From: "FamilyNet" 

CHAPTER 5
Ezra 5:1
1 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo,
prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of
the God  of Israel,  even unto  them.
Ezra 5:2
2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of
Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem:  and
with them  were the prophets  of God  helping  them. Ezra 5:3
3 At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river,
and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath
commanded  you to build  this  house,  and to make up  this  wall? Ezra 5:4
4 Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men
that make this building?
Ezra 5:5
5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could
not cause them to cease, till the matter came  to Darius:  and then  they
returned answer  by letter  concerning  this  matter. Ezra 5:6
6 The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and
Shetharboznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this
side the river, sent unto  Darius  the king: Ezra 5:7
7 They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the
king, all peace.
Ezra 5:8
8 Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to
the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber
is laid  in the walls,  and this  work  goeth  fast  on, and prospereth  in
their hands.
Ezra 5:9
9 Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to
build this house, and to make up these  walls? Ezra 5:10
10 We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the
names of the men that were the chief of them. Ezra 5:11
11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God
of heaven and earth, and build the house that was  builded  these  many
years  ago,  which a great  king  of Israel  builded  and set up. Ezra 5:12
12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he
gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon,  the
Chaldean,  who destroyed  this  house,  and carried  the people  away  into
Babylon.
Ezra 5:13
13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus
made a decree to build this house  of God. Ezra 5:14
14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which
Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought
them into the temple  of Babylon,  those  did Cyrus  the king  take  out of
the temple  of Babylon,  and they were delivered  unto one, whose name  was
Sheshbazzar,  whom he had made  governor; Ezra 5:15
15 And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple
that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in  his place.
Ezra 5:16
16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of
God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now  hath it been
in building,  and yet it is not  finished. Ezra 5:17
17 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in
the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be  so,
that a decree  was made  of  Cyrus  the king  to build  this  house  of God
at Jerusalem,  and let the king  send  his pleasure  to us concerning  this
matter.
CHAPTER 6
Ezra 6:1
1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of
the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. Ezra 6:2
2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of
the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written: Ezra 6:3
3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree
concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded,  the
place  where they offered  sacrifices,  and let the foundations  thereof be
strongly laid;  the height  thereof threescore  cubits,  and the breadth
thereof threescore  cubits;
Ezra 6:4
4 With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the
expenses be given out of the king's house: Ezra 6:5
5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which
Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and
brought unto Babylon,  be restored,  and brought again  unto the temple
which is at Jerusalem,  every one to his place,  and place  them in the
house  of God.
Ezra 6:6
6 Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your
companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from
thence:
Ezra 6:7
7 Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and
the elders of the Jews build this house of God  in  his place. Ezra 6:8
8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for
the building of this house of God:  that of the king's  goods,  even of 
the tribute  beyond  the river,  forthwith  expenses  be  given  unto these
men,  that they be not  hindered.
Ezra 6:9
9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and
lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and
oil,  according to the appointment  of the priests  which are at Jerusalem,
let it be  given  them day  by day  without  fail: Ezra 6:10
10 That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven,
and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons. Ezra 6:11
11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let
timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged
thereon;  and let his house  be made  a dunghill  for  this. Ezra 6:12
12 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings
and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this 
house of God  which is at Jerusalem.  I  Darius  have made  a decree;  let
it be done  with speed.
Ezra 6:13
13 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their
companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did
speedily.
Ezra 6:14
14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the
prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they
builded, and finished it, according  to the commandment  of the God  of
Israel,  and according to the commandment  of Cyrus,  and Darius,  and
Artaxerxes  king  of Persia.
Ezra 6:15
15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which
was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius  the king. Ezra 6:16
16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest
of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God
with joy,
Ezra 6:17
17 And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks,
two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering  for  all
Israel,  twelve  he  goats,  according to the number  of the tribes  of
Israel.
Ezra 6:18
18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their
courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in
the book of Moses.
Ezra 6:19
19 And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth
day of the first month.
Ezra 6:20
20 For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were
pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and
for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. Ezra 6:21
21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and
all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the
heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat, Ezra 6:22
22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD
had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto
them, to strengthen  their hands  in the work  of the house  of God,  the
God  of Israel.
CHAPTER 7
Ezra 7:1
1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra
the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, Ezra 7:2
2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, Ezra 7:3
3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, Ezra 7:4
4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, Ezra 7:5
5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of
Aaron the chief priest:
Ezra 7:6
6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of
Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted  him
all his request,  according to the hand  of the LORD  his God  upon him.
Ezra 7:7
7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and
the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto
Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. Ezra 7:8
8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh
year of the king.
Ezra 7:9
9 For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon,
and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to
the good hand  of his God  upon him. Ezra 7:10
10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do
it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. Ezra 7:11
11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto
Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments
of the LORD, and of his statutes  to Israel. Ezra 7:12
12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of
the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. Ezra 7:13
13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his
priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to
go up to Jerusalem,  go  with thee. Ezra 7:14
14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to
enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God
which is in thine hand;
Ezra 7:15
15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors
have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in
Jerusalem, Ezra 7:16
16 And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of
Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests,
offering willingly for the house  of their God  which is in Jerusalem: Ezra
7:17
17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs,
with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon 
the altar  of the house  of your God  which is in Jerusalem. Ezra 7:18
18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with
the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.
Ezra 7:19
19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy
God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. Ezra 7:20
20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which
thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure
house. Ezra 7:21
21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the
treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the
scribe  of the law  of the God  of heaven,  shall require  of you, it be
done speedily,
Ezra 7:22
22 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat,
and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil,  and salt
without  prescribing  how much.
Ezra 7:23
23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done
for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath  against
the realm  of the king  and his sons? Ezra 7:24
24 Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites,
singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall
not be lawful  to impose  toll,  tribute,  or custom,  upon  them. Ezra
7:25
25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set
magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the
river,  all  such as know  the laws  of thy God;  and teach  ye them that
know  them not.
Ezra 7:26
26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king,
let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether  it be unto death,  or
to banishment,  or  to confiscation  of goods,  or to imprisonment. Ezra
7:27
27 Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as
this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in
Jerusalem:
Ezra 7:28
28 And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors,
and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the
hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together  out of Israel
 chief men  to go up  with me.


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