1 Esdras — The Coverdale Bible (1535)
1 Esdras is the Greek retelling of the history from Josiah’s passover to the reading of the law by Ezra, with the contest of the three guardsmen. In Coverdale’s Bible of 1535 it stands in the Apocrypha, which Coverdale gathered into a section of their own under the heading “The thirde boke of Eszdras”. Coverdale’s summary of the chapters stands before the text; the 1535 Bible has no verse numbers, so the text keeps its own paragraphs, in 9 chapters, with the marginal notes and references printed after each chapter.
What this boke conteyneth.
- Chap. I. The vertuous kynge Osias renueth the seruyce of God, setteth the prestes in their ordre, and holdeth the feast of Easter. Of his death. Of Iechonias his sonne. Of kynge Ioachim and Sedechias.
- Chap. II. God moueth kinge Cyrus to delyuer the presoners, like as he promysed by the prophet Ieremy. Of kynge Artaxerses, by whose auctorite the Iewes are forbydden to buylde vp Ierusalem.
- Chap. III. Of the feast that kinge Darius made, and of the thre yonge men that wrote euery one his sentence, to proue who might saye the best. The first sheweth his mynde.
- Chap. IIII. The seconde goeth aboute to proue his sentence the wisest, but Zorobabel getteth the victory, for the trueth beareth euer the bell. Darius cōmaundeth to buylde vp Ierusalem agayne.
- Chap. V. What they be & how many, that come agayne to Ierusalem out of the captiuyte of Babilon. The tēple and the altare are buylded agayne. The Heithen withstonde them.
- Chap. VI. The officers in Syria laboure vnto kynge Darius, to forbyd the buyldinge of the temple at Ierusalem: but he commaundeth to kepe the ordinaunce that kynge Cyrus made before.
- Chap. VII. The aduersaries myndes are satisfied, the buyldinge is fynished, and the Passeouer holden.
- Chap. VIII. How Eszdras and the other (beinge discharged by the letters and commaūdemēt of kinge Artaxerses) go vp to Ierusalem. The complaynte concernynge those, that were defyled and vncleane.
- Chap. IX. Of the councell that was taken, as touchinge the vncleane mariage.
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Chapter 1
[A] ANd Iosias helde the feast of Easter in Ierusalem vnto the LORDE, ⁽¹⁾ and slewe yᵉ Passeouer the xiiij. daye of the first moneth. He set yᵉ prestes also in ordre (acordīge to their daylie courses) beynge arayed in longe garmētes in the tēple of the LORDE. And he spake vnto the Leuites the holy ministers of Israel, that they shulde halowe them selues vnto the LORDE, to set the holy arke of the LORDE, in the house that kynge Salomō the sonne of Dauid had buylded and sayde: Ye shal nomore beare the Arke vpon yoʳ shulders. Now serue yooʳ LORDE, & take the charge of his people of Israel, after youre vyllagies and youre trybes: acordinge as kynge Dauid the kynge of Israel hath ordened, & acordinge as Salomon his sonne hath honorably prepared: Yee loke yᵗ ye all do seruyce in the temple, acordinge to the ordringe and distribucion of the pryncipall mē which are appoynted out of the trybes, to do seruyce for the childrē of Israel.⁽²⁾ Kyll yᵉ Passeouer, & prepare offeringes for yoʳ brethren, and do accordinge to the commaundemēt of yᵉ LORDE, which he gaue vnto Moses. And vnto yᵉ people yᵗ was foūde, Iosias gaue xxx. thousande of shepe, lambes, kyddes and goates, & thre thousande oxē. These the kynge (of his kyngly liberalite) gaue vnto the people, acordinge as he had promysed: & to the prestes (for the Passeouer) he gaue two thousande shepe & an hundreth oxē. Morouer Iechonias & Semeias and Nathanael brethren, & Hasabias, Iehiel and Iosabad, gaue them to the Passeouer, fyue thousande shepe and fyue hundreth bullockes.
And whan these thinges were brought to passe, the prestes and the Leuites stode goodly in their ordre, and had the vnleuended bred thorow out yᵉ trybes. And after the ordringe of the pryncipall men in the trybes, they offred vnto the LORDE in the sight of the people, acordinge as it is wrytten in the boke of Moses,⁽³⁾ & so they rosted the Easter-lambe as acordinge was. As for the thākofferinges & the other, they dight thē in kettels & pottes, & sett them before the people wᵗ good will, and afterwarde before them selues and the prestes. For the prestes offred the fatt, vntyll the tyme was expyred, but the Leuites prepared for them selues & for their brethren the childrē of Aaron. The syngers also yᵉ children of Asaph. stode in their ordre, acordinge as Dauid had deuysed. So dyd Asaph, Zachary & Iedithū, which were appoynted by the kynge. Morouer the porters & dorekepers stode by the dores & yᵗ diligently, so yᵗ none wente out of his stondinge & seruyce: for their brethren (the Leuites) prepared for them. Thus were all thinges perfourmed, that belonged to the offringe of the LORDE. In that daye they helde the Passeouer, & offred thankofferinges besyde yᵉ sacrifice of yᵉ LORRDE, acordinge to yᵉ cōmaundement of kynge Iosias.
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So the children of Israel which were thē present helde an honorable Passeouer, & the [C] feast of swete bred vij: dayes lōge. Yee soch a Passeouer was not kepte in Israel, from yᵉ tyme of the prophet Samuel. And all the kynges of Israel helde not soch an Easter, as this which kynge Iosias helde, & yᵉ prestes, yᵉ leuites, yᵉ Iewes & all Israel, of all thē yᵗ were at Ierusalē. In yᵉ xviij: yeare of yᵉ raigne of Iosias was this Passeouer kepte. And wᵗ a parfecte hert dyd kynge Iosias ordre all his workes (before yᵉ LORDE) & yᵉ thinges yᵗ were wryttē of hī in tymes past, cōcernynge those yᵗ synned & were vngodly agaynst yᵉ LORDE before all people, & yᵗ sought not the worde of yᵉ LORDE vpon Israel. After all these actes of kynge Iosias, Pharao yᵉ kynge of Egipte wēte vp,⁽⁴⁾ & came towarde Carcamis by Euphrates, & Iosias wēte to mete hī. Then sent the kynge of Egipte vnto Iosias, sayenge: what haue I to do wᵗ yᵉ, o kynge of Iuda? I am not sent of yᵉ LORDE to fight agaynst yᵉ, for my warre is vpō Euphrates, go thou yᵉ waye home agayne in all yᵉ haist. And Iosias wolde not turne agayne vpon his charet, but vndertoke to fight agaynst him, & herkened not vnto yᵉ worde of yᵉ prophet, which he tolde him out of the mouth of God, but pitched a battaill agaynst him in yᵉ felde of Mageddo. And the prynces preassed to kynge Iosias. Then sayde the kynge vnto his seruauntes:⁽⁵⁾ Cary me awaye out of the battayll, for I am sore wounded. And immediatly his seruauntes toke him awaye out of the front of the battayll. Then satt he vp vpon the secōde charett, came to Ierusalē, dyed, & was buried in his fathers sepulcre. And in all Iewry they mourned for Iosias, yee the rulers also wᵗ their wyues made lamētacion for him vnto this daye: And this was done euer still in Israel.
[D] These thinges are written in the boke of of the stories of yᵉ kynges of Iuda: namely, all the actes & workes of kynge Iosias, his kyngly power & maiesty, his vnderstandinge in the lawe of God, & what he dyd, yee thinges which are not wryttē in the boke of the kynges of Israel & Iuda. And yᵉ people toke Iechonias the sonne of Iosias,⁽⁶⁾ & made him kynge in yᵉ steade of Iosias his father, whan he was xxxiij. yeare olde. And he raigned ouer Israel thre monethes. And the kinge of Egipte put him downe, yᵗ he shulde not raigne in Ierusalē, & raysed vp a taxinge of the people: namely, an C. talentes of syluer & one talēt of golde. The kinge of Egipte also made Ioachim his brother kynge of Iuda & Ierusalē. As for thē of the kinges councell wᵗ the kynge himself and Zaraceles his brother, he toke thē, & caried thē awaye presoners in to Egipte. Fyue & twentie yeare olde was Ioachim, whan he was made kynge in the londe of Iuda and Ierusalem, and he dyd euell before the LORDE. After this, Nabuchodonosor [E] yᵉ kynge of Babylō came vp, bounde him wᵗ bandes of yron,⁽⁷⁾ & caried him vnto Babilō. Nabuchodonosor also toke all yᵉ vessell yᵗ were halowed in the tēple of the LORDE, & all yᵉ Iewels, & caried thē vnto Babilon, & brought thē in to his owne tēple at Babilon. Of his vnclennes & vngodlynes, it is writtē in yᵉ boke of the actes of yᵉ kynges. And Ioachim his sonne raigned in his steade: He was made kynge beinge xviij. yeare olde, & raigned but thre monethes & x. dayes in Ierusalē, & dyd euell before the LORDE. So after a yeare, Nabuchodonosor sent & caused him be brought vnto Babilon wᵗ yᵉ holy vessels of yᵉ LORDE, & made Sedechias his brother kynge of Iuda and Ierusalē, whan he was xxj. yeare olde: and he raigned xj. yeare.
And he dyd euell also in yᵉ sight of yᵉ LORDE, & cared not for yᵉ wordes yᵗ were spokē vnto hī by yᵉ prophet Ieremy at yᵉ mouth of the LORDE. ⁽⁸⁾ And where as he had made on ooth vnto kynge Nabuchodonosor, he manswor⟨illegible⟩ himself, & fell frō him hauynge a stiff neck & hert, & trāsgressed all yᵉ statutes & ordinaunces of the LORDE God of Israel. The rulers also & heades of yᵉ people of the LORDE dyd moch euell, & became vngodly, more thē the Heithen, beynge defyled in all maner of abhominaciōs: Yee & defyled yᵉ holy tēple of the LORDE at Ierusalē. And the God of their fathers sent his messaungers vnto thē, to turne [F] them backe & to call thē agayne frō their synnes: for he wolde fayne haue spared thē for his holy tabernacles sake. Neuertheles, they had his messaungers in derision: & loke what God spake vnto thē by his prophetes, they made but a sporte of it. This drew on so longe, tyll the LORDE was wroth wᵗ his people for their vngodlynes, & tyll he caused the kinges of yᵉ Caldees to come vp, which slew their yonge men wᵗ the swerde, yee euen in the compasse of their holy tēple, & spared no body, nether yonge ner olde, nether mayden ner yonge man: but they were all delyuered in to the power of the kynges of yᵉ Caldees, & all the holy vessels of the LORDE and the kynges treasures toke they, & caried them vnto Babilon. As for the house of the LORDE, ⁽⁹⁾ they brēt it, & brake downe the walles of Ierusalē, set fyre vpon hir towres, destroyed all hir noble buyldinges and brought them to naught, and the people that were not slayne with the swerde, they caried vnto Babilon.
Thus became they yᵉ presoners & bōdemē of yᵉ kynge of Babilon, tyll they were delyuered & raygned for them selues, when the wordes of the LORDE were fulfilled, which he promysed them by the mouth of the prophet Ieremy, and tyll the londe had hir rest: namely, all the tyme yᵗ it laye wayest,⁽¹⁰⁾ had it rest & quyetnes lxxvij. yeares.
Notes to Chapter 1
⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 23. a Re. 23. c
⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 12· d
⁽³⁾ Exo. 12▪
⁽⁴⁾ 4. Re. 2⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩. Par. 25.
⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 2⟨illegible⟩. f
⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 23. f ⟨illegible⟩. 36. a
⁽⁷⁾ Reg. ⟨illegible⟩. c
⁽⁸⁾ Iere. ⟨illegible⟩
⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
⁽¹⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
Chapter 2
NOw whā kynge Cyrus raigned ouer [A] the Persians,⁽¹⁾ & whā the LORDE wolde perfourme the worde yᵗ he had promysed by the mouth of the prophet Ieremy: the LORDE raysed vp the sprete of Cyrus, the kynge of the Persiās, so yᵗ he caused this wrytinge to be proclamed thorow out his whole realme, sayenge: Thus sayeth the kynge of yᵉ Persians: The LORDE of Israel that hye LORDE hath made me kynge of the lōde, and commaunded me to buylde him an house at Ierusalem in Iewry. Yf there be eny now of youre people, yᵉ LORDE be with him, and go vp with him to Ierusalem. And all they that dwell rounde aboute yᵗ place, shal helpe thē, whether it be with golde, with syluer, with giftes, with horses and necessary catell, and all other thinges that are brought wᵗ a fre wyll to the house of the LORDE at Ierusalē.
Then the pryncipall mē out of the trybes [B] and vyllages of Iuda and Ben Iamin stode vp: so dyd the prestes also & the leuites (whō the LORDE had moued) to go vp, and to buylde the house of the LORDE at Ierusalē. And they that were aboute them, helped them wᵗ all maner of golde, and syluer, and catell also and with many liberall giftes, and this dyd many one, whose mynde was stered vp therto. Kynge Cyrus also brought forth the vessels and ornamentes, that were halowed vnto the LORDE (which Nabuchodonosor the kynge of Babilon had caried awaye from Ierusalem, and consecrated them to his Idoll and ymage) and delyuered them to Mithridatus his treasurer, and by him they were delyuered to Salmanasar yᵉ debyte in Iewry. And this was the nōbre of them: Two thousande and iiij.C. syluer boules, xxx. syluer basens, xxx. basens of golde, ij.M. and iiij.C. vessels of syluer, and a thousande besyde. All the vessels of golde and syluer were v.M.viij.C. and lx. These were nombred vnto Salmanasar, and them that were come agayne with him to Ierusalē out of the captiuyte of Babilon. Now in the tyme of kynge Artaxerses the kynge of Persia, these men: Balemus and Mithridatus, Sabellius, Rathimus, Balthemus, Semelius yᵉ scrybe, and other that dwelt in Samaria & in other places vnder yᵉ dominion therof, Wrote a letter vnto kynge Artaxerses, wherin they complayned vnto the kynge of them in Iewry and Ierusalem. The letter was made after this maner:
[C] Syr, thy seruauntes Rathimus the story wryter, Sabellius the Scrybe, & other iudges of thy courte in Celosyria and Phenices. Be it knowne and manifest to oʳ lorde the kyn that the Iewes which are come vp frō you vnto vs into the rebellious and wicked cite, begynne to buylde it agayne, and the walles aboute it, and to set vp the tēple of the new. Now yf this cite and the walles therof be sett vp agayne, they shal not only refuse to geue trybutes and taxinges, but also rebell vtterly agaynst the kynge. And for so moch as they take this in hande now aboute the temple, we thought it reason, to thinke no scorne of it, but to shewe it vnto oʳ lorde the kynge, & to certifie him therof: to the intent yᵗ yf it please the kinge, he maye cause it be sought in the bokes of olde: and thou shalt fynde soch warnynge wrytten, and shalt vnderstonde, that this cite hath allwaye bene rebellious and disobedient, that it hath subdued kynges and cities, and that the Iewes which dwell therin, haue euer bene a rebellious, obstinate, vnfaithfull and fightinge people, for the which cause this cite is waysted. Wherfore now we certifie oure lorde the kynge, that yf this cite be buylded and occupied agayne, & the walles therof set vp a new, thou canst haue no passage in to Celosyria and Phenices.
Then wrote the kynge to Rathimus the [D] story wryter, to Balthemus, to Sabellius yᵉ scrybe, and to the other officers and dwellers in Syria and Phenices, after this maner: I haue red the epistle which thou sentest vnto me, and haue commaunded to make diligent search, and haue founde, that the cite hath euer resisted kynges, that the same people are dishobedient, and haue caused moch warre, & that mightie kynges haue raigned in Ierusalem, which also haue raysed vp taxinges of Syria and Phenices. Wherfore, I haue commaūded those people, that they shal not buylde the cite, that they make no more in it, and that they procede no further with the buyldinge: for so moch as it might be the cause of warre, and displeasure vnto kynges.
Now whan Rathymus and Sabellius the scrybe and the rulers in the londe had red the wrytinge of kynge Artaxerses, they gatt them together, and came in all the haist to Ierusalem with an hoost of horsemen, and with moch people of fote, and forbad them to buylde. And so they left of from buyldinge of the temple, vnto the seconde yeare of kynge Darius.
Notes to Chapter 2
⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
Chapter 3
KYnge Darius made a greate feast vnto [A] his seruaūtes, vnto all his courte, & to all the officers of Media and Persia, yee and to all the debytes & rulers that were vnder him, from India vnto Ethiopia, an hundreth & xxvij, countrees. So whan they had eaten, and dronken beinge satisfied, and were gone home agayne, Darius the kynge wente in to his chambre, layed him downe to slepe, and so awaked.
Then the thre yonge men, that kepte the kynges personne, and watched his body, commoned amonge them selues, and spake one to another: Let euery one of vs saye some thinge, and loke whose sentence is wyser and more excellent then the other, vnto him shal kinge Darius geue greate giftes, and clothe him with purple. He shal geue him vessels of golde to drynke in, clothes of golde and coueringes: he shall make him a costly charett & a brydle of golde, he shall geue him a bonet of whyte sylke and a chayne of golde aboute his neck: yee he shal be the seconde & pryncipall nexte vnto kynge Darius, & that because of his wyszdome, and shalbe called yᵉ kynges kynsman.
[B] So euery one wrote his meaninge, sealed it and layed it vnder the kinges pelowe, and sayde: whan the kynge aryseth, we will geue him oure wrytinges: and loke whose worde the kynge and his chefe lordes iudge to be the most wysely spoken, the same shall haue the victory. One wrote: wyne is a stronge thinge. The secōde wrote: The kynge is strōger. The thirde wrote: wemen haue yet more strength, but aboue all thinges yᵉ trueth beareth awaye the victory. Now whan the kynge was rysen vp, they toke their wrytinges and delyuered them vnto him, and so hered them. Then sent he forth to call all his chefe lordes, all the debytes & rulers of the countrees of Media and Persia. And whan they were sett downe in the councell, the wrytinges were red before them. And he commaunded to call for yᵉ yonge mē, yᵗ they might declare their meanynges thēselues by mouth. So when they were sent for, and came in, yᵉ kynge sayde vnto them: shew vs and make vs to vnderstōde, what the thinges are that ye haue wrytten.
[C] Then beganne the first (which had spokē of the strength of wyne) & sayde: O ye men, wyne is maruelous strōge,⁽¹⁾ and ouercōmeth them yᵉ drynke it: it disceaueth the mynde, & bryngeth both the poore man & yᵉ kynge to dotage and vanite. Thus doth it also wᵗ the bondman and with the fre, with the poore & rych: it taketh awaye their vnderstondinge, and maketh them careles and mery, so that none of them remembreth eny heuynes, dett or dewtie: It causeth a man to thinke also that yᵉ thinge which he doth, is honest and good: and remembreth not that he is a kynge, nor yᵗ he is in auctorite, & yᵗ he ought not to do soch thinges. Morouer, whan men are drynckinge, they forgett all frendshipe, all brotherly faithfulnes & loue: but as soone as they are dronckē, they drawe out the swerde & wil fight: & whā they are layed downe frō the wyne, & so rysen vp agayne, they can not tell what they dyd. Iudge ye now, Is not wyne the strongest? For who wolde els take in hande, to do soch thinges? And whan he had spoken this, he helde his tonge.
Notes to Chapter 3
⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ro. 20. a
Chapter 4
THen the seconde (which had sayde, yᵗ [A] the kynge was stronger) beganne to speake, sayēge: O ye men, are not they the strongest & most excellent, yᵗ cōquere the lōde & the see, & all yᵗ is in yᵉ see & in the earth? Now is the kynge lorde of all these thinges, & hath dominion of thē all: & loke what he cōmaūdeth, it is done. Yf he sende his mē forth a warfare, they go and breake downe hilles, walles & towres. They are slayne, & slaye (oher men) them selues, & ouer passe not yᵉ kynges worde. Yf they get the victory, they brynge the kynge all the spoyle. Likewyse, the other yᵗ medle not wᵗ warres & fightinge, but tyll the grounde: whan they reape, they brynge trybute vnto yᵉ kynge. And yf yᵉ kynge alone do but cōmaunde to kyll, they kyll: yf he cōmaunde to forgeue, they forgeue: yf he cōmaunde to smyte, they smyte: yf he byd dryue awaye, they dryue awaye: yf he commaunde to buylde, they buylde: yf he cōmaūde to breake downe, they breake downe: yf he cōmaunde to plante, they plāte. The comon people & yᵉ rulers are obedient vnto him. And yᵉ kynge in the meane season sytteth hī downe, eateth and drynketh, & taketh his rest: thē kepe they watch roūde aboute yᵉ kinge, & not one of thē darre gett him out of yᵉ waye, to do his owne busynes, but must be obediēt vnto yᵉ kinge at a worde. Iudge ye now o ye men, how shulde not he go farre aboue, vnto whom men are thus obediēt? And whan he had spokē this, he helde his tonge. The thirde (whose name [B] was Zorobabel, which had spokē of wemen & of yᵉ trueth) begāne to saye after this maner: O ye mē, it is not yᵉ greate kynge, it is not the multitude of mē, nether is it wine yᵗ excelleth: Who is it thē, yᵗ hath yᵉ lordshipe ouer thē? Haue not wemen borne the kynge, & all yᵉ people yᵗ rule these thinges? Haue not wemē borne thē, & brought thē vp, yᵗ plante the vynes, wher out yᵉ wyne cōmeth? They make garmētes for all mē, they geue honoʳ vnto all men, & wᵗ out wemen can not men lyue. Yf they gather golde & syluer & all precious thinges, & se a fayre & wel fauoured womā, they leaue all together, and turne their eyes onely vnto the woman, & gape vpon her, & haue more desyre vnto her, then vnto the syluer & golde, or eny maner of precious thinge.⁽¹⁾ A mā leaueth his father yᵗ brought him vp, he leaueth his owne naturall coūtre, and cleueth vnto the woman: yee he ioperdeth his life with the woman, and remembreth nether father, ner mother, ner countre. By this then ye must nedes knowe, yᵗ wemen haue yᵉ domynion ouer you.
Doth it greue you? A mā taketh his swerde & goeth his waye to steale, to kyll, to murther, to sayle vpon the see, & seyth a lyon, and goeth in the darcknes: and when he hath stollen, disceaued & robbed, he bringeth it vnto his loue. Agayne, a man loueth his wyfe better then father and mother: yee many one there be, that renne out of their wyttes & become bondmen for their wyues sakes: many one also haue perished, & haue bene slayne, & haue synned because of wemen.
[C] And now beleue me, I knowe a kynge which is greate in his power, & all lōdes stōde in awe of him, & no man darre laye hande vpon him: yet dyd I se, yᵗ Apame (yᵉ daughter of the greate kynge Bartacus) the kynges cōcubine, satt besyde the kynge vpō the right hāde, and toke of his crowne from his heade, and set it vpon hir owne heade, and smote the kynge with hir left hande. Morouer, the kynge loked vpō her wᵗ open mouth: yf she laughed vpon him, he laughed also: but yf she toke eny displeasure with him, the kynge was fayne to flater her, & to geue her good wordes, till he had gotten hir fauoure agayne.
O ye men, are not wemen then stronger? Greate is the earth, and hie is the heauen that do these thinges. Then the kynge & the prynces loked one vpon another. So he beganne to speake of the trueth: O ye men, are not wemē stronger? Greate is the earth, hye is the heauen, swyft is the course of the Sonne, he compaseth the heauen rounde aboute,⁽²⁾ and fetcheth his course againe to his owne place in one daye. Is he not excellent that doth this? yee greate is the trueth, and stronger then all thinges. All the earth calleth vpon the trueth, the heauen prayseth it, all workes shake and tremble at it, and with it is no vnrighteous thinge. Wine is vnrighteous, the kynge is vnrighteous, wemen are vnrighteous: all the children of men are vnrighteous, yee all their workes are vnrighteous, and there is no trueth in them, in their vnrighteousnes also shall they be destroyed and perish.⁽³⁾ As for yᵉ trueth, it endureth, and is allwaye stronge: it lyueth, and cōquereth for euermore worlde without ende.
[D] The trueth accepteth no personnes, it putteth no difference betwixte rych or poore, betwixte yᵉ mightie or symple, but doth right vnto euery mā, whether they be euel or good, & all men are louyngly dealt withall in the workes of it. In the iudgment of it there is no vnrighteous thinge, but strength, kingdome & power and maiesty for euermore. Blessed be the God of trueth.
And with that he helde his tōge, and all yᵉ people cried & sayde: Greate is the trueth, and aboue all. Then sayde the kynge vnto him: Axe what thou wilt, more then is appoynted in the wrytinge, and I shal geue it the, for thou art founde wyser then thy companyons: thou shalt sytt nexteme, and be my kynsman. Then sayde he vnto the kynge: Remembre thy promyse and vowe, which thou hast vowed and promysed (in the daye whan thou camest to the kyngdome) to buylde vp Ierusalem, and to sende againe all the vessels and Iewels, that were taken awaye out of Ierusalem: which Cyrus separated, whan he offred in Babilon, and wolde sende them agayne. And thy minde was to buylde vp the temple, which the Edomites brēt, whan Ierusalem was destroyed by the Caldees. This onely (O kynge) is the thinge that I requyre, this is yᵉ maiesty, which, I desyre & axe of the: that thou perfourme the vowe, which thou with thine owne mouth hast made vnto the kynge of heauen.
Then Darius the kynge stode vp, and kyssed [E] him,⁽⁴⁾ and wrote a letter vnto all the debytes and shreues, to all yᵉ lordes and nobles, yᵗ they shulde conveye him forth, & all them yᵗ wolde go vp with him. He wrote a letter also vnto all yᵉ shreues yᵗ were in Celosyria & Phenices, & vnto Libanus, yᵗ they shulde harle cedre trees from Libanus vnto Ierusalem, to buylde yᵉ cite withall. Morouer he wrote vnto all yᵉ Iewes that were gone out of his realme in to Iewry because of the fredome, yᵗ no officer, no ruler ner shreue shulde come to their dores: and that all their londe▪ which they had conquered, shulde be fre and not tributary: And that the Edomytes shulde geue ouer the cities and vyllagies of the Iewes, which they had taken in: yee & that they shulde yearly geue xx. talētes to yᵉ buyldinge of the temple, vntill the tyme that it were fynished: and to the daylie halowinge of the brent offeringes (as it is commaunded) ten talentes yearly also: And yᵗ all they which come from Babilon to buylde the cite, shulde haue fre lybertie, they & their children, and all the prestes.
He wrote the greatnesse also, & commaunded [F] that the holy garment shulde be geuen thē, wherin they ministred: and wrote that commaundementes shulde be geuen to the Leuites, vntill the daye, that the house were fynished and Ierusalem buylded vp: and cōmaunded that all they that watched the cite, shulde haue their porcions and wagies.
He gaue ouer also all the vessell yᵗ Cyrus had separated from Babilon: & all yᵗ Cyrus had geuē in cōmaundement, yᵉ same charged he also, yᵗ it shulde be done, & sent vnto Ierusalem. Now whan this yonge mā was gone forth, he turned his face towarde Ierusalē, & praysed yᵉ kinge of heauē, & sayde: Of yᵉ cōmeth victory,⁽⁵⁾ of the cōmeth wyszdome & clearnesse, & I am thy seruaunt. Blessed art thou, which hast geuen me wyszdome: the wyll I prayse, O LORDE, thou God of oure fathers.
And so he toke the letters, & wente vnto Babilon: And whan he came there, he tolde this vnto all his brethrē yᵗ were at Babilō, & they praysed yᵉ God of their fathers, yᵗ he had geuē them refreszshinge & lyberte to go vp, & to buylde Ierusalē & the temple (which is there called after the name of the LORDE) and they reioysed with instrumentes & gladnesse, seuen dayes longe.
Notes to Chapter 4
⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 1. a
⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 40. a ⟨illegible⟩ 116. a
⁽⁴⁾ 2. Esd. 2 ⟨illegible⟩ 3. Esd. 6. ⟨illegible⟩
⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 1. a
Chapter 5
[A] AFter this, were the prynciall mē of all yᵉ vyllagies chosen in the trybes & kinreddes, that they shulde go vp with their wiues and children, with their seruauntes and maydens, with all their catell & substaunce. And Darius the kynge sent with them a thousande horsmen, to conveye them safely vnto Ierusalem: and their brethrē were glad, playenge vpon instrumētes, and synginge.
And these are the names of the mē, which wente vp out of the vyllagies acordinge to the trybes. Of the prestes, the sonne of Phineas, the sonne of Aaron: Iesus the sonne of Iosedec,⁽¹⁾ Ioachim the sonne of Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel (of the kynred of Dauid, out of the kynred of Phares, of the trybe of Iuda) which spake wonderfull thinges vnder Darius the kynge of Persia,⁽²⁾ in yᵉ seconde yeare of his raigne in the first moneth of Nisan.
These also are they of Iewry, which came vp and turned Agayne vnto Ierusalem, out of the captiuyte that Nabuchodonosor yᵉ kynge of Babilon had brought vnto Babilon. And euery man sought his porcion agayne in Iewry, his cite, they that came wᵗ Zorobabel, and with Iesus, Nehemias, Saraias, Raelaias, Elimeus, Emmanius, Mardocheus, Beelserus, Mechpsa, Rochor, Oliorus, Emonias, one of their prynces.
[B] And the nōbre of thē, acordinge to their kynreddes & rulers, was. The childrē of Phares, two thousande, an hundreth & lxxij. The children of Ares, iij.M. an C. and lvij. The children of Femo, an C. and xlij. In the sonnes of Iesus and Ioabes, a M.iij.C. and two. The sonnes of Beniu, ij.M.iiij.C. and lxx. The sonnes of Choroba, ij.C. and v. The sonnes of Banica, an C. and lxviij. The sonnes of Rebech, iiij.C. and thre. The sonnes of Archad, iiij.C. and xxvij. The sonnes of Cham, xxxvij. The sonne of Zoroar, ij.M. and lxvij. The sonnes of Adinu, iiij.C. and lxj. The sonnes of Adarectis an C. and viij. The sonnes of Ciaso and Zelas, an C. and vij. The sonnes of Azorec, iiij.C. and xxxix. The sonnes of Iedarbone, an C. and xxxij. The sonnes of Hananias, an C. and xxx. The sonnes of Asoni, xc. The sonnes of Marsar, iiij.C. and xxij. The sonnes of Zabarus, xcv. The sonnes of Sepholemon, an C. and xxiij. The sonnes of Nepopas, lv. The sonnes of Hechanatus, an C. and lviij. The sonnes of Zebethanus, an C. and xxxij. The sonnes of Crearpatros, (which is called also Enohadies and Modias) iiij.C. and xxiij. Of them of Gramos and Gabea, an C. and xxj. Of them of Besselon and C⟨illegible⟩agge, lxv. Of them of Bastharus, an C. and xxij. Of them of Bechenobes, lv. Of the sonnes of Liptis, there were an C. and lv. Of the sonnes of Labonnus, iij.C. and lvij. Of the sonnes of Sichem, iij.C. and lxx. Of the sonnes of Suadon and Elimon, iij.C. and lxxviij. Of the sonnes of Ericus, ij.M. an C. and xlv. The sonnes of Anaas, thre hundreth and lxx.
The prestes: The sonnes of Ieddus: The sonnes of Euther: The sonnes of El Iasib, iij.C. and lxxij. The sonnes of Emerus, ij.C. and lij. The sonnes of Fasurius, iij.C. & lvij. The sonnes of Carea, ij.C. & xxvij. The Leuites: The sonnes of Iesus in Caduhel and Banus, and Serebias, and Edeas, seuentie and foure.
The whole nombre of these from xij. yeares,[C] was iij.M.iiij.C. and lxij▪ Of the sonnes, daughters and wyues, the whole summe was iiij.M.ij.C. and xlij. The sonnes of the prestes that praysed God in the temple: The sonnes of Asaph, of whom there were an C. and xxviij. But the dore kepers were: The children of Esmenus: The children of Aser: The children of Amon: The children of Acuba, Topa: The children of Tobi: an C. and xxxix. in all.
The prestes that serued in the temple: The sonnes of Sel, the sonnes of Gaspha, the sonnes of Tobloch, the sonnes of Caria, the sonnes of Sub, the sonnes of Heliu, the sonnes of Labana, yᵉ sonnes of Armacha, yᵉ sonnes of Acub, the sonnes of Vtha, the sonnes of Cetha, the sonnes of Aggab, the sonnes of Obay, the sonnes of Anani, the sonnes of Canna, yᵉ sonnes of Geddu, yᵉ sonnes of An, yᵉ sonnes of Radin, yᵉ sonnes of Desanon, the sonnes of Nechoba, the sonnes of Caseba, the sonnes of Goza, the sonnes of Ozul, the sonnes of Sinona, the sonnes of Atra, yᵉ sonnes of Hastem, yᵉ sonnes of Asiana, yᵉ sonnes of Manei, yᵉ sonnes of Nasisin, yᵉ sonnes of Accufa, yᵉ sonnes of Agista, yᵉ sonnes of Azui, yᵉ sonnes of Fauon, the sonnes of Phasalon, the sonnes of Meeda, the sonnes of Susa, the sonnes of Cared, yᵉ sonnes of Barcus, the sonnes of Sarea, yᵉ sonnes of Coesi, yᵉ sonnes of Nasit, yᵉ sonnes of Agista, the sonnes of Pedon: Salomon his sonnes, the sonnes of Asophot, the sonnes of Phazida, the sonnes of Celi, yᵉ sonnes of Dedon, the sonnes of Gaddahel, the sonnes of Zapheus, yᵉ sonnes of Aggia, the sonnes of Sacharet, yᵉ sonnes of Sabathē, the sonnes of Saroneth, yᵉ snones of Malsit, yᵉ sonnes of Ania, yᵉ sonnes of Sasus, yᵉ sonnes of Addus, yᵉ sonnes of Suba, yᵉ sonnes of Eura, yᵉ sonnes of Rahotis, the sonnes of Phasphat, yᵉ sonnes of Malmon. All these mynistred in the Sanctuary, & were seruauntes of Salomon: euen iiij.C. and lxxxij.
[D] These folowinge are they, yᵗ wēte vp frō Chelmellat Thelarsa (whose prynces were Carmelā & Careth) & might not shewe forth their cities & kynreddes, how they were of Israel: The sonnes of Dalarus, yᵉ sonnes of Tubē, yᵉ sonnes ef Nechodaicus. Of yᵉ prestes yᵗ executed yᵉ office of yᵉ presthode, & were not founde: The sonnes of Obia, yᵉ sonnes of Achisos, the sonnes of Addin, which maried one of yᵉ daughters of Phargeleu, & were named, after him. The writinge of yᵉ same kynred was sought in yᵉ register of their generacion, but it was not foūde: & therfore were they forbyddē to execute yᵉ office of yᵉ presthode. Vnto these sayde Nehemias and Astharas, yᵗ they shulde haue no porcion in yᵉ Sanctuary, tyll there rose vp an hie prest, yᵗ were well instructe in the playne clearnes & trueth. Of all Israel (besyde seruauntes & maydens) there were xlij.M.iij.C. & xl. Now were there of seruauntes & maydens, vij.M.iij.C. & xxxvj. Of synginge mē & synginge wemen there were ij.C. & lxv. Foure hundreth & xxxv. Camels. Seuen thousande & xxxvj. horses. Two hundreth thousande & xlv. Mooles. Fyue thousande and xxxv. Asses.
Their heades also and the rulers in the trybes, whan they came to Ierusalem, & wolde buylde & sett vp yᵉ tēple of God againe in his place, they gaue (after their abylite) vnto the tēple, to yᵉ treasure & to yᵉ seruyce of the Sāctuary, xij.M. poundes of golde, v. thousande of syluer, & an hundreth prestes garmētes. And so dwelt the prestes & the Leuites, & the people yᵗ wente out to Ierusalē & in the countre there aboute, the syngers also & the porters, euery one of Israel in his owne lande.
So whan the seuenth moneth came, and [E] whan the childrē of Israel were euery man at his busines,⁽³⁾ they came all with one cōsent in to the courte, which was before yᵉ east dore. And there stode Iesua the sonne of Iosedec and his brethren yᵉ prestes, & Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel and his brethren, settinge vp an aulter, to offre brent sacrifices vpon it, as it is written in yᵉ lawe of Moses.
There came people also of other countrees, and the Heithen out of all londes set vp the aulter in his place, and offred sacrifices & brent offerynges vnto the LORDE in the mornynge. And so they helde the feast of tabernacles, as it is commaunded in the lawe.⁽⁴⁾ And daylie offred they as acordinge was, and made the sacrifices appoynted, the offeringes also of the Sabbathes and of the new Moones, and all holy feastes.⁽⁵⁾ And all they that vowed offerynges vnto the LORDE, beganne at the new Moone of yᵉ seuēth moneth to offre vnto God, for the temple of the LORDE was not yet buylded. And they gaue vnto the Masons and Carpēters, money, meate & drynke with chearfulnesse. Vnto them of Sydon also and Tyre they gaue cartes, yᵗ they shulde cary Cedre trees from Libanus to be ieastes and beames, and that they shulde make shippes in the hauen of Ioppa, acordinge as it was appoynted and ordeyned, by Cyrus kynge of the Persians.
And in the seconde yeare they came in to the temple of God at Ierusalem. In the seconde moneth beganne Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel,⁽⁶⁾ and Iesua the sonne of Iosedec, and their brethren the prestes and Leuites, and all they that were come vnto Ierusalem out of the captiuyte of Babilon, & layed the foundacion of the temple, in the new Moone of the seconde moneth in the seconde yeare yᵗ they were come in to Iewry and Ierusalem. And they appoynted the [F] Leuites (that were aboue xx. yeare olde) vnto the seruyce of the LORDE: so Iesua and his sonnes and his brethren all the Leuites stode together, and perfourmed the lawe & ordinaunce in the house of the LORDE.
And the prestes stode and had their garmentes & trompettes, & the Leuites, the sonnes of Asaph had Cymbals, geuynge thankes, and prayses vnto the LORDE, acordinge as Dauid the kynge of Israel had ordeyned.⁽⁷⁾ And the songe that they dyd synge vnto the LORDE, was after this maner: O synge vnto the LORDE, ⁽⁸⁾ for he is gracious, and his goodnes vpon Israel endureth for euer. And all the people blew out with trompettes, and sunge with loude voyce, praysynge the LORDE together in the rearinge vp of the house of the LORDE. There came also from amonge the prestes and Leuites the rulers and elders, acordinge to the trybes and kynreds (soch as had sene the house afore) to the buyldinge of this temple with greate crye and greate mournynge, many also with trompettes and greate ioye: In so moch, that the trompettes might not wel be herde for the wepynge and mournynge. For the comon people blew goodly vpō the trompettes.
[G] Then came the enemies of the trybes of Iuda and Ben Iamin,⁽⁹⁾ to knowe what that trōpettynge and noyse of shawmes might be. And they perceaued yᵗ it was they which were come agayne out of captiuyte, & wolde buylde the temple a new vnto the LORDE God of Israel. So they wente to Zorobabel and Iesua and to the rulers of the vyllages, & sayde vnto them: Shal we buylde wᵗ you also? for we like wyse haue herde youre LORDE, & we walke after the same maner, from the dayes of Aszbazareth the kinge of Assiria, which brought vs hither. Then Zorobabel and Iesua and the rulers of the villages of Israel sayde vnto them: It is not mete, that ye shulde buylde the temple of oure God wᵗ vs: we oure selues alone wil buylde vnto the LORDE, ⁽¹⁰⁾ like as Cyrus the kynge of the Persians hath commaūded vs,
But the Heithen in the londe layed them selues against those that were in Iewry, helde vp the buyldinge from them, layed wayte vpō them preuely, stopped soch as brought eny thinge to them, forbad them to buylde, & hyndered those that made thē passage, that the buyldinge shulde not be fynished: & this contynued so longe as kynge Cyrus lyued: & so they put of the buyldinge for the space of two yeare, vntill yᵉ raigne of kynge Darius.
Notes to Chapter 5
⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩att. 1. b
⁽²⁾ Esd. 4. b
⁽³⁾ 1. Esd. ⟨illegible⟩. a
⁽⁴⁾ Leu⟨illegible⟩. 23. f
⁽⁵⁾ 1. Esd. 3. b
⁽⁶⁾ Eccl⟨illegible⟩. 49. and c
⁽⁷⁾ 1. Par. 17. b
⁽⁸⁾ Psal. 135. a
⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. Esd. 4. a
⁽¹⁰⁾ Esd. ⟨illegible⟩. a
Chapter 6
[A] NOt wᵗ stondinge, in the seconde yeare of the raigne of Darius,⁽¹⁾ Aggeus & Zachary the sonne of Addo prophecied vpon them in Iewry and Ierusalem, in the name of the God of Israel. Then Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel and Iesua the sonne of Iosedec stode vp,⁽²⁾ and beganne to buylde the house of the LORDE at Ierusalem, when the prophetes of the LORDE helped them.
At the same tyme came Sysennes the vnder shreue in Syria and Phenices, with the landlordes and his companyons, and sayde vnto them: Who hath bydden & commaunded you to buylde the house? to make the rofe and all other thinges agayne? And who are the worke men, that buylde them? Neuertheles the elders of the Iewes had soch grace of the LORDE, that they wolde not be lett (though they were prouoked therto) but buylded on still, vntill the tyme that kynge Darius were certified therof, and an answere receaued from him. The letter that these men sent vnto kynge Darius, was after this maner:
Sysennes the vnder shreue in Syria and [B] Phenices, and the landlordes with their cōpaniōs, which are head rulers in Syria and Phenices, sende their salutacion vnto Darius the kynge. We certifie oure lorde the kynge, that we came in to the londe of Iewry, & wente to Ierusalem: where we founde them buyldinge the greate house of God and the tēple, with greate costly frestone and with goodly tymbre for the walles: yee they make greate haist with the worke, & helpe one another, and it goeth forth prosperously in their handes, and with greate diligence & worshipe is it made. Then axed we the elders, who had cōmaunded them to make vp the house and the buyldinge: and this we dyd, to yᵉ intēt that we might certifie the perfectly, and wryte vnto the, the names of those yᵗ were yᵉ rulers of the worke. So they gaue vs this answere: we are the seruauntes of the LORDE, which made heauen and earth: & as for this house,⁽³⁾ it hath bene buylded and set vp afore tyme by the greate and mightie kynge of Israel. But whan oure fathers prouoked God vnto wrath, & synned agaynst the God of Israel,⁽⁴⁾ he gaue thē ouer in to the power of Nabuchodonosor kynge of Babilon the kynge of the Caldees, which brake downe yᵉ house and brēt it, and caried awaye the people presoners vnto Babilon.
Neuertheles, in the first yeare that kynge [C] Cyrus reigned at Babilon,⁽⁵⁾ Cyrus the kynge wrote and commaunded to buylde vp this house agayne: and all the ornamentes that Nabuchodonosor caried awaye from Ierusalem vnto Babilon, and appropriated vnto his owne temple: those brought Cyrus forth agayne, and delyuered them to Zorobabel & to Salmanasar the vndershreue, commaundynge them, yᵗ they shulde brynge those same ornamentes agayne to Ierusalē in to yᵉ tēple, & to begynne from yᵗ tyme forth, to buylde the tēple agayne in his owne place. Thē Salmanasar layed the foundacion of yᵉ LORDES house at Ierusalem, and euer sence haue they buylded, & yet is it not ended. And therfore (O kynge) yf thou thynkest it good, let it be sought in the Lybraries & rolles of kynge Cyrus: yf it be founde thē, that it is done wᵗ the councell and cōsent of kynge Cyrus, and yf oure lorde yᵉ kynge be so mynded, let him wryte vnto vs therof.
[D] Then cōmaunded kinge Darius, to seke in the Lybraries:⁽⁶⁾ and so at Egbathanis in a litle cite in Media there was founde soch a wrytinge: In the first yeare of the raigne of Cyrus, the same kynge Cyrus cōmaunded, yᵗ the house of the LORDE at Ierusalem shulde be buylded agayne (& odoures to be made there contynually vnto the LORDE) whose heyth shalbe ten cubites, yᵉ bredth lx. cubites & iiij. square wᵗ thre hewen stones, wᵗ a lofte of tymbre of the same countre, yee wᵗ a new loft, & the expenses therof to be geuen of yᵉ house of kynge Cyrus. And the ornamētes of golde & syluer, yᵗ Nabuchodonosor toke out of the house of the LORDE at Ierusalem, shalbe set agayne in the temple at Ierusalē, where they were afore. Sysennes also the vndershreue in Syria and Phenices, yᵉ prynces and their companyons, and the other yᵗ be head rulers in Syria and Phenices, shall not medle ner haue eny thinge to do with that place.
[E] I Cyrus haue cōmaunded also, that they shal buylde the house of the LORDE whole vp: & haue ordeyned them, to helpe those yᵗ be come out of captiuyte, tyll the house of the LORDE be fynished: & out of the trybute and taxinge that is yearly raysed vp in Syria and Phenices, diligently to geue them a certayne summe, to the offerynge of the LORDE: and the same to be delyuered vnto Zorobabel the officer: that he therwithall maye ordeyne oxen, rammes, lambes, & corne, salt, wyne and oyle, and that contynually euery yeare: after the expences which the prestes that be at Ierusalem, shew to be made daylie:⁽⁷⁾ this shalbe geuen vnto them without delaye, that they maye offer sacrifices daylie to the hyest God, for the kynge and for his seruauntes, and to praye for their lyues. Let it be proclamed also on euery syde, that who o euer breaketh or despyseth this cōmaundement of yᵉ kynge, shalbe hanged vpon a galow (made of his owne good) & all his goodes shalbe seasoned vnto yᵉ kynge. The LORDE therfore (whose name is there called vpon) rote out and destroye all yᵉ kynges and people, that vndertake by violence to hynder the same, or to deale vncurteously wᵗ the house of the LORDE at Ierusalem. I Darius the kinge haue ordeyned, that these thinges shalbe done with all diligence.
[woodcut]
Notes to Chapter 6
⁽¹⁾ Es. 5. a
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Chapter 7
THen Sysennes yᵉ vndershreue in Celosyria [A] and Phenices, and the other landlordes with their companyons, obeyed the thinges that kynge Darius had ordened, were diligent in the holy workes, & were felow helpers with the olde rulers of the Iewes. And so the worke of the Sanctuary wente forth and prospered, whan Aggeus and Zachary prophecied. And they perfourmed all thinges thorow the commaundement of the LORDE God of Israel, and after the deuyce of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerses kynges of Persia.
And thus was oure house fynished, vnto [B] the xxiij. daye of the moneth Addar in yᵉ vj. yeare of kynge Darius. And the children of Israel the prestes & the Leuites, & the other that were come out of captiuyte, & soch as were ioyned vnto them, dyd acordinge as it is wrytten in the boke of Moses. And in the dedicacion of the temple they offred an hundreth oxen, an C. rammes, iiij.C. lambes, & xij. goates for the synnes of all the people of Israel, after yᵉ nombre of the trybes of Israel. The prestes also & the Leuites stode arayed in the prestly garmētes, after yᵉ trybes, ouer all yᵉ workes of the LORDE God of Israel, acordinge to yᵉ boke of Moses, and the porters by all the dores.
And the children of Israel (wᵗ those yᵗ were [C] come out of captiuyte) helde the Passeouer the xiiij. daye of the first moneth, whan the prestes and the Leuites were sanctified. They that came out of captiuyte, were not all sanctified together: but the Leuites were all sanctified together. And so all they that came out of captiuyte, kylled the easter lambe, for their brethrē, for the prestes & for them selues. And the childrē of Israel yᵗ came out of captiuyte, & escaped frō all yᵉ abhominacions of the Heithē, sought the LORDE, and kepte the feast of vnleuended bred vij. daies longe, eatinge & drynkynge & were mery before the LORDE: yᵗ the LORDE had turned the deuyce of the kynge of Assiria, & comforted their handes to the workes of yᵉ LORDE God of Israel.
Chapter 8
[A] ANd after him, whan Artaxerses the kynge of yᵉ Persiās raigned,⁽¹⁾ there wēte vnto him Eszdras the sonne of Saraias, the sonne of Azarias, the sonne of Helchia, yᵉ sonne of Sallū, the sonne of Sadoc, yᵉ sonne of Achitob, the sonne of Amarias, yᵉ sonne of Azarias, the sonne of Boccus, yᵉ sonne of Abisu, yᵉ sonne of Phineas, the sonne of Eleazar, yᵉ sonne of Aaron yᵉ first prest. This Eszdras wēte vp from Babilon (for he had good vnderstondinge in yᵉ lawe of Moses, yᵗ was geuē of the LORDE God of Israel, to be taught & done in dede.) And yᵉ kinge fauoured him, & dyd him greate worshipe and honoure, after all his desyres. There wente vp with him also certayne of yᵉ children of Israel, of the prestes, of yᵉ Leuites, of the syngers, porters, and mynisters of yᵉ temple at Ierusalem.
In the vij. yeare of the raigne of kynge Artaxerses, in the v. moneth, yᵗ is in the vij. yeare of the raigne, they wente from Babilon in the newmoone of the v. moneth, & came the hye waye to Ierusalē after his commaundement, like as the LORDE had prospered their iourney. For in these Eszdras gat greate instruccion, yᵗ he shulde leaue none of yᵉ thinges behynde, which were in yᵉ lawe & cōmaundementes of God. And he taught whole Israel all righteousnes & iudgment.
Then came the Secretaries of kynge Artaxerses, & delyuered yᵉ wrytinges (yᵗ were come frō Artaxerses the kynge) to Eszdras the prest & reder of the lawe of the LORDE: And this is yᵉ copye of yᵉ letter: Kynge Artaxerses sendeth his gretinge vnto Eszdras the prest & reder of the lawe of yᵉ LORDE: Of frendshipe & good will I haue ordeyned and charged, yf there be eny of the Iewes, of yᵉ prestes & Leuites in my realme, which desyreth & is contēt to go wᵗ the vnto Ierusalē, yᵗ he maye do it. Therfore yf eny be mynded to beare the cōpany, let thē come together, & go wᵗ the (like as I am contēt & my vij. frendes my coūcelers:) to se what they do at Ierusalē & in Iewry, & kepe yᵉ thinges acordinge as thou hast in yᵉ lawe of the LORDE: & to bringe the giftes vnto God the LORDE [B] of Israel, yᵗ I & my frendes haue promysed to Ierusalē, & all the syluer & golde yᵗ is in yᵉ countre of Babilon, vnto yᵉ LORDE to Ierusalē, wᵗ the thinge yᵗ is geuē for the people in the LORDES temple at Ierusalem: Yee that the same syluer & golde maye be gathered, and oxen, rammes, shepe & goates and other that belōge to these thinges: and that they maye offer sacrifices vnto the LORDE, vpon the aulter of their LORDE, which is at Ierusalem.
And what so euer thou & thy brethrē wyl do wᵗ the syluer & golde, yᵗ do after yᵉ mynde, & after the cōmaundement of the LORDE thy God: & like wyse wᵗ all the holy vessels, yᵗ are geuē the for the seruyce of the house of the LORDE thy God: & other thinges what soeuer is necessary for the to the worke of the temple, yᵗ shalbe geuē the of the kynges treasure: & loke what thou with thy brethrē wilt do with the golde and syluer, that do after yᵉ wil of the LORDE. And I kynge Artaxerses haue commaunded the kepers of yᵉ treasures in Syria and Phenices, that what soeuer Eszdras the prest and reder of the lawe of the LORDE doth wryte, it shalbe geuen him: tyll an C. talentes of syluer, and of golde in lyke maner: Of corne also an C. measures, and tyll an hūdreth vessels of wyne, and other plenteous thinges without nombre. Let all thinges be done after the lawe of yᵉ hyest God, that the wrath of God aryse not in the realme of the kynge and of his sonnes. I commaunde you also, that ye requyne no taxinge ner tribute of the prestes, Leuites, syngers, and mynisters of the temple, ner of the wryters: and that no man haue auctorite to medle eny thinge against them. As for the (O Eszdras) set thou iudges and arbitrers in the whole lande of Syria and Phenices, after the wyszdome of God: and lerne all soch as are ignoraunt in the lawe of God thy LORDE, and let all them that offende agaynst the lawe, be punyshed: whether it be with death, with payne, to be condemned in money, or to be banyshed.
Then sayde Eszdras yᵉ wryter: Blessed be yᵉ God of oure fathers, that hath geuen so good a mynde and wyll in to the hert of the kynge, to magnifie his house yᵗ is at Ierusalem, and hath made me to be accepted in the sight of yᵉ kynge, of his councell, of his frēdes and of his nobles. And so I was stedfast in my mynde, acordinge as the LORDE my God helped me, and I chose out men of [C] Israel, to go vp with me. And these are the heades (after their kynreds & houses of their fathers) that wente vp with me from Babilon,⁽²⁾ out of the kyngdome of Artaxerses: Of the sonnes of Phares, Gersonius. Of yᵉ sonnes of Siemarith, Amenus. Of the sonnes of Dauid, Accus, the sonne of Cecilia.
Of the sonnes of Phares, Zachary: and with him there turned agayne an hundreth and fiftie men. Of the sonnes of the captayne of Moabilon, Zaraei, and with him ij.C. and l. men. Of the sonnes of Zachnes, Iechonias Zecholi, and with him ij.C. and l. men. Of the sonnes of Salamaasias, Gotholie, and lxx. with him. Of the sonnes of Zaphacia, Zarias Miheli, and with him lxxx. Of the sonnes of Iob, Abdias Ieheli, and with him ij.C. and xij. men. Of the sonnes of Bania, Salimoth the sonne of Iosaphia, and with him an C. and lx. men. Of the sonnes of Beer, Zachary Bebei, and with him ij.C. and viij. men. Of the sonnes of Esead, Iohannes Ezechan, and with him Cx. men. Of the sonnes of Adonicā those that were the last, and these are their names: Eliphalam yᵉ sonne of Gebel and Semeias, & with him lxx. men. All these called I together by the water Thia, where we pitched oure tentes thre dayes, and there I mustered them.
⁽³⁾As for the sonnes of the prestes and Leuites, I founde none there. Then sent I vnto Eleazar, & Eccelom, and Masman, & Malobam, and Enaathan, and Samea, and Ioribimathan, Eunagan, Zachary, Mosollamū (these were the leders and men of experiēce) & I sent them worde, that they shulde come vnto Loddeus, which was by the place of the treasury, & commaunded them that they shulde speake vnto Loddeus and to his brethren & to those that were in the treasury, to sende vs soch mē, as might execute the prestes office in the house of the LORDE oure God. And wᵗ the mightie hāde of oure LORDE God, they brought vnto vs mē of good experience, from amōge the sonnes of Moolius, the sonne of Leui, yᵉ sonne of Israel, Sebebeiam & the sonnes & his brethrē Aszbin & Anim, of whom there were xviij. From amōge the children of the sonnes of Cananeus, & their sonnes were xx. men. And of them yᵗ serued in the temple, whom Dauid had ordeyned, and the pryncipall men that ministred for the worke vnto the Leuites in the temple, ij.C. and xx. men: whose names are all tokened vp in wrytinge.
Then commaunded I a fastynge vnto [D] yᵉ yonge men before the LORDE, ⁽⁴⁾ yᵗ I might desyre of him a prosperous iourney & a good waye for vs, yee for vs, for oure children and for the catell, because of the layenges awayte: & I durst not require of the kynge men of horse & of fote, to conveye vs safely agaynst oure enemies, for we had sayde vnto the kynge, that yᵉ power of the LORDE oure God shulde be with them, that seke him wᵗ their whole hert. And therfore we besought God oure LORDE earnestly because of these thinges, and he was mercifull vnto vs, and herde oure prayer. And I separated from amonge yᵉ rulers of the people, & from yᵉ prestes of yᵉ temple xij. men, & Sebeia & Asania, & ten men of their brethren with them. And I weied thē the golde & the syluer & all yᵉ prestly ornamētes of the house of oʳ God, which the kynge & his coūcell, & his prynces & whole Israel had geuē. And whan I had weyed it, I gaue thē an Cl. talētes in syluer, an C. talentes of syluer vessell, an C. talentes of golde, & of goldē vessell seuē tymes twentie, and vessels of other metall (yee of good metall) xij. glisteringe as the golde, & saide vnto thē: ye also are holy vnto the LORDE, & the vessels are holy, & the golde & the syluer is promised vnto the LORDE the God of oʳ fathers. Be diligent now & kepe it, vntill the tyme yᵗ ye delyuer it to the rulers of the people, to yᵗ prestes, to the Leuites & to yᵉ pryncipall mē of the cities of Israel in Ierusalem, & in the chambre of the house of oure God.
So yᵉ prestes & the Leuites which receaued [E] of me the golde, the syluer & the vessell,⁽⁵⁾ brought it to Ierusalē in to the tēple of the LORDE. And from Thia we brake vp the xij. daye of the first moneth, tyll we came to Ierusalē. And whan the thirde daye was past, the weyed golde & syluer was delyuered in yᵉ house of the LORDE the fourth daye, vnto Marimoth the sonne of Ior the prest, & wᵗ him was Eleazar yᵉ sonne of Phineas, and with thē were Iosabdus yᵉ sonne of Iesnet, Medias & the sonne of Banus, & certayne of the Leuites to the nombre & to the waighte: & the waight of them was writtē vp the same tyme. As for those that were come out of captiuyte, they offred sacrifice vnto the LORDE the God of Israel: euē xij. oxen for all Israel, lxxxvj. rammes, lxxij. shepe, xij. goates for synne, xij. kyne for a thankofferinge, all to the sacrifice of the LORDE. And yᵉ kinges cōmission delyuered they vnto yᵉ stewardes and debytes of the kynge, and to the vndershreues in Celosyria and Phenices.
⁽⁶⁾Now whan these thinges were done, the rulers came vnto me, and sayde: The generacion of Israel, the prynces, yᵉ prestes and Leuites, the straunge people and indwellers of the londe, haue not put awaye their vnclennesse, from the Cananites, Hethites, Pheresites, from the Moabites, Egipcians & Edomites. For both they and their sonnes haue mengled them selues with the daughters of them, & the holy sede is mixte with the outlandish Heithen, & sens the begynnynge of their raigne haue the rulers and heades bene partakers of their wickednesse.
As soone as I had herde these thinges, immediatly I rent my holy garmentes, and pulled out yᵉ hayre of my heade & my beerd, & sat me downe soroufull & heuy. So all they that were moued thorow the worde of the God of Israel, came vnto me: and I sat still full of heuines vntill the euenynge sacrifice. Then stode I vp frō fastinge, hauynge rente clothes & the holy garmēt, kneled downe vpon my knees, helde out my hādes vnto yᵉ [F] LORDE, & sayde: O LORDE, I am confounded & ashamed before thy face, for oure synnes are become many vpon oure heades, & oʳ wickednesses are exalted vnto the heauē: for sens yᵉ tyme of oʳ fathers we are in greate sinne vnto this daye. And for the synnes of vs & oʳ fathers, we wᵗ oure brethren & wᵗ oure prestes haue bene deliuered vnto the kinges of the earth, in to the swerde, & in to captiuite, & became a spoyle with confucion & shame vnto this daie. And now O LORDE God, how greate is the mercy yᵗ we haue gottē of the? in yᵗ thou hast left vs a rote & a name in the place of thy Sanctuary, to discouer oure light in the house of yᵉ LORDE oʳ God, & geuē vs meate at all tymes of oʳ ministracion. And whan we were in captiuyte, we were not forsaken of the LORDE oure God: but he made the kynges of Persia gracious & fauourable vnto vs, so yᵗ they gaue vs vytayles & meate, yee & leue to buylde vp the tēple of oure LORDE God agayne, to repayre the waisted places of Sion, and to dwell in Iewry & Ierusalem. And now O LORDE, what shall we saye, hauynge all these thinges in possession? For we haue broken thy cōmaundementes, which thou gauest vnto vs by the handes of thy seruauntes the prophetes, sayenge: The londe yᵗ ye go vnto, & yᵗ is geuen you for an heretage to haue in possession, is defyled with the vnclennes & fylthynes of the Heithen, & with their abhominacion haue they poluted it alltogether. Therfore shal ye not ioyne youre daughters vnto their sonnes,⁽⁷⁾ ner mary yoʳ sonnes vnto their daughters: Morouer, ye shall neuer seke to make peace wᵗ them, yᵗ ye maye increase & eate the best in the lande, & yᵗ ye maye denyde yᵉ inheritaunce of the lande vnto yoʳ children for euermore. As for the thinge yᵗ now happeneth vnto vs, it commeth all for oʳ wicked workes & greate synnes. yet hast thou geuen vs soch a rote, yᵗ we are come againe in to oʳ owne londe: and we are so wicked, yᵗ we haue brokē thy statutes & cōmaundementes agayne, & mengled oʳ selues wᵗ the vnclēnes of the outlandish Heithen. O LORDE, art thou angrie with vs? wilt thou rote vs cleane out? yᵗ oure rote & name remayne nomore? O LORDE God of Israel, thou art true, for oure rote endureth yet vnto this present daye. And beholde, now are we before yᵉ in oʳ synnes, now can we not stonde before the in them.
And whan Eszdras with this prayer had [G] knowleged the synne, wepinge,⁽⁸⁾ & lyēge flatt vpon the grounde before the tēple, there gathered vnto him from Ierusalem a greate multitude of men & wemen, of yonge men & maydens, for there was a very greate wepinge and mournynge in the cōgregacion. So whan Iechonias the sonne Ieheli one of the children of Israel cried, he sayde vnto Eszdras: we haue synned agaynst the LORDE, because we haue maried outlandish women of the Heithē. Now art thou ouer all Israel. We wil sweare an ooth therfore vnto yᵉ LORDE, yᵗ we shal put awaye all oʳ wyues which we haue takē of the Heithē, wᵗ their childrē: like as it is appoynted the by oʳ fore elders. Stonde vp then, open thou it and declare it playnely vnto vs acordīge to the lawe of yᵉ LORDE: for the matter belongeth vnto yᵉ, & we wyll helpe the, quyte thy self manly. So Eszdras arose, and toke an ooth of the rulers of yᵉ prestes & of yᵉ Leuites & of all Israel, to do after these thinges, and they sware.
Notes to Chapter 8
⁽¹⁾ 1. Esd. 7. a
⁽²⁾ Esd. ⟨illegible⟩. a
⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
⁽⁴⁾ 1. Esd. 8. ⟨illegible⟩
⁽⁵⁾ 1. Esd. 8. d
⁽⁶⁾ 1. Esd. 9. a
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Chapter 9
THen Eszdras stode vp from the courte [A] of the tēple without,⁽¹⁾ & wente in to the chāber of Ionathas the sonne of Nasabus, & remayned there, & ate no meate ner dronke drynke, for the multitude of the wickednes of the people. And there was made a proclamacion in all Iewry & at Ierusalem, for all soch as were gathered at Ierusalē out of captiuyte, yᵗ who so ouer came not to Ierusalē within two or thre dayes (acordinge to the iudgment of the olde lordes of councell) his goodes shulde be taken from him, & he excluded from the cōgregacion of the captiuyte. And in thre dayes were all they of the trybe of Iuda & Ben Iamin gathered together at Ierusalem, the xx. daye of yᵉ ix. moneth. And yᵉ whole multitude sat trēblinge in the courte of the temple, for it was wynter. So Eszdras arose vp, & sayde vnto them: ye haue done vnrighteously, in that ye haue taken outlandish wyues to mariage, & so to increase the synnes of Israel. And now knowlege the same, & geue prayse vnto the LORDE God of oure fathers, & perfourme his wil, departinge from the Heithen of the londe, & from the outlandish wyues. Then cried the whole multitude with loude voyce, & sayde: like as thou hast spokē, so wil we [B] do: But for so moch as the people are many, & yᵉ wynter here, we maie not stōde without yᵉ house: agayne, this worke is not a thinge, yᵗ can be fynished in a daye or two, for we be many yᵗ haue synned in these thinges: Ordene therfore, yᵗ the rulers of the multitude and all they that dwell with vs, and as many as haue outlandish wyues, the prestes also and iudges of euery place, maye stonde in the tyme appoynted, tyll they lowse vp the wrath of the LORDE in this busynes.
Then Ionathas the sonne of Ezeli, & Ozias and Thecam receaued yᵉ charge of this matter, & Bozoramus, & Leius and Sabatheus helped thē therto. After this, all they stode vp yᵗ were come out of captiuyte. And Eszdras the prest chose vnto him the pryncipall men from amonge the fathers acordinge to their names, & in the new moone of the tenth moneth they sat together, to examen this matter. And so the matter was a determynge (concernynge the men yᵗ had outlandish wyues) vntill the new moone of the first moneth. And of the prestes yᵗ had mixte thē selues wᵗ outlandish wyues, there were founde:⁽²⁾ Of the sonnes of Iesu the sonne of Iosedec & his brethren, Mazeas, Eleazer, Ioribus & Ioadeus, which offred them selues to put awaye their wyues, & to offre a ramme for their ignoraunce. And of the sonnes of Semmeri, Masseas, & Esses & Ieelech Azarias. Of yᵉ sonnes of Fosera, Limosias, Hismaen, Nathanea, Iussio, Ieddus, & Talsas. And of the Leuites, Iosabdus, Semeis and Colnis, Caletas, Facteas, Colnas and Elionas. [C] Of the syngers of the Sāctuary, Eliarib, Zackarus. Of the porters, Sallumus & Tolbanes. And of Israel, of the children of Foro, Osi & Remias, & Geddias, & Melchias, Michelus, Eleazarus, Iēmebias & Bannas. And of the childrē of Iolaman, Chanias, Zachary, Ietzrelus, Ioddius, Erimoth & Elias. And of yᵉ sonnes of Iathoim. Eliadas, Liasamus, & Zochias, Larimoth, Sabdis & Tebedias. And of yᵉ sonnes of Zebes, Iohānes Amanias, Zabdias, & Emeus. And of the sonnes of Bannus, Olammus, Maluchus, Ieddus, Iasub, Asabus & Ierimoth. And of yᵉ sonnes of Addin, Naatus & Moosias & Caleus & Raanas Maasuas, Mathathias, Besel, Bannus, and Manasses.
And of the sonnes of Naue, Nones, Afeas, Melchias, Sameas, Simō, Ben Iamin, Malchus & Marras. And of the sonnes of Asom, Carianeus, Mathathias, Bannus, Eliphalach, Manasses, Semei. Of the sonnes of Bannus, Ieremy, Moodias, Abramas, Iohel, Baneas, Peliaas, Iona, Marimoth, Eliasib, Mathaneus, Eliasis, Orizas, Dielus, Semedius. Zambris & Ioseph. Of yᵉ sonnes of Nobeus, Idelus, Mathathias, Sabadus, Zecheda, Sedmi, Iesseus, & Baneas. All these had takē outlādish wemē to mariage, & they put thē awaye wᵗ their childrē.
The prestes & Leuites, & all they yᵗ were of Israel, dwelt at Ierusalem & thorow out all yᵉ londe, in the new moone of the seuenth moneth, & the childrē of Israel were in their dwellynges. And yᵉ whole multitude came [D] together vpon yᵉ floore at yᵉ east syde of the holy porte of yᵉ tēple.⁽³⁾ And they spake vnto Eszdras yᵉ hie prest & reder, yᵗ he wolde brynge yᵉ lawe of Moses, which was geuē of yᵉ LORDE God of Israel. So Eszdras the hie prest brought the lawe vnto the whole multitude, to man and woman, & to all prestes, yᵗ they might heare the lawe, in the new moone of the seuenth moneth. And he red in yᵉ floore yᵗ is before yᵉ holy porte of yᵉ tēple, from the mornynge early vntill the euenynge, before men & wemen. And they applied their mynde all vnto the lawe.
And Eszdras the prest & reder of yᵉ lawe stode vp vpon a scaffolde of wodd, which was made therfore: & vpon his right hande there stode by him Mathathias, Samus, Ananias, Azarias, Vrias, Ozechias, & Balsamus: Vpon his lefte hāde stode Faldeus, Misael, Malachias, Abuschas, Sabus, Nabadias, & Zachary. Then toke Eszdras yᵉ boke before the whole multitude, for he was yᵉ pryncipall and had in most honoʳ of thē all. And whā he had red out yᵉ lawe, they stode all straight vp vpon their fete. So Eszdras praysed the LORDE the most hye God, the Allmightie God of hoostes. And all yᵉ people [E] answered, Amen: & helde vp their hādes, fell downe flat vpon the earth, & praysed yᵉ LORDE: Iesus, Beneas, Sarebias, Iaddimus, Accubus, Sabbatheus, Calithes, Azarias, Ioradus, Ananias, & Philias the Leuites which taught the lawe of the LORDE, & red the lawe of the LORDE in the cōgregacion, & euery man sett those before yᵗ vnderstode the lawe. Then spake Atharathes vnto Eszdras the hye prest & reder, & to the Leuites yᵗ taught the multitude, sayenge: This daye is holy vnto the LORDE: & all they yᵗ had herde the lawe, wepte▪ So Eszdras sayde:⁽⁴⁾ Departe yoʳ waye then, & eate the best, & drynke the swetest, & sende giftes vnto them yᵗ haue nothinge: for this daye is holy vnto the LORDE, and be not ye sory. Then wente they their waye euerychone, ate and dronke and were mery, & sent rewardes vnto thē yᵗ had nothinge, yᵗ they also might eate with gladnesse: for they were exceadingly reioysed, thorow the wordes that were red vnto them in the lawe: And so they were all gathered together at Ierusalem to holde the feast, acordinge to the couenaunt of yᵉ LORDE God of Israel.
Notes to Chapter 9
⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩
⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 10. d
⁽³⁾ 2. Esd. 8. a
⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. Esd. 8. c
The ende of the thirde boke of Eszdras.
Colophon
This page is an archival transcription of the printed text, not a Good Works Translation. Source: Biblia the Byble, that is, the holy Scrypture of the Olde and New Testament, faithfully translated in to Englyshe (M.D.XXXV; STC 2063.3), translated by Myles Coverdale, the copy in Cambridge University Library, keyed and encoded by the Text Creation Partnership (EEBO-TCP Phase I, text A10349, 2005) and released under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 public-domain dedication.
2 places illegible in the Cambridge copy were filled from Samuel Bagster’s 1838 page-for-page reprint of the edition (archive.org, holyscriptures00cove), only where the reprint’s reading is certain; each fill is listed on this room’s Supplied Readings page; 43 places are still marked ⟨illegible⟩ (2 in the text, 41 in the marginal notes).
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