⁵ But ^(A)the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, so that they could not make them cease till a report could go to Darius. Then a ^(B)written answer was returned concerning this matter.

⁶ this Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was ^(A)a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given. The king granted him all his request, ^(B)according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him.

⁹ On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, ^(A)according to the good hand of his God upon him.

²⁸ and ^(A)has extended mercy to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes.

So I was encouraged, as ^(B)the hand of the Lord my God was upon me; and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me.

¹⁸ And I told them of ^(A)the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me.

So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they ^(B)set^[a] their hands to this good work.