El exilio
Ezra gathers the Levites and travels to Jerusalem
Ezra gathers the people at the River Ahava, discovers that there are no Levites, and sends messengers to Iddo in Casiphia to bring servants for the house of God. He proclaims a fast to seek God's protection on the journey, then weighs out silver, gold, and holy vessels which he entrusts to priests and Levites. On the twelfth day of the first month they set out from the River Ahava, and God protects them from enemies along the way. Upon arriving in Jerusalem, the treasures are weighed in the temple, and the returning exiles offer burnt offerings to the Lord.
Esdras 8,15-36
15I assembled them at the river that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there three days. When I reviewed the people and the priests, I found no Levites among them.
וָֽאֶקְבְּצֵ֗ם אֶל־הַנָּהָר֙ הַבָּ֣א אֶֽל־אַהֲוָ֔א וַנַּחֲנֶ֥ה שָׁ֖ם יָמִ֣ים שְׁלֹשָׁ֑ה וָאָבִ֤ינָה בָעָם֙ וּבַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים וּמִבְּנֵ֥י לֵוִ֖י לֹא־מָצָ֥אתִי שָֽׁם׃
16So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of insight.
וָאֶשְׁלְחָ֡ה לֶאֱלִיעֶ֡זֶר לַאֲרִיאֵ֡ל לִֽ֠שְׁמַעְיָה וּלְאֶלְנָתָ֨ן וּלְיָרִ֜יב וּלְאֶלְנָתָ֧ן וּלְנָתָ֛ן וְלִזְכַרְיָ֥ה וְלִמְשֻׁלָּ֖ם רָאשִׁ֑ים וּלְיוֹיָרִ֥יב וּלְאֶלְנָתָ֖ן מְבִינִֽים׃
17I sent them to Iddo, the leader at the place called Casiphia, and I told them what to say to Iddo and his kinsmen, the temple servants at Casiphia—that they should bring us ministers for the house of our God.
*ואוצאה **וָאֲצַוֶּ֤ה אוֹתָם֙ עַל־אִדּ֣וֹ הָרֹ֔אשׁ בְּכָסִפְיָ֖א הַמָּק֑וֹם וָאָשִׂימָה֩ בְּפִיהֶ֨ם דְּבָרִ֜ים לְ֠דַבֵּר אֶל־אִדּ֨וֹ אָחִ֤יו *הנתונים **הַנְּתִינִים֙ בְּכָסִפְיָ֣א הַמָּק֔וֹם לְהָֽבִיא־לָ֥נוּ מְשָׁרְתִ֖ים לְבֵ֥ית אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
18Since the gracious hand of our God was upon us, they brought us a capable man from the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel—Sherebiah—along with his sons and brothers, eighteen men;
וַיָּבִ֨יאּוּ לָ֜נוּ כְּיַד־אֱלֹהֵ֨ינוּ הַטּוֹבָ֤ה עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ שֶׂ֔כֶל מִבְּנֵ֣י מַחְלִ֔י בֶּן־לֵוִ֖י בֶּן־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְשֵׁרֵֽבְיָ֛ה וּבָנָ֥יו וְאֶחָ֖יו שְׁמֹנָ֥ה עָשָֽׂר׃
19also Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, twenty men;
וְאֶת־חֲשַׁבְיָ֔ה וְאִתּ֥וֹ יְשַֽׁעְיָ֖ה מִבְּנֵ֣י מְרָרִ֑י אֶחָ֥יו וּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם עֶשְׂרִֽים׃ ס
20and 220 of the temple servants, whom David and his officials had appointed to assist the Levites. All of them were registered by name.
וּמִן־הַנְּתִינִ֗ים שֶׁנָּתַ֨ן דָּוִ֤יד וְהַשָּׂרִים֙ לַעֲבֹדַ֣ת הַלְוִיִּ֔ם נְתִינִ֖ים מָאתַ֣יִם וְעֶשְׂרִ֑ים כֻּלָּ֖ם נִקְּב֥וּ בְשֵׁמֽוֹת׃
21There by the Ahava River I proclaimed a fast, that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our possessions.
וָאֶקְרָ֨א שָׁ֥ם צוֹם֙ עַל־הַנָּהָ֣ר אַהֲוָ֔א לְהִתְעַנּ֖וֹת לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ לְבַקֵּ֤שׁ מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְשָׁרָ֔ה לָ֥נוּ וּלְטַפֵּ֖נוּ וּלְכָל־רְכוּשֵֽׁנוּ׃
22I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies along the way, since we had told him, "The hand of our God is upon all who seek him, for good; but his power and his anger are against all who forsake him."
כִּ֣י בֹ֗שְׁתִּי לִשְׁא֤וֹל מִן־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ חַ֣יִל וּפָרָשִׁ֔ים לְעָזְרֵ֥נוּ מֵאוֹיֵ֖ב בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ כִּֽי־אָמַ֨רְנוּ לַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לֵאמֹ֗ר יַד־אֱלֹהֵ֤ינוּ עַל־כָּל־מְבַקְשָׁיו֙ לְטוֹבָ֔ה וְעֻזּ֣וֹ וְאַפּ֔וֹ עַ֖ל כָּל־עֹזְבָֽיו׃
23So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and he answered our prayer.
וַנָּצ֛וּמָה וַנְּבַקְשָׁ֥ה מֵאֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ עַל־זֹ֑את וַיֵּעָתֵ֖ר לָֽנוּ׃
24Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, together with Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers,
וָאַבְדִּ֛ילָה מִשָּׂרֵ֥י הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים שְׁנֵ֣ים עָשָׂ֑ר לְשֵׁרֵֽבְיָ֣ה חֲשַׁבְיָ֔ה וְעִמָּהֶ֥ם מֵאֲחֵיהֶ֖ם עֲשָׂרָֽה׃
25and I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels—the offering for the house of our God that the king, his counselors, his officials, and all Israel who were present had donated.
*ואשקולה **וָאֶשְׁקֳלָ֣ה לָהֶ֔ם אֶת־הַכֶּ֥סֶף וְאֶת־הַזָּהָ֖ב וְאֶת־הַכֵּלִ֑ים תְּרוּמַ֣ת בֵּית־אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ הַהֵרִ֙ימוּ֙ הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וְיֹעֲצָ֣יו וְשָׂרָ֔יו וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הַנִּמְצָאִֽים׃
26I weighed out into their hands 650 talents of silver, silver vessels weighing 100 talents, 100 talents of gold,
וָאֶשְׁקֲלָ֨ה עַל־יָדָ֜ם כֶּ֗סֶף כִּכָּרִים֙ שֵֽׁשׁ־מֵא֣וֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁ֔ים וּכְלֵי־כֶ֥סֶף מֵאָ֖ה לְכִכָּרִ֑ים זָהָ֖ב מֵאָ֥ה כִכָּֽר׃
27twenty golden bowls worth a thousand darics, and two vessels of fine polished bronze, as precious as gold.
וּכְפֹרֵ֤י זָהָב֙ עֶשְׂרִ֔ים לַאֲדַרְכֹנִ֖ים אָ֑לֶף וּכְלֵ֨י נְחֹ֜שֶׁת מֻצְהָ֤ב טוֹבָה֙ שְׁנַ֔יִם חֲמוּדֹ֖ת כַּזָּהָֽב׃
28And I said to them, "You are holy to the LORD, and these vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the LORD, the God of your fathers.
וָאֹמְרָ֣ה אֲלֵהֶ֗ם אַתֶּ֥ם קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ לַיהוָ֔ה וְהַכֵּלִ֖ים קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְהַכֶּ֤סֶף וְהַזָּהָב֙ נְדָבָ֔ה לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
29Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD, before the leading priests, the Levites, and the heads of the families of Israel."
שִׁקְד֣וּ וְשִׁמְר֗וּ עַֽד־תִּשְׁקְל֡וּ לִפְנֵי֩ שָׂרֵ֨י הַכֹּהֲנִ֧ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֛ם וְשָׂרֵֽי־הָאָב֥וֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם הַלִּשְׁכ֖וֹת בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃
30So the priests and the Levites took charge of the silver, the gold, and the vessels that had been weighed out, to bring them to Jerusalem, to the house of our God.
וְקִבְּלוּ֙ הַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם מִשְׁקַ֛ל הַכֶּ֥סֶף וְהַזָּהָ֖ב וְהַכֵּלִ֑ים לְהָבִ֥יא לִירוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם לְבֵ֥ית אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ פ
31On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava River to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was upon us, and he protected us from enemies and from bandits along the way.
וַֽנִּסְעָ֞ה מִנְּהַ֣ר אֽ͏ַהֲוָ֗א בִּשְׁנֵ֤ים עָשָׂר֙ לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָרִאשׁ֔וֹן לָלֶ֖כֶת יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְיַד־אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ הָיְתָ֣ה עָלֵ֔ינוּ וַיַּ֨צִּילֵ֔נוּ מִכַּ֥ף אוֹיֵ֛ב וְאוֹרֵ֖ב עַל־הַדָּֽרֶךְ׃
32We arrived in Jerusalem and stayed there three days.
וַנָּב֖וֹא יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וַנֵּ֥שֶׁב שָׁ֖ם יָמִ֥ים שְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃
33On the fourth day the silver, the gold, and the vessels were weighed out in the house of our God into the hands of Meremoth son of Uriah the priest, and with him Eleazar son of Phinehas, and with them the Levites Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui.
וּבַיּ֣וֹם הָרְבִיעִ֡י נִשְׁקַ֣ל הַכֶּסֶף֩ וְהַזָּהָ֨ב וְהַכֵּלִ֜ים בְּבֵ֣ית אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ עַ֠ל יַד־מְרֵמ֤וֹת בֶּן־אֽוּרִיָּה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְעִמּ֖וֹ אֶלְעָזָ֣ר בֶּן־פִּֽינְחָ֑ס וְעִמָּהֶ֞ם יוֹזָבָ֧ד בֶּן־יֵשׁ֛וּעַ וְנֽוֹעַדְיָ֥ה בֶן־בִּנּ֖וּי הַלְוִיִּֽם׃
34Everything was counted and weighed, and the entire weight was recorded at that time.
בְּמִסְפָּ֥ר בְּמִשְׁקָ֖ל לַכֹּ֑ל וַיִּכָּתֵ֥ב כָּֽל־הַמִּשְׁקָ֖ל בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִֽיא׃ פ
35Then those who had come back from exile, the returning captives, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve goats as a sin offering—all of it a burnt offering to the LORD.
הַ֠בָּאִים מֵֽהַשְּׁבִ֨י בְנֵֽי־הַגּוֹלָ֜ה הִקְרִ֥יבוּ עֹל֣וֹת ׀ לֵאלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל פָּרִ֨ים שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֤ר עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֵילִ֣ים ׀ תִּשְׁעִ֣ים וְשִׁשָּׁ֗ה כְּבָשִׂים֙ שִׁבְעִ֣ים וְשִׁבְעָ֔ה צְפִירֵ֥י חַטָּ֖את שְׁנֵ֣ים עָשָׂ֑ר הַכֹּ֖ל עוֹלָ֥ה לַיהוָֽה׃ פ
36They also delivered the king's decrees to the royal satraps and to the governors of the province Beyond the River, and they gave their support to the people and to the house of God.
וַֽיִּתְּנ֣וּ ׀ אֶת־דָּתֵ֣י הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ לַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנֵי֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּפַחֲו֖וֹת עֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֑ר וְנִשְּׂא֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם וְאֶת־בֵּֽית־הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ ס