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1 Esdras 2

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

1 Esdras chapter 2 is given here in full, verse by verse, in Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), with the Greek text of the Septuagint set beneath each verse. The text follows the Septuagint tradition received throughout the Orthodox Church.

Patristic commentary for this chapter has not yet been attached. Related material may be found among the Church Fathers and the theology tables.

1 Esdras 2

1In the first year of Cyrus king of the Persians, that the word of the Lord might be accomplished, that he had promised by the mouth of Jeremy;Βασιλεύοντος Κύρου Περσῶν ἔτους πρώτου, εἰς συντέλειαν ῥήματος Κυρίου ἐν στόματι Ἱερεμίου,

2The Lord raised up the spirit of Cyrus the king of the Persians, and he made proclamation through all his kingdom, and also by writing,ἤγειρε Κύριος τὸ πνεῦμα Κύρου βασιλέως Περσῶν, καὶ ἐκήρυξεν ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἅμα διὰ γραπτῶν, λέγων,

3Saying, Thus says Cyrus king of the Persians; The Lord of Israel, the most high Lord, has made me king of the whole world,τάδε λέγει ὁ βασιλεὺς Περσῶν Κῦρος, ἐμὲ ἀνέδειξε βασιλέα τῆς οἰκουμένης ὁ Κύριος τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, Κύριος ὁ ὕψιστος.

4And commanded me to build him an house at Jerusalem in Jewry.Καὶ ἐσήμῃνέ μοι οἰκοδομῆσαι αὐτῷ οἶκον ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, τῇ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ.

5If therefore there be any of you that are of his people, let the Lord, even his Lord, be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem that is in Judea, and build the house of the Lord of Israel: for he is the Lord that dwells in Jerusalem.Εἴ τις ἐστὶν οὖν ὑμῶν ἐκ τοῦ ἔθνους αὐτοῦ, ἔστω ὁ Κύριος αὐτοῦ μετʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀναβὰς εἰς τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ τὴν ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ, οἰκοδομείτω τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ Ἰσραήλ· οὗ ὁ Κύριος, ὁ κατασκηνώσας ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ.

6Whosoever then dwell in the places about, let them help him, those, I say, that are his neighbors, with gold, and with silver,Ὅσοι οὖν κατὰ τοὺς τόπους οἰκοῦσι, βοηθείτωσαν αὐτῷ οἱ ἐν τῷ τόπῳ αὐτοῦ, ἐν χρυσίῳ καὶ ἐν ἀργυρίῳ, ἐν δὀσεσι,

7With gifts, with horses, and with cattle, and other things, which have been set forth by vow, for the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem.μεθʼ ἵππων καὶ κτηνῶν, σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῖς κατʼ εὐχὰς προστεθειμένοις εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦ Κυρίου τὸ ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ.

8Then the chief of the families of Judea and of the tribe of Benjamin stood up; the priests also, and the Levites, and all they whose mind the Lord had moved to go up, and to build an house for the Lord at Jerusalem,Καὶ καταστήσαντες οἱ ἀρχίφυλοι τῶν πατριῶν τῆς Ἰούδα καὶ Βενιαμὶν φυλῆς, καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ οἱ Λευῖται, καὶ πάντων ὧν ἤγειρε Κύριος τό πνεῦμα, ἀναβῆναι οἰκοδομῆσαι οἶκον τῷ Κυρίῳ τὸν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ·

9And they that lived round about them, and helped them in all things with silver and gold, with horses and cattle, and with very many free gifts of a great number whose minds were stirred up thereto.καὶ οἱ περικύκλῳ αὐτῶν ἐβοήθησαν ἐν πᾶσιν, ἐν ἀργυρίῳ καὶ χρυσίῳ, ἵπποις, κτήνεσι, καὶ εὐχαῖς ὡς πλείσταις πολλῶν, ὧν ὁ νοῦς ἠγέρθη.

10King Cyrus also brought forth the holy vessels, which Nabuchodonosor had carried away from Jerusalem, and had set up in his temple of idols.Καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Κύρος ἐξήνεγκε τὰ ἱερὰ σκεύη τοῦ Κυρίου, ἃ μετήνεγκε Ναβουχοδονόσορ ἐξ Ἱερουσαλὴμ, καὶ ἀπηρείσατο αὐτὰ ἐν τῷ εἰδωλείῳ αὐτοῦ.

11Now when Cyrus king of the Persians had brought them forth, he delivered them to Mithridates his treasurer:Ἐξενέγκας δὲ αὐτὰ Κύρος ὁ βασιλεὺς Περσῶν παρέδωκεν αὐτὰ Μιθρδάτῃ τῷ ἑαυτοῦ γαζοφύλακι·

12And by him they were delivered to Sanabassar the governor of Judea.Διὰ δὲ τούτου παρεδόθησαν Σαμανασσάρῳ προστάτῃ τῆς Ἰουδαίας.

13And this was the number of them; A thousand golden cups, and a thousand of silver, censers of silver twenty nine, vials of gold thirty, and of silver two thousand four hundred and ten, and a thousand other vessels.Ὁ δὲ τούτων ἀριθμὸς ἦν, σπονδεῖα χρυσᾶ χίλια, σπονδεῖα ἀργυρᾶ χίλια, θυΐσκαι ἀργυραῖ εἰκοσιεννέα, φιάλαι χρυσαῖ τριάκοντα, ἀργυραῖ διοχίλιαι τετρακόσιαι δέκα, καὶ ἄλλα σκεύη χίλια.

14So all the vessels of gold and of silver, which were carried away, were five thousand four hundred threescore and nine.Τὰ δὲ πάντα σκεύη ἐκομίσθη, χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ, πεντακισχίλια τετρακόσια ἑξηκονταεννέα.

15These were brought back by Sanabassar, together with them of the captivity, from Babylon to Jerusalem.Ἀνηνέχθη δὲ ὑπὸ Σαμανασσάρον ἅμα τοῖς ἐκ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ἐκ Βαβυλῶνος εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ.

16But in the time of Artaxerxes king of the Persians Belemus, and Mithridates, and Tabellius, and Rathumus, and Beeltethmus, and Semellius the secretary, with others that were in commission with them, dwelling in Samaria and other places, wrote to him against them that lived in Judea and Jerusalem these letters following;Ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἐπὶ Ἀρταξέρξου τῶν Περσῶν βασιλέως χρόνοις κατέγραψαν αὐτῷ κατὰ τῶν κατοικούντων ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ καὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ, Βήλεμος, καὶ Μιθραδάτης, καὶ Ταβέλλιος, καὶ Ῥάθυμος, καὶ Βεέλτεθμος, καὶ Σαμέλλιος ὁ γραμματεὺς, καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ οἱ τούτοις συντασσόμενοι, οἰκοῦντες δὲ ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις τόποις, τὴν ὑπογεγραμμένην ἐπιστολήν·

17To king Artaxerxes our lord, Your servants, Rathumus the storywriter, and Semellius the scribe, and the rest of their council, and the judges that are in Celosyria and Phenice.Βασιλεῖ Ἀρταξέρξῃ κυρίῳ οἱ παῖδές σου, Ῥάθυμος ὁ τὰ προσπίπτοντα, καὶ Σαμέλλιος ὁ γραμματεὺς, καὶ οἱ ἐπίλοιποι τῆς βουλῆς αὐτῶν, καὶ κριταὶ οἱ ἐν κοίλῃ Συρίᾳ καὶ Φοινίκῃ.

18Be it now known to the lord king, that the Jews that are up from you to us, being come into Jerusalem, that rebellious and wicked city, do build the marketplaces, and repair the walls of it and do lay the foundation of the temple.Καὶ νῦν γνωστὸν ἔστω τῷ κυρίῳ βασιλεῖ, ὅτι οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀναβάντες παρʼ ὑμῶν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐλθόντες εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ, τὴν πόλιν τήν ἀποστάτιν καὶ πονηρὰν, οἰκοδομοῦσι τάς τε ἀγορὰς αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ τείχη θεραπεύουσι, καὶ ναὸν ὑποβάλλονται.

19Now if this city and the walls thereof be made up again, they will not only refuse to give tribute, but also rebel against kings.Ἐὰν οὖν ἡ πόλις αὕτη οἰκοδομηθῇ, καὶ τὰ τείχη συντελεσθῇ, φορολογίαν οὐ μὴ ὑπομείνωσι δοῦναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ βασιλεῦσιν ἀντιστήσονται.

20And forasmuch as the things pertaining to the temple are now in hand, we think it meet not to neglect such a matter,Καὶ ἐπεὶ ἐνεργεῖται τὰ κατὰ τὸν ναὸν, καλῶς ἔχειν ὑπολαμβάνομεν μὴ ὑπεριδεῖν τὸ τοιοῦτο,

21But to speak to our lord the king, to the intent that, if it be your pleasure it may be sought out in the books of your fathers:ἀλλὰ προσφωνῆσαι τῷ κυρίῳ βασιλεῖ, ὅπως ἂν φαίνηταί σοι, ἐπισκεφθῇ ἐν τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν πατέρων σου βιβλίοις.

22And you shall find in the chronicles what is written concerning these things, and shall understand that that city was rebellious, troubling both kings and cities:Καὶ εὑρήσεις ἐν τοῖς ὑπομνηματισμοῖς γεγραμμένα περὶ τούτων, καὶ γνώσῃ ὅτι ἡ πόλις ἐκείνη ἦν ἀποστάτις,

23And that the Jews were rebellious, and raised always wars therein; for the which cause even this city was made desolate.καὶ βασιλεῖς καὶ πόλεις ἐνοχλοῦσα, καὶ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀποστάται καὶ πολιορκίας συνιστάμενοι ἐν αὐτῇ ἔτι ἐξ αἰῶνος, διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν καὶ ἡ πόλις αὕτη ἠρημώθη.

24Therefore now we do declare to you, O lord the king, that if this city be built again, and the walls thereof set up anew, you shall from henceforth have no passage into Celosyria and Phenice.Νῦν οὖν ὑποδεικνύομέν σοι, κύριε βασιλεῦ, ὅτι ἐὰν ἡ πόλις αὕτη οἰκοδομηθῇ, καὶ τὰ ταύτης τείχη ἀνασταθῇ, κάθοδος οὐκ ἔτι σοι ἔσται εἰς κοίλην Συρίαν καὶ Φοινίκην.

25Then the king wrote back again to Rathumus the storywriter, to Beeltethmus, to Semellius the scribe, and to the rest that were in commission, and dwellers in Samaria and Syria and Phenice, after this manner;Τότε ἀντέγραψεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ῥαθύμῳ τῷ γράφοντι τὰ προσπίπτοντα, καὶ Βεελτέθμῳ, καὶ Σαμελλίῳ γραμματεῖ, καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς τοῖς συντασσομένοις καὶ οἰκοῦσιν ἐν τῇ Σαμαρείᾳ, καὶ Συρίᾳ, καὶ Φοινίκῃ, τὰ ὑπογεγραμμένα.

26I have read the epistle which you have sent to me: therefore I commanded to make diligent search, and it has been found that that city was from the beginning practising against kings;Ἀνέγνων τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἣν πεπόμφατε πρὸς μέ· ἐπέταξα οὖν ἐπισκέψασθαι· καὶ εὑρέθη ὅτι ἡ πόλις ἐκείνη ἐστὶν ἐξ αἰῶνος βασιλεῦσιν ἀντιπαρατάσσουσα,

27And the men therein were given to rebellion and war: and that mighty kings and fierce were in Jerusalem, who reigned and exacted tributes in Celosyria and Phenice.καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀποστάσεις καὶ πολέμους ἐν αὐτῇ συντελοῦντες, καὶ βασιλεῖς ἰσχυροὶ καὶ σκληροὶ ἦσαν ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ κυριεύοντες καὶ φορολογοῦντες κοίλην Συρίαν καὶ Φοινίκην.

28Now therefore I have commanded to hinder those men from building the city, and heed to be taken that there be no more done in it;Νῦν οὖν ἐπέταξα ἀποκωλῦσαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐκείνους τοῦ οἰκοδομῆσαι τὴν πόλιν, καὶ προνοηθῆναι ὅπως μηδὲν παρὰ ταῦτα γένηται.

29And that those wicked workers proceed no further to the annoyance of kings,Καὶ μὴ προβῇ ἐπὶ πλεῖον τὰ τῆς κακίας εἰς τὸ βασιλεῖς ἐνοχλῆσαι.

30Then king Artaxerxes his letters being read, Rathumus, and Semellius the scribe, and the rest that were in commission with them, removing in haste toward Jerusalem with a troop of horsemen and a multitude of people in battle array, began to hinder the builders; and the building of the temple in Jerusalem ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.Τότε ἀναγνωσθέντων τῶν παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως Ἀρταξέρξου γραφέντων, Ῥάθυμος, καὶ Σαμέλλιος ὁ γραμματεὺς, καὶ οἱ τούτοις συντασσόμενοι, ἀναζεύξαντες εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ κατὰ σπουδὴν μεθʼ ἵππου καὶ ὄχλου παρατάξεως, ἤρξαντο κωλύειν τοὺς οἰκοδομοῦντας, καὶ ἤργει ἡ οἰκοδομὴ τοῦ ἱεροῦ τοῦ ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ μέχρι τοῦ δευτέρου ἔτους τῆς βασιλείας Δαρείου τοῦ Περσῶν βασιλέως.

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