Bible verse by verse

[_LittleNipper]

Ezra 3:1-13 By the 7th month the returning Israelites had settled into their towns, then assembled together in Jerusalem. Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brother priests, along with Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and his relatives, went to work and reconstruct the Altar of the God of Israel to offer Whole-Burnt-Offerings on it as written in The Law of Moses.

They were afraid of what their non-Israelite neighbors might do, they went ahead anyway and set up the Altar on its foundations and offered Burnt-Offerings on it morning and evening. They also celebrated the Festival of Booths as prescribed and daily Burnt-Offerings each day. And they presented the regular Burnt-Offerings for Sabbaths, New Moons, and God’s Holidays, as well as Freewill-Offerings for God.

They offered Burnt-Offerings to God from the 1st day of the 7th month, though The Temple of God’s foundation had not yet been laid. They gave money to hire masons and carpenters. They gave food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and Tyrians in exchange for cedar they had brought by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, authorized by Cyrus the king of Persia.

In the 2nd month of the 2nd year after their arrival at The Temple of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jozadak, in company with their brother priests and Levites and everyone else who had come back to Jerusalem from captivity, got started. They appointed the Levites twenty years of age and older to direct the rebuilding of The Temple of God. Jeshua and his family joined Kadmiel, Binnui, and Hodaviah, along with the extended family of Henadad—all Levites—to direct the work crew on The Temple of God.

When the workers laid the foundation of The Temple of God, the robed priests stood up with trumpets, and the Levites, sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise God in the tradition of King David. They sang responsive praise and thanksgiving to God:

Yes! God is good!
He’ll never quit loving Israel!

All the people shouted out hurrahs, praising God as the foundation of The Temple of God was laid. As many were noisily shouting with joy, many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads who had seen the first Temple, when they saw the foundations of this Temple laid, wept loudly. People couldn’t distinguish the shouting from the weeping. The sound echoed for miles around.


Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And the seventh month cometh, and the sons of Israel [are] in the cities, and the people are gathered, as one men, unto Jerusalem.

2 And rise doth Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and they build the altar of the God of Israel, to cause to ascend upon it burnt-offerings, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God.

3 And they establish the altar on its bases, because of the fear upon them of the peoples of the lands, and he causeth burnt-offerings to ascend upon it to Jehovah, burnt-offerings for the morning and for the evening.

4 And they make the feast of the booths as it is written, and the burnt-offering of the day daily in number according to the ordinance, the matter of a day in its day;

5 and after this a continual burnt-offering, and for new moons, and for all appointed seasons of Jehovah that are sanctified; and for every one who is willingly offering a willing-offering to Jehovah.

6 From the first day of the seventh month they have begun to cause burnt-offerings to ascend to Jehovah, and the temple of Jehovah hath not been founded,

7 and they give money to hewers and to artificers, and food, and drink, and oil to Zidonians and to Tyrians, to bring in cedar-trees from Lebanon unto the sea of Joppa, according to the permission of Cyrus king of Persia concerning them.

8 And in the second year of their coming in unto the house of God, to Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all those coming from the captivity to Jerusalem, and they appoint the Levites from a son of twenty years and upward, to overlook the work of the house of Jehovah.

9 And Jeshua standeth, [and] his sons, and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, sons of Judah together, to overlook those doing the work in the house of God; the sons of Henadad, [and] their sons and their brethren the Levites.

10 And those building have founded the temple of Jehovah, and they appoint the priests, clothed, with trumpets, and the Levites, sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise Jehovah, by means of [the instruments of] David king of Israel.

11 And they respond in praising and in giving thanks to Jehovah, for good, for to the age His kindness [is] over Israel, and all the people have shouted -- a great shout -- in giving praise to Jehovah, because the house of Jehovah hath been founded.

12 And many of the priests, and the Levites, and the heads of the fathers, the aged men who had seen the first house -- in this house being founded before their eyes -- are weeping with a loud voice, and many with a shout, in joy, lifting up the voice;

13 and the people are not discerning the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people are shouting -- a great shout -- and the noise hath been heard unto a distance.

[_ludwigm]

So, you tell your 20 grandchildren that when they die they are just gone!?!?

Yes.
YES, and they are happy with it. They know that the love of their family --- mother, father, grandmother, grandfather (one that is me) --- ends by coffin.

No God equals no one to care!?!?!

No such thing.

I feel sorry for your grandchildren.

Fortunately, they don't knpw you.

[_ludwigm]

know...

[_Dr. Shades]

know...

You can always click the "Edit" button on your post to fix any mistakes.

[_ludwigm]

know...

You can always click the "Edit" button on your post to fix any mistakes.

I know I know --- other sites are working different way ---

--- and I don't like to change my words. I said what I said once and for all.

And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM:
Exodus 3:14

And this is ontopic, according to LittleNipper...

[_LittleNipper]

Fortunately, they don't know you.

If they find this thread, they will get to know me --- in spite of what you say. Our spirit is revealed in what we believe, do and say.

Exodus 3:14 New International Version (NIV)

14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

[_ludwigm]

14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.

Which god are you telling about?
Zeus? Jupiter? Huitzilopochtli? Allah?

Where is the graveyard of dead gods? What lingering mourner waters their mounds? There was a day when Jupiter was the king of all the gods, and any man who doubted his puissance was ipso facto a barbarian and an ignoramus. But where in all the world is there a man who worships Jupiter today? And what of Huitzilopochtli? In one year — and it was but five hundred years ago — no less than 50,000 youths and maidens were slain in sacrifice to him. Today, if he is remembered at all, it is only by some vagrant savage in the depths of the Mexican forest. Huitzilopochtli, like many other gods, had no human father; his mother was a virtuous widow; he was born of an apparently innocent flirtation that she carried on with the sun. When he frowned, his father, the sun, stood still. When he roared with rage, earthquakes engulfed whole cities. When he thirsted, he was watered with 10,000 gallons of human blood. But today Huitzilopochtli is as magnificently forgotten as Allen G. Thurman. Once the peer of Allah, he is now the peer of General Coxey, Richmond P. Hobson, Nan Patterson, Alton G. Parker, Adelina Patti, General Weyler and Tom Sharkey.

Speaking of Huitzilopochtli recalls his brother, Tezcatlipoca. Tezcatlipoca was almost as powerful: he consumed 25,000 virgins a year. Lead me to his tomb: I would weep, and hang a couronne des perles! But who knows where it is? Or where the grave of Quetzdcoatl is? Or Tlaloc? Or Chalchihuftlicue? Or Xiehtecutii? Or Centeotl, that sweet one? Or Tlazoltcotl, the goddess of love ? Or Mictlan? Or Ixtlilton? Or Omacatl? Or Yacatecutli? Or Mixcoatl? Or Xipe? Or all the host of Tzitzimitles? Where are their bones? Where is the willow on which they hung their harps? In what forlorn and unheard-of hell do they await the resurrection morn? Who enjoys their residuary estates? Or that of Dis, whom Caesar found to be the chief god of the Celts? Or that of Tarvos, the bull? Or that of Moccos, the pig? Or that of Epona, the mare? Or that of Mullo, the celestial jackass? There was a time when the Irish revered all these gods as violently as they now hate the English. But today even the drunkest Irishman laughs at them.

But they have company in oblivion: the hell of dead gods is as crowded as the Presbyterian hell for babies. Damona is there, and Esus, and Drunemeton, and Silvana, and Dervones, and Adsalluta, and Deva, and Belisama, and Axona, and Vintios, and Taranucus, and Stdis, and Cocidius, and Adsmcrius, and Dumiatis, and Caletos, and Moccus, and Ollovidius, and Albiorix, and Leucitius, and Vitucadrus, and Ogmios, and Uxellimus, and Borvo, and Grannos, and Mogons. All mighty gods in their day, worshipped by millions, full of demands and impositions, able to bind and loose — all gods of the first class, not pikers. Men labored for generations to build vast temples to them — temples with stones as large as hay-wagons. The business of interpreting their whims occupied thousands of priests, wizards, archdeacons, evangelists, haruspices, bishops, archbishops. To doubt them was to die, usually at the stake. Armies took to the field to defend them against infidels: villages were burned, women and children were butchered, cattle were driven off. Yet in the end they all withered and died, and today there is none so poor to do them reverence. Worse, the very tombs in which they lie are lost, and so even a respectful stranger is debarred from paying them the slightest and politest homage.

What has become of Sutekh, once the high god of the whole Nile Valley?
What has become of:

Resheph
Baal
Anath
Astarte
Ashtoreth
Hadad
El
Addu
Nergal
Shalem
Nebo
Dagon
Ninib
Sharrab
Melek
Yau
Ahijah
Amon-Re
Isis
Osiris
Ptah
Sebek
Anubis
Molech

All these were once gods of the highest class. Many of them are mentioned with fear and trembling in the Old Testament. They ranked, five or six thousand years ago, with Jahveh himself; the worst of them stood far higher than Thor or Wotan. Yet they have all gone down the chute, and with them the following;

Bile
Gwydion
Ler
Manawyddan
Arianrod
Nuada Argetlam
Morrigu
Tadg
Govannon
Goibniu
Gundfled
Odin
Sokk-mimi
Llaw Gyffes
Memctona
Lieu
Dagda
Ogma
Kerridwen
Mider
Pwyll
Rigantona
Ogyrvan
Marzin
Dea Denver International Airport
Mars
Ceres
Jupiter
Vaticanus
Cunina
Edulia
Potina
Adeona
Statilinus
Iuno Lucina
Diana of Rhesus
Saturn
Robigus
Furrina
Pluto
Vediovis
Ops
Consus
Meditrina
Cronos
Vesta
Enki
Tilmun
Engurra
Zer-panitu
Belus
Merodach
Dimmer
U-ki
Mu-ul-lil
Dauke
Ubargisi
Gasan-abzu
Ubilulu
Elum
Gasan-lil
U-TinHlir ki
U-dimmer-an-kia
Marduk
Enurestu
Nin-HMa
U-sab-sib
Kin
U-Mersi
Persophone
Tammuz
Istar
Venus
Lagas
Bau
U-urugal
Hulu-hursang
Sirtumu
Anu
Ea
Beltis
Nirig
Nusku
Ncbo
Ni-zu
Samas
Sahi
Ma-banba-aima
Aa
En-Mersi
Allatu
Amurm
Sin
Assur
Abil-Addu
Aku
Apsu
Beltu
Dagan
Dumu-zi-abzu
Elali
Kuski-banda
Isum
Kaawanu
Mami
Nin-azu
Nin-mah
Lugal-Amarada
Zaraqu
Qarradu
Ura-gala
Suqamunu
Zagaga
Ueras

You may think I spoof. That I invent the names. I do not. Ask your pastor to lend you any good treatise on comparative religion: you will find them all listed. They were all gods of the highest standing and dignity — gods of civilized peoples — worshipped and believed in by millions. All were theoretically omnipotent, omniscient and immortal. And all are dead.

[_LittleNipper]

There is but one Creator God. He is not made of stone. He is . They are not. There are really few if any prophetic messages concerning other gods. With the One true God a believer need not be a Sybil to realize God's intentions. They are all spelled out in His Word (the Bible). And yes, יהוה (Yod Heh Vav Heh), transliterated into Roman script Y H W H still remains where all others have been all but forgotten.

[_LittleNipper]

Ezra 4:1-24 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were rebuilding a temple for Yahweh, they approached Zerubbabel and the leaders of the families and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we also worship your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the time King Esar-haddon of Assyria brought us here.”

Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other leaders of Israel’s families answered them, “You may not have a part with us in building a house for God, since we alone must build it for Yahweh, as King Cyrus of Persia has commanded.” The people who were already inhabiting the land discouraged the people of Judah --- making them fearful of building. They bribed officials to be manipulative, frustrating building plans throughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia.

At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus, the people who already inhabited the land wrote a condemnation against the residents of Judah and Jerusalem. During the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia --- Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his colleagues wrote to King Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated.

Rehum the chief deputy and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes concerning Jerusalem as follows:

From Rehum the chief deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues—the judges and magistrates from Tripolis, Persia, Erech, Babylon, Susa (that is, the people of Elam), and the rest of the peoples whom the great and illustrious Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and the region west of the Euphrates River.

To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men from the region west of the Euphrates River:

Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you have returned to us at Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and evil city, finishing its walls, and repairing its foundations. Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax, and the royal revenue will suffer. Since we have taken an oath of loyalty to the king, and it is not right for us to witness his dishonor, we have sent to inform the king that a search should be made in your fathers’ record books. In these record books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces. There have been revolts there since ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, you will not have any possession west of the Euphrates.

The king sent a reply to his chief deputy Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates River:

Greetings.

The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence. I issued a decree and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has had uprisings against kings since ancient times, and there have been rebellions and revolts in it. Powerful kings have also ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region, and tribute, duty, and land tax were paid to them. Therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until a further decree has been pronounced by me. See that you not neglect this matter. Otherwise, the damage will increase and the royal interests will suffer.

As soon as the text of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they immediately went to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.

The construction of God’s house in Jerusalem had stopped and remained at a standstill until the 2nd year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And adversaries of Judah and Benjamin hear that the sons of the captivity are building a temple to Jehovah, God of Israel,

2 and they draw nigh unto Zerubbabel, and unto heads of the fathers, and say to them, `Let us build with you; for, like you, we seek to your God, and we are not sacrificing since the days of Esar-Haddon king of Asshur, who brought us up hither.'

3 And Zerubbabel saith to them, also Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers of Israel, `Not for you, and for us, to build a house to our God; but we ourselves together do build to Jehovah God of Israel, as the king Cyrus, king of Persia, commanded us.'

4 And it cometh to pass, the people of the land are making the hands of the people of Judah feeble, and troubling them in building,

5 and are hiring against them counsellors to make void their counsel all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even till the reign of Darius king of Persia.

6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the commencement of his reign, they have written an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem;

7 and in the days of Artaxerxes have Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions written unto Artaxerxes king of Persia, and the writing of the letter is written in Aramaean, and interpreted in Aramaean.

8 Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe have written a letter concerning Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, thus:

9 Then Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe, and the rest of their companions, Dinaites, and Apharsathchites, Tarpelites, Apharsites, Archevites, Babylonians, Susanchites, (who are Elamites),

10 and the rest of the nations that the great and honourable Asnapper removed and set in the city of Samaria, and the rest beyond the river, and at such a time:

11 This [is] a copy of a letter that they have sent unto him, unto Artaxerxes the king: `Thy servants, men beyond the river, and at such a time;

12 Be it known to the king, that the Jews who have come up from thee unto us, have come in to Jerusalem, the rebellious and base city they are building, and the walls they have finished, and the foundations they join.

13 `Now, be it known to the king, that if this city be builded, and the walls finished, toll, tribute, and custom they do not give; and at length [to] the kings it doth cause loss.

14 Now, because that the salt of the palace [is] our salt, and the nakedness of the king we have no patience to see, therefore we have sent and made known to the king;

15 so that he doth seek in the book of the records of thy fathers, and thou dost find in the book of the records, and dost know, that this city [is] a rebellious city, and causing loss [to] kings and provinces, and makers of sedition [are] in its midst from the days of old, therefore hath this city been wasted.

16 We are making known to the king that, if this city be builded and the walls finished, by this means a portion beyond the river thou hast none.'

17 An answer hath the king sent unto Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe, and the rest of their companions who are dwelling in Samaria, and the rest beyond the river, `Peace, and at such a time:

18 The letter that ye sent unto us, explained, hath been read before me,

19 and by me a decree hath been made, and they sought, and have found that this city from the days of old against kings is lifting up itself, and rebellion and sedition is made in it,

20 and mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, even rulers over all beyond the river, and toll, tribute, and custom is given to them.

21 `Now, make ye a decree to cause these men to cease, and this city is not builded, till by me a decree is made.

22 And beware ye of negligence in doing this; why doth the hurt become great to the loss of the kings?'

23 Then from the time that a copy of the letter of king Artaxerxes is read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they have gone in haste to Jerusalem, unto the Jews, and caused them to cease by force and strength;

24 then ceased the service of the house of God that [is] in Jerusalem, and it ceased till the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

[_LittleNipper]

Ezra 5:1-17 Haggai and Zechariah, Iddo’s son, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of God. As a result, Zerubbabel (Shealtiel’s son), and Jeshua (Jozadak’s son), began to rebuild God’s house in Jerusalem. God’s prophets were with them, helping them.

At the same time, Tattenai, the governor of the province Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues came asking, “Who authorized you to build this house and finish preparing this building material? What are the names of the people who are building this building?” God looked after the elders of the Jews, and they didn’t stop them until a report reached Darius and this responce letter arrived.

That letter from Tattenai, the governor, Shethar-bozenai and his colleagues the officials from the province Beyond the River sent to King Darius --- read as follows:


To King Darius, peace! May the king know that we went to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built with dressed stone and with timber set into the walls. This work makes progresses quickly and succeeds at their hands. We asked those elders, “Who authorized you to build this house and to complete the preparation of this material?” We also asked them their names so that we could write down the names of the leaders for your information.

This was their reply: “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. We are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed. But because our ancestors angered the God of heaven, He gave them over unto the power of Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar, the Chaldean, who demolished this house and deported the people to Babylon. However, in the 1st year of his rule, Babylon’s King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. King Cyrus also took the gold and silver accoutrements from God’s house out of the temple in Babylon (the ones that Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and placed in the temple in Babylon) and gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor. Cyrus said to him, ‘Take these accoutrements -- go and put them in Jerusalem’s temple, and let God’s house be rebuilt on its original site.’ Then Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of God’s house in Jerusalem. From then until now the rebuilding work has continued but is not yet complete.”

Now, if it seems good to the king, may research be accomplished in the royal archives in Babylon to see if King Cyrus did issue a decree to rebuild this house of God in Jerusalem. Then may the king be pleased to send us his decision concerning this matter.


Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And prophesied have the prophets, (Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah son of Iddo) unto the Jews who [are] in Judah and in Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel -- unto them.

2 Then have Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jozadak, risen, and begun to build the house of God, that [is] in Jerusalem, and with them are the prophets of God supporting them.

3 At that time come to them hath Tatnai, governor beyond the river, and Shethar-Boznai, and their companions, and thus they are saying to them, `Who hath made for you a decree this house to build, and this wall to finish?'

4 Then thus we have said to them, `What [are] the names of the men who are building this building?'

5 And the eye of their God hath been upon the elders of the Jews, and they have not caused them to cease till the matter goeth to Darius, and then they send back a letter concerning this thing.

6 The copy of a letter that Tatnai, governor beyond the river, hath sent, and Shethar-Boznai and his companions, the Apharsachites who [are] beyond the river, unto Darius the king.

7 A letter they have sent unto him, and thus is it written in it:

8 `To Darius the king, all peace! be it known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the great house of God, and it is built [with] rolled stones, and wood is placed in the walls, and this work is done speedily, and prospering in their hand.

9 Then we have asked of these elders, thus we have said to them, Who hath made for you a decree this house to build, and this wall to finish?

10 And also their names we have asked of them, to let thee know, that we might write the names of the men who [are] at their head.

11 `And thus they have returned us word, saying, We [are] servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are building the house that was built many years before this, that a great king of Israel built and finished:

12 but after that our fathers made the God of heaven angry, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon the Chaldean, and this house he destroyed, and the people he removed to Babylon;

13 but in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God,

14 and also, the vessels of the house of God, of gold and silver, that Nebuchadnezzar had taken forth out of the temple that [is] in Jerusalem, and brought them to the temple of Babylon, them hath Cyrus the king brought forth out of the temple of Babylon, and they have been given to [one], Sheshbazzar [is] his name, whom he made governor,

15 and said to him, These vessels lift up, go, put them down in the temple that [is] in Jerusalem, and the house of God is builded on its place.

16 Then hath this Sheshbazzar come -- he hath laid the foundations of the house of God that [is] in Jerusalem, and from thence even till now it hath been building, and is not finished.

17 `And now, if to the king it be good, let search be made in the treasure-house of the king, that [is] there in Babylon, whether it be that of Cyrus the king there was made a decree to build this house of God in Jerusalem, and the will of the king concerning this thing he doth send unto us.'