1 Esdras 7
1 Then Sisinnes the governor of
Celosyria and Phenice, and Sathrabuzanes, with their companions, following the
commandments of king Darius, 2 did
very carefully oversee the holy works, assisting the ancients of the Jews and
governors of the temple. 3 And so the
holy works prospered, when Aggeus and Zacharias the prophets prophesied.
4 And they finished these things by
the commandment of the Lord God of Israel; and with the consent of Cyrus,
Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia,
5 the holy house was finished in the
three and twentieth day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of king Darius.
6 And the children of Israel, the
priests, and the Levites, and others that were of the captivity, that were
added unto them, did according to the things
written in the book of Moses.
7 And to the dedication of the temple
of the Lord they offered an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred
lambs; 8 and twelve goats for the sin
of all Israel, according to the number of the chief of the tribes of Israel.
9 The priests also and the Levites
stood arrayed in their vestments, according to their kindreds, in the service
of the Lord God of Israel, according to the book of Moses: and the porters at
every gate.
10 And the children of Israel that
were of the captivity held the passover the fourteenth day of the first month,
after that the priests and the Levites were sanctified,
11 together with all the children of
the captivity; for they were sanctified, because the Levites were all
sanctified together.
12 And so they offered the passover
for all them of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for
themselves. 13 And the children of
Israel that came out of the captivity did eat, even all they that had
separated themselves from the abominations of the people of the land, and
sought the Lord. 14 And they kept the
feast of unleavened bread seven days, making merry before the Lord,
15 for that he had turned the counsel
of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the works of
the Lord God of Israel.