95. When Zorobabel and the high priest had made this answer, Sisinnes, and those that were with him, did not resolve to hinder the building, until they had informed king Darius of all this. So they immediately wrote to him about these affairs; but as the Jews were now under terror, and afraid lest the king should change his resolutions as to the building of Jerusalem and of the temple, there were two prophets at that time among them, Haggai and Zechariah, who encouraged them, and bid them be of good cheer, and to suspect no discouragement from the Persians, for that God foretold this to them. So, in dependence on those prophets, they applied themselves earnestly to building, and did not intermit one day.
95. Ταῦτʼ εἰπόντων τοῦ τε Ζοροβαβήλου καὶ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως ὁ Σισίννης καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ τὴν μὲν οἰκοδομίαν ἐπισχεῖν οὐ διέγνωσαν ἕως ἂν ταῦτα δηλωθῇ Δαρείῳ, παραχρῆμα δʼ αὐτῷ περὶ τούτων ἔγραψαν. τῶν δὲ Ἰουδαίων κατεπτηχότων καὶ δεδιότων μὴ μεταδόξῃ τῷ βασιλεῖ περὶ τῆς τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων καὶ τοῦ ναοῦ κατασκευῆς, ὄντες κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν ἐκεῖνον δύο προφῆται παρʼ αὐτοῖς Ἀγγαῖος καὶ Ζαχαρίας θαρρεῖν αὐτοὺς παρώρμων καὶ μηδὲν ἐκ τῶν Περσῶν ὑφορᾶσθαι δύσκολον, ὡς τοῦ θεοῦ ταῦτα προλέγοντος. πιστεύοντες δὲ τοῖς προφήταις ἐντεταμένως εἴχοντο τῆς οἰκοδομίας μηδεμίαν ἡμέραν ἀνιέμενοι.
97. Now Darius, when the Samaritans had written to him, and in their epistle had accused the Jews, how they fortified the city, and built the temple more like to a citadel than to a temple; and said, that their doings were not expedient for the king’s affairs; and besides, they showed the epistle of Cambyses, wherein he forbade them to build the temple: and when Darius thereby understood that the restoration of Jerusalem was not expedient for his affairs, and when he had read the epistle that was brought him from Sisinnes, and those that were with him, he gave order that what concerned these matters should be sought for among the royal records. Whereupon a book was found at Ecbatana, in the tower that was in Media, wherein was written as follows: “Cyrus the king, in the first year of his reign, commanded that the temple should be built in Jerusalem; and the altar in height threescore cubits, and its breadth of the same, with three edifices of polished stone, and one edifice of stone of their own country; and he ordained that the expenses of it should be paid out of the king’s revenue. He also commanded that the vessels which Nebuchadnezzar had pillaged [out of the temple], and had carried to Babylon, should be restored to the people of Jerusalem; and that the care of these things should belong to Sanabassar, the governor and president of Syria and Phoenicia, and his associates, that they may not meddle with that place, but may permit the servants of God, the Jews and their rulers, to build the temple. He also ordained that they should assist them in the work; and that they should pay to the Jews, out of the tribute of the country where they were governors, on account of the sacrifices, bulls, and rams, and lambs, and kids of the goats, and fine flour, and oil, and wine, and all other things that the priests should suggest to them; and that they should pray for the preservation of the king, and of the Persians; and that for such as transgressed any of these orders thus sent to them, he commanded that they should be caught, and hung upon a cross, and their substance confiscated to the king’s use. He also prayed to God against them, that if any one attempted to hinder the building of the temple, God would strike him dead, and thereby restrain his wickedness.”
97. Δαρεῖος δὲ τῶν Σαμαρειτῶν αὐτῷ γραψάντων καὶ κατηγορούντων διὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ὡς τήν τε πόλιν ὀχυροῦσι καὶ τὸν ναὸν φρουρίῳ προσεοικότα μᾶλλον ἢ ἱερῷ κατασκευάζουσιν, λεγόντων δὲ μὴ συνοίσειν αὐτῷ τὰ γινόμενα καὶ προσέτι τὰς ἐπιστολὰς ἐπιδεικνύντων τὰς Καμβύσου, διʼ ὧν ἐκώλυσεν ἐκεῖνος οἰκοδομεῖν τὸν ναόν, μαθὼν παρʼ αὐτῶν οὐκ ἀσφαλῆ τοῖς πράγμασιν αὐτοῦ τὴν τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων ἀποκατάστασιν ἔσεσθαι, ἐπεὶ καὶ τὰ παρὰ τοῦ Σισίννου καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ κομισθέντα ἀνέγνω γράμματα, προσέταξεν ἐν τοῖς βασιλικοῖς ὑπομνήμασιν ζητηθῆναι τὰ περὶ τούτων. καὶ εὑρέθη ἐν Ἐκβατάνοις τῇ βάρει τῇ ἐν Μηδίᾳ βιβλίον, ἐν ᾧ τάδε ἦν ἀναγεγραμμένα· ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ τῆς βασιλείας ἔτει Κῦρος ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκέλευσεν τὸν ναὸν οἰκοδομηθῆναι τὸν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον, ὕψος μὲν πηχῶν ἑξήκοντα εὖρος δὲ τῶν αὐτῶν, διὰ δόμων λιθίνων βία τε ξεστῶν τριῶν καὶ ξυλίνου δόμου ἑνὸς ἐγχωρίου. καὶ τὴν εἰς ταῦτα δαπάνην ἐκ τῶν τοῦ βασιλέως γίνεσθαι διετάξατο, καὶ τὰ σκεύη, ἃ συλήσας Ναβουχοδονόσορος εἰς Βαβυλῶνα ἐκόμισεν, ἀποδοθῆναι τοῖς Ἱεροσολυμίταις, τὴν δὲ ἐπιμέλειαν τούτων εἶναι Ἀναβασσάρου τοῦ ἐπάρχου καὶ τῆς Συρίας τε καὶ Φοινίκης ἡγεμόνος καὶ τῶν ἑταίρων αὐτοῦ, ὅπως αὐτοὶ μὲν ἀφέξονται τοῦ τόπου, τοῖς δὲ δούλοις τοῦ θεοῦ Ἰουδαίοις τε καὶ ἡγεμόσιν αὐτῶν ἐπιτρέψουσιν οἰκοδομηθῆναι τὸν ναόν. καὶ συλλαβέσθαι δὲ πρὸς τὸ ἔργον διετάξατο, κἀκ τοῦ φόρου τοῦ τῆς χώρας ἧς ἐπετροπεύοντο τελεῖν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις εἰς θυσίας λόγον ταύρους καὶ κριοὺς καὶ ἄρνας καὶ ἐρίφους καὶ σεμίδαλιν καὶ ἔλαιον καὶ οἶνον καὶ τἆλλα, ὅσα ἂν οἱ ἱερεῖς ὑπαγορεύσωσιν, εὔχωνται δὲ ὑπὲρ τῆς σωτηρίας τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ Περσῶν. τοὺς δὲ παραβάντας τι τῶν ἐπεσταλμένων συλληφθέντας ἐκέλευσεν ἀνασταυρωθῆναι καὶ τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτῶν εἰς τὴν βασιλικὴν καταταγῆναι κτῆσιν. καὶ κατηύξατο πρὸς τούτοις τῷ θεῷ, ὅπως εἴ τις ἐπιχειρήσειε διακωλῦσαι τὴν οἰκοδομίαν τοῦ ναοῦ, βαλὼν αὐτὸν ὁ θεὸς ἐπίσχῃ τῆς ἀδικίας.
104. When Darius had found this book among the records of Cyrus, he wrote an answer to Sisinnes and his associates, whose contents were these: “King Darius to Sisinnes the governor, and to Sathrabuzanes, sendeth greeting. Having found a copy of this epistle among the records of Cyrus, I have sent it you; and I will that all things be done as is therein written. Fare ye well.” So when Sisinnes, and those that were with him, understood the intention of the king, they resolved to follow his directions entirely for the time to come. So they forwarded the sacred works, and assisted the elders of the Jews, and the princes of the Sanhedrim; and the structure of the temple was with great diligence brought to a conclusion, by the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah, according to God’s commands, and by the injunctions of Cyrus and Darius the kings. Now the temple was built in seven years’ time. And in the ninth year of the reign of Darius, on the twenty-third day of the twelfth month, which is by us called Adar, but by the Macedonians Dystrus, the priests, and Levites, and the other multitude of the Israelites, offered sacrifices, as the renovation of their former prosperity after their captivity, and because they had now the temple rebuilt, a hundred bulls, two hundred rains, four hundred lambs, and twelve kids of the goats, according to the number of their tribes, (for so many are the tribes of the Israelites,) and this last for the sins of every tribe. The priests also and the Levites set the porters at every gate, according to the laws of Moses. The Jews also built the cloisters of the inner temple that were round about the temple itself.
104. Ταῦθʼ εὑρὼν ἐν τοῖς ὑπομνήμασιν τοῖς Κύρου Δαρεῖος ἀντιγράφει τῷ Σισίννῃ καὶ τοῖς ἑταίροις αὐτοῦ τάδε λέγων· βασιλεὺς Δαρεῖος Σισίννῃ τῷ ἐπάρχῳ καὶ Σαραβαζάνῃ καὶ τοῖς ἑταίροις αὐτῶν χαίρειν. τὸ ἀντίγραφον τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ὑμῖν ἧς ἐν τοῖς ὑπομνήμασιν εὗρον τοῖς Κύρου ἀπέσταλκα καὶ βούλομαι γίνεσθαι πάντα, καθὼς ἐν αὐτῇ περιέχει. ἔρρωσθε. μαθόντες οὖν ἐκ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ὁ Σισίννης καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως προαίρεσιν ταύτῃ τὰ λοιπὰ ἀκόλουθα ποιεῖν διέγνωσαν. ἐπεστάτουν οὖν τῶν ἱερῶν ἔργων συλλαμβανόμενοι τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ τῶν γερόντων ἄρχουσιν. καὶ ἠνύετο κατὰ πολλὴν σπουδὴν ἡ κατασκευὴ τοῦ ναοῦ προφητευόντων Ἀγγαίου καὶ Ζαχαρίου κατὰ πρόσταγμα τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ μετὰ βουλήσεως Κύρου τε καὶ Δαρείου τῶν βασιλέων, ᾠκοδομήθη δὲ ἐν ἔτεσιν ἑπτά. τοῦ δʼ ἐνάτου τῆς Δαρείου βασιλείας ἔτους εἰκάδι καὶ τρίτῃ μηνὸς δωδεκάτου, ὃς καλεῖται παρὰ μὲν ἡμῖν Ἄδαρ παρὰ δὲ Μακεδόσιν Δύστρος, προσφέρουσιν θυσίας οἵ τε ἱερεῖς καὶ Λευῖται καὶ τὸ ἄλλο τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν πλῆθος ἀνανεωτικὰς τῶν πρότερον ἀγαθῶν μετὰ τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν τοῦ τὸ ἱερὸν ἀνακαινισθὲν ἀπειληφέναι ταύρους ἑκατὸν κριοὺς διακοσίους ἄρνας τετρακοσίους χιμάρους δώδεκα κατὰ φυλήν, τοσαῦται γάρ εἰσιν αἱ τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν φυλαί, ὑπὲρ ὧν ἥμαρτεν ἑκάστη. ἔστησάν τε κατὰ τοὺς Μωυσέως νόμους οἵ τε ἱερεῖς καὶ οἱ Λευῖται θυρωροὺς ἐφʼ ἑκάστου πυλῶνος· ᾠκοδομήκεσαν γὰρ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ τὰς ἐν κύκλῳ τοῦ ναοῦ στοὰς τοῦ ἔνδοθεν ἱεροῦ.
109. And as the feast of unleavened bread was at hand, in the first month, which, according to the Macedonians, is called Xanthicus, but according to us Nisan, all the people ran together out of the villages to the city, and celebrated the festival, having purified themselves, with their wives and children, according to the law of their country; and they offered the sacrifice which was called the Passover, on the fourteenth day of the same month, and feasted seven days, and spared for no cost, but offered whole burnt-offerings to God, and performed sacrifices of thanksgiving, because God had led them again to the land of their fathers, and to the laws thereto belonging, and had rendered the mind of the king of Persia favorable to them. So these men offered the largest sacrifices on these accounts, and used great magnificence in the worship of God, and dwelt in Jerusalem, and made use of a form of government that was aristocratical, but mixed with an oligarchy, for the high priests were at the head of their affairs, until the posterity of the Asamoneans set up kingly government; for before their captivity, and the dissolution of their polity, they at first had kingly government from Saul and David for five hundred and thirty-two years, six months, and ten days; but before those kings, such rulers governed them as were called judges and monarchs. Under this form of government they continued for more than five hundred years after the death of Moses, and of Joshua their commander. And this is the account I had to give of the Jews who had been carried into captivity, but were delivered from it in the times of Cyrus and Darius.
109. Ἐνστάσης δὲ τῆς τῶν ἀζύμων ἑορτῆς μηνὶ τῷ πρώτῳ, κατὰ μὲν Μακεδόνας Ξανθικῷ λεγομένῳ κατὰ δὲ ἡμᾶς Νισάν, συνερρύη πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἐκ τῶν κωμῶν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ τὴν ἑορτὴν ἤγαγον ἁγνεύοντες μετὰ γυναικῶν καὶ τέκνων τῷ πατρίῳ νόμῳ, καὶ τὴν πάσχα προσαγορευομένην θυσίαν τῇ τετράδι καὶ δεκάτῃ τοῦ αὐτοῦ μηνὸς ἐπιτελέσαντες κατευωχήθησαν ἐπὶ ἡμέρας ἑπτὰ μηδεμιᾶς φειδόμενοι πολυτελείας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ὁλοκαυτώσεις ἐπιφέροντες τῷ θεῷ καὶ χαριστηρίους θυσίας ἱερουργοῦντες ἀνθʼ ὧν αὐτοὺς ποθοῦν τὸ θεῖον πάλιν εἰς τὴν πάτριον γῆν καὶ τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ νόμους ἤγαγεν καὶ τὴν τοῦ Περσῶν βασιλέως διάνοιαν εὐμενῆ κατέστησεν αὐτοῖς. καὶ οἱ μὲν ὑπὲρ τούτων ἐπιδαψιλευόμενοι ταῖς θυσίαις καὶ τῇ περὶ τὸν θεὸν φιλοτιμίᾳ κατῴκησαν ἐν τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις πολιτείᾳ χρώμενοι ἀριστοκρατικῇ μετὰ ὀλιγαρχίας· οἱ γὰρ ἀρχιερεῖς προεστήκεσαν τῶν πραγμάτων ἄχρι οὗ τοὺς Ἀσαμωναίου συνέβη βασιλεύειν ἐκγόνους. πρὸ μὲν γὰρ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐβασιλεύοντο ἀπὸ Σαούλου πρῶτον ἀρξάμενοι καὶ Δαυίδου ἐπὶ ἔτη πεντακόσια τριακονταδύο μῆνας ἓξ ἡμέρας δέκα, πρὸ δὲ τῶν βασιλέων τούτων ἄρχοντες αὐτοὺς διεῖπον οἱ προσαγορευόμενοι κριταὶ καὶ μόναρχοι, καὶ τοῦτον πολιτευόμενοι τὸν τρόπον ἔτεσιν πλέον ἢ πεντακοσίοις διήγαγον μετὰ Μωυσῆν ἀποθανόντα καὶ Ἰησοῦν τὸν στρατηγόν. καὶ τὰ μὲν περὶ τῶν ἀνασωθέντων ἐκ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας Ἰουδαίων ἐν τοῖς Κύρου καὶ Δαρείου χρόνοις ἐν τούτοις ὑπῆρχεν.
114. But the Samaritans, being evil and enviously disposed to the Jews, wrought them many mischiefs, by reliance on their riches, and by their pretense that they were allied to the Persians, on account that thence they came; and whatsoever it was that they were enjoined to pay the Jews by the king’s order out of their tributes for the sacrifices, they would not pay it. They had also the governors favorable to them, and assisting them for that purpose; nor did they spare to hurt them, either by themselves or by others, as far as they were able. So the Jews determined to send an embassage to king Darius, in favor of the people of Jerusalem, and in order to accuse the Samaritans. The ambassadors were Zorobabel, and four others of the rulers; and as soon as the king knew from the ambassadors the accusations and complaints they brought against the Samaritans, he gave them an epistle to be carried to the governors and council of Samaria; the contents of which epistle were these: “King Darius to Tanganas and Sambabas, the governors of the Sainaritans, to Sadraces and Bobelo, and the rest of their fellow servants that are in Samaria: Zorobabel, Ananias, and Mordecai, the ambassadors of the Jews, complain of you, that you obstruct them in the building of the temple, and do not supply them with the expenses which I commanded you to do for the offering their sacrifices. My will therefore is this, That upon the reading of this epistle, you supply them with whatsoever they want for their sacrifices, and that out of the royal treasury, of the tributes of Samaria, as the priest shall desire, that they may not leave off offering their daily sacrifices, nor praying to God for me and the Persians.” And these were the contents of that epistle.
114. Οἱ δὲ Σαμαρεῖς ἀπεχθῶς πρὸς αὐτοὺς καὶ βασκάνως διακείμενοι πολλὰ κακὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους εἰργάσαντο πλούτῳ τε πεποιθότες καὶ συγγένειαν προσποιούμενοι τὴν Περσῶν, ἐπειδήπερ ἐκεῖθεν ἦσαν. ὅσα τε γὰρ ἐκελεύσθησαν ἐκ τῶν φόρων ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως εἰς τὰς θυσίας τελεῖν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις παρέχειν οὐκ ἤθελον τούς τε ἐπάρχους σπουδάζοντας αὐτοῖς πρὸς τοῦτο καὶ συνεργοῦντας εἶχον, ἄλλα τε ὅσα βλάπτειν ἢ διʼ ἑαυτῶν ἢ διʼ ἑτέρων ἠδύναντο τοὺς Ἰουδαίους οὐκ ἀπώκνουν. ἔδοξεν οὖν πρεσβευσαμένοις τοῖς Ἱεροσολυμίταις πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Δαρεῖον κατηγορῆσαι τῶν Σαμαρειτῶν, καὶ πρεσβεύουσιν Ζοροβάβηλος καὶ ἄλλοι τῶν ἀρχόντων τέσσαρες. ὡς δὲ τὰ ἐγκλήματα καὶ τὰς αἰτίας, ἃς κατὰ τῶν Σαμαρέων ἐπέφερον, ἔγνω παρὰ τῶν πρέσβεων ὁ βασιλεύς, δοὺς αὐτοῖς κομίζειν ἐπιστολὴν πρὸς τοὺς ἐπάρχους τῆς Σαμαρείας καὶ τὴν βουλὴν ἀπέπεμψεν. τὰ δὲ γεγραμμένα ἦν τοιάδε· βασιλεὺς Δαρεῖος Ταγανᾷ καὶ Σαμβᾷ τοῖς ἐπάρχοις καὶ Σαμαρειτῶν Σαδράκῃ καὶ Βουήδωνι καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς συνδούλοις αὐτῶν τοῖς ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ. Ζοροβάβηλος καὶ Ἀνανίας καὶ Μαρδοχαῖος Ἰουδαίων πρεσβευταὶ ᾐτιῶντο ὑμᾶς ὡς ἐνοχλοῦντας αὐτοῖς πρὸς τὴν οἰκοδομίαν τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ μὴ χορηγοῦντας ἃ προσέταξα ὑμῖν εἰς τὰς θυσίας τελεῖν αὐτοῖς ἀναλώματα. βούλομαι οὖν ὑμᾶς ἀναγνόντας τὴν ἐπιστολὴν χορηγεῖν αὐτοῖς ἐκ τοῦ βασιλικοῦ γαζοφυλακείου τῶν φόρων τῆς Σαμαρείας πάνθʼ ὅσα πρὸς θυσίας ἐστὶν αὐτοῖς χρήσιμα, καθὼς οἱ ἱερεῖς ἀξιοῦσιν, ἵνα μὴ διαλείπωσιν καθʼ ἡμέραν θύοντες μηδʼ ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ καὶ Περσῶν εὐχόμενοι τῷ θεῷ. καὶ ἡ μὲν ἐπιστολὴ ταῦτα περιεῖχεν.
120. UPON the death of Darius, Xerxes his son took the kingdom, who, as he inherited his father’s kingdom, so did he inherit his piety towards God, and honor of him; for he did all things suitably to his father relating to Divine worship, and he was exceeding friendly to the Jews. Now about this time a son of Jeshua, whose name was Joacim, was the high priest. Moreover, there was now in Babylon a righteous man, and one that enjoyed a great reputation among the multitude. He was the principal priest of the people, and his name was Esdras. He was very skillful in the laws of Moses, and was well acquainted with king Xerxes. He had determined to go up to Jerusalem, and to take with him some of those Jews that were in Babylon; and he desired that the king would give him an epistle to the governors of Syria, by which they might know who he was. Accordingly, the king wrote the following epistle to those governors: “Xerxes, king of kings, to Esdras the priest, and reader of the Divine law, greeting. I think it agreeable to that love which I bear to mankind, to permit those of the Jewish nation that are so disposed, as well as those of the priests and Levites that are in our kingdom, to go together to Jerusalem. Accordingly, I have given command for that purpose; and let every one that hath a mind go, according as it hath seemed good to me, and to my seven counselors, and this in order to their review of the affairs of Judea, to see whether they be agreeable to the law of God. Let them also take with them those presents which I and my friends have vowed, with all that silver and gold that is found in the country of the Babylonians, as dedicated to God, and let all this be carried to Jerusalem to God for sacrifices. Let it also be lawful for thee and thy brethren to make as many vessels of silver and gold as thou pleasest. Thou shalt also dedicate those holy vessels which have been given thee, and as many more as thou hast a mind to make, and shall take the expenses out of the king’s treasury. I have, moreover, written to the treasurers of Syria and Phoenicia, that they take care of those affairs that Esdras the priest, and reader of the laws of God, is sent about. And that God may not be at all angry with me, or with my children, I grant all that is necessary for sacrifices to God, according to the law, as far as a hundred cori of wheat. And I enjoin you not to lay any treacherous imposition, or any tributes, upon their priests or Levites, or. sacred singers, or porters, or sacred servants, or scribes of the temple. And do thou, O Esdras, appoint judges according to the wisdom [given thee] of God, and those such as understand the law, that they may judge in all Syria and Phoenicia; and do thou instruct those also which are ignorant of it, that if any one of thy countrymen transgress the law of God, or that of the king, he may be punished, as not transgressing it out of ignorance, but as one that knows it indeed, but boldly despises and contemns it; and such may be punished by death, or by paying fines. Farewell.”
120. Δαρείου δὲ τελευτήσαντος παραλαβὼν τὴν βασιλείαν ὁ παῖς αὐτοῦ Ξέρξης ἐκληρονόμησεν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν εὐσέβειάν τε καὶ τιμήν· ἅπαντα γὰρ ἀκολούθως τῷ πατρὶ τὰ πρὸς τὴν θρησκείαν ἐποίησεν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἔσχεν φιλοτιμότατα. κατʼ ἐκεῖνον δὲ τὸν καιρὸν ἀρχιερεὺς ἦν Ἰησοῦ παῖς Ἰωάκειμος ὄνομα. ὑπῆρχεν δὲ καὶ ἐν Βαβυλῶνι δίκαιος ἀνὴρ καὶ δόξης ἀπολαύων ἀγαθῆς παρὰ τῷ πλήθει πρῶτος ἱερεὺς τοῦ θεοῦ καλούμενος Ἔζδρας, ὃς τῶν Μωυσέως νόμων ἱκανῶς ἔμπειρος ὢν γίνεται φίλος τῷ βασιλεῖ Ξέρξῃ. γνοὺς δὲ ἀναβῆναι εἰς τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ ἐπαγαγέσθαι τινὰς τῶν ἐν Βαβυλῶνι τυγχανόντων Ἰουδαίων παρεκάλεσεν τὸν βασιλέα δοῦναι αὐτῷ πρὸς τοὺς σατράπας τῆς Συρίας ἐπιστολήν, ὑφʼ ἧς αὐτοῖς γνωρισθήσεται τίς εἴη. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς γράφει πρὸς τοὺς σατράπας ἐπιστολὴν τοιάνδε· βασιλεὺς βασιλέων Ξέρξης Ἔζδρᾳ ἱερεῖ καὶ ἀναγνώστῃ τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ νόμων χαίρειν. τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ φιλανθρωπίας ἔργον εἶναι νομίσας τὸ τοὺς βουλομένους ἐκ τοῦ Ἰουδαίων ἔθνους καὶ Λευιτῶν ὄντων ἐν τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ βασιλείᾳ συναπαίρειν εἰς τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα, τοῦτο προσέταξα, καὶ ὁ βουλόμενος ἀπίτω, καθάπερ ἔδοξέν μοι καὶ τοῖς ἑπτά μου συμβούλοις, ὅπως τὰ κατὰ τὴν Ἰουδαίαν ἐπισκέψωνται τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ θεοῦ ἀκολούθως καὶ ἀπενέγκωσι δῶρα τῷ Ἰσραηλιτῶν θεῷ, ἅπερ ηὐξάμην ἐγώ τε καὶ οἱ φίλοι· καὶ ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον ὅσον ἂν εὑρεθῇ ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ τῶν Βαβυλωνίων ὠνομασμένον τῷ θεῷ τοῦτο πᾶν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα κομισθῆναι τῷ θεῷ εἰς τὰς θυσίας, πάντα τε, ὅσα βούλει ἐξ ἀργύρου καὶ χρυσοῦ κατασκευάσαι, ποιεῖν ἐξέστω σοι μετὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν. καὶ τὰ δεδομένα σοι ἱερὰ σκεύη ἀναθήσεις καὶ ὅσων ἂν ἐπίνοιαν λάβῃς καὶ ταῦτα προσεξεργάσῃ τὴν εἰς αὐτὰ δαπάνην ποιούμενος ἐκ τοῦ βασιλικοῦ γαζοφυλακείου. ἔγραψα δὲ καὶ τοῖς γαζοφύλαξιν τῆς Συρίας καὶ τῆς Φοινίκης, ἵνα τῶν ὑπὸ Ἔζδρα τοῦ ἱερέως καὶ ἀναγνώστου τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ νόμων ἐπισταλέντων ἐπιμεληθῶσιν. ὅπως δὲ μηδεμίαν ὀργὴν ἐπʼ ἐμὲ λάβῃ τὸ θεῖον ἢ τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἐκγόνους, πάντʼ ἀξιῶ καὶ μέχρι τοῦ πυροῦ κόρων ἑκατὸν ἐπιτελεῖσθαι τῷ θεῷ κατὰ τὸν νόμον. καὶ ὑμῖν δὲ λέγω, ὅπως τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν καὶ Λευίταις καὶ ἱεροψάλταις καὶ θυρωροῖς καὶ ἱεροδούλοις καὶ γραμματεῦσιν τοῦ ἱεροῦ μήτε φόρους ἐπιτάξητε μήτε ἄλλο μηδὲν ἐπίβουλον ἢ φορτικὸν εἰς αὐτοὺς γένηται. καὶ σὺ δέ, Ἔζδρα, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ σοφίαν ἀπόδειξον κριτάς, ὅπως δικάσωσιν ἐν Συρίᾳ καὶ Φοινίκῃ πάσῃ τοὺς ἐπισταμένους σου τὸν νόμον, καὶ τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσιν δὲ παρέξεις αὐτὸν μαθεῖν, ἵνα ἄν τις τῶν ὁμοεθνῶν σου παραβαίνῃ τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ νόμον ἢ τὸν βασιλικόν, ὑπόσχῃ τιμωρίαν, ὡς οὐ κατʼ ἄγνοιαν αὐτὸν παραβαίνων, ἀλλʼ ὡς ἐπιστάμενος μὲν τολμηρῶς δὲ παρακούων καὶ καταφρονῶν. κολασθήσονται δʼ ἤτοι θανάτῳ ἢ ζημίᾳ χρηματικῇ. ἔρρωσο.
131. When Esdras had received this epistle, he was very joyful, and began to worship God, and confessed that he had been the cause of the king’s great favor to him, and that for the same reason he gave all the thanks to God. So he read the epistle at Babylon to those Jews that were there; but he kept the epistle itself, and sent a copy of it to all those of his own nation that were in Media. And when these Jews had understood what piety the king had towards God, and what kindness he had for Esdras, they were all greatly pleased; nay, many of them took their effects with them, and came to Babylon, as very desirous of going down to Jerusalem; but then the entire body of the people of Israel remained in that country; wherefore there are but two tribes in Asia and Europe subject to the Iomans, while the ten tribes are beyond Euphrates till now, and are an immense multitude, and not to be estimated by numbers. Now there came a great number of priests, and Levites, and porters, and sacred singers, and sacred servants to Esdras. So he gathered those that were in the captivity together beyond Euphrates, and staid there three days, and ordained a fast for them, that they might make their prayers to God for their preservation, that they might suffer no misfortunes by the way, either from their enemies, or from any other ill accident; for Esdras had said beforehand that he had told the king how God would preserve them, and so he had not thought fit to request that he would send horsemen to conduct them. So when they had finished their prayers, they removed from Euphrates on the twelfth day of the first month of the seventh year of the reign of Xerxes, and they came to Jerusalem on the fifth month of the same year. Now Esdras presented the sacred money to the treasurers, who were of the family of the priests, of silver six hundred and fifty talents, vessels of silver one hundred talents, vessels of gold twenty talents, vessels of brass, that was more precious than gold, twelve talents by weight; for these Presents had been made by the king and his counselors, and by all the Israelites that staid at Babylon. So when Esdras had delivered these things to the priests, he gave to God, as the appointed sacrifices of whole burnt-offerings, twelve bulls on account of the common preservation of the people, ninety rams, seventy-two lambs, and twelve kids of the goats, for the remission of sins. He also delivered the king’s epistle to the king’s officers, and to the governors of Celesyria and Phoenicia; and as they were under a necessity of doing what was enjoined by him, they honored our nation, and were assistant to them in all their necessities.
131. Λαβὼν δὲ Ἔζδρας ταύτην τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ὑπερήσθη καὶ τῷ θεῷ προσκυνεῖν ἤρξατο, τῆς τοῦ βασιλέως πρὸς αὐτὸν χρηστότητος ἐκεῖνον αἴτιον ὁμολογῶν γεγενῆσθαι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὴν πᾶσαν αὐτοῦ χάριν ἔλεγεν εἶναι. ἀναγνοὺς δʼ ἐν Βαβυλῶνι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τοῖς αὐτόθι παροῦσιν Ἰουδαίοις, αὐτὴν μὲν κατέσχεν, τὸ δʼ ἀντίγραφον αὐτῆς πρὸς ἅπαντας ἔπεμψεν τοὺς ὁμοεθνεῖς τοὺς κατὰ τὴν Μηδίαν ὄντας. μαθόντες δὲ οὗτοι τὴν παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν εὐσέβειαν καὶ πρὸς τὸν Ἔζδραν εὔνοιαν ἅπαντες μὲν ὑπερηγάπησαν, πολλοὶ δʼ αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς κτήσεις ἀναλαβόντες ἦλθον εἰς Βαβυλῶνα ποθοῦντες τῆς εἰς τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα καθόδου. ὁ δὲ πᾶς λαὸς τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν κατὰ χώραν ἔμεινεν· διὸ καὶ δύο φυλὰς εἶναι συμβέβηκεν ἐπί τε τῆς Ἀσίας καὶ τῆς Εὐρώπης Ῥωμαίοις ὑπακουούσας, αἱ δὲ δέκα φυλαὶ πέραν εἰσὶν Εὐφράτου ἕως δεῦρο, μυριάδες ἄπειροι καὶ ἀριθμῷ γνωσθῆναι μὴ δυνάμεναι. πρὸς δὲ Ἔζδραν ἀφικνοῦνται ἱερέων καὶ Λευιτῶν καὶ θυρωρῶν καὶ ἱεροψαλτῶν καὶ ἱεροδούλων πολλοὶ τὸν ἀριθμόν. συναγαγὼν δὲ τοὺς ἐκ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας εἰς τὸ πέραν τοῦ Εὐφράτου καὶ τρεῖς ἐπιδιατρίψας ἐκεῖ ἡμέρας νηστείαν αὐτοῖς παρήγγειλεν, ὅπως εὐχὰς ποιήσονται τῷ θεῷ περὶ τῆς αὐτῶν σωτηρίας καὶ τοῦ μηδὲν κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν παθεῖν ἄτοπον ἢ πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων ἤ τινος ἄλλου δυσκόλου προσπεσόντος αὐτοῖς· φθάσας γὰρ ὁ Ἔζδρας εἰπεῖν τῷ βασιλεῖ, ὅτι διασώσει αὐτοὺς ὁ θεός, οὐ κατηξίωσεν ἱππεῖς αὐτὸν αἰτῆσαι τοὺς προπέμψοντας. ποιησάμενοι δὲ τὰς εὐχάς, ἄραντες ἀπὸ τοῦ Εὐφράτου δωδεκάτῃ τοῦ πρώτου μηνὸς τοῦ ἑβδόμου ἔτους τῆς Ξέρξου βασιλείας παρεγένοντο εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα μηνὶ πέμπτῳ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἔτους. καὶ παραχρῆμα τοῖς γαζοφύλαξιν ὁ Ἔζδρας οὖσιν ἐκ τοῦ τῶν ἱερέων γένους παρέστησεν τὰ ἱερὰ χρήματα, ἀργυρίου τάλαντα ἑξακόσια πεντήκοντα, σκεύη ἀργυρᾶ ταλάντων ἑκατόν, καὶ χρύσεα σκεύη ταλάντων εἴκοσι, καὶ χαλκᾶ σκεύη χρυσοῦ κρείττονα σταθμὸν ἔχοντα ταλάντων δώδεκα· ταῦτα γὰρ ἐδωρήσατο ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ οἱ σύμβουλοι αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἐν Βαβυλῶνι μένοντες Ἰσραηλῖται. παραδοὺς δὲ ταῦτα τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ὁ Ἔζδρας ἀπέδωκε τῷ θεῷ τὰς ἐκ τῶν ὁλοκαυτώσεων νενομισμένας γίνεσθαι θυσίας, ταύρους δώδεκα ὑπὲρ κοινῆς τοῦ λαοῦ σωτηρίας, κριοὺς ἐνενήκοντα, ἄρνας ἑβδομηκονταδύο, ἐρίφους εἰς παραίτησιν τῶν ἡμαρτημένων δεκαδύο. τοῖς δὲ τοῦ βασιλέως οἰκονόμοις καὶ τοῖς ἐπάρχοις τῆς κοίλης Συρίας καὶ Φοινίκης τὰ γράμματα τοῦ βασιλέως ἀπέδωκεν. οἱ δὲ τὸ προσταχθὲν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ ποιεῖν ἀνάγκην ἔχοντες ἐτίμησάν τε τὸ ἔθνος καὶ πρὸς πᾶσαν αὐτῷ χρείαν συνήργησαν.
139. Now these things were truly done under the conduct of Esdras; and he succeeded in them, because God esteemed him worthy of the success of his conduct, on account of his goodness and righteousness. But some time afterward there came some persons to him, and brought an accusation against certain of the multitude, and of the priests and Levites, who had transgressed their settlement, and dissolved the laws of their country, by marrying strange wives, and had brought the family of the priests into confusion. These persons desired him to support the laws, lest God should take up a general anger against them all, and reduce them to a calamitous condition again. Hereupon he rent his garment immediately, out of grief, and pulled off the hair of his head and beard, and cast himself upon the ground, because this crime had reached the principal men among the people; and considering that if he should enjoin them to cast out their wives, and the children they had by them, he should not be hearkener to, he continued lying upon the ground. However, all the better sort came running to him, who also themselves wept, and partook of the grief he was under for what had been done. So Esdras rose up from the ground, and stretched out his hands towards heaven, and said that he was ashamed to look towards it, because of the sins which the people had committed, while they had cast out of their memories what their fathers had undergone on account of their wickedness; and he besought God, who had saved a seed and a remnant out of the calamity and captivity they had been in, and had restored them again to Jerusalem, and to their own land, and had obliged the kings of Persia to have compassion on them, that he would also forgive them their sins they had now committed, which, though they deserved death, yet, was it agreeable to the mercy of God, to remit even to these the punishment due to them.
139. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐβουλεύσατο Ἔσδρας, προεχώρησεν δʼ αὐτῷ κρίναντος αὐτὸν ἄξιον οἶμαι τοῦ θεοῦ τῶν βουληθέντων διὰ χρηστότητα καὶ δικαιοσύνην. χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον προσελθόντων αὐτῷ τινων κατηγορούντων, ὥς τινες τοῦ πλήθους καὶ τῶν ἱερέων καὶ Λευιτῶν παραβεβήκασι τὴν πολιτείαν καὶ λελύκασιν τοὺς πατρίους νόμους ἀλλοεθνεῖς ἠγμένοι γυναῖκας καὶ τὸ ἱερατικὸν γένος συγκεχύκασιν, δεομένων τε βοηθῆσαι τοῖς νόμοις, μὴ κοινὴν ἐπὶ πάντας ὀργὴν λαβὼν πάλιν αὐτοὺς εἰς συμφορὰς ἐμβάλῃ, διέρρηξε μὲν εὐθὺς ὑπὸ λύπης τὴν ἐσθῆτα καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐσπάρασσεν καὶ τὰ γένεια ὑβρίζων ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τε ἑαυτὸν ἔρριψεν ἐπὶ τῷ τὴν αἰτίαν ταύτην λαβεῖν τοὺς πρώτους τοῦ λαοῦ. λογιζόμενος δὲ ὅτι, ἐὰν ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτοὺς τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ ἐξ αὐτῶν προστάξῃ τέκνα, οὐκ ἀκουσθήσεται, διέμενεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κείμενος. συνέτρεχον οὖν πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ μέτριοι πάντες κλαίοντες καὶ αὐτοὶ καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ τῷ γεγενημένῳ λύπης συμμεταλαμβάνοντες. ἀναστὰς δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ὁ Ἔσδρας καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἀνατείνας εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, αἰσχύνεσθαι μὲν ἔλεγεν αὐτὸν ἀναβλέψαι διὰ τὰ ἡμαρτημένα τῷ λαῷ, ὃς τῆς μνήμης ἐξέβαλεν τὰ τοῖς πατράσιν ἡμῶν διὰ τὴν ἀσέβειαν αὐτῶν συμπεσόντα, παρεκάλει δὲ τὸν θεὸν σπέρμα τι καὶ λείψανον ἐκ τῆς τότε συμφορᾶς αὐτῶν καὶ αἰχμαλωσίας περισώσαντα καὶ πάλιν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν γῆν ἀποκαταστήσαντα [καὶ τοὺς Περσῶν βασιλέας ἀναγκάσαντα] λαβεῖν οἶκτον αὐτῶν, καὶ συγγνωμονῆσαι τοῖς νῦν ἡμαρτημένοις, ἄξια μὲν θανάτου πεποιηκόσιν, ὂν δὲ ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ χρηστότητι καὶ τοὺς τοιούτους ἀφιέναι τῆς κολάσεως.
145. After Esdras had said this, he left off praying; and when all those that came to him with their wives and children were under lamentation, one whose name was Jechonias, a principal man in Jerusalem, came to him, and said that they had sinned in marrying strange wives; and he persuaded him to adjure them all to cast those wives out, and the children born of them, and that those should be punished who would not obey the law. So Esdras hearkened to this advice, and made the heads of the priests, and of the Levites, and of the Israelites, swear that they would put away those wives and children, according to the advice of Jechonias. And when he had received their oaths, he went in haste out of the temple into the chamber of Johanan, the son of Eliasib, and as he had hitherto tasted nothing at all for grief, so he abode there that day. And when proclamation was made, that all those of the captivity should gather themselves together to Jerusalem, and those that did not meet there in two or three days should be banished from the multitude, and that their substance should b appropriated to the uses of the temple, according to the sentence of the elders, those that were of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin came together in three days, viz. on the twentieth day of the ninth month, which, according to the Hebrews, is called Tebeth, and according to the Macedonians, Apelleius. Now as they were sitting in the upper room of the temple, where the elders also were present, but were uneasy because of the cold, Esdras stood up and accused them, and told them that they had sinned in marrying wives that were not of their own nation; but that now they would do a thing both pleasing to God, and advantageous to themselves, if they would put those wives away. Accordingly, they all cried out that they would do so. That, however, the multitude was great, and that the season of the year was winter, and that this work would require more than one or two days. “Let their rulers, therefore, [said they,] and those that have married strange wives, come hither at a proper time, while the elders of every place, that are in common to estimate the number of those that have thus married, are to be there also.” Accordingly, this was resolved on by them, and they began the inquiry after those that had married strange wives on the first day of the tenth month, and continued the inquiry to the first day of the next month, and found a great many of the posterity of Jeshua the high priest, and of the priests and Levites, and Israelites, who had a greater regard to the observation of the law than to their natural affection, and immediately cast out their wives, and the children which were born of them. And in order to appease God, they offered sacrifices, and slew rams, as oblations to him; but it does not seem to me to be necessary to set down the names of these men. So when Esdras had reformed this sin about the marriages of the forementioned persons, he reduced that practice to purity, so that it continued in that state for the time to come.
145. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐπαύσατο τῶν εὐχῶν· θρηνούντων δὲ πάντων, ὅσοι πρὸς αὐτὸν σὺν γυναιξὶν καὶ τέκνοις συνῆλθον, Ἀχόνιός τις ὀνόματι πρῶτος τῶν Ἱεροσολυμιτῶν, προσελθὼν αὐτοὺς μὲν ἁμαρτεῖν ἔλεγεν ἀλλοεθνεῖς ἐνοικισαμένους γυναῖκας, ἔπειθε δʼ αὐτὸν ἐξορκίσαι πάντας ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτὰς καὶ τὰ ἐξ αὐτῶν γεγενημένα, κολασθήσεσθαι δὲ τοὺς οὐχ ὑπακούσαντας τῷ νόμῳ. πεισθεὶς οὖν τούτοις ὁ Ἔζδρας ἐποίησεν ὀμόσαι τοὺς φυλάρχους τῶν ἱερέων καὶ τῶν Λευιτῶν καὶ Ἰσραηλιτῶν ἀποπέμψασθαι τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα κατὰ τὴν Ἀχονίου συμβουλίαν. λαβὼν δὲ τοὺς ὅρκους εὐθὺς ὥρμησεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱεροῦ εἰς τὸ παστοφόριον τὸ Ἰωάννου τοῦ Ἐλιασίβου καὶ μηδενὸς ὅλως διὰ τὴν λύπην γευσάμενος ἐκείνην τὴν ἡμέραν διήγαγεν αὐτόθι. γενομένου δὲ κηρύγματος ὥστε πάντας τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας συνελθεῖν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, ὡς τῶν ἐν δυσὶν ἢ τρισὶν ἡμέραις οὐκ ἀπαντησάντων ἀπαλλοτριωθησομένων τοῦ πλήθους καὶ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτῶν κατὰ τὴν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων κρίσιν ἀφιερωθησομένης, συνῆλθον ἐκ τῆς Ἰουδαϊκῆς καὶ Βενιαμίτιδος ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις εἰκάδι τοῦ ἐνάτου μηνός, ὃς κατὰ μὲν Ἑβραίους Ξένιος, κατὰ δὲ Μακεδόνας Ἀπελλαῖος καλεῖται. καθισάντων δὲ ἐν τῷ ὑπαίθρῳ τοῦ ἱεροῦ, παρόντων ἅμα καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ κρύους ἀηδῶς διακειμένων, ἀναστὰς Ἔζδρας ᾐτιᾶτο ἐκείνους λέγων παρανομῆσαι γήμαντας οὐκ ἐξ ὁμοφύλων· νῦν μέντοι γε ποιήσειν αὐτοὺς τῷ μὲν θεῷ κεχαρισμένα συμφέροντα δὲ αὐτοῖς ἀποπεμψαμένους τὰς γυναῖκας. οἱ δὲ ποιήσειν μὲν τοῦτο πάντες ἐξεβόησαν, τὸ δὲ πλῆθος εἶναι πολύ, καὶ τὴν ὥραν τοῦ ἔτους χειμέριον, καὶ τὸ ἔργον οὐ μιᾶς οὐδὲ δευτέρας ἡμέρας ὑπάρχειν. ἀλλʼ οἵ τε ἡγεμόνες τούτοις καὶ οἱ συνοικοῦντες ταῖς ἀλλοφύλοις παραγενέσθωσαν λαβόντες χρόνον καὶ πρεσβυτέρους ἐξ οὗ ἂν θελήσωσιν τόπου τοὺς συνεπισκεψομένους τὸ τῶν γεγαμηκότων πλῆθος. καὶ ταῦτα δόξαν αὐτοῖς ἀρξάμενοι τῇ νουμηνίᾳ τοῦ δεκάτου μηνὸς ἀναζητεῖν τοὺς συνοικοῦντας ταῖς ἀλλοεθνέσιν εὗρον ἕως τῆς τοῦ μηνὸς τοῦ ἐχομένου νουμηνίας ποιησάμενοι τὴν ἔρευναν πολλοὺς ἔκ τε τῶν Ἰησοῦ ἐκγόνων τοῦ ἀρχιερέως καὶ τῶν ἱερέων καὶ τῶν Λευιτῶν καὶ τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν, οἳ καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ ἐξ αὐτῶν γεγενημένα τῆς τῶν νόμων φυλακῆς ἢ τῶν πρὸς αὐτὰ φίλτρων ποιούμενοι πλείονα λόγον εὐθὺς ἐξέβαλον καὶ θυσίας ἐξευμενίζοντες τὸν θεὸν ἐπήνεγκαν κριοὺς καταθύσαντες αὐτῷ. τὰ δὲ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν λέγειν οὐκ ἔδοξεν ἡμῖν ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι. τὸ μὲν οὖν ἁμάρτημα τὸ περὶ τοὺς γάμους τῶν προειρημένων οὕτως ἐπανορθώσας Ἔζδρας ἐκαθάρισεν τὴν περὶ ταῦτα συνήθειαν, ὥστʼ αὐτὴν τοῦ λοιποῦ μόνιμον εἶναι.
154. Now when they kept the feast of tabernacles in the seventh month and almost all the people were come together to it, they went up to the open part of the temple, to the gate which looked eastward, and desired of Esdras that the laws of Moses might be read to them. Accordingly, he stood in the midst of the multitude and read them; and this he did from morning to noon. Now, by hearing the laws read to them, they were instructed to be righteous men for the present and for the future; but as for their past offenses, they were displeased at themselves, and proceeded to shed tears on their account, as considering with themselves that if they had kept the law, they had endured none of these miseries which they had experienced. But when Esdras saw them in that disposition, he bade them go home, and not weep, for that it was a festival, and that they ought not to weep thereon, for that it was not lawful so to do. He exhorted them rather to proceed immediately to feasting, and to do what was suitable to a feast, and what was agreeable to a day of joy; but to let their repentance and sorrow for their former sins be a security and a guard to them, that they fell no more into the like offenses. So upon Esdras’s exhortation they began to feast; and when they had so done for eight days, in their tabernacles, they departed to their own homes, singing hymns to God, and returning thanks to Esdras for his reformation of what corruptions had been introduced into their settlement. So it came to pass, that after he had obtained this reputation among the people, he died an old man, and was buried in a magnificent manner at Jerusalem. About the same time it happened also that Joacim, the high priest, died; and his son Eliasib succeeded in the high priesthood.
154. Τῷ δʼ ἑβδόμῳ μηνὶ τὴν σκηνοπηγίαν ἑορτάζοντες καὶ σχεδὸν ἅπαντος τοῦ λαοῦ συνεληλυθότος ἐπʼ αὐτήν, ἀνελθόντες εἰς τὸ ἀνειμένον τοῦ ναοῦ πρὸς τὴν πύλην τὴν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀνατολὴν ἀποβλέπουσαν ἐδεήθησαν τοῦ Ἔζδρα τοὺς νόμους αὐτοῖς ἀναγνῶναι τοὺς Μωυσέως. ὁ δὲ μέσος τοῦ πλήθους σταθεὶς ἀνέγνω καὶ τοῦτʼ ἐποίησεν ἀπʼ ἀρχομένης ἡμέρας ἕως μεσημβρίας· οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες ἀναγινωσκομένων τῶν νόμων δίκαιοι μὲν πρὸς τὸ παρὸν καὶ τὸ μέλλον ἐδιδάσκοντο εἶναι, περὶ δὲ τῶν παρῳχημένων ἐδυσφόρουν καὶ μέχρι τοῦ δακρύειν προήχθησαν ἐνθυμούμενοι πρὸς αὑτούς, ὅτι μηδὲν ἂν τῶν πεπειραμένων κακῶν ἔπαθον, εἰ τὸν νόμον διεφύλαττον. ὁ δὲ Ἔζδρας οὕτως ὁρῶν αὐτοὺς ἔχοντας ἐκέλευσεν ἀπιέναι πρὸς αὑτοὺς καὶ μὴ δακρύειν· εἶναι γὰρ ἑορτὴν καὶ μὴ δεῖν ἐν αὐτῇ κλαίειν· οὐ γὰρ ἐξεῖναι· προυτρέπετο δὲ μᾶλλον πρὸς εὐωχίαν ὁρμήσαντας ποιεῖν τὰ πρόσφορα τῇ ἑορτῇ καὶ κεχαρισμένα, καὶ τὴν μετάνοιαν καὶ λύπην τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἐξημαρτημένοις ἀσφάλειάν τε ἕξειν καὶ φυλακὴν τοῦ μηδὲν ὅμοιον συμπεσεῖν. οἱ δὲ ταῦτα Ἔζδρα παραινοῦντος ἑορτάζειν ἤρξαντο καὶ τοῦτο ποιοῦντες ἐφʼ ἡμέρας ὀκτὼ ἐν ταῖς σκηναῖς ἀνεχώρησαν εἰς τὰ οἰκεῖα μετὰ ὕμνων τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς ἐπανορθώσεως τῶν περὶ τὸ πολίτευμα παρανομηθέντων Ἔζδρᾳ χάριν εἰδότες. ᾧ συνέβη μετὰ τὴν παρὰ τῷ λαῷ δόξαν γηραιῷ τελευτῆσαι τὸν βίον καὶ ταφῆναι μετὰ πολλῆς φιλοτιμίας ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις. ὑπὸ δὲ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρὸν καὶ Ἰωακείμου τοῦ ἀρχιερέως ἀποθανόντος παῖς αὐτοῦ Ἐλεάσιβος τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην διεδέξατο.
159. Now there was one of those Jews that had been carried captive who was cup-bearer to king Xerxes; his name was Nehemiah. As this man was walking before Susa, the metropolis of the Persians, he heard some strangers that were entering the city, after a long journey, speaking to one another in the Hebrew tongue; so he went to them, and asked them whence they came. And when their answer was, that they came from Judea, he began to inquire of them again in what state the multitude was, and in what condition Jerusalem was; and when they replied that they were in a bad state for that their walls were thrown down to the ground, and that the neighboring nations did a great deal of mischief to the Jews, while in the day time they overran the country, and pillaged it, and in the night did them mischief, insomuch that not a few were led away captive out of the country, and out of Jerusalem itself, and that the roads were in the day time found full of dead men. Hereupon Nehemiah shed tears, out of commiseration of the calamities of his countrymen; and, looking up to heaven, he said, “How long, O Lord, wilt thou overlook our nation, while it suffers so great miseries, and while we are made the prey and spoil of all men?” And while he staid at the gate, and lamented thus, one told him that the king was going to sit down to supper; so he made haste, and went as he was, without wishing himself, to minister to the king in his office of cup-bearer. But as the king was very pleasant after supper, and more cheerful than usual, he cast his eyes on Nehemiah, and seeing him look sad, he asked him why he was sad. Whereupon he prayed to God to give him favor, and afford him the power of persuading by his words, and said, “How can I, O king, appear otherwise than thus, and not be in trouble, while I hear that the walls of Jerusalem, the city where are the sepulchers of my fathers, are thrown down to the ground, and that its gates are consumed by fire? But do thou grant me the favor to go and build its wall, and to finish the building of the temple.” Accordingly, the king gave him a signal that he freely granted him what he asked; and told him that he should carry an epistle to the governors, that they might pay him due honor, and afford him whatsoever assistance he wanted, and as he pleased. “Leave off thy sorrow then,” said the king, “and be cheerful in the performance of thy office hereafter.” So Nehemiah worshipped God, and gave the king thanks for his promise, and cleared up his sad and cloudy countenance, by the pleasure he had from the king’s promises. Accordingly, the king called for him the next day, and gave him an epistle to be carried to Adeus, the governor of Syria, and Phoenicia, and Samaria; wherein he sent to him to pay due honor to Nehemiah, and to supply him with what he wanted for his building.
159. Τῶν δʼ αἰχμαλωτισθέντων τις Ἰουδαίων οἰνοχόος τοῦ βασιλέως Ξέρξου Νεεμίας ὄνομα περιπατῶν πρὸ τῆς μητροπόλεως τῶν Περσῶν Σούσων, ξένων τινῶν ἀπὸ μακρᾶς ὁδοιπορίας εἰς τὴν πόλιν εἰσιόντων ἐπακούσας ἑβραϊστὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὁμιλούντων προσελθὼν αὐτοῖς ἐπυνθάνετο, πόθεν εἶεν παραγενόμενοι. ἀποκριναμένων δʼ ἥκειν ἐκ τῆς Ἰουδαίας, πῶς αὐτῶν ἔχει τὸ πλῆθος καὶ ἡ μητρόπολις Ἱεροσόλυμα, πάλιν ἤρξατο πυνθάνεσθαι. κακῶς δʼ ἔχειν εἰπόντων, καθῃρῆσθαι γὰρ εἰς ἔδαφος τὰ τείχη καὶ τὰ πέριξ ἔθνη πολλὰ διατιθέναι κακὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, ἡμέρας μὲν κατατρεχόντων τὴν χώραν καὶ διαρπαζόντων, τῆς δὲ νυκτὸς κακῶς ἀπεργαζομένων, ὡς πολλοὺς ἐκ τῆς χώρας καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων αἰχμαλώτους ἀπῆχθαι καὶ τὰς ὁδοὺς πλήρεις εὑρίσκεσθαι καθʼ ἡμέραν νεκρῶν, ἐδάκρυσεν ὁ Νεεμίας ἐλεήσας τῆς συμφορᾶς τοὺς ὁμοφύλους, καὶ ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, ἄχρι τίνος, εἶπεν, ὦ δέσποτα, περιόψει ταῦτα πάσχον τὸ ἔθνος ἡμῶν οὕτως ἅρπαγμα πάντων καὶ λάφυρον γενόμενον; διατρίβοντος δʼ αὐτοῦ πρὸς τῇ πύλῃ καὶ ταῦτα ἀποδυρομένου προελθών τις ἤγγειλεν αὐτῷ μέλλειν ἤδη κατακλίνεσθαι τὸν βασιλέα. ὁ δʼ εὐθὺς ὡς εἶχεν μηδὲ ἀπολουσάμενος διακονήσων ἔσπευσεν τῷ βασιλεῖ τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ πότου διακονίαν. ὡς δὲ μετὰ τὸ δεῖπνον ὁ βασιλεὺς διεχύθη καὶ ἡδίων αὑτοῦ γενόμενος ἀπέβλεψεν εἰς τὸν Νεεμίαν, κατεσκυθρωπακότα θεασάμενος, διὰ τί κατηφὴς εἴη ἀνέκρινεν. ὁ δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ δεηθεὶς χάριν τινὰ καὶ πειθὼ παρασχεῖν αὐτῷ λέγοντι, πῶς, φησίν, ὦ βασιλεῦ, δύναμαί σοι μὴ βλέπεσθαι τοιοῦτος μηδὲ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀλγεῖν, ὅπου τῆς πατρίδος μου Ἱεροσολύμων, ἐν ᾗ τάφοι καὶ μνήματα προγόνων τῶν ἐμῶν εἰσιν, ἀκούω βεβλῆσθαι κατὰ τῆς γῆς τὰ τείχη καὶ τὰς πύλας ἐμπεπρησμένας αὐτῆς; ἀλλὰ χάρισαί μοι πορευθέντι τὸ τεῖχος ἀνεγεῖραι καὶ τοῦ ἱεροῦ τὸ λεῖπον προσοικοδομῆσαι. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς διδόναι τε τὴν δωρεὰν κατένευσεν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς σατράπας κομίσαι γράμματα, ὅπως τιμῆς τε αὐτὸν ἀξιώσωσι καὶ πᾶσαν παράσχωσιν χορηγίαν εἰς ἅπερ βούλεται. πέπαυσο δή, φησί, λυπούμενος καὶ χαίρων ἡμῖν τοῦ λοιποῦ διακόνει. ὁ μὲν οὖν Νεεμίας προσκυνήσας τῷ θεῷ καὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ τῆς ὑποσχέσεως εὐχαριστήσας τὸ κατηφὲς τοῦ προσώπου καὶ συγκεχυμένον ἀπεκάθηρεν τῇ περὶ τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἡδονῇ. καλέσας δὲ αὐτὸν τῇ ἐπιούσῃ δίδωσιν αὐτῷ πρὸς Ἀδδαῖον ἐπιστολὴν κομίσαι τὸν τῆς Συρίας καὶ Φοινίκης καὶ Σαμαρείας ἔπαρχον, ἐν ᾗ περί τε τῆς τιμῆς τοῦ Νεεμίου καὶ χορηγίας τῆς εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομίαν ἐπεστάλκει.
168. Now when he was come to Babylon, and had taken with him many of his countrymen, who voluntarily followed him, he came to Jerusalem in the twenty and fifth year of the reign of Xerxes. And when he had shown the epistles to God he gave them to Adeus, and to the other governors. He also called together all the people to Jerusalem, and stood in the midst of the temple, and made the following speech to them: “You know, O Jews, that God hath kept our fathers, Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in mind continually, and for the sake of their righteousness hath not left off the care of you. Indeed he hath assisted me in gaining this authority of the king to raise up our wall, and finish what is wanting of the temple. I desire you, therefore who well know the ill-will our neighboring nations bear to us, and that when once they are made sensible that we are in earnest about building, they will come upon us, and contrive many ways of obstructing our works, that you will, in the first place, put your trust in God, as in him that will assist us against their hatred, and to intermit building neither night nor day, but to use all diligence, and to hasten on the work, now we have this especial opportunity for it.” When he had said this, he gave order that the rulers should measure the wall, and part the work of it among the people, according to their villages and cities, as every one’s ability should require. And when he had added this promise, that he himself, with his servants, would assist them, he dissolved the assembly. So the Jews prepared for the work: that is the name they are called by from the day that they came up from Babylon, which is taken from the tribe of Judah,. which came first to these places, and thence both they and the country gained that appellation.
168. Γενόμενος οὖν ἐν Βαβυλῶνι καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν ὁμοφύλων ἐθελοντὶ ἀκολουθοῦντας αὐτῷ παραλαβὼν ἧκεν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα πέμπτον καὶ εἰκοστὸν ἔτος ἤδη βασιλεύοντος Ξέρξου, καὶ δείξας τῷ θεῷ τὰς ἐπιστολὰς ἀποδίδωσιν τῷ Ἀδδαίῳ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐπάρχοις, καὶ συγκαλέσας πάντα τὸν λαὸν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα στὰς ἐν μέσῳ τῷ ἱερῷ τοιούτους ἐποιήσατο πρὸς αὐτὸν τοὺς λόγους· ἄνδρες Ἰουδαῖοι, τὸν μὲν θεὸν ἴστε μνήμῃ τῶν πατέρων Ἀβράμου καὶ Ἰσάκου καὶ Ἰακώβου παραμένοντα καὶ διὰ τῆς ἐκείνων δικαιοσύνης οὐκ ἐγκαταλείποντα τὴν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν πρόνοιαν· ἀμέλει συνήργησέν μοι παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως λαβεῖν ἐξουσίαν, ὅπως ὑμῶν τὸ τεῖχος ἀναστήσω καὶ τὸ λείψανον τοῦ ἱεροῦ τελειώσω. βούλομαι δʼ ὑμᾶς τὴν τῶν γειτονευόντων ἡμῖν ἐθνῶν δυσμένειαν σαφῶς εἰδότας, καὶ ὅτι πρὸς τὴν οἰκοδομίαν, εἰ μάθοιεν περὶ ταύτην ἡμᾶς φιλοτιμουμένους, ἐνστήσονται καὶ πολλὰ πραγματεύσονται πρὸς αὐτὴν ἡμῖν ἐμπόδια, θαρρεῖν μὲν τῷ θεῷ πρῶτον ὡς καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνων ἀπέχθειαν στησομένους, μήτε δʼ ἡμέρας μήτε νυκτὸς αὐτοὺς ἀνιέναι τῆς οἰκοδομίας, ἀλλὰ πάσῃ σπουδῇ χρωμένους συνέχειν τὸ ἔργον, ὥς γε καιρὸς ἴδιός ἐστιν. ταῦτʼ εἰπὼν ἐκέλευσεν εὐθὺς τοὺς ἄρχοντας μετρῆσαι τὸ τεῖχος καὶ διανεῖμαι τὴν ἐργασίαν αὐτοῦ τῷ λαῷ κατὰ κώμας τε καὶ πόλεις κατὰ τὸ ἑκάστοις δυνατόν, ὑποσχόμενος δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς μετὰ τῶν οἰκετῶν συλλήψεσθαι πρὸς τὴν οἰκοδομίαν διέλυσε τὴν ἐκκλησίαν. καὶ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι πρὸς τὸ ἔργον παρεσκευάζοντο. ἐκλήθησαν δὲ τὸ ὄνομα ἀφʼ ἧς ἡμέρας ἐκ Βαβυλῶνος ἀνέβησαν ἐκ τῆς Ἰούδα φυλῆς, ἧς πρώτης ἐλθούσης εἰς ἐκείνους τοὺς τόπους αὐτοί τε καὶ ἡ χώρα τὴν προσηγορίαν αὐτοῖς μετέλαβον.
174. But now when the Ammonites, and Moabites, and Samaritans, and all that inhabited Celesyria, heard that the building went on apace, they took it heinously, and proceeded to lay snares for them, and to hinder their intentions. They also slew many of the Jews, and sought how they might destroy Nehemiah himself, by hiring some of the foreigners to kill him. They also put the Jews in fear, and disturbed them, and spread abroad rumors, as if many nations were ready to make an expedition against them, by which means they were harassed, and had almost left off the building. But none of these things could deter Nehemiah from being diligent about the work; he only set a number of men about him as a guard to his body, and so unweariedly persevered therein, and was insensible of any trouble, out of his desire to perfect this work. And thus did he attentively, and with great forecast, take care of his own safety; not that he feared death, but of this persuasion, that if he were dead, the walls for his citizens would never be raised. He also gave orders that the builders should keep their ranks, and have their armor on while they were building. Accordingly, the mason had his sword on, as well as he that brought the materials for building. He also appointed that their shields should lie very near them; and he placed trumpeters at every five hundred feet, and charged them, that if their enemies appeared, they should give notice of it to the people, that they might fight in their armor, and their enemies might not fall upon them naked. He also went about the compass of the city by night, being never discouraged, neither about the work itself, nor about his own diet and sleep, for he made no use of those things for his pleasure, but out of necessity. And this trouble he underwent for two years and four months; for in so long a time was the wall built, in the twenty-eighth year of the reign of Xerxes, in the ninth month. Now when the walls were finished, Nehemiah and the multitude offered sacrifices to God for the building of them, and they continued in feasting eight days. However, when the nations which dwelt in Syria heard that the building of the wall was finished, they had indignation at it. But when Nehemiah saw that the city was thin of people, he exhorted the priests and the Levites that they would leave the country, and remove themselves to the city, and there continue; and he built them houses at his own expenses; and he commanded that part of the people which were employed in cultivating the land to bring the tithes of their fruits to Jerusalem, that the priests and Levites having whereof they might live perpetually, might not leave the Divine worship; who willingly hearkened to the constitutions of Nehemiah, by which means the city Jerusalem came to be fuller of people than it was before. So when Nehemiah had done many other excellent things, and things worthy of commendation, in a glorious manner, he came to a great age, and then died. He was a man of a good and righteous disposition, and very ambitious to make his own nation happy; and he hath left the walls of Jerusalem as an eternal monument for himself. Now this was done in the days of Xerxes.
174. Ἀκούσαντες δὲ τὴν τῶν τειχῶν οἰκοδομὴν σπευδομένην Ἀμμανῖται καὶ Μωαβῖται καὶ Σαμαρεῖται καὶ πάντες οἱ ἐν τῇ [κοίλῃ] Συρίᾳ νεμόμενοι χαλεπῶς ἔφερον καὶ διετέλουν ἐπιβουλὰς αὐτοῖς συντιθέντες τὴν προαίρεσιν αὐτῶν ἐμποδίζοντες, πολλούς τε τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀπέκτειναν καὶ αὐτὸν ἐζήτουν τὸν Νεεμίαν διαφθεῖραι μισθούμενοί τινας τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, ἵνʼ αὐτὸν ἀνέλωσιν. εἰς φόβον δὲ καὶ ταραχὴν αὐτοὺς ἐνέβαλλον καὶ φήμας αὐτοῖς διέστελλον ὡς πολλῶν ἐπιστρατεύειν αὐτοῖς μελλόντων ἐθνῶν, ὑφʼ ὧν ἐκταρασσόμενοι μικροῦ τῆς οἰκοδομίας ἀπέστησαν. τὸν δὲ Νεεμίαν οὐδὲν τούτων ἐξέστησεν τῆς σπουδῆς τῆς περὶ τὸ ἔργον, ἀλλὰ στῖφός τι φυλακῆς ἕνεκα τοῦ σώματος περιβαλλόμενος ἀτρύτως ὑπέμενεν, ὑπὸ τῆς περὶ τὸ ἔργον ἐπιθυμίας ἀναισθητῶν καὶ τῆς ταλαιπωρίας. οὕτως δὲ καὶ συντεταμένως καὶ προνοητικῶς αὐτοῦ τῆς σωτηρίας εἶχεν οὐχὶ φοβούμενος τὸν θάνατον, ἀλλὰ πεπεισμένος, ὅτι μετὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ τελευτὴν οὐκέτʼ αὐτοῦ τοῖς πολίταις ἀναστήσεται τὰ τείχη. ἐκέλευσεν δὲ ἑξῆς τοὺς οἰκοδομοῦντας ὅπλα περιζωννυμένους ἐργάζεσθαι, καὶ ὁ μὲν οἰκοδόμος μάχαιραν εἶχεν καὶ ὁ τὴν ὕλην παρακομίζων, θυρεοὺς δʼ ἔγγιστα αὐτῶν ἐκέλευσεν κεῖσθαι καὶ σαλπιγκτὰς ἀπὸ πεντακοσίων ἔστησεν ποδῶν προστάξας, ἂν ἐπιφανῶσιν οἱ πολέμιοι, τοῦτο σημῆναι τῷ λαῷ, ἵνʼ ὁπλισάμενοι μάχωνται καὶ μὴ γυμνοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐπιπέσωσιν. αὐτὸς δὲ νύκτωρ περιήρχετο τῆς πόλεως τὸν κύκλον οὐδὲν κάμνων οὔτε τοῖς ἔργοις οὔτε τῇ διαίτῃ οὔτε τοῖς ὕπνοις· οὐδενὶ γὰρ τούτων πρὸς ἡδονὴν ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἀνάγκην ἐχρῆτο. καὶ ταύτην ὑπέμεινε τὴν ταλαιπωρίαν ἐπὶ ἔτη δύο καὶ μῆνας τέσσαρας· ἐν τούτῳ γὰρ τῷ χρόνῳ τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις ἀνῳκοδομήθη τὸ τεῖχος, ὀγδόῳ καὶ εἰκοστῷ τῆς Ξέρξου βασιλείας ἔτει μηνὶ ἐνάτῳ. τέλος δὲ τῶν τειχῶν λαβόντων Νεεμίας καὶ τὸ πλῆθος ἔθυσαν τῷ θεῷ ὑπὲρ τῆς τούτων οἰκοδομίας καὶ διῆγον ἐφʼ ἡμέρας ὀκτὼ εὐωχούμενοι. τὰ μὲν οὖν ἔθνη τὰ ἐν τῇ Συρίᾳ κατῳκημένα τῆς τῶν τειχῶν οἰκοδομίας πέρας ἔχειν ἀκουσθείσης ἐδυσφόρει. Νεεμίας δὲ τὴν πόλιν ὁρῶν ὀλιγανθρωπουμένην τοὺς ἱερεῖς τε καὶ Λευίτας παρεκάλεσεν τὴν χώραν ἐκλιπόντας μετελθεῖν εἰς τὴν πόλιν καὶ μένειν ἐν αὐτῇ κατασκευάσας τὰς οἰκίας αὐτοῖς ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων ἀναλωμάτων· τόν τε γεωργοῦντα λαὸν τὰς δεκάτας τῶν καρπῶν ἐκέλευσε φέρειν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, ἵνα τρέφεσθαι διηνεκῶς ἔχοντες οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ Λευῖται μὴ καταλείπωσι τὴν θρησκείαν. καὶ οἱ μὲν ἡδέως ὑπήκουσαν οἷς Νεεμίας διετάξατο, πολυανθρωποτέραν δὲ τὴν τῶν Ἱεροσολυμιτῶν πόλιν οὕτως συνέβη γενέσθαι. πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἄλλα καλὰ καὶ ἐπαίνων ἄξια φιλοτιμησάμενος ὁ Νεεμίας ἐτελεύτησεν εἰς γῆρας ἀφικόμενος. ἀνὴρ δὲ ἐγένετο χρηστὸς τὴν φύσιν καὶ δίκαιος καὶ περὶ τοὺς ὁμοεθνεῖς φιλοτιμότατος, μνημεῖον αἰώνιον αὐτῷ καταλιπὼν τὰ τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων τείχη. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ Ξέρξου βασιλέως ἐγένετο.