The People Who Returned from Exile
1 This is the list of the heads of the clans who had been in exile in Babylonia and who returned with Ezra to Jerusalem when Artaxerxes was emperor:
2-14 Gershom, of the clan of PhinehasDaniel, of the clan of IthamarHattush son of Shecaniah, of the clan of DavidZechariah, of the clan of Parosh, with 150 men of his clan (there were records of their family lines)Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, of the clan of Pahath Moab, with 200 menShecaniah son of Jahaziel, of the clan of Zattu, with 300 menEbed son of Jonathan, of the clan of Adin, with 50 menJeshaiah son of Athaliah, of the clan of Elam, with 70 menZebadiah son of Michael, of the clan of Shephatiah, with 80 menObadiah son of Jehiel, of the clan of Joab, with 218 menShelomith son of Josiphiah, of the clan of Bani, with 160 menZechariah son of Bebai, of the clan of Bebai, with 28 menJohanan son of Hakkatan, of the clan of Azgad, with 110 menEliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, of the clan of Adonikam, with 60 men (they returned at a later date)Uthai and Zaccur, of the clan of Bigvai, with 70 men
Ezra Finds Levites for the Temple
15 I assembled the entire group by the canal that runs to the town of Ahava, and we camped there three days. I found that there were priests in the group, but no Levites. 16 I sent for nine of the leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, and for two teachers, Joiarib and Elnathan. 17 I sent them to Iddo, head of the community at Casiphia, to ask him and his associates, the Temple workers, to send us people to serve God in the Temple. 18 Through God's grace they sent us Sherebiah, an able man, a Levite from the clan of Mahli; and eighteen of his sons and brothers came with him. 19 They also sent Hashabiah and Jeshaiah of the clan of Merari, with twenty of their relatives. 20 In addition there were 220 Temple workers whose ancestors had been designated by King David and his officials to assist the Levites. They were all listed by name.
Ezra Leads the People in Fasting and Prayer
21 There by the Ahava Canal I gave orders for us all to fast and humble ourselves before our God and to ask him to lead us on our journey and protect us and our children and all our possessions. 22 I would have been ashamed to ask the emperor for a troop of cavalry to guard us from any enemies during our journey, because I had told him that our God blesses everyone who trusts him, but that he is displeased with and punishes anyone who turns away from him. 23 So we fasted and prayed for God to protect us, and he answered our prayers.
The Gifts for the Temple
24 From among the leading priests I chose Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten others. 25 Then I weighed out the silver, the gold, and the utensils which the emperor, his advisers and officials, and the people of Israel had given to be used in the Temple, and I gave it to the priests. 26-27 This is what I gave them:
silver - 25 tons100 silver utensils - 150 poundsgold - 7,500 pounds20 gold bowls - 270 ounces2 fine bronze bowls, equal in value to gold bowls
28 I said to them, “You are sacred to the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and so are all the silver and gold utensils brought to him as freewill offerings. 29 Guard them carefully until you reach the Temple. There in the priests' rooms weigh them and turn them over to the leaders of the priests and of the Levites, and to the leaders of the people of Israel in Jerusalem.” 30 So the priests and the Levites took charge of the silver, the gold, and the utensils, to take them to the Temple in Jerusalem.
The Return to Jerusalem
31 It was on the twelfth day of the first month that we left the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. Our God was with us and protected us from enemy attacks and from ambush as we traveled. 32 When we reached Jerusalem, we rested three days. 33 Then on the fourth day we went to the Temple, weighed the silver, the gold, and the utensils, and turned them over to Meremoth the priest, son of Uriah. With him were Eleazar son of Phinehas and two Levites, Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui. 34 Everything was counted and weighed, and a complete record was made at the same time.
35 All those who had returned from exile then brought offerings to be burned as sacrifices to the God of Israel. They offered 12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, and 77 lambs; they also offered 12 goats to purify themselves from sin. All these animals were burned as sacrifices to the Lord. 36 They also took the document the emperor had given them and gave it to the governors and officials of West-of-Euphrates Province, who then gave their support to the people and the Temple worship.
Ovandu mba kotoka okuza kouhuura
1 Inga owo omana woviuru vyozonganda mbya ri mouhuura mObabilon nu mbya kotoka puna ami Esra kOjerusalem, Artakerkes ngunda e ri ombara:
2 OGersom wonganda ya Pinhas, na Daniel wonganda ya Itamar, na Hatus, omuzandu wa Sekarna, wonganda ya David; 3 na Sekania wonganda ya Paros ovarumendu 150 vonganda ye, mba tjangwa membo romuhoko wawo. 4 Wina oEljoenai, omuzandu wa Israkja wonganda ya Pahat-Moab, puna ovarumendu 200; 5 na Sekania, omuzandu wa Jahasiel, wonganda ya Satu puna ovarumendu 300; 6 na Ebed, omuzandu wa Jonatan, wonganda ya Adin puna ovarumendu 50; 7 na Jesaja, omuzandu wa Atalja, wonganda ya Elam puna ovarumendu 70; 8 na Sebadja omuzandu wa Mikael, wonganda ya Sefatia puna ovarumendu 80; 9 na Obadja, omuzandu wa Jehiel, wonganda ya Joab puna ovarumendu 218; 10 na Selomit, omuzandu wa Josifa, wonganda ya Bani puna ovarumendu 160; 11 na Sakaria, omuzandu wa Bebai, wonganda ya Bebai puna ovarumendu 28; 12 na Johanan, omuzandu wa Katan, wonganda ya Asgad puna ovarumendu 110; 13 na Elifelet na Jeiel na Semaja vonganda ya Adonikam puna ovarumendu 60; owo va kotoka kombunda yanao; 14 na Utai, omuzandu wa Sakur, wonganda ya Bigwai puna ovarumendu 70.
Esra ma paha Ovalevi ve karere mondjuwo ya Muhona
15 Ami mba woronganisira otjimbumba atjihe meṋe yonḓonḓu, ndji pupira kotjihuro Ahava, neṱe twa tona ozondanda nḓo oure womayuva yetatu. Nu mba muna kutja motjimbumba hi mwa ri ovapristeri, nungwari kamwa ri Ovalevi. 16 Mba hinda ovanane muvyu, okutja ooElieser na Ariel na Semaja na Elnatan na Jarib na Elnatan na Natan se Sakaria na Mesulam, novahonge vevari ooJojarib na Elnatan. 17 Ami mbe ve hinda ku Ido, otjiuru ohongora motjirongo Kasifja kutja ve ka ningire ku ye na kovakwao, okutja imba ovaungure vondjuwo ya Muhona, kutja ve tu hindire ovandu mbu mave karere ondjuwo ya Ndjambi wetu.
18 Motjari tja Ndjambi owo ve tu hindira Serebja, omurumendu omusore wonganda ya Makli, omuzandu wa Levi, omuzandu wa Israel puna ovazandu ovazamumwe ve; avehe kumwe va ri ovarumendu omurongo na hambondatu. 19 Wina va hinda Hasabja nomuangu we Jesaja vonganda ya Merari puna ovazamumwe vawo; avehe kumwe va ri ovarumendu omirongo vivari. 20 Puna imba pa ri ovaungure 220 vondjuwo ya Muhona vooihe mukururume mba yandjerwe i ombara David novahongore ve kutja ve vatere Ovalevi. Avehe va tjangwa omana.
Esra ma hongorere otjiwaṋa mokuritjaera kovikurya na mongumbiro
21 Imbo ponḓonḓu Ahava ami mba rakiza kutja atuhe tu ritjaere kovikurya nu tu risusuparise komurungu wa Ndjambi wetu, tu ningire kutja e tu ṱike mouyenda wetu, nu e tu yame puna ovanatje vetu nouini wetu auhe. 22 Ami etje ṱohoṋi andakuzu mba ningira otjira tjovarwe wovita novakavire kombara kutja ve tu tjevere kovanavita ngamwa avehe mouyenda wetu, tjinga amba raerere ombara kutja Ndjambi wetu u yama auhe ngu me riyameke ku ye, nungwari kutja eye ke nohange na imba mbu mave mu pe etambo, nu meve vere. 23 Eṱe otji twe ritjaera kovikurya natu kumbu ku Ndjambi kutja e tu yame, neye we tu zuvira ozongumbiro zetu.
Oviyandjewa mbya yandjerwa ondjuwo ya Muhona
24 Ami mba toorora ovapristeri ozohongora omurongo na vevari, okutja ooSerebja na Hasabja puna ovakwao omurongo. 25 Tjazumba otji mba saneka osilveri nongoldo novitjuma kotjisanekero mbya yandjerwe i ombara novayandjandunge novahongore vayo nOvaisrael mba ri mbo wina kutja vi ungurisiwe mondjuwo ya Muhona, nu arire tji mbe vi yandja kovapristeri.
26 Oviṋa, mbi mbe ve pa, ovyo mbi: Osilveri yondjinda yozokirograma mangara 19 500, novitjuma esere rimwe vyosilveri yondjinda yozokirograma omirongo hambombari; 27 nongoldo yondjinda yozokirograma 3,000, noviyaha omirongo vivari vyongoldo yondjinda yozokirograma hambondatu, noviyaha vivari vyongoporo ongohoke mbi nonḓengu ndji ṱeki pu indji yoviyaha vyongoldo.
28 Ami mba tja nai kovapristeri mba: “Eṋe oweṋe ovayapuke komurungu wa Muhona, Ndjambi wooiho mukururume, novitjuma avihe vyosilveri novyongoldo mbya etwa ku ye otja oviyandjewa vyombango yeṋu oveni, ovyo oviyapuke wina. 29 Vi tjevereye nawa ngandu ndi tji mwa vaza kondjuwo ya Muhona. Vi sanekeye kotjisanekero momurungu wovapristeri ozohongora nOvalevi noviuru vyomaṱunḓu wOvaisrael mOjerusalem momatuwo wondjuwo ya Muhona.”
30 Ovapristeri nOvalevi otji va toora osilveri nongoldo novitjuma kutja ve vi tware kondjuwo ya Ndjambi wetu mOjerusalem.
Omakotokero kOjerusalem
31 Meyuva oritjamurongo na yevari komueze omutenga otji twa womboroka ponḓonḓu Ahava atu i kOjerusalem. Ndjambi wetu wa ri puna eṱe, neye we tu yama kovanavita na eṱe na kovetuwerereke mba ri mondjira. 32 Tji twa vaza kOjerusalem, twa suva omayuva yetatu. 33 Tjazumba meyuva oritjaine arire tji twa i kondjuwo ya Muhona, atu kasaneka osilveri nongoldo novitjuma natu vi yandja komupristeri Meremot, omuzandu wa Urija. Nu puna ye pa ri Eleasar, omuzandu wa Pinhas, nOvalevi vevari ooJosabad, omuzandu wa Jesua, na Noadja, omuzandu wa Binui. 34 Oviṋa avihe vya varwa, avi sanekwa navi tjangwa nawa membo tjimanga.
35 Imba avehe mba kotokere okuza kouhuura va punguhira Ndjambi wa Israel ozombunguhiro ozoningiririsiwa. Owo va punguhira Ovaisrael avehe ozondwezu zozongombe omurongo na mbari, nozozonḓu omirongo muvyu na hamboumwe, nozondjona omirongo hambombari na hambombari; wina va punguha ozongombo omurongo na mbari ze rire ozombunguhiro zourunde wawo. Ovinamuinyo mbi avihe vya punguhirwa Muhona okurira ozombunguhiro ozoningiririsiwa. 36 Owo wina va toora orutuu, ndu va perwe i ombara, nave keruyandja kozongooneya na kovahongore morukondwa rokongurova kwa Eufrat; nowo wina va yandja ombatero yawo kotjiwaṋa na kondjuwo ya Muhona.
