
TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
Chapter 8
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1These are the chiefs of the clans and the register of the genealogy of those who came up with me from Babylon in the reign of King Artaxerxes:
אוְאֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי אֲבֹתֵיהֶם וְהִתְיַחְשָׂם הָעֹלִים עִמִּי בְּמַלְכוּת אַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא הַמֶּלֶךְ מִבָּבֶל׃
2Of the sons of Pinchas, Gershom; of the sons of Itamar, Daniel; of the sons of David, Hattush.
במִבְּנֵי פִינְחָס גֵּרְשֹׁם מִבְּנֵי אִיתָמָר דָּנִיֵּאל מִבְּנֵי דָוִיד חַטּוּשׁ׃
3Of the sons of Shechanya: of the sons of Parosh, Zecharya; through him the genealogy of 150 males was registered.
גמִבְּנֵי שְׁכַנְיָה מִבְּנֵי פַרְעֹשׁ זְכַרְיָה וְעִמּוֹ הִתְיַחֵשׂ לִזְכָרִים מֵאָה וַחֲמִשִּׁים׃
4Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, of the sons of Pahathmoab, and with him 200 males.
דמִבְּנֵי פַּחַת מוֹאָב אֶלְיְהוֹעֵינַי בֶּן־זְרַחְיָה וְעִמּוֹ מָאתַיִם הַזְּכָרִים׃
5Of the sons of Shechanya son of Yachaziel; and with him 300 males.
המִבְּנֵי שְׁכַנְיָה בֶּן־יַחֲזִיאֵל וְעִמּוֹ שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת הַזְּכָרִים׃
6And of the sons of Adin, Ebed son of Yonatan; and with him 50 males.
ווּמִבְּנֵי עָדִין עֶבֶד בֶּן־יוֹנָתָן וְעִמּוֹ חֲמִשִּׁים הַזְּכָרִים׃
7And of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Atalya; and with him 70 males.
זוּמִבְּנֵי עֵילָם יְשַׁעְיָה בֶּן־עֲתַלְיָה וְעִמּוֹ שִׁבְעִים הַזְּכָרִים׃
8And of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael; and with him 80 males.
חוּמִבְּנֵי שְׁפַטְיָה זְבַדְיָה בֶּן־מִיכָאֵל וְעִמּוֹ שְׁמֹנִים הַזְּכָרִים׃
9Of the sons of Yoav, Ovadya son of Yechiel; and with him 218 males.
טמִבְּנֵי יוֹאָב עֹבַדְיָה בֶּן־יְחִיאֵל וְעִמּוֹ מָאתַיִם וּשְׁמֹנָה עָשָׂר הַזְּכָרִים׃
10And of the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah; and with him 160 males.
יוּמִבְּנֵי שְׁלוֹמִית בֶּן־יוֹסִפְיָה וְעִמּוֹ מֵאָה וְשִׁשִּׁים הַזְּכָרִים׃
11And of the sons of Bebai, Zecharya son of Bebai; and with him 28 males.
יאוּמִבְּנֵי בֵבַי זְכַרְיָה בֶּן־בֵּבָי וְעִמּוֹ עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמֹנָה הַזְּכָרִים׃
12And of the sons of Azgad, Yochanan son of Hakkatan; and with him 110 males.
יבוּמִבְּנֵי עַזְגָּד יוֹחָנָן בֶּן־הַקָּטָן וְעִמּוֹ מֵאָה וַעֲשָׂרָה הַזְּכָרִים׃
13And of the sons of Adonikam, who were the last; and these are their names: Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaya; and with them 60 males.
יגוּמִבְּנֵי אֲדֹנִיקָם אַחֲרֹנִים וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹתָם אֱלִיפֶלֶט יְעִיאֵל וּשְׁמַעְיָה וְעִמָּהֶם שִׁשִּׁים הַזְּכָרִים׃
14And of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zaccur; and with them 70 males.
ידוּמִבְּנֵי בִגְוַי עוּתַי וזבוד [וְזַכּוּר] וְעִמּוֹ שִׁבְעִים הַזְּכָרִים׃
15These I assembled by the river that enters Ahava, and we encamped there for three days. I reviewed the people and the Kohanim, but I did not find any Leviim there.
טווָאֶקְבְּצֵם אֶל־הַנָּהָר הַבָּא אֶל־אַהֲוָא וַנַּחֲנֶה שָׁם יָמִים שְׁלֹשָׁה וָאָבִינָה בָעָם וּבַכֹּהֲנִים וּמִבְּנֵי לֵוִי לֹא־מָצָאתִי שָׁם׃
16I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaya, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Natan, Zecharya, and Meshullam, the leading men, and also for Joiarib and Elnathan, the instructors,
טזוָאֶשְׁלְחָה לֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר לַאֲרִיאֵל לִשְׁמַעְיָה וּלְאֶלְנָתָן וּלְיָרִיב וּלְאֶלְנָתָן וּלְנָתָן וְלִזְכַרְיָה וְלִמְשֻׁלָּם רָאשִׁים וּלְיוֹיָרִיב וּלְאֶלְנָתָן מְבִינִים׃
17and I gave them an order for Ido, the leader at the place [called] Casiphia. I gave them a message to convey to Ido [and] his brother, temple-servants at the place [called] Casiphia, that they should bring us attendants for the House of our God.
יזואוצאה [וָאֲצַוֶּה] אוֹתָם עַל־אִדּוֹ הָרֹאשׁ בְּכָסִפְיָא הַמָּקוֹם וָאָשִׂימָה בְּפִיהֶם דְּבָרִים לְדַבֵּר אֶל־אִדּוֹ אָחִיו הנתונים [הַנְּתִינִים] בְּכָסִפְיָא הַמָּקוֹם לְהָבִיא־לָנוּ מְשָׁרְתִים לְבֵית אֱלֹהֵינוּ׃
18Thanks to the benevolent care of our God for us, they brought us a capable man of the family of Mahli son of Levi son of Yisrael, and Sherebiah and his sons and brothers, 18 in all,
יחוַיָּבִיאּוּ לָנוּ כְּיַד־אֱלֹהֵינוּ הַטּוֹבָה עָלֵינוּ אִישׁ שֶׂכֶל מִבְּנֵי מַחְלִי בֶּן־לֵוִי בֶּן־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְשֵׁרֵבְיָה וּבָנָיו וְאֶחָיו שְׁמֹנָה עָשָׂר׃
19and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the family of Merari, his brothers and their sons, 20 in all;
יטוְאֶת־חֲשַׁבְיָה וְאִתּוֹ יְשַׁעְיָה מִבְּנֵי מְרָרִי אֶחָיו וּבְנֵיהֶם עֶשְׂרִים׃
20and of the temple servants whom David and the officers had appointed for the service of the Leviim—220 temple servants, all of them listed by name.
כוּמִן־הַנְּתִינִים שֶׁנָּתַן דָּוִיד וְהַשָּׂרִים לַעֲבֹדַת הַלְוִיִּם נְתִינִים מָאתַיִם וְעֶשְׂרִים כֻּלָּם נִקְּבוּ בְשֵׁמוֹת׃
21I proclaimed a fast there by the Ahava River to afflict ourselves before our God to beseech Him for a smooth journey for us and for our children and for all our possessions;
כאוָאֶקְרָא שָׁם צוֹם עַל־הַנָּהָר אַהֲוָא לְהִתְעַנּוֹת לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהֵינוּ לְבַקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ דֶּרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה לָנוּ וּלְטַפֵּנוּ וּלְכָל־רְכוּשֵׁנוּ׃
22for I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us against any enemy on the way, since we had told the king, “The benevolent care of our God is for all who seek Him, while His fierce anger is against all who forsake Him.”
כבכִּי בֹשְׁתִּי לִשְׁאוֹל מִן־הַמֶּלֶךְ חַיִל וּפָרָשִׁים לְעָזְרֵנוּ מֵאוֹיֵב בַּדָּרֶךְ כִּי־אָמַרְנוּ לַמֶּלֶךְ לֵאמֹר יַד־אֱלֹהֵינוּ עַל־כָּל־מְבַקְשָׁיו לְטוֹבָה וְעֻזּוֹ וְאַפּוֹ עַל כָּל־עֹזְבָיו׃
23So we fasted and besought our God for this, and He responded to our plea.
כגוַנָּצוּמָה וַנְּבַקְשָׁה מֵאֱלֹהֵינוּ עַל־זֹאת וַיֵּעָתֵר לָנוּ׃
24Then I selected twelve of the chiefs of the Kohanim, namely Sherebiah and Hashabiah with ten of their brothers,
כדוָאַבְדִּילָה מִשָּׂרֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר לְשֵׁרֵבְיָה חֲשַׁבְיָה וְעִמָּהֶם מֵאֲחֵיהֶם עֲשָׂרָה׃
25and I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels, the contribution to the House of our God which the king, his counselors and officers, and all Yisrael who were present had made.
כהואשקולה [וָאֶשְׁקֳלָה] לָהֶם אֶת־הַכֶּסֶף וְאֶת־הַזָּהָב וְאֶת־הַכֵּלִים תְּרוּמַת בֵּית־אֱלֹהֵינוּ הַהֵרִימוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ וְיֹעֲצָיו וְשָׂרָיו וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל הַנִּמְצָאִים׃
26I entrusted to their safekeeping the weight of six hundred and fifty talents of silver, one hundred silver vessels of one talent each, one hundred talents of gold;
כווָאֶשְׁקֲלָה עַל־יָדָם כֶּסֶף כִּכָּרִים שֵׁשׁ־מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים וּכְלֵי־כֶסֶף מֵאָה לְכִכָּרִים זָהָב מֵאָה כִכָּר׃
27also, twenty gold bowls worth one thousand darics and two vessels of good, shining bronze, as precious as gold.
כזוּכְפֹרֵי זָהָב עֶשְׂרִים לַאֲדַרְכֹנִים אָלֶף וּכְלֵי נְחֹשֶׁת מֻצְהָב טוֹבָה שְׁנַיִם חֲמוּדֹת כַּזָּהָב׃
28I said to them, “You are consecrated to Hashem, and the vessels are consecrated, and the silver and gold are a freewill offering to God of your fathers.
כחוָאֹמְרָה אֲלֵהֶם אַתֶּם קֹדֶשׁ לַיהֹוָה וְהַכֵּלִים קֹדֶשׁ וְהַכֶּסֶף וְהַזָּהָב נְדָבָה לַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵיכֶם׃
29Guard them diligently until such time as you weigh them out in the presence of the officers of the Kohanim and the Leviim and the officers of the clans of Yisrael in Yerushalayim in the chambers of the House of Hashem.”
כטשִׁקְדוּ וְשִׁמְרוּ עַד־תִּשְׁקְלוּ לִפְנֵי שָׂרֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם וְשָׂרֵי־הָאָבוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּירוּשָׁלָ ִם הַלִּשְׁכוֹת בֵּית יְהֹוָה׃
30So the Kohanim and the Leviim received the cargo of silver and gold and vessels by weight, to bring them to Yerushalayim to the House of our God.
לוְקִבְּלוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם מִשְׁקַל הַכֶּסֶף וְהַזָּהָב וְהַכֵּלִים לְהָבִיא לִירוּשָׁלַ ִם לְבֵית אֱלֹהֵינוּ׃
31We set out for Yerushalayim from the Ahava River on the twelfth of the first month. We enjoyed the care of our God, who saved us from enemy ambush on the journey.
va-nis-AH mi-n'-HAR a-ha-VA bish-NAYM a-SAR la-KHO-desh ha-ri-SHON la-LE-khet y'-ru-sha-LA-im v'-YAD e-lo-HAY-nu ha-y'-TAH a-LAY-nu va-ya-tzee-LAY-nu mi-KAF o-YAYV v'-o-RAYV al ha-DA-rekh
לאוַנִּסְעָה מִנְּהַר אַהֲוָא בִּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר לַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן לָלֶכֶת יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם וְיַד־אֱלֹהֵינוּ הָיְתָה עָלֵינוּ וַיַּצִּילֵנוּ מִכַּף אוֹיֵב וְאוֹרֵב עַל־הַדָּרֶךְ׃
8:31 We set out for Yerushalayim

Iraqi immigrants arriving in Israel, 1950
For the People of Israel, the past and present fuse together to create the most extraordinary future. Through Ezra’s actions, it is clear that a carefully choreographed event was planned and designed to reflect the earlier exodus from Egypt. Just as the Jews left Egypt in the first month, the Hebrew month of Nissan, and crossed the Sea of Reeds, Ezra’s exodus departed from a river in the first month. Certainly, the symbolism of recreating such a formative occurrence wasn’t lost on the members of the entourage, giving them great courage and hope. In modern times, almost the entire Iraqi-Babylonian Jewish community immigrated to Israel in the early 1950’s, essentially ending a continual presence there which had lasted for over 2800. This modern-day miracle was aptly named ‘Operation Ezra and Nechemya’.
32We arrived in Yerushalayim and stayed there three days.
לבוַנָּבוֹא יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם וַנֵּשֶׁב שָׁם יָמִים שְׁלֹשָׁה׃
33On the fourth day the silver, gold, and vessels were weighed out in the House of our God into the keeping of Meremoth son of Uriya the Kohen, with whom was Elazar son of Pinchas. Yozavad son of Yeshua, and Noadiah son of Binnui, the Leviim, were with them.
לגוּבַיּוֹם הָרְבִיעִי נִשְׁקַל הַכֶּסֶף וְהַזָּהָב וְהַכֵּלִים בְּבֵית אֱלֹהֵינוּ עַל יַד־מְרֵמוֹת בֶּן־אוּרִיָּה הַכֹּהֵן וְעִמּוֹ אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן־פִּינְחָס וְעִמָּהֶם יוֹזָבָד בֶּן־יֵשׁוּעַ וְנוֹעַדְיָה בֶן־בִּנּוּי הַלְוִיִּם׃
34Everything accorded as to number and weight, the entire cargo being recorded at that time.
לדבְּמִסְפָּר בְּמִשְׁקָל לַכֹּל וַיִּכָּתֵב כָּל־הַמִּשְׁקָל בָּעֵת הַהִיא׃
35The returning exiles who arrived from captivity made burnt offerings to the God of Yisrael: twelve bulls for all Yisrael, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs and twelve he-goats as a purification offering, all this a burnt offering to Hashem.
לההַבָּאִים מֵהַשְּׁבִי בְנֵי־הַגּוֹלָה הִקְרִיבוּ עֹלוֹת לֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל פָּרִים שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂר עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵילִים תִּשְׁעִים וְשִׁשָּׁה כְּבָשִׂים שִׁבְעִים וְשִׁבְעָה צְפִירֵי חַטָּאת שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר הַכֹּל עוֹלָה לַיהֹוָה׃
36They handed the royal orders to the king's satraps and the governors of the province of Beyond the River who gave support to the people and the House of Hashem.
לווַיִּתְּנוּ אֶת־דָּתֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ לַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וּפַחֲווֹת עֵבֶר הַנָּהָר וְנִשְּׂאוּ אֶת־הָעָם וְאֶת־בֵּית־הָאֱלֹהִים׃