Chapter 7 2 Did very carefully oversee the holy works, assisting the ancients of the Jews and governors of the temple.3 And so the holy works prospered, when Aggeus and Zacharias the prophets prophesied.4 And they finished these things by the commandment of the Lord God of Israel, and with the consent of Cyrus, Darius, and Artexerxes, kings of Persia.5 And thus was the holy house finished in the three and twentieth day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of Darius king of the Persians6 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and others that were of the captivity, that were added unto them, did according to the things written in the book of Moses.7 And to the dedication of the temple of the Lord they offered an hundred bullocks two hundred rams, four hundred lambs;8 And twelve goats for the sin of all Israel, according to the number of the chief of the tribes of Israel.9 The priests also and the Levites stood arrayed in their vestments, according to their kindreds, in the service of the Lord God of Israel, according to the book of Moses: and the porters at every gate.10 And the children of Israel that were of the captivity held the passover the fourteenth day of the first month, after that the priests and the Levites were sanctified.11 They that were of the captivity were not all sanctified together: but the Levites were all sanctified together.12 And so they offered the passover for all them of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.13 And the children of Israel that came out of the captivity did eat, even all they that had separated themselves from the abominations of the people of the land, and sought the Lord.14 And they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days, making merry before the Lord,15 For that he had turned the counsel of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the works of the Lord God of Israel.
Chapter 8 1 And after these things, when Artexerxes the king of the Persians reigned came Esdras the son of Saraias, the son of Ezerias, the son of Helchiah, the son of Salum,2 The son of Sadduc, the son of Achitob, the son of Amarias, the son of Ezias, the son of Meremoth, the son of Zaraias, the son of Savias, the son of Boccas, the son of Abisum, the son of Phinees, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest.3 This Esdras went up from Babylon, as a scribe, being very ready in the law of Moses, that was given by the God of Israel.4 And the king did him honour: for he found grace in his sight in all his requests.5 There went up with him also certain of the children of Israel, of the priest of the Levites, of the holy singers, porters, and ministers of the temple, unto Jerusalem,