The Book of Ezra

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 3 -

And when the seuenth moneth was come, and the children of Israel were in their cities, the people assembled themselues as one man vnto Ierusalem.

Then stoode vp Ieshua rhe sonne of Iozadak, and his brethren the Priests, and Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in ye Lawe of Moses the man of God,

And they set the altar vpon his bases (for feare was among them, because of the people of those countreis) therefore they offered burnt offrings thereon vnto the Lord, euen burnt offrings in the morning, and at euen.

They kept also the feast of the Tabernacles, as it is written, and the burnt offring dayly, by nomber according to the custome day by day,

And afterwarde the continuall bnrnt offring, both in the newe moneths and in all the feast dayes that were consecrate vnto the Lord, and in all the oblations willingly offered vnto the Lord.

From the first day of the seuenth moneth began they to offer burnt offrings vnto the Lord: but the foundation of the Temple of the Lord was not layed.

They gaue money also vnto the masons, and to the workemen, and meat and drinke, and oyle vnto them of Zidon and of Tyrus, to bring them cedar wood from Lebanon to the sea vnto Iapho, according to the graunt that they had of Cyrus King of Persia.

Temple Restoration Begins

And in the seconde yeere of their comming vnto the house of God in Ierusalem in the second moneth began Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel, and Ieshua the sonne of Iozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the Priests and the Leuites, and all they that were come out of the captiuitie vnto Ierusalem, and appointed the Leuites from twentie yeere olde and aboue, to set forwarde the worke of the house of the Lord.

And Ieshua stood with his sonnes, and his brethren, and Kadmiel with his sonnes, and the sonnes of Iudah together to set forward ye workemen in the house of God, and the sonnes of Henadad with their sonnes, and their brethren the Leuites.

And when the builders layed the foundation of the Temple of the Lord, they appoynted the Priestes in their apparel with trumpets, and the Leuites the sonnes of Asaph with cymbales, to prayse the Lord, after the ordinance of Dauid King of Israel.

Thus they sang when they gaue prayse, and when they gaue thankes vnto the Lord, For he is good, for his mercie endureth for euer toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shoute, when they praysed the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was layed.

Many also of the Priests and the Leuites and the chiefe of the fathers, ancient men which had seene the first house, (when the foundation of this house was layed before their eyes) wept with a loud voyce, and many shouted aloud for ioy,

So that the people coulde not discerne the sound of the shoute for ioy, from the noyse of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loude crie, and the noyse was heard farre off.

When the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.

Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak stood up with his brothers the priests and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his relatives, and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.

In spite of their fear because of the peoples of the surrounding lands, they set the altar on its base; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening.

They kept the feast of booths, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required;

and afterward the continual burnt offering, the offerings of the new moons, of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of everyone who willingly offered a free will offering to the LORD.

From the first day of the seventh month, they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD; but the foundation of the LORD’s temple was not yet laid.

They also gave money to the masons and to the carpenters. They also gave food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus King of Persia.

Temple Restoration Begins

Now in the second year of their coming to God’s house at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began the work and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the LORD’s house.

Then Jeshua stood with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together to have the oversight of the workmen in God’s house: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites.

When the builders laid the foundation of the LORD’s temple, they set the priests in their vestments with trumpets, with the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the directions of David king of Israel.

They sang to one another in praising and giving thanks to the LORD, “For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever toward Israel.” All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the LORD’s house had been laid.

But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice. Many also shouted aloud for joy,

so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard far away.