1. The LORD Stirred the Heart of King Cyrus

ch1 ¹Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and [put it] also in writing, saying, ²Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which [is] in Judah. ³Who [is there] among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which [is] in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he [is] the God,) which [is] in Jerusalem. ⁴And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that [is] in Jerusalem.

2. They Gave Offerings to Help Rebuild the Temple

⁵Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all [them] whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which [is] in Jerusalem. ⁶And all they that [were] about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all [that] was willingly offered. ⁷Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods; ⁸Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. ⁹And this [is] the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives, ¹⁰Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second [sort] four hundred and ten, [and] other vessels a thousand. ¹¹All the vessels of gold and of silver [were] five thousand and four hundred. All [these] did Sheshbazzar bring up with [them of] the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

3. The Return of the Exiles (First Return under Zerubbabel)

ch2 ¹Now these [are] the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city; ²Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: ³The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two. ⁴The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two. ⁵The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five. ⁶The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua [and] Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve. ⁷The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. ⁸The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five. ⁹The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore. ¹⁰The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two. ¹¹The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three. ¹²The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two. ¹³The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six. ¹⁴The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six. ¹⁵The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four. ¹⁶The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. ¹⁷The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three. ¹⁸The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve. ¹⁹The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three. ²⁰The children of Gibbar, ninety and five. ²¹The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three. ²²The men of Netophah, fifty and six. ²³The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight. ²⁴The children of Azmaveth, forty and two. ²⁵The children of Kirjatharim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three. ²⁶The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one. ²⁷The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two. ²⁸The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty and three. ²⁹The children of Nebo, fifty and two. ³⁰The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six. ³¹The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. ³²The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty. ³³The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five. ³⁴The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five. ³⁵The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty. ³⁶The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three. ³⁷The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two. ³⁸The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven. ³⁹The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen. ⁴⁰The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four. ⁴¹The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight. ⁴²The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, [in] all an hundred thirty and nine. ⁴³The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth, ⁴⁴The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon, ⁴⁵The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub, ⁴⁶The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan, ⁴⁷The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah, ⁴⁸The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam, ⁴⁹The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai, ⁵⁰The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim, ⁵¹The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, ⁵²The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, ⁵³The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah, ⁵⁴The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. ⁵⁵The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda, ⁵⁶The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, ⁵⁷The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami. ⁵⁸All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, [were] three hundred ninety and two. ⁵⁹And these [were] they which went up from Telmelah, Telharsa, Cherub, Addan, [and] Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, and their seed, whether they [were] of Israel: ⁶⁰The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two. ⁶¹And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name: ⁶²These sought their register [among] those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood. ⁶³And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim. ⁶⁴The whole congregation together [was] forty and two thousand three hundred [and] threescore, ⁶⁵Beside their servants and their maids, of whom [there were] seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and [there were] among them two hundred singing men and singing women. ⁶⁶Their horses [were] seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five; ⁶⁷Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; [their] asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

4. The Heads of the Families Offered Willingly

⁶⁸And [some] of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD which [is] at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place: ⁶⁹They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests' garments. ⁷⁰So the priests, and the Levites, and [some] of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.