SCRIPTURES

1 During the first year that Cyrus was King of Persia, YAHUAH caused him to make an announcement. It was written down, and Cyrus ordered that it be read throughout his Kingdom. This was done so that what YAHUAH had told Jeremiah (years before) would now happen. This was the announcement: 2 "From King Cyrus of Persia: YAHUAH, the Alahim of Heaven, gave all the Kingdoms on earth to me. And He chose me to build a Temple for Him at Jerusalem in the country of Judah. 3 If any of A

1 These are the people of the province who returned from captivity. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had taken these people as prisoners and now they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to their own town. 2 These are the people who returned with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. This is the list of names and numbers of men from Israel who returned: 3 2172 from the descendants of Parosh, 4 372 from Sheph

1 So by the seventh month (SEPT–OCT 538 B.C) Israel had moved back to their own hometowns. At that time all the people met together in Jerusalem and were all united as one man . 2 Then Jeshua (son of Jozadak) and the Priests with him, along with Zerubbabel (son of Shealtiel) and the people with him, built the Altar of YAHUAH, the Alahim of Israel, so that they could offer sacrifices on it. They built it just as it says in the Law of Moses, YAHUAH’S servant. THE ALTAR WAS TOP

1 Many adversaries living in the area were against the people returning from exile, for they heard that they were building a Temple for YAHUAH, the Alahim of Israel. 2 So they came to Zerubbabel and to the family leaders and said, “Let us help you build the Temple. We're all the same, and we seek your Alahim the same as you do. Infact we’ve been offering sacrifices to Him ever since King Esarhaddon of Assyria brought us here.” 3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other family le

1 At that time the prophets Haggai and Zechariah began to prophesy in the Name of YAHUAH, encouraging the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem. 2 So Zerubbabel (son of Shealtiel) and Jeshua (son of Jozadak) again started working on the Temple in Jerusalem. All of YAHUAH’S prophets were with them and were supporting the work. REMEMBER EZRA HIMSELF IS NOT ON THE SCENE YET - AND ZERUBBABEL IS IN CHARGE OF THE RENO ... 3 At that time Tattenai was the Governor of the area west of the Euph

1 So King Darius gave an order to search the writings of the Kings before him. The writings were kept in Babylon in the same place the money and treasures were kept. 2 And a scroll was indeed found in the Palace of Ecbatana (in the province of Media) written by Cyrus the King. This is what was written on that scroll: 3 During the first year that Cyrus was King, he gave an order about the Temple of YAHUAH in Jerusalem. The order said: "Let the Temple of YAHUAH be built again.

1 After these things (58 YEARS LATER) during the rule of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra came to Jerusalem from Babylon. Ezra was the son of Seraiah. Seraiah was the son of Azariah. Azariah was the son of Hilkiah. 2 Hilkiah was the son of Shallum. Shallum was the son of Zadok. Zadok (HIGH PRIEST AT THE TIME OF KING DAVID) was the son of Ahitub. 3 Ahitub was the son of Amariah. Amariah was the son of Azariah. Azariah was the son of Meraioth. 4 Meraioth was the son of Zerahiah.

1-14 Ezra wrote: “These are the names of the family-leaders and the other people who came with me to Jerusalem from Babylon. We came to Jerusalem during the rule of King Artaxerxes ... From the descendants of: *Phinehas: Gershom, *Ithamar: Daniel, *David: Hattush, *Shecaniah: Parosh, Zechariah + 150 others, *Pahath Moab: Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah + 200 others, *Zattu: Shecaniah son of Jahaziel + 300 others, *Adin: Ebed son of Jonathan + 50 others, *Elam: Jeshaiah son of Atha

1 After we finished all these things (RETURNED AND GAVE THE GOLD AND SILVER TO THE TEMPLE AUTHORITIES), the leaders of the Israelites came to me and said, “Ezra, the Israelites have not kept themselves separate from the other people living around us, nor have the Priests and the Levites stayed away from the abominations done by the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites, but are being influenced by their evil lifestyles. 2 Th

1 Ezra was praying and confessing. He was crying and bowing down in front of YAHUAH’s Temple. While Ezra was doing that, a large group of the Israelites (men, women, and children) gathered around him. They were crying too (AT THE SIGHT OF THEIR LEADER BROKEN AND WAILING LOUDLY). 2 Then Shecaniah (son of Jehiel), one of the descendants of Elam, spoke to Ezra and said, “We have not been obedient to YAHUAH. We have married the people living around us. But, even though we have do