1After this, the chiefs of fathers’ houses were chosen to go up according to their tribes, with their wives, sons, and daughters, with their menservants and maidservants, and their livestock.

2Darius sent with them one thousand cavalry to bring them back to Jerusalem with peace, with musical instruments, drums, and flutes.

3All their kindred were making merry, and he made them go up together with them.

4These are the names of the men who went up, according to their families amongst their tribes, after their several divisions.

5The priests, the sons of Phinees, the sons of Aaron: Jesus the son of Josedek, the son of Saraias, and Joakim the son of Zorobabel, the son of Salathiel, of the house of David, of the lineage of Phares, of the tribe of Judah,

6who spoke wise words before Darius the king of Persia in the second year of his reign, in the month Nisan, which is the first month.

7These are the of Judeans who came up from the captivity, where they lived as foreigners, whom Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon.

8They returned to Jerusalem and to the other parts of Judea, every man to his own city, who came with Zorobabel, with Jesus, Nehemias, ⁶Zaraias, Resaias, ⁷Eneneus, Mardocheus, Beelsarus, ⁸Aspharsus, ⁹Reelias, Roimus, and Baana, their leaders.

9The number of them of the nation and their leaders: the sons of Phoros, two thousand and one hundred and seventy two; the sons of ¹⁰Saphat, four hundred and seventy two;

10the sons of ¹¹Ares, seven hundred and fifty six;

11the sons of ¹²Phaath Moab, of the sons of Jesus and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and twelve;

12the sons of Elam, one thousand and two hundred and fifty four; the sons of ¹³Zathui, nine hundred and forty five; the sons of ¹⁴Chorbe, seven hundred and five; the sons of Bani, six hundred and forty eight;

13the sons of Bebai, six hundred and twenty three; the sons of ¹⁵Astad, ¹⁶one thousand and three hundred and twenty two;

14the sons of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty seven; the sons of ¹⁷Bagoi, two thousand and sixty six; the sons of ¹⁸Adinu, four hundred and fifty four;

15the sons of ¹⁹Ater, of Ezekias, ninety two; the sons of Kilan and Azetas, sixty seven; the sons of ²⁰Azaru, four hundred and thirty two;

16the sons of ²¹Annis, one hundred and one; the sons of Arom, the sons of ²²Bassai, three hundred and twenty three; the sons of Arsiphurith, one hundred and twelve;

17the sons of Baiterus, three thousand and five; the sons of ²³Bethlomon, one hundred and twenty three;

18those from Netophas, fifty five; those from Anathoth, one hundred and fifty eight; those from ²⁴Bethasmoth, forty two;

19those from ²⁵Kariathiarius, twenty five: those from Caphira and Beroth, seven hundred and forty three;

20the Chadiasai and Ammidioi, four hundred and twenty two; those from ²⁶Kirama and ²⁷Gabbe, six hundred and twenty one;

21those from ²⁸Macalon, one hundred and twenty two; those from ²⁹Betolion, fifty two; the sons of ³⁰Niphis, one hundred and fifty six;

22the sons of ³¹Calamolalus and ³²Onus, seven hundred and twenty five; the sons of ³³Jerechu, ³⁴three hundred and forty five;

23and the sons of ³⁵Sanaas, three thousand and three hundred and thirty.

24The priests: the sons of ³⁶Jeddu, the son of Jesus, amongst the sons of Sanasib, nine hundred and seventy two; the sons of ³⁷Emmeruth, one thousand and fifty two;

25the sons of ³⁸Phassurus, one thousand and two hundred and forty seven; and the sons of ³⁹Charme, one thousand and seventeen.

26The Levites: the sons of Jesus, Kadmiel, Bannas, and Sudias, seventy four.

27The holy singers: the sons of Asaph, one hundred and twenty eight.

28The gatekeepers: the sons of ⁴⁰Salum, the sons of ⁴¹Atar, the sons of Tolman, the sons of ⁴²Dacubi, the sons of ⁴³Ateta, the sons of ⁴⁴Sabi, in all one hundred and thirty nine.

29The temple servants: the sons of ⁴⁵Esau, the sons of ⁴⁶Asipha, the sons of Tabaoth, the sons of ⁴⁷Keras, the sons of ⁴⁸Sua, the sons of ⁴⁹Phaleas, the sons of Labana, the sons of ⁵⁰Aggaba.

30the sons of ⁵¹Acud, the sons of Uta, the sons of Ketab, the sons of ⁵²Accaba, the sons of ⁵³Subai, the sons of ⁵⁴Anan, the sons of ⁵⁵Cathua, the sons of ⁵⁶Geddur,

31the sons of ⁵⁷Jairus, the sons of ⁵⁸Daisan, the sons of ⁵⁹Noeba, the sons of Chaseba, the sons of ⁶⁰Gazera, the sons of ⁶¹Ozias, the sons of ⁶²Phinoe, the sons of Asara, the sons of ⁶³Basthai, the sons of ⁶⁴Asana, the sons of ⁶⁵Maani, the sons of ⁶⁶Naphisi, the sons of ⁶⁷Acub, the sons of ⁶⁸Achipha, the sons of ⁶⁹Asur, the sons of Pharakim, the sons of ⁷⁰Basaloth,

32the sons of ⁷¹Meedda, the sons of Cutha, the sons of ⁷²Charea, the sons of ⁷³Barchus, the sons of ⁷⁴Serar, the sons of ⁷⁵Thomei, the sons of ⁷⁶Nasi, the sons of Atipha.

33The sons of the servants of Solomon: the sons of ⁷⁷Assaphioth, the sons of ⁷⁸Pharida, the sons of ⁷⁹Jeeli, the sons of ⁸⁰Lozon, the sons of ⁸¹Isdael, the sons of ⁸²Saphuthi,

34the sons of ⁸³Agia, the sons of ⁸⁴Phacareth, the sons of Sabie, the sons of Sarothie, the sons of ⁸⁵Masias, the sons of Gas, the sons of Addus, the sons of Subas, the sons of Apherra, the sons of Barodis, the sons of Saphat, the sons of Allon.

35All the temple-servants and the sons of the servants of Solomon were three hundred and seventy two.

36These came up from ⁸⁶Thermeleth, and ⁸⁷Thelersas, ⁸⁸Charaathalan leading them, and Allar;

37and they could not show their families, nor their stock, how they were of Israel: the sons of ⁸⁹Dalan the son of ⁹⁰Ban, the sons of ⁹¹Nekodan, six hundred and fifty two.

38Of the priests, those who usurped the office of the priesthood and were not found: the sons of ⁹²Obdia, the sons of ⁹³Akkos, the sons of Jaddus, who married Augia one of the daughters of ⁹⁴Zorzelleus, and was called after his name.

39When the description of the kindred of these men was sought in the register and was not found, they were removed from executing the office of the priesthood;

40for Nehemias and Attharias told them that they should not be partakers of the holy things until a high priest wearing ⁹⁵Urim and Thummim should arise.

41So all those of Israel, from twelve years old and upward, beside menservants and women servants, were in number forty two thousand and three hundred and sixty.

42Their menservants and handmaids were seven thousand and three hundred and thirty and seven; the minstrels and singers, two hundred and forty five;

43four hundred and thirty and five camels, seven thousand and thirty six horses, two hundred and forty five mules, and five thousand and five hundred and twenty five beasts of burden.

44And some of the chief men of their families, when they came to the temple of God that is in Jerusalem, vowed to set up the house again in its own place according to their ability,

45and to give into the holy treasury of the works one thousand minas ⁹⁶of gold, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priestly vestments.

46The priests and the Levites and some of the people lived in Jerusalem and the country. The holy singers also and the gatekeepers and all Israel lived in their villages.

47But when the seventh month was at hand, and when the children of Israel were each in their own place, they all came together with one purpose into the broad place before the first porch which is towards the east.

48Then Jesus the son of Josedek, his kindred the priests, Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, and his kindred stood up and made the altar of the God of Israel ready

49to offer burnt sacrifices upon it, in accordance with the express commands in the book of Moses the man of God.

50Some people joined them out of the other nations of the land, and they erected the altar upon its own place, because all the nations of the land were hostile to them and oppressed them; and they offered sacrifices at the proper times and burnt offerings to the Lord both morning and evening.

51They also held the feast of tabernacles, as it is commanded in the law, and offered sacrifices daily, as appropriate.

52After that, they offered the continual oblations and the sacrifices of the Sabbaths, of the new moons, and of all the consecrated feasts.

53All those who had made any vow to God began to offer sacrifices to God from the new moon of the seventh month, although the temple of God was not yet built.

54They gave money, food, and drink to the masons and carpenters.

55They also gave carts to the people of Sidon and Tyre, that they should bring cedar trees from Libanus, and convey them in rafts to the harbour of Joppa, according to the commandment which was written for them by Cyrus king of the Persians.

56In the second year after his coming to the temple of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, Jesus the son of Josedek, their kindred, the Levitical priests, and all those who had come to Jerusalem out of the captivity began work.

57They laid the foundation of God’s temple on the new moon of the second month, in the second year after they had come to Judea and Jerusalem.

58They appointed the Levites who were at least twenty years old over the Lord’s works. Then Jesus, with his sons and kindred, Kadmiel his brother, the sons of Jesus, Emadabun, and the sons of Joda the son of Iliadun, and their sons and kindred, all the Levites, with one accord stood up and started the business, labouring to advance the works in the house of God. So the builders built the Lord’s temple.

59The priests stood arrayed in their vestments with musical instruments and trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with their cymbals,

60singing songs of thanksgiving and praising the Lord, according to the directions of King David of Israel.

61They sang aloud, praising the Lord in songs of thanksgiving, because his goodness and his glory are forever in all Israel.

62All the people sounded trumpets and shouted with a loud voice, singing songs of thanksgiving to the Lord for the raising up of the Lord’s house.

63Some of the Levitical priests and of the heads of their families, the elderly who had seen the former house came to the building of this one with lamentation and great weeping.

64But many with trumpets and joy shouted with a loud voice,

65so that the people couldn’t hear the trumpets for the weeping of the people, for the multitude sounded loudly, so that it was heard far away.

66Therefore when the enemies of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin heard it, they came to know what that noise of trumpets meant.

67They learnt that those who returned from captivity built the temple for the Lord, the God of Israel.

68So they went to Zorobabel and Jesus, and to the chief men of the families, and said to them, “We will build together with you.

69For we, just like you, obey your Lord, and sacrifice to him from the days of King ⁹⁷Asbasareth of the Assyrians, who brought us here.”

70Then Zorobabel, Jesus and the chief men of the families of Israel said to them, “It is not for you to build the house for the Lord our God.

71We ourselves alone will build for the Lord of Israel, as King Cyrus of the Persians has commanded us.”

72But the heathen of the land pressed hard upon the inhabitants of Judea, cut off their supplies, and hindered their building.

73By their secret plots, and popular persuasions and commotions, they hindered the finishing of the building all the time that King Cyrus lived. So they were hindered from building for two years, until the reign of Darius.