Ezra 1:5

The Exiles Prepare to Return to Jerusalem

1:5 Then the leaders ¹  of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and the Levites – all those whose mind God had stirred – got ready ²  to go up in order to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. ³ 

Ezra 2:61

2:61 And from among ⁴  the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that ⁵  name).

Ezra 2:70

2:70 The priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel lived in their towns.

Ezra 3:12

3:12 Many of the priests, the Levites, and the leaders ⁶  – older people who had seen with their own eyes the former temple while it was still established ⁷  – were weeping loudly, ⁸  and many others raised their voice in a joyous shout.

Ezra 7:7

7:7 In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra brought ⁹  up to Jerusalem ¹⁰  some of the Israelites and some of the priests, the Levites, the attendants, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants.

Ezra 7:13

7:13 I have now issued a decree ¹¹  that anyone in my kingdom from the people of Israel – even the priests and Levites – who wishes to do so may go up with you to Jerusalem. ¹² 

Ezra 7:16

7:16 along with all the silver and gold that you may collect ¹³  throughout all the province of Babylon and the contributions of the people and the priests for the temple of their God which is in Jerusalem.

Ezra 7:24

7:24 Furthermore, be aware of the fact ¹⁴  that you have no authority to impose tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the musicians, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or the attendants at the temple of this God.

Ezra 8:15

The Exiles Travel to Jerusalem

8:15 I had them assemble ¹⁵  at the canal ¹⁶  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.

Ezra 8:29-30

8:29 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, ¹⁷  in the storerooms of the temple of the Lord.”

8:30 Then the priests and the Levites took charge of ¹⁸  the silver, the gold, and the vessels that had been weighed out, to transport them to Jerusalem to the temple of our God.

Ezra 10:5

10:5 So Ezra got up and made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel take an oath to carry out this plan. ¹⁹  And they all took a solemn oath.

Ezra 10:18

Those Who Had Taken Foreign Wives

10:18 It was determined ²⁰  that from the descendants of the priests, the following had taken foreign wives: from the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.

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¹ tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”

² tn Heb “arose.”

³ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

⁴ tc The translation reads וּמִן (umin, “and from”) rather than the reading וּמִבּנֵי (umibbÿney, “and from the sons of”) found in the MT.

⁵ tn Heb “their.”

⁶ tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”

⁷ sn The temple had been destroyed some fifty years earlier by the Babylonians in 586 b.c.

⁸ tn Heb “with a great voice.”

⁹ tc The translation reads the Hiphil singular וַיַּעֲל (vayya’al, “he [Ezra] brought up”) rather than the Qal plural וַיַּעַלוּ (vayya’alu, “they came up”) of the MT.

tn Heb “he brought”; the referent (Ezra) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁰ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

¹¹ tn Heb “from me is placed a decree.” So also in v. 21.

¹² map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

¹³ tn Aram “find.”

¹⁴ tn Aram “we are making known to you.”

¹⁵ tn Or “I gathered them.”

¹⁶ tn Heb “river.” So also in vv. 21, 31.

¹⁷ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

¹⁸ tn Heb “received.”

¹⁹ tn Heb “to do according to this plan.”

²⁰ tn Heb “found.”