Ezra 4

Ezra 4

Ezra 4:1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple for Yahveh, the God of Israel,

Ezra 4:2 they approached Zerubbabel and the family heads and said, “Let us build with you, for we also worship your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time King Esar-haddon of Assyria brought us here.”

Ezra 4:3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of Israel’s families answered them, “You may have no part with us in building a house for our God since we alone will build it for Yahveh, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded[1] us.”

Ezra 4:4 Then the people already in the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build.

Ezra 4:5 They also bribed officials to act against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia.

Ezra 4:6 At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus, the people who were already in the land wrote an accusation against the residents of Judah and Jerusalem.

Ezra 4:7 During the time of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his colleagues wrote to him in Aramaic and translated.

Ezra 4:8 Rehum, the chief deputy, and Shimshai, the scribe, wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes concerning Jerusalem as follows:

Ezra 4:9 From Rehum, the chief deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues– the judges and magistrates from Tripolis, Persia, Erech, Babylon, Susa (that is, the people of Elam),

Ezra 4:10 and the rest of the peoples whom the great and illustrious Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and the region west of the Euphrates River.

Ezra 4:11 This is the text of the letter they sent to him: To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men from the region west of the Euphrates River:

Ezra 4:12 Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you have returned to us at Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and evil city, finishing its walls, and repairing its foundations.

Ezra 4:13 Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax, and the royal revenue will suffer.

Ezra 4:14 Since we have taken an oath of loyalty to the king, and it is not suitable for us to witness his dishonor, we have sent to inform the king.

Ezra 4:15 states that a search should be made in your ancestors’ record books. In these record books, you will discover and verify that the city was rebellious and harmful to kings and provinces. Revolts have been occurring in it since ancient times, which is why this city was destroyed.

Ezra 4:16 We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, you will not have any possession west of the Euphrates.

Ezra 4:17 The king replied to his chief deputy Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates River: Greetings.

Ezra 4:18 The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence.

Ezra 4:19 I issued a decree, and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has had uprisings against kings since ancient times, and there have been rebellions and revolts.

Ezra 4:20 Powerful kings also ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates River, and tribute, duty, and land tax were paid to them.

Ezra 4:21 Therefore, order these men to stop so that this city will not be rebuilt until I have pronounced a further decree.

Ezra 4:22 Do not neglect this matter. Otherwise, the damage will increase, and the royal interests will suffer.

Ezra 4:23 As soon as the text of King Artaxerxes’s letter was read to Rehum, Shimshai, the scribe, and their colleagues, they immediately went to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.

Ezra 4:24 Now, the construction of God’s house in Jerusalem had stopped and remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.

[1] צָוָה = command. Ezra 4:3; 9:11.

links:

an offer to help
allies or adversaries?

The EZRA shelf in Jeff’s library

Ezra 3

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Ezra 3

Ezra 3:1 When the seventh month arrived, and the Israelites were in their towns, the people gathered[1] as one in Jerusalem.

Ezra 3:2 The priests, Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers, along with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his brothers, began to build the altar of Israel’s God and offer ascending[2] offerings on it, as it is written in the instruction[3] of Moses, the man of God.

Ezra 3:3 They set up the altar on its foundation and offered ascending offerings for the morning and evening to Yahveh, even though they feared the people of the lands.

Ezra 3:4 They celebrated the Festival of Huts[4] as prescribed and offered ascending offerings each day, based on the number specified by the judgment[5] for each festival day.

Ezra 3:5 After that, they offered the continual[6] ascending offering, the offerings at the beginning of each month, and for all Yahveh’s appointed[7] holy occasions, and the spontaneous voluntary donations brought to Yahveh.

Ezra 3:6 On the first day of the seventh month, they began to offer ascending offerings to Yahveh, even though the foundation of Yahveh’s temple had not yet been laid.

Ezra 3:7 They gave money to the stonecutters and artisans. They gave food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre so they could bring cedar wood from Lebanon to Joppa by sea, according to the authorization given them by King Cyrus of Persia.

Ezra 3:8 In the second month of the second year after they arrived at God’s house in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers, including the priests, the Levites, and all who had returned to Jerusalem from the captivity, began to build. They appointed the Levites, who were twenty years old or older, to supervise the work on Yahveh’s house.

Ezra 3:9 Jeshua with his sons and brothers, Kadmiel with his sons, and the sons of Judah and Henadad, with their sons and brothers, the Levites, joined together to supervise those working on the house of God.

Ezra 3:10 When the builders had laid the foundation of Yahveh’s temple, the priests, dressed in their robes and holding trumpets, and the Levites descended from Asaph, holding cymbals, took their positions to praise Yahveh, as King David of Israel had instructed.

Ezra 3:11 They sang with praise and thanksgiving to Yahveh: “For he is good; his covenant faithfulness[8] to Israel endures permanently.”[9] Then, all the people gave a great shout of praise to Yahveh because the foundation of Yahveh’s house had been laid.

Ezra 3:12 Many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads who had seen the first house wept loudly when they saw its foundation, but many others shouted joyfully.

Ezra 3:13 The people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shouting from that of the weeping because they were shouting so loudly, and the sound was heard far away.

[1] אָסַף = gather. Ezra 3:1; 9:4.

[2] עֹלָה = ascending (offering). Ezra 3:2, 3, 4, 5, 6; 8:35.

[3] תּוֹרָה = instruction. Ezra 3:2; 7:6, 10; 10:3.

[4] סֻכָּה = hut. Ezra 3:4.

[5] מִשְׁפָּט = judgment, justice. Ezra 3:4; 7:10.

[6] תָּמִיד = continual(ly). Ezra 3:5.

[7] מוֹעֵד = conference, appointed. Ezra 3:5.

[8] חֶסֶד = covenant faithfulness. Ezra 3:11; 7:28; 9:9.

[9] עוֹלָם = permanent/ly, ancient, future. Ezra 3:11; 9:12.

links:

God alone is Immortal
God is Different
shouting and weeping
they knew

The EZRA shelf in Jeff’s library

2 Samuel 16

2 Samuel 16

2 Samuel 16:1 When David had gone a little beyond the summit, Ziba, Mephibosheth’s boy, was right there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred bunches of summer fruit, and a clay jar of wine.

2 Samuel 16:2 The king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the boys to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who become exhausted in the wilderness.”

2 Samuel 16:3 “Where is your master’s grandson?” the king asked. “Why, he’s staying in Jerusalem,” Ziba replied to the king, “for he said, ‘Today, the house of Israel will restore my grandfather’s kingdom to me.'”

2 Samuel 16:4 The king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!” “I bow before you,” Ziba said. “May I find favor with you, my lord the king!”

2 Samuel 16:5 When King David got to Bahurim, a man belonging to the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he was yelling curses as he approached.

2 Samuel 16:6 He threw stones at David and at all the royal servants, the people and the warriors on David’s right and left.

2 Samuel 16:7 Shimei said as he cursed: “Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, you wicked man!

2 Samuel 16:8 Yahveh has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you became king, and Yahveh has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. Look, you are in trouble because you’re a man of bloodshed!”

2 Samuel 16:9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and remove his head!”

2 Samuel 16:10 The king replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything? He curses me this way because Yahveh told him, ‘Curse David! ‘ Therefore, who can say, ‘Why did you do that? ‘”

2 Samuel 16:11 Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood, seeks my throat — how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; Yahveh has told him to.

2 Samuel 16:12 Perhaps Yahveh will see my affliction and restore goodness to me instead of Shimei’s curses today.”

2 Samuel 16:13 So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei was going along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he cursed David, threw stones at him, and kicked up dust.

2 Samuel 16:14 Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived exhausted, so they rested there.

2 Samuel 16:15 Absalom and all the Israelites came to Jerusalem and Ahithophel was with him.

2 Samuel 16:16 When David’s friend Hushai the Archite came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

2 Samuel 16:17 “Is this your loyalty to your friend?” Absalom asked Hushai. “Why didn’t you go with your friend?”

2 Samuel 16:18 “Not at all,” Hushai answered Absalom. “I am on the side of the one that Yahveh, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen. I will stay with him.

2 Samuel 16:19 Furthermore, whom will I serve if not his son? As I served in your father’s presence, I will also serve in yours.”

2 Samuel 16:20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me your advice. What should we do?”

2 Samuel 16:21 Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become repulsive to your father, everyone with you will be encouraged.”

2 Samuel 16:22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

2 Samuel 16:23 Now the advice Ahithophel gave in those days was like someone asking about a word from God — such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.

links:

Ahithophel’s advice
check the facts
responding kindly
transition
two counselors

The 2 SAMUEL shelf in Jeff’s library

Ezra 2

Ezra 2

Ezra 2:1 These are the people of the province who came from those captive exiles King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had deported to Babylon. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town.

Ezra 2:2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of Israelite men included

Ezra 2:3 Parosh’s descendants: 2,172.

Ezra 2:4 Shephatiah’s descendants: 372.

Ezra 2:5 Arah’s descendants: 775.

Ezra 2:6 Pahath-moab’s descendants: Jeshua’s and Joab’s descendants 2,812.

Ezra 2:7 Elam’s descendants: 1,254.

Ezra 2:8 Zattu’s descendants: 945.

Ezra 2:9 Zaccai’s descendants: 760.

Ezra 2:10 Bani’s descendants: 642.

Ezra 2:11 Bebai’s descendants: 623.

Ezra 2:12 Azgad’s descendants: 1,222.

Ezra 2:13 Adonikam’s descendants: 666.

Ezra 2:14 Bigvai’s descendants: 2,056.

Ezra 2:15 Adin’s descendants: 454.

Ezra 2:16 Ater’s descendants of Hezekiah: 98.

Ezra 2:17 Bezai’s descendants: 323.

Ezra 2:18 Jorah’s descendants: 112.

Ezra 2:19 Hashum’s descendants: 223.

Ezra 2:20 Gibbar’s descendants: 95.

Ezra 2:21 Bethlehem’s people: 123.

Ezra 2:22 Netophah’s men: 56.

Ezra 2:23 Anathoth’s men: 128.

Ezra 2:24 Azmaveth’s people: 42.

Ezra 2:25 Kiriatharim’s, Chephirah’s, and Beeroth’s people: 743.

Ezra 2:26 Ramah’s and Geba’s people: 621.

Ezra 2:27 Michmas’s men: 122.

Ezra 2:28 Bethel’s and Ai’s men: 223.

Ezra 2:29 Nebo’s people: 52.

Ezra 2:30 Magbish’s people: 156.

Ezra 2:31 the other Elam’s people: 1,254.

Ezra 2:32 Harim’s people: 320.

Ezra 2:33 Lod’s, Hadid’s, and Ono’s people: 725.

Ezra 2:34 Jericho’s people: 345.

Ezra 2:35 Senaah’s people: 3,630.

Ezra 2:36 The priests included Jedaiah’s descendants of the house of Jeshua: 973.

Ezra 2:37 Immer’s descendants: 1,052.

Ezra 2:38 Pashhur’s descendants: 1,247.

Ezra 2:39 and Harim’s descendants: 1,017.

Ezra 2:40 The Levites included Jeshua’s and Kadmiel’s descendants from Hodaviah’s descendants: 74.

Ezra 2:41 The singers included Asaph’s descendants: 128.

Ezra 2:42 The gatekeepers’ descendants included Shallum’s descendants, Ater’s descendants, Talmon’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants, Hatita’s descendants, and Shobai’s descendants: in all 139.

Ezra 2:43 The temple servants included Ziha’s descendants, Hasupha’s descendants, Tabbaoth’s descendants,

Ezra 2:44 Keros’s descendants, Siaha’s descendants, Padon’s descendants,

Ezra 2:45 Lebanah’s descendants, Hagabah’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants,

Ezra 2:46 Hagab’s descendants, Shalmai’s descendants, Hanan’s descendants,

Ezra 2:47 Giddel’s descendants, Gahar’s descendants, Reaiah’s descendants,

Ezra 2:48 Rezin’s descendants, Nekoda’s descendants, Gazzam’s descendants,

Ezra 2:49 Uzza’s descendants, Paseah’s descendants, Besai’s descendants,

Ezra 2:50 Asnah’s descendants, Meunim’s descendants, Nephusim’s descendants,

Ezra 2:51 Bakbuk’s descendants, Hakupha’s descendants, Harhur’s descendants,

Ezra 2:52 Bazluth’s descendants, Mehida’s descendants, Harsha’s descendants,

Ezra 2:53 Barkos’s descendants, Sisera’s descendants, Temah’s descendants,

Ezra 2:54 Neziah’s descendants, and Hatipha’s descendants.

Ezra 2:55 The descendants of Solomon’s slaves[1] included Sotai’s descendants, Hassophereth’s descendants, Peruda’s descendants,

Ezra 2:56 Jaalah’s descendants, Darkon’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants,

Ezra 2:57 Shephatiah’s descendants, Hattil’s descendants, Pochereth-hazzebaim’s descendants, and Ami’s descendants.

Ezra 2:58 All the temple slaves and the descendants of Solomon’s slaves: 392.

Ezra 2:59 The following are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer but were unable to prove that their ancestral houses and their seed[2] were Israelite:

Ezra 2:60 Delaiah’s descendants, Tobiah’s descendants, Nekoda’s descendants: 652

Ezra 2:61 and from the descendants of the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, the descendants of Barzillai– who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and who bore their name.[3]

Ezra 2:62 These searched for their entries in the genealogical records but could not be found, so they were disqualified from the priesthood.

Ezra 2:63 The governor ordered them not to consume[4] the most sacred[5] things until a priest could consult the Lights[6] and Darks.[7]

Ezra 2:64 The whole combined congregation[8] numbered 42,360,

Ezra 2:65 which did not include their 7,337 male and female slaves[9] and 200 male and female singers.

Ezra 2:66 They had 736 horses, 245 mules,

Ezra 2:67 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.

Ezra 2:68 After they arrived at Yahveh’s house in Jerusalem, some of the family heads donated money to rebuild the house of God on its original site.

Ezra 2:69 Based on what they could give, they gave 61,000 gold coins, 6,250 pounds of silver, and 100 priestly garments to the treasury for the project.

Ezra 2:70 The priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, and some people settled in their towns, and the rest of Israel settled in their towns.

[1] עֶבֶד = slave. Ezra 2:55, 58, 65; 9:9, 11.

[2] זֶרָע = seed. Ezra 2:59; 9:2.

[3] קָרָא = invite, cry out, convene, name. Ezra 2:61; 8:21.

[4] אָכַל = consume. Ezra 2:63; 6:21; 9:12; 10:6.

[5] קֹדֶשׁ = sacred. Ezra 2:63; 8:28; 9:2, 8.

[6] אוּרִים = lights. Ezra 2:63.

[7] תֻּמִּים = darks. Ezra 2:63.

[8] קָהָל = congregation. Ezra 2:64; 10:1, 8, 12, 14.

[9] אָמָה = female slave. Ezra 2:65.

links:

significant times
unmistakably significant

The EZRA shelf in Jeff’s library

Ezra 1

Ezra 1

Ezra 1:1 In the first year of Cyrus King of Persia, to fulfill the word of Yahveh^[1] by Jeremiah’s mouth, Yahveh^[2] stirred up the breath^[3] of King Cyrus to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and to put it in writing:

Ezra 1:2 King Cyrus of Persia says: ” Yahveh, the god of the sky^[4], has given me all the kingdoms of the land^[5] and has appointed me to build him a house^[6] at Jerusalem in Judah.

Ezra 1:3 If any of his people are among you, let his god be with him, and let him go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of Yahveh, the god of Israel, who is in Jerusalem.

Ezra 1:4 Let every survivor, wherever he resides,^[7] be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and animals,^[8] along with a spontaneous voluntary^[9] donation for the house of God in Jerusalem.”

Ezra 1:5 Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites—everyone whose breath God had stirred up —prepared to rebuild Yahveh’s house in Jerusalem.

Ezra 1:6 All their neighbors strengthened^[10] their hands with silver articles, gold, goods, animals, valuables, and all that was given as a donation.^[11]

Ezra 1:7 King Cyrus also brought out the articles of Yahveh’s house that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and had placed in the house of his gods.

Ezra 1:8 King Cyrus of Persia had them brought out under Mithredath’s treasurer’s hand, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar, the leader^[12] of Judah.

Ezra 1:9 This was their number: 30 gold basins, 1,000 silver basins, 29 silver knives,

Ezra 1:10 30 gold bowls, 410 silver bowls, and 1,000 other articles.

Ezra 1:11 The gold and silver articles totaled 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought all of them when the exiles went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

[1] יָהְוֶה = Yahveh. Ezra 1:1, 2, 3, 5, 7; 2:68; 3:3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11; 4:1, 3; 6:21, 22; 7:6, 10, 11, 27, 28; 8:28, 29, 35; 9:5, 8, 15; 10:11.

[2] יָהְוֶה = Yahveh (God’s name). Ezra 1:1, 2, 3, 5, 7; 2:68; 3:3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11; 4:1, 3; 6:21, 22; 7:6, 10, 11, 27, 28; 8:28, 29, 35; 9:5, 8, 15; 10:11.

[3] רוּחַ= breath. Ezra 1:1, 5.

[4] שָׁמַיִם = sky. Ezra 1:2; 9:6.

[5] אֶרֶץ = land. Ezra 1:2; 3:3; 4:4; 6:21; 9:1, 2, 7, 11, 12; 10:2, 11.

[6] בַּיִת = house, (family, home, temple) inside. Ezra 1:2, 3, 4, 5, 7; 2:36, 59, 68; 3:8, 9, 11, 12; 4:3; 6:22; 7:27; 8:17, 25, 29, 30, 33, 36; 9:9; 10:1, 6, 9, 16.

[7] גּוּר = reside as a guest. Ezra 1:4.

[8] בְּהֵמָה = animal. Ezra 1:4, 6.

[9] נְדָבָה = spontaneous voluntary. Ezra 1:4; 3:5; 8:28.

[10] חָזָק = be strong, strongly, catch. Ezra 1:6; 6:22; 7:28; 9:12; 10:4.

[11] נָדָב = donation. Ezra 1:6; 2:68; 3:5.

[12] נָשִׂיא = leader, general. Ezra 1:8.

links:

ACST 2 The Promise
getting it done
he will get it done

The EZRA shelf in Jeff’s library