American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there was gathered together unto him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very sore.
And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land: yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.
Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of {Or, the Lord}my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.
Arise; for the matter belongeth unto thee, and we are with thee: be of good courage, and do it.
Now these are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity of those that had been carried away, whom {Hebrew: Nebuchadnezzor.}Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and that returned unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;
who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, {In Nehemiah 7:7, Azariah}Seraiah, {In Nehemiah 7:7, Raamiah.}Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, {In Nehemiah 7:7, Mispereth.}Mispar, Bigvai, {In Nehemiah 7:7, Nehum.}Rehum, Baanah.The number of the men of the people of Israel:
The children of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy and two.
The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.
The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.
The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.
The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.
The children of {In Nehemiah 7:15, Binnut.}Bani, six hundred forty and two.
The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.
The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two.
The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.
The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.
The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.
The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.
The children of {In Nehemiah 7:24, Hariph.}Jorah, a hundred and twelve.
The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.
The children of {In Nehemiah 7:25, Gibeon.}Gibbar, ninety and five.
The children of Beth-lehem, a hundred twenty and three.
The men of Netophah, fifty and six.
The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight.
The children of {In Nehemiah 7:28, Beth-azmaveth.}Azmaveth, forty and two.
The children of {In Nehemiah 7:29, Kiriath-rearim.}Kiriath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three.
The children of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty and one.
The men of Michmas, a hundred twenty and two.
The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.
The children of Nebo, fifty and two.
The children of Magbish, a hundred fifty and six.
The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five.
The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.
The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.
The children of Pashhur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.
The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of {In Chapter 3:9, Judah. In Nehemiah 7:43, Hodevah.}Hodaviah, seventy and four.
The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight.
The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all a hundred thirty and nine.
The Nethinim: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
the children of Keros, the children of {In Nehemiah 7:47, Sia.}Siaha, the children of Padon,
the children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,
the children of Hagab, the children of {In Nehemiah 7:48, Salmai.}Shamlai, the children of Hanan,
the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah,
the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam,
the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,
the children of Asnah, the children of Meunim, the children of {Another reading is, Nephushesim.}Nephisim,
the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
the children of {In Nehemiah 7:54, Bazlith.}Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah,
the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of {In Nehemiah 7:57, Sophereth.}Hassophereth, the children of {In Nehemiah 7:57, Perida.}Peruda,
the children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the children of {In Nehemiah 7:59, Amon.}Ami.
All the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.
And these were they that went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, {In Nehemiah 7:61, Addon.}Addan, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers' houses, and their seed, whether they were of Israel:
the children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.
And of the children of the priests: the children of {In Nehemiah 7:63, Hobaiah.}Habaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name.
These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore {Hebrew: they were polluted from the priesthood.}were they deemed polluted and put from the priesthood.
And the governor said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.
The whole assembly together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,
besides their men-servants and their maid-servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred singing men and singing women.
Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five;
their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.
And some of the heads of fathers' houses, when they came to the house of Jehovah which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for the house of God to set it up in its place:
they gave after their ability into the treasury of the work threescore and one thousand darics of gold, and five thousand {Hebrew: maneh.}pounds of silver, and one hundred priests' garments.
So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple unto Jehovah, the God of Israel;
then they drew near to Zerubabbel, and to the heads of fathers' houses, and said unto them, Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as ye do; {Another reading is, yet we do not sacrifice since &c.}and we sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up hither.
But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us in building a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and {Or, terrified}troubled them in building,
and hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
And in the reign of {Or, Xerxes Hebrew: Ahashrerosh.}Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
And in the days of {Hebrew: Artahshashta.}Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the {Or, Aramaic.}Syrian character, and set forth in the {Or, Aramaic.}Syrian tongue.
{Chapter 4:8-6, 18 is in Aramaic.}Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,
and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over, and set in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River, and so forth.
This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto Artaxerxes the king: Thy servants the men beyond the River, and so forth.
Be it known unto the king, that the Jews that came up from thee are come to us unto Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and have finished the walls, and repaired the foundations.
Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful unto the kings.
Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not meet for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and certified the king;
that search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time; for which cause was this city laid waste.
We certify the king that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, by this means thou shalt have no portion beyond the River.
Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and {Or, unto the rest beyond &c.}in the rest of the country beyond the River: Peace, and so forth.
The letter which ye sent unto us hath been {Or, translated}plainly read before me.
And I decreed, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid unto them.
Make ye now a decree to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until a decree shall be made by me.
And take heed that ye be not slack herein: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
But unto the married I give charge, yea not I, but the Lord, That the wife depart not from her husband
(but should she depart, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband); and that the husband leave not his wife.
But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not leave her.
And the woman that hath an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband.
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called {Many ancient authorities read you.}us in peace.
For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O husband, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness?