1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, so that the word of the LORD {YHWH, Promise Fulfiller} spoken through Jeremiah {Yirmeyah: prophetic messenger} might be carried out, the LORD roused the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and Cyrus issued an official decree throughout his realm and also recorded it in writing, saying—
2 Cyrus king of Persia says, “The LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Giver} God of heaven {Elohei ha-shamayim, Celestial Ruler} has granted to me the kingdoms of the whole earth, and He has tasked me to build for Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.”
3 Whoever among you is from all his people, may his God {elohaiv: Personal Sustainer} be with him; let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel {YHWH Elohei Yisrael: Divine Possessor}. He is the God who is in Jerusalem.
4 And every survivor from any location where he dwells, let the men of his place support {yenasse’u-hu: provide material aid} him with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with the freewill offering for the house of God {Elohim, One They Worship} in Jerusalem.
5 Then the heads of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites—everyone whose spirit God {Elohim, Spirit-Stirrer} had stirred—rose to ascend in order to build the house of the LORD {YHWH, Foundation Stone} in Jerusalem.
6 And all their neighbors strengthened their hands, supplying vessels {k'lei: metal vessels} of silver, gold, property {r'khush: accumulated wealth}, livestock, and precious gifts, apart from all the freewill offerings.
7 And King Cyrus brought out the vessels {klei: cultic utensils} of the house of the LORD {YHWH, Temple Restorer}, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and deposited in the house of his gods.
8 Cyrus {koresh: Persian monarch}, king of Persia, brought them out under the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and he counted them to Sheshbazzar the prince {nasi: leader of the community} of Judah.
9 And this was the count: gold bowls {agartlei: ritual serving vessels}—30; silver bowls—1,000; censers {machalafim: incense implements}—29.
10 Thirty gold bowls {kephorei: broad sanctuary vessels}, four hundred and ten silver bowls of a second sort {mishnim: second-sort vessels}, and one thousand other articles.
11 All the articles of gold and of silver totaled 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought up {he’elah: ceremonial raising} the entire amount when the exiles {ha-golah: group deported} were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.