And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God {was} upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.

And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which {appertained} to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. And these {are} the families of the Levites according to their fathers.

This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he {was} a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.

And in all matters of wisdom {and} understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians {and} astrologers that {were} in all his realm. {wisdom...: Heb. wisdom of understanding}

For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God {is} upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath {is} against all them that forsake him.

Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. {men: Gr. perfect, or, of a ripe age}

Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,

And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise {and} to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward.

Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people {stood} in their place.

Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding.

And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These {are} the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.

Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, {and} Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the LORD their God. {stairs: or, scaffold}

This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he {was} a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.

And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God {was} upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.

Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,

And when ye see {this}, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and {his} indignation toward his enemies.

Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding.

Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people {stood} in their place.

And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.