1 These are the leaderstn Heb “the heads of their families.” and those enrolled with them by genealogy who were coming up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:

2 from the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom;

3 the son of Shecaniah;tc The MT reads here “from the sons of Shecaniah” with no descendant identified in what follows, contrary to the pattern of the context elsewhere. However, it seems better to understand the first phrase of v. 3 with the end of v. 2; the phrase would then modify the name “Hattush.” This understanding requires emending the reading מִבְּנֵי (mibbÿne, “from the sons of”) in the MT to בֵּן (ben,“[the] son of”). Cf. NAB, TEV, CEV, NLT.

4 from the descendants of Pahath-Moab, Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men;

5 from the descendants of Zattu,tc The MT lacks “of Zattu.” The translation adopted above follows the LXX in including the words. Shecaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men;

6 from the descendants of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men;

7 from the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men;

8 from the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him 80 men;

9 from the descendants of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him 218 men;

10 from the descendants of Bani,tc The MT lacks “Bani.” It is restored on the basis of certain LXX MSS. Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men;

11 from the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him 28 men;

12 from the descendants of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him 110 men;

13 from the descendants of Adonikam there were the latter ones.tn Or “those who came later.” The exact meaning of this Hebrew phrase is uncertain. It may refer to the last remaining members of Adonikam’s family who were in Babylon. So, for example, H. G. M. Williamson, Ezra, Nehemiah (WBC), 108; cf. NASB, NIV, NCV. The phrase has also been taken to mean “the younger sons (so NAB), or the ones who “returned at a later date” (so TEV). Their names were Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men;

14 from the descendants of Bigvai, Uthai, and Zaccur,tc The translation reads with the Qere, the Lucianic Greek recension, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Vulgate וְזַּכּוּר (vÿzakkur, “and Zaccur”) rather than the Kethib of the MT, וְזַבוּד (vÿzavud, “and Zabbud”). and with themtn The MT has “with him” (so NAB). The present translation (“with them”) is based on the reading of many medieval Hebrew MSS, the Lucianic Greek recension, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Vulgate (so also KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV). 70 men.

15 I had them assembletn Or “I gathered them.” at the canaltn Heb “river.” So also in vv. 21, 31. that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there for three days. I observed that the people and the priests were present, but I found no Levites there.

16 So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan,tc The name “Elnathan” occurs twice in this list. Some, assuming an accidental repetition, would include it only once (cf. NAB). Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were teachers.

17 I sent them to Iddo, who was the leader in the place called Casiphia. I told themtn Heb “I placed in their mouth words.” what to say to Iddo and his relatives,tc The translation reads with the LXX and Vulgate וְאֶחָיו (vÿ’ekhayv, “and his brethren” = “relatives”; so NCV, NLT) rather than the reading אָחִיו (’akhiyv, “his brother”) of the MT. who were the temple servants intn Heb “in the place called.” This phrase has not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons. Casiphia, so they would bring us attendants for the temple of our God.

18 Due to the fact that the good hand of our God was on us, they brought us a skilled man, from the descendants of Mahli the son of Levi son of Israel. This man was Sherebiah,tn Heb “and Sherebiah.” The words “this man was” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons. who was accompanied by his sons and brothers,tn Or “relatives” (so CEV; NRSV “kin”); also in v. 19. 18 men,

19 and Hashabiah, along with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, 20 men,

20 and some of the temple servants that David and his officials had established for the work of the Levites – 220 of them. They were all designated by name.

21 I called for a fast there by the Ahava Canal, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from him a safe journeytn Heb “a straight way.” for us, our children, and all our property.

22 I was embarrassed to request soldiers and horsemen from the king to protect us from the enemytn A number of modern translations regard this as a collective singular and translate “from enemies” (also in v. 31). along the way, because we had said to the king, “The good hand of our God is on everyone who is seeking him, but his great angertn Heb “his strength and his anger.” The expression is a hendiadys (one concept expressed through two terms). is against everyone who forsakes him.”

23 So we fasted and prayed to our God about this, and he answered us.

24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, together withtc The translation reads וַחֲשַׁבְיָה וְשֵׁרֵבְיָה (vÿsherevÿyah vakhashavyah, “and Sherebiah and Hashabiah”) rather than the reading חֲשַׁבְיָה לְשֵׁרֵבְיָה (lÿsherevyah khashavyah, “to Sherebiah Hashabiah”) of the MT. Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers,tn Or “relatives”; or “colleagues” (cf. NLT “ten other priests”).

25 and I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels intended for the temple of our God – items that the king, his advisers, his officials, and all Israel who were present had contributed.

26 I weighed out to themtn Heb “upon their hand.” 650 talents of silver, silver vessels worth 100 talents,tn Possibly “100 silver vessels worth [?] talents” or “silver vessels weighing 100 talents.” 100 talents of gold,

27 20 gold bowls worth 1,000 darics, and two exquisite vessels of gleaming bronze, as valuable as gold.

28 Then I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, just as these vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a voluntary offering to the Lord, the God of your fathers.

29 Be careful with them and protect them, until you weigh them out before the leading priests and the Levites and the family leaders of Israel in Jerusalem,map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. in the storerooms of the temple of the Lord.”

30 Then the priests and the Levites took charge oftn Heb “received.” the silver, the gold, and the vessels that had been weighed out, to transport them to Jerusalem to the temple of our God.

31 On the twelfth day of the first month we began traveling from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from our enemy and from banditstn Heb “from the hand of the enemy and the one who lies in wait.” Some modern English versions render the latter phrase as “ambushes” (cf. NASB, NRSV). along the way.

32 So we came to Jerusalem, and we stayed there for three days.

33 On the fourth day we weighed out the silver, the gold, and the vessels in the house of our God into the caretn Heb “upon the hand of.” of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest, and Eleazar son of Phinehas, who were accompanied by Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui, who were Levites.

34 Everything was verifiedtn The words “everything was verified” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity. by number and by weight, and the total weight was written down at that time.

35 The exiles who were returning from the captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel – twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs, along with twelve male goats as a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord.

36 Then they presented the decrees of the king to the king’s satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who gave help to the people and to the temple of God.