ēlīfelets, Jehiēls un Šemaja un ar viņiem sešdesmit vīri; 14 no Bigvaja dēliem Utajs un Zabuds, un ar viņiem septiņdesmit vīri. 15 Un es sapulcināju viņus pie upes, kas tek uz Ahavu, un mēs tur apmetāmies trīs dienas nometnē. Kad es pārlūkoju ļaudis un priesterus, es neatradu tur nevienu no Levija dēliem. 16 Tad es sūtīju pēc Ēliēzera, Ariēla, Šemajas, Ēlnātāna, Jariba, Ēlnātāna, Nātāna, Zaharjas un Mešullāma, kas visi bija vadoņi, kā arī pēc Jojariba un Ēlnātāna, kas abi bija sapratīgi vīri, 17 un es pavēlēju viņiem doties pie Ido, kas bija Kasifjas novietnes priekšnieks, un es liku noteiktus vārdus viņu mutē, ko lai viņi runā uz Ido un viņa brāļiem, Tempļa kalpotājiem Kasifjas apvidū, proti, lai sūta mums kalpus mūsu Dieva namam. 18 Un viņi atveda mums, tādēļ ka Dieva žēlīgā roka bija pār mums, kādu sapratīgu vīru no Mahlija, Levija dēla, Israēla dēla, dēliem, proti, Šerebju un viņa dēlus, un viņa brāļus, kopā astoņpadsmit; 19 tālāk Hašabju un ar viņu Jesaju no Merārija dēliem, viņu brāļus un viņu dēlus, kopā divdesmit; 20 un divi simti divdesmit Tempļa kalpotājus, ko Dāvids un viņa lielkungi bija piešķīruši levītiem par apkalpotājiem. Viņi visi ir atzīmēti pēc vārdiem. 21 Un es izsludināju tur gavēni pie Ahavas upes, lai zemotos mūsu Dieva priekšā un izlūgtos no Viņa līdzenu ceļu sev pašiem, mūsu mazajiem bērniem un visai mūsu mantai, 22 bet es kaunējos prasīt no ķēniņa karaspēku un jātniekus, kas lai aizsargātu mūs ceļā no ienaidnieka, jo mēs bijām sacījuši ķēniņam tā: "Mūsu Dieva roka valda par glābiņu pār visiem, kas meklē Viņu, bet Viņa vara un dusmas ir pret visiem, kas Viņu atmet." 23 Tā mēs gavējām un lūdzām no mūsu Dieva palīdzību šai lietā, un Viņš ļāvās pielūgties. 24 Tad es izraudzīju divpadsmit no priesteru galveniem: Šerebju, Hašabju un ar viņiem desmit no viņu brāļiem, 25 un izsvēru viņiem sudrabu un zeltu, un traukus, kas bija ziedojums mūsu Dieva namam, ko ķēniņš un viņa padomnieki, un viņa lielkungi un viss Israēls, kas tur atradās, bija ziedojuši. 26 Un es iesvēru viņu rokās seši simti piecdesmit sudraba talentus un sudraba traukus simts talentu vērtībā un simts zelta talentu, 27 divdesmit zelta kausus tūkstoš dareiku vērtībā un divus traukus no tīra spoža vara, krāšņu kā zelts. 28 Un es sacīju viņiem: "Jūs esat svēti Tam Kungam, un šie trauki ir svētums, un šis sudrabs un zelts ir labprātīga dāvana Tam Kungam, jūsu tēvu Dievam. 29 Esiet modrīgi un sargājiet to, līdz jūs nosvērsit to priesteru galveno un levītu un Israēla tēvu namu galveno priekšā Jeruzālemē, Dieva nama telpās." 30 Tā priesteri un levīti pārņēma savā zināšanā nosvērto sudrabu un zeltu un traukus, lai aizvestu uz Jeruzālemi, uz mūsu Dieva namu. 31 Tad mēs devāmies prom no Ahavas upes pirmā mēneša divpadsmitajā dienā, lai ietu uz Jeruzālemi; mūsu Dieva roka bija pār mums, un Viņš mūs izglāba no ienaidnieka rokas un no tā, kas uzglūn ceļa malā. 32 Mēs nonācām Jeruzālemē un palikām tur trīs dienas. 33 Ceturtajā dienā mēs iesvērām sudrabu un zeltu, un traukus mūsu Dieva namā priestera Meremota, Ūrijas dēla, rokā, un pie viņa bija Ēleāzars, Pinehasa dēls, un ar viņiem bija levīti Jozabāds, Ješuas dēls, un Noadja, Binnuja dēls, - 34 mēs pierakstījām visu pēc skaita un svara un arī visu kopējo svaru. 35 Tad no trimdas pārnākušie trimdinieki nesa dedzināmos upurus Israēla Dievam: divpadsmit vēršus par visu Israēlu, deviņdesmit sešus aunus, septiņdesmit septiņus jērus un divpadsmit āžus kā grēku salīdzināšanas upuri; tas viss bija dedzināmais upuris Tam Kungam. 36 Un viņi arī nodeva ķēniņa rīkojumus ķēniņa vietvalžiem un Aiz-Eifratas pārvaldniekiem; pēc tam tie atbalstīja tautu un Dieva namu.
The Families Who Came Back with Ezra
1 Artaxerxes was king of Persia when I led the following chiefs of the family groups from Babylonia to Jerusalem:
2-14 Gershom of the Phinehas family;Daniel of the Ithamar family;Hattush son of Shecaniah of the David family;Zechariah and 150 other men of the Parosh family, who had family records;Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah with 200 men of the Pahath Moab family;Shecaniah son of Jahaziel with 300 men of the Zattu family; Ebed son of Jonathan with 50 men of the Adin family;Jeshaiah son of Athaliah with 70 men of the Elam family;Zebadiah son of Michael with 80 men of the Shephatiah family;Obadiah son of Jehiel with 218 men of the Joab family;Shelomith son of Josiphiah with 160 men of the Bani family; Zechariah son of Bebai with 28 men of the Bebai family;Johanan son of Hakkatan with 110 men of the Azgad family;Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah who returned sometime later with 60 men of the Adonikam family;Uthai and Zaccur with 70 men of the Bigvai family.
Ezra Finds Levites for the Temple
15 I brought everyone together by the river that flows to the town of Ahava where we camped for three days. Not one Levite could be found among the people and priests. 16 So I sent for the leaders Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam. I also sent for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were very wise counselors. 17 Then I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, and I told them to ask him and his temple workers to send people to serve in God's temple.
18 God was kind to us and caused them to send a skillful man named Sherebiah, who was a Levite from the family of Mahli. Eighteen of his relatives came with him. 19 We were also sent Hashabiah and Jeshaiah from the family of Merari along with 20 of their relatives. 20 In addition, 220 others came to help the Levites in the temple. The ancestors of these workers had been chosen years ago by King David and his officials, and they were all listed by name.
Ezra Asks the People To Go without Eating and To Pray
21 Beside the Ahava River, I asked the people to go without eating and to pray. We humbled ourselves and asked God to bring us and our children safely to Jerusalem with all of our possessions. 22 I was ashamed to ask the king to send soldiers and cavalry to protect us against enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king that our God takes care of everyone who truly worships him, but that he gets very angry and punishes anyone who refuses to obey. 23 So we went without food and asked God himself to protect us, and he answered our prayers.
The Gifts for the Temple
24 I chose twelve of the leading priests—Sherebiah, Hashabiah and ten of their relatives. 25-27 Then I weighed the gifts that had been given for God's temple, and I divided them among the twelve priests I had chosen. There were gifts of silver and gold, as well as the articles that the king, his advisors and officials, and the people of Israel had contributed. In all there were: 22 tons of silver; 100 silver articles weighing 70 kilograms; 3.4 tons of gold; 20 gold bowls weighing over 8 kilograms; and 2 polished bronze articles as valuable as gold.
28 I said to the priests:
You belong to the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and these things also belong to him. The silver and gold were willingly given as gifts to the Lord. 29 Be sure to guard them and keep them safe until you reach Jerusalem. Then weigh them inside God's temple in the presence of the chief priests, the Levites, and the heads of the Israelite families.
30 The priests and Levites then took charge of the gifts that had been weighed, so they could take them to the temple of our God in Jerusalem.
The Return to Jerusalem
31 On the twelfth day of the first month, we left the Ahava River and started for Jerusalem. Our God watched over us, and as we traveled along, he kept our enemies from ambushing us.
32 After arriving in Jerusalem, we rested for three days. 33 Then on the fourth day we went to God's temple, where the silver, the gold, and the other things were weighed and given to the priest Meremoth son of Uriah. With him were Eleazar son of Phinehas and the two Levites, Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui. 34 Everything was counted, weighed, and recorded.
35 Those who had returned from exile offered sacrifices on the altar to the God of Israel. Twelve bulls were offered for all Israel. Ninety-six rams and 77 lambs were offered on the altar, and 12 goats were sacrificed for the sins of the people. 36 Some of those who had returned took the king's orders to the governors and officials in Western Province. Then the officials did what they could for the people and for the temple of God.
