Ezra 8

1 This is a list of the names of the leaders of the clans who came with me up [to Jerusalem] from Babylonia when Artaxerxes was the king [of Persia]:

וְאֵ֛לֶּה רָאשֵׁ֥י אֲבֹתֵיהֶ֖ם וְהִתְיַחְשָׂ֑ם הָעֹלִ֣ים עִמִּ֗י בְּמַלְכ֛וּת אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֥סְתְּא הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מִבָּבֶֽל׃ ס

2 Gershom, from the clan descended from [Aaron’s grandson] Phinehas Daniel, from the clan descended from [Aaron’s son] Ithamar Hattush, the son of Shecaniah, from the clan descended from King David

מִבְּנֵ֤י פִֽינְחָס֙ גֵּֽרְשֹׁ֔ם ס מִבְּנֵ֥י אִיתָמָ֖ר דָּנִיֵּ֑אל ס מִבְּנֵ֥י דָוִ֖יד חַטּֽוּשׁ׃ ס

3 Zechariah and 150 [other] men from the clan descended from Parosh

מִבְּנֵ֣י שְׁכַנְיָ֔ה ס מִבְּנֵ֥י פַרְעֹ֖שׁ זְכַרְיָ֑ה וְעִמֹּ֛ו הִתְיַחֵ֥שׂ לִזְכָרִ֖ים מֵאָ֥ה וַחֲמִשִּֽׁים׃ ס

4 Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah and 200 other men from the clan descended from Pahath-Moab

מִבְּנֵי֙ פַּחַ֣ת מֹואָ֔ב אֶלְיְהֹֽועֵינַ֖י בֶּן־זְרַֽחְיָ֑ה וְעִמֹּ֖ו מָאתַ֥יִם הַזְּכָרִֽים׃ ס

5 Shecaniah the son of Jahaziel and 300 other men from the clan descended from Zattu

מִבְּנֵ֥י שְׁכַנְיָ֖ה בֶּן־יַחֲזִיאֵ֑ל וְעִמֹּ֕ו שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵאֹ֖ות הַזְּכָרִֽים׃ ס

6 Ebed the son of Jonathan and 50 other men from the clan descended from Adin

וּמִבְּנֵ֣י עָדִ֔ין עֶ֖בֶד בֶּן־יֹונָתָ֑ן וְעִמֹּ֖ו חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים הַזְּכָרִֽים׃ ס

7 Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah and 70 other men from the clan descended from Elam

וּמִבְּנֵ֣י עֵילָ֔ם יְשַֽׁעְיָ֖ה בֶּן־עֲתַלְיָ֑ה וְעִמֹּ֖ו שִׁבְעִ֥ים הַזְּכָרִֽים׃ ס

8 Zebadiah the son of Michael and 80 other men from the clan descended from Shephatiah

וּמִבְּנֵ֣י שְׁפַטְיָ֔ה זְבַדְיָ֖ה בֶּן־מִֽיכָאֵ֑ל וְעִמֹּ֖ו שְׁמֹנִ֥ים הַזְּכָרִֽים׃ ס

9 Obadiah the son of Jehiel and 218 other men from the clan descended from Joab

מִבְּנֵ֣י יֹואָ֔ב עֹבַדְיָ֖ה בֶּן־יְחִיאֵ֑ל וְעִמֹּ֕ו מָאתַ֛יִם וּשְׁמֹנָ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר הַזְּכָרִֽים׃ ס

10 Shelomith the son of Josiphiah and 160 other men from the clan descended from Bani

וּמִבְּנֵ֥י שְׁלֹומִ֖ית בֶּן־יֹוסִפְיָ֑ה וְעִמֹּ֕ו מֵאָ֥ה וְשִׁשִּׁ֖ים הַזְּכָרִֽים׃ ס

11 Zechariah the son of Bebai and 28 other men from the clan descended from [another man whose name was] Bebai

וּמִבְּנֵ֣י בֵבַ֔י זְכַרְיָ֖ה בֶּן־בֵּבָ֑י וְעִמֹּ֕ו עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁמֹנָ֖ה הַזְּכָרִֽים׃ ס

12 Johanan the son of Hakkatan and 110 other men from the clan descended from Azgad

וּמִבְּנֵ֣י עַזְגָּ֔ד יֹוחָנָ֖ן בֶּן־הַקָּטָ֑ן וְעִמֹּ֕ו מֵאָ֥ה וַעֲשָׂרָ֖ה הַזְּכָרִֽים׃ ס

13 Also Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, who returned [here] later with 60 men from the clan descended from Adonikam

וּמִבְּנֵ֣י אֲדֹנִיקָם֮ אַחֲרֹנִים֒ וְאֵ֣לֶּה שְׁמֹותָ֔ם אֱלִיפֶ֖לֶט יְעִיאֵ֣ל וּֽשְׁמַעְיָ֑ה וְעִמָּהֶ֖ם שִׁשִּׁ֥ים הַזְּכָרִֽים׃ ס

14 And Uthai and Zaccur and 70 other men from the clan descended from Bigvai.

וּמִבְּנֵ֥י בִגְוַ֖י עוּתַ֣י וְזָבוּד (וְזַכּ֑וּר) וְעִמֹּ֖ו שִׁבְעִ֥ים הַזְּכָרִֽים׃ פ

15 I gathered all of them together at the canal that goes [from Babylon] to Ahava [town]. We set up our tents there and stayed there for three days. [During that time] I checked the lists of names and found out that there were priests [going with us], but no [other] descendants of Levi [who could help them in the temple].

וָֽאֶקְבְּצֵ֗ם אֶל־הַנָּהָר֙ הַבָּ֣א אֶֽל־אַהֲוָ֔א וַנַּחֲנֶ֥ה שָׁ֖ם יָמִ֣ים שְׁלֹשָׁ֑ה וָאָבִ֤ינָה בָעָם֙ וּבַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים וּמִבְּנֵ֥י לֵוִ֖י לֹא־מָצָ֥אתִי שָֽׁם׃

16 So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, two men whose names were Elnathan, and Jarib, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were all leaders [of the people]. I also summoned Joiarib and another Elnathan, who were wise.

וָאֶשְׁלְחָ֡ה לֶאֱלִיעֶ֡זֶר לַאֲרִיאֵ֡ל לִֽ֠שְׁמַעְיָה וּלְאֶלְנָתָ֨ן וּלְיָרִ֜יב וּלְאֶלְנָתָ֧ן וּלְנָתָ֛ן וְלִזְכַרְיָ֥ה וְלִמְשֻׁלָּ֖ם רָאשִׁ֑ים וּלְיֹויָרִ֥יב וּלְאֶלְנָתָ֖ן מְבִינִֽים׃

17 I sent them all to Iddo, the leader of the descendants of Levi, who was living in Casiphia [town], to request that he and his relatives and other men who had worked in the temple send to us some men who would [go/come with us to] work in God’s new temple [in Jerusalem].

וָאֹוצִאָה (וָאֲצַוֶּ֤ה) אֹותָם֙ עַל־אִדֹּ֣ו הָרֹ֔אשׁ בְּכָסִפְיָ֖א הַמָּקֹ֑ום וָאָשִׂימָה֩ בְּפִיהֶ֨ם דְּבָרִ֜ים לְ֠דַבֵּר אֶל־אִדֹּ֨ו אָחִ֤יו הַנְּתוּנִים (הַנְּתִינִים֙) בְּכָסִפְיָ֣א הַמָּקֹ֔ום לְהָֽבִיא־לָ֥נוּ מְשָׁרְתִ֖ים לְבֵ֥ית אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃

18 Because God was kind to us, they brought to us a man named Sherebiah and 18 of his sons and other relatives. Sherebiah was a very wise man, a descendant of Mahli, [who was a grandson] of Levi.

וַיָּבִ֨יאּוּ לָ֜נוּ כְּיַד־אֱלֹהֵ֨ינוּ הַטֹּובָ֤ה עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ שֶׂ֔כֶל מִבְּנֵ֣י מַחְלִ֔י בֶּן־לֵוִ֖י בֶּן־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְשֵׁרֵֽבְיָ֛ה וּבָנָ֥יו וְאֶחָ֖יו שְׁמֹנָ֥ה עָשָֽׂר׃

19 They also sent to us Hashabiah, along with Jeshaiah, descendants of [Levi’s son] Merari, and 20 of their relatives.

וְאֶת־חֲשַׁבְיָ֔ה וְאִתֹּ֥ו יְשַֽׁעְיָ֖ה מִבְּנֵ֣י מְרָרִ֑י אֶחָ֥יו וּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם עֶשְׂרִֽים׃ ס

20 They also sent 220 other men to work in the temple. Those men’s ancestors had been appointed by King David to assist the descendants of Levi [who helped the priests in the temple]. I listed/wrote the names of all those men.

וּמִן־הַנְּתִינִ֗ים שֶׁנָּתַ֨ן דָּוִ֤יד וְהַשָּׂרִים֙ לַעֲבֹדַ֣ת הַלְוִיִּ֔ם נְתִינִ֖ים מָאתַ֣יִם וְעֶשְׂרִ֑ים כֻּלָּ֖ם נִקְּב֥וּ בְשֵׁמֹֽות׃

21 There alongside the Ahava Canal, I told them that we all would (fast/abstain from eating food) and pray. I also told them that we should humble ourselves in the presence of our God. We prayed that God would protect us while we traveled, and also protect our children and our possessions/belongings.

וָאֶקְרָ֨א שָׁ֥ם צֹום֙ עַל־הַנָּהָ֣ר אַהֲוָ֔א לְהִתְעַנֹּ֖ות לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ לְבַקֵּ֤שׁ מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְשָׁרָ֔ה לָ֥נוּ וּלְטַפֵּ֖נוּ וּלְכָל־רְכוּשֵֽׁנוּ׃

22 Previously we had told the king that our God takes care of all those who truly trust in him, but that he becomes very angry with those who refuse to obey him. So I would have been ashamed if I had asked the king to send soldiers and men riding on horses to protect us from our enemies while we were traveling along the road.

כִּ֣י בֹ֗שְׁתִּי לִשְׁאֹ֤ול מִן־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ חַ֣יִל וּפָרָשִׁ֔ים לְעָזְרֵ֥נוּ מֵאֹויֵ֖ב בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ כִּֽי־אָמַ֨רְנוּ לַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לֵאמֹ֗ר יַד־אֱלֹהֵ֤ינוּ עַל־כָּל־מְבַקְשָׁיו֙ לְטֹובָ֔ה וְעֻזֹּ֣ו וְאַפֹּ֔ו עַ֖ל כָּל־עֹזְבָֽיו׃

23 So we (fasted/abstained from eating food) and requested God to protect us, and he (answered our prayers/did what we requested.)

וַנָּצ֛וּמָה וַנְּבַקְשָׁ֥ה מֵאֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ עַל־זֹ֑את וַיֵּעָתֵ֖ר לָֽנוּ׃

24 I chose twelve of the leaders of the priests, Sherebiah and Hashabiah and ten of their relatives.

וָאַבְדִּ֛ילָה מִשָּׂרֵ֥י הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים שְׁנֵ֣ים עָשָׂ֑ר לְשֵׁרֵֽבְיָ֣ה חֲשַׁבְיָ֔ה וְעִמָּהֶ֥ם מֵאֲחֵיהֶ֖ם עֲשָׂרָֽה׃

25 I appointed them to supervise carrying to Jerusalem the gifts of silver and gold and the other valuable items that the king and his advisors and other officials, and the Israeli people [who were living in Babylonia], had contributed for the temple of our God.

וָאֶשְׁקֹולָה (וָאֶשְׁקֳלָ֣ה) לָהֶ֔ם אֶת־הַכֶּ֥סֶף וְאֶת־הַזָּהָ֖ב וְאֶת־הַכֵּלִ֑ים תְּרוּמַ֣ת בֵּית־אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ הַהֵרִ֙ימוּ֙ הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וְיֹעֲצָ֣יו וְשָׂרָ֔יו וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הַנִּמְצָאִֽים׃

26 As I gave these various items to those priests, I weighed each of the items. This was the total: 25 tons of silver, 100 items made from silver that altogether weighed 7,500 pounds, (7,500 pounds/3,400 kg.) of gold,

וָאֶשְׁקֲלָ֨ה עַל־יָדָ֜ם כֶּ֗סֶף כִּכָּרִים֙ שֵֽׁשׁ־מֵאֹ֣ות וַחֲמִשִּׁ֔ים וּכְלֵי־כֶ֥סֶף מֵאָ֖ה לְכִכָּרִ֑ים זָהָ֖ב מֵאָ֥ה כִכָּֽר׃

27 20 gold bowls that altogether weighed (19 pounds/8.6 kg.), and two items made of polished bronze that were as valuable as ones made of gold.

וּכְפֹרֵ֤י זָהָב֙ עֶשְׂרִ֔ים לַאֲדַרְכֹנִ֖ים אָ֑לֶף וּכְלֵ֨י נְחֹ֜שֶׁת מֻצְהָ֤ב טֹובָה֙ שְׁנַ֔יִם חֲמוּדֹ֖ת כַּזָּהָֽב׃

28 I said to those priests, “You belong to Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors (worshiped/also belonged to), and these valuable things also belong to him. The people themselves gave these things to be offerings to Yahweh (voluntarily/because they wanted to).

וָאֹמְרָ֣ה אֲלֵהֶ֗ם אַתֶּ֥ם קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ לַיהוָ֔ה וְהַכֵּלִ֖ים קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְהַכֶּ֤סֶף וְהַזָּהָב֙ נְדָבָ֔ה לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃

29 So guard them carefully, and [when we arrive] in Jerusalem, weigh them in the presence of the priests, the descendants of Levi [who will help the priests], and the other Israeli leaders there. They will then put them in the storerooms in the new temple.”

שִׁקְד֣וּ וְשִׁמְר֗וּ עַֽד־תִּשְׁקְל֡וּ לִפְנֵי֩ שָׂרֵ֨י הַכֹּהֲנִ֧ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֛ם וְשָׂרֵֽי־הָאָבֹ֥ות לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם הַלִּשְׁכֹ֖ות בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃

30 So the priests and [other] descendants of Levi took from me all the gifts of silver and gold and the other valuable items, in order to carry them to the temple in Jerusalem.

וְקִבְּלוּ֙ הַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם מִשְׁקַ֛ל הַכֶּ֥סֶף וְהַזָּהָ֖ב וְהַכֵּלִ֑ים לְהָבִ֥יא לִירוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם לְבֵ֥ית אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ פ

31 On April 19, we left the Ahava Canal and started to travel to Jerusalem. Our God took care of us, and while we traveled, he prevented our enemies and bandits from (ambushing us/suddenly attacking us).

וַֽנִּסְעָ֞ה מִנְּהַ֣ר אֽ͏ַהֲוָ֗א בִּשְׁנֵ֤ים עָשָׂר֙ לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָרִאשֹׁ֔ון לָלֶ֖כֶת יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְיַד־אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ הָיְתָ֣ה עָלֵ֔ינוּ וַיַּ֨צִּילֵ֔נוּ מִכַּ֥ף אֹויֵ֛ב וְאֹורֵ֖ב עַל־הַדָּֽרֶךְ׃

32 After we arrived in Jerusalem, we rested for three days.

וַנָּבֹ֖וא יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וַנֵּ֥שֶׁב שָׁ֖ם יָמִ֥ים שְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃

33 Then on the fourth/next day we went to the temple. There the silver and gold and the other items were weighed and given to the priest Meremoth, the son of Uriah. Eleazar the son of Phinehas and two descendants of Levi, Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of Binnui, were with him.

וּבַיֹּ֣ום הָרְבִיעִ֡י נִשְׁקַ֣ל הַכֶּסֶף֩ וְהַזָּהָ֨ב וְהַכֵּלִ֜ים בְּבֵ֣ית אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ עַ֠ל יַד־מְרֵמֹ֤ות בֶּן־אֽוּרִיָּה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְעִמֹּ֖ו אֶלְעָזָ֣ר בֶּן־פִּֽינְחָ֑ס וְעִמָּהֶ֞ם יֹוזָבָ֧ד בֶּן־יֵשׁ֛וּעַ וְנֹֽועַדְיָ֥ה בֶן־בִּנּ֖וּי הַלְוִיִּֽם׃

34 They counted everything, and wrote down how much they weighed, and wrote [a description of] each item.

בְּמִסְפָּ֥ר בְּמִשְׁקָ֖ל לַכֹּ֑ל וַיִּכָּתֵ֥ב כָּֽל־הַמִּשְׁקָ֖ל בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִֽיא׃ פ

35 We who had returned from Babylonia offered to God sacrifices on the altar. We offered twelve bulls for all us Israeli people. We also offered 96 rams and 27 lambs. We also sacrificed twelve goats [to atone] for the sins that all the people had committed. These were all completely burned on the altar.

הַ֠בָּאִים מֵֽהַשְּׁבִ֨י בְנֵֽי־הַגֹּולָ֜ה הִקְרִ֥יבוּ עֹלֹ֣ות ׀ לֵאלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל פָּרִ֨ים שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֤ר עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֵילִ֣ים ׀ תִּשְׁעִ֣ים וְשִׁשָּׁ֗ה כְּבָשִׂים֙ שִׁבְעִ֣ים וְשִׁבְעָ֔ה צְפִירֵ֥י חַטָּ֖את שְׁנֵ֣ים עָשָׂ֑ר הַכֹּ֖ל עֹולָ֥ה לַיהוָֽה׃ פ

36 Some of us who returned [from Babylonia] took to the governors and other officials of the province west of the [Euphrates] River the letter that the king had given to us. [After they read the letter, ] they did all [that they were able to do] for us Israeli people and for the temple of God.

וַֽיִּתְּנ֣וּ ׀ אֶת־דָּתֵ֣י הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ לַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנֵי֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּפַחֲוֹ֖ות עֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֑ר וְנִשְּׂא֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם וְאֶת־בֵּֽית־הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ ס