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Days of the week.

1st day of the week, Sunday.

2d day,

3d day,

4th day,

5th day,

6th day,

7th, or Sabbath,

Monday.
Tuesday

8 Marchesvan, S October
or Bul

13 Veadar, intercalary.

Hours of the Day.

Watches.

The day, reckoning The 1st watch, from sunset to from sunrise, and the 3d hour of the night.

the night from sun-The 2d, or middle watch, from set, were each divi- the 3d hour to the 6th.

Wednesday. ded into 12 equal The 3d watch, or cock-crowing, parts, called, The from the 6th to the 9th.

Thursday.

Friday. 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, The 4th, or morning watch, from

Saturday.

&c. Hours.

the 9th hour to sunrise.

APOCRYPHA.

CHAP. I.

¶ I. ESDRAS.

it was not lawful for any to go from his ordina ND Josias held the feast of the passover in ry service for their brethren the Levites pre

AND Josias had festd, and the pared Fort,

passover the fourteenth day of the first month; 2 Having set the priests according to their daily courses, being arrayed in long garments, in the temple of the Lord.

3 And he spake unto the Levites, the holy ministers of Israel, that they should hallow themselves unto the Lord, to set the holy ark of the Lord in the house that king Solomon the son of David had built :

4 And said, Ye shall no more bear the ark upon your shoulders: now therefore serve the Lord your God, and minister unto his people Israel, and prepare you after your families and kindreds,

5 According as David the king of Israel prescribed, and according to the magnificence of Solomon his son: and standing in the temple according to the several dignity of the families of you the Levites, who minister in the presence of your brethren the children of Israel,

6 Offer the passover in order, and make ready the sacrifices for your brethren, and keep the passover according to the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto Moses.

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17 Thus were the things that belonged to the sacrifices of the Lord accomplished in that day, that they might hold the passover,

18 And offer sacrifices upon the altar of the Lord, according to the commandment of king Josias.

19 So the children of Israel which were pre sent held the passover at that time, and the feast of sweet bread seven days.

20 And such a passover was not kept in Israel since the time of the prophet Samuel.

21 Yea, all the kings of Israel held not such a passover as Josias, and the priests, and the Levites, and the Jews, held with all Israel that were found dwelling at Jerusalem.

22 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josias was this passover kept.

23 And the works of Josias were upright before his Lord, with a heart full of godliness.

24 As for the things that came to pass in his time, they were written in former times, concerning those that sinned, and did wickedly against the Lord above all people and kingdoms, and how they grieved him exceedingly, so that 7 And unto the people that was found there the words of the Lord rose up against Israel. Josias gave thirty thousand lambs and kids, 25 Now after all these acts of Josias it came and three thousand calves: these things were to pass, that Pharaoh the king of Egypt came given of the king's allowance, according as he to raise war at Carchamis upon Euphrates: and promised to the people, to the priests, and to the Josias went out against him. Levites.

8 And Helkias, Zacharias, and Syelus, the governors of the temple, gave to the priests for the passover two thousand and six hundred sheep, and three hundred calves.

26 But the king of Egypt sent to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, O king of Judea?

27 I am not sent out from the Lord God against thee; for my war is upon Euphrates: and now the Lord is with me, yea, the Lord is with me hasting me forward: depart from me, and be not against the Lord.

9 And Jeconias, and Samaias, and Nathanael his brother, and Assabias, and Ochiel, and Joram, captains over thousands, gave to the Levites for the passover five thousand sheep, 28 Howbeit Josias did not turn back his and seven hundred calves.

10 And when these things were done, the priests and Levites having the unleavened bread, stood in very comely order according to the kindreds.

11 And according to the several dignities of the fathers before the people, to offer to the Lord, as it is written in the book of Moses and thus did they in the morning.

12 And they roasted the passover with fire, as appertaineth: as for the sacrifices, they sod them in brass pots, and pans, with a good sa

vour,

chariot from him, but undertook to fight with
him, not regarding the words of the prophet
Jeremy, spoken by the mouth of the Lord:
29 But joined battle with him in the plain of
Megiddo, and the princes came against king
Josias.

30 Then said the king unto his servants, Carry me away out of the battle; for I am very weak. And immediately his servants took him away out of the battle.

31 Then gat he up upon his second chariot; and being brought back to Jerusalem died, and was buried in his father's sepulchre.

13 And set them before all the people and 32 And in all Jewry they mourned for Josias, afterward they prepared for themselves, and yea, Jeremy the prophet lamented for Josias, for the priests their brethren, the sons of Aaron. and the chief men with the women made lamen14 For the priests offered the fat until night :tation for him unto this day: and this was given and the Levites prepared for themselves, and out for an ordinance to be done continually in the priests their brethren, the sons of Aaron. all the nation of Israel.

15 The holy singers also, the sons of Asaph, 33 These things are written in the book of were in their order, according to the appoint- the stories of the kings of Judah, and every one ment of David, to wit, Asaph, Zacharias, and of the acts that Josias did, and his glory, and Jeduthun, who was of the king's retinue. his understanding in the law of the Lord, and

16 Moreover, the porters were at every gate; the things that he had done before, and the

Apocrypha.

I. ESDRAS. things now recited, are reported in the book of the kings of Israel and Judea.

34 And the people took Joachaz the son of Josias, and made him king instead of Josias his father, when he was twenty and three years old. 35 And he reigned in Judea and in Jerusalem three months and then the king of Egypt deposed him from reigning in Jerusalem.

36 And he set a tax upon the land of an hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold.

37 The king of Egypt also made king Joacim his brother king of Judea and Jerusalem.

38 And he bound Joacim and the nobles: but Zaraces his brother he apprehended, and brought him out of Egypt.

39 Five and twenty years old was Joacim when he was made king in the land of Judea and Jerusalem; and he did evil before the Lord.

40 Wherefore against him Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon came up, and bound him with a chain of brass, and carried him into Babylon.

41 (Nabuchodonosor also took of the holy vessels of the Lord, and carried them away, and set them in his own temple at Babylon.)

42 But those things that are recorded of him, and of his uncleanness and impiety, are written in the chronicles of the kings.

43 And Joacim his son reigned in his stead: he was made king being eighteen years old;

44 And reigned but three months and ten days in Jerusalem, and did evil before the Lord. 45 So after a year Nabuchodonosor sent and caused him to be brought into Babylon with the holy vessels of the Lord,

46 And made Zedechias king of Judea and Jerusalem, when he was one and twenty years old; and he reigned eleven years:

47 And he did evil also in the sight of the Lord, and cared not for the words that were spoken unto him by the prophet Jeremy from the mouth of the Lord.

Apocrypha. ceased till they had consumed and brought them all to nought: and the people that were not slain with the sword, he carried unto Babylon:

57 Who became servants to him and his children, till the Persians reigned, to fulfil the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremy:

58 Until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths, the whole time of her desolation shall she rest, until the full term of seventy years. CHAP. II.

N 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;

2 The Lord raised up the spirit of Cyrus the king of the Persians, and he made proclamation through all his kingdom, and also by writing,

3 Saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of the Persians; The Lord of Israel, the most high Lord, hath made me king of the whole world,

4 And commanded me to build him an house at Jerusalem in Jewry.

5 If 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 dwelleth in Jerusalem.

6 Whosoever then dwell in the places about, let them help him (those, I say, that are his neighbours) with gold, and with silver,

7 With gifts, with horses, and with cattle, and other things, which have been set forth by vow, for the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem.

8 Then 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.

9 And they that dwelt 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

48 And after that king Nabuchodonosor had up thereto. made him to swear by the name of the Lord, he 10 King Cyrus also brought forth the holy forswore himself and rebelled, and hardening his vessels which Nabuchodonosor had carried away neck and his heart, he transgressed the laws of from Jerusalem, and had set up in his temple of

the Lord God of Israel.

49 The governors also of the people and of the priests did many things against the laws, and passed all the pollutions of all nations, and defiled the temple of the Lord, which was sanctified in Jerusalem.

50 Nevertheless, the God of their fathers sent by his messenger to call them back, because he spared them and his tabernacle also.

51 But they had his messengers in derision; and look, when the Lord spake unto them, they made a sport of his prophets :

idols.

11 Now when Cyrus king of the Persians had brought them forth, he delivered them to Mithridates his treasurer:

12 And by him they were delivered to Sanabassar the governor of Judea.

13 And 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.

14 So all the vessels of gold and of silver, 52 So far forth, that he, being wroth with his which were carried away, were five thousand people for their great ungodliness, commanded four hundred threescore and nine. the kings of the Chaldees to come up against them;

53 Who slew their young men with the sword, yea, even within the compass of their holy temple, and spared neither young man nor maid, old man nor child, among them; for he delivered all into their hands.

54 And they took all the holy vessels of the Lord, both great and small, with the vessels of the ark of God, and the king's treasures, and carried them away into Babylon.

55 As for the house of the Lord, they burnt it, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem, and set fire upon her towers:

56 And as for her glorious things, they never

15 These were brought back by Sanabassar, together with them of the captivity, from Babylon to Jerusalem.

16 ¶ But 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 unto him against them that dwelt in Judea and Jerusalem these letters following;

17 To king Artaxerxes our lord, Thy servants, Rathumus the story-writer, and Semellius the scribe, and the rest of their council, and the judges that are in Celosyria and Phenice.

Apocrypha.

CHAP. III, IV.

Apocrypha.

18 Be it now known to the lord the king, that king Darius give great gifts, and great things in the Jews that are come up from you to us, token of victory: being come into Jerusalem, (that rebellious and wicked city,) do build the market-places, and repair the walls of it, and do lay the foundation of the temple.

19 Now if this city and the walls thereof be made up again, they will not only refuse to give tribute, but also rebel against kings.

20 And forasmuch as the things pertaining to the temple are now in hand, we think it meet not to neglect such a matter,

21 But to speak unto our lord the king, to the intent that, if it be thy pleasure, it may be sought out in the books of thy fathers:

22 And thou shalt find in the chronicles what is written concerning these things, and shalt understand that that city was rebellious, troubling both kings and cities:

23 And that the Jews were rebellious, and raised always wars therein; for the which cause even this city was made desolate.

24 Wherefore now we do declare unto thee, (O lord the king,) that if this city be built again, and the walls thereof set up anew, thou shalt from henceforth have no passage into Celosyria and Phenice.

25 Then the king wrote back again to Rathumus the story-writer, 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;

26 I have read the epistle which ye have sent unto me; therefore I commanded to make diligent search, and it hath been found, that that city was from the beginning practising against kings;

6 As, to be clothed in purple, to drink in gold, and to sleep upon gold, and a chariot with bridles of gold, and a head-tire of fine linen, and a chain about his neck:

7 And he shall sit next to Darius, because of his wisdom, and shall be called Darius his cousin.

8 And then every one wrote his sentence, sealed it, and laid it under king Darius his pillow,

9 And said that, when the king is risen, some will give him the writings; and of whose side the king and the three princes of Persia shall judge that his sentence is the wisest, to him shall the victory be given, as was appointed;

10 The first wrote, Wine is the strongest. 11 The second wrote, The king is the strongest.

12 The third wrote, Women are strongest : But above all things truth beareth away the victory.

13 Now when the king was risen up, they took their writings, and delivered them unto him, and so he read them:

14 And sending forth he called all the princes of Persia and Media, and the governors, and the captains, and the lieutenants, and the chief officers;

15 And sat him down in the royal seat of jndgment; and the writings were read before them.

16 And he said, Call the young men, and they shall declare their own sentences. So they were called, and came in.

17 And he said unto them, Declare unto us 27 And the men therein were given to re- your mind concerning the writings. Then bebellion and war: and that mighty kings and gan the first, who had spoken of the strength of fierce were in Jerusalem, who reigned and exact- wine; ed tributes in Celosyria and Phenice.

18 And he said thus, O ye men, how ex23 Now therefore I have commanded to ceeding strong is wine! it causeth all men to hinder those men from building the city, and err that drink it: heed to be taken that there be no more done in it;

29 And that those wicked workers proceed no further to the annoyance of kings.

19 It maketh the mind of the king, and of the fatherless child, to be all one of the bondman, and of the free man, of the poor man, and of the rich:

30 Then king Artaxerxes his letters being 20 It turneth also every thought into jollity read, Rathumus, and Semellius the scribe, and and mirth, so that a man remembereth neither the rest that were in commission with them, re- sorrow nor debt: moving in haste toward Jerusalem with a troop 21 And it maketh every heart rich, so that a of horsemen, and a multitude of people in battle- man remembereth neither king nor governor; array, began to hinder the builders; and the and it maketh to speak all things by talents: building of the temple in Jerusalem ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.

CHAP. III.

Now when Dir his reubjects, and unto all his

JOW when Darius reigned, he made a great

household, and unto all the princes of Media and Persia,

2 And to all the governors, and captains, and lieutenants that were under him, from India unto Ethiopia, of a hundred twenty and seven provinces.

22 And when they are in their cups, they forget their love both to friends and brethren, and a little after draw out swords :

23 But when they are from the wine, they remember not what they have done.

24 O ye men, is not wine the strongest, that enforceth to do thus? And when he had so spoken, he held his peace.

CHAP. IV.

strength of the king, began to say, HEN the second, that had spoken of the

2 O ye men, do not men excel in strength, 3 And when they had eaten and drunken, that bear rule over sea and land, and all things and being satisfied were gone home, then Da- in them? rius the king went into his bed-chamber, and 3 But yet the king is more mighty: for he slept, and soon after awaked. is lord of all these things, and hath dominion over them; and whatsoever he commandeth them they do.

4 Then three young men that were of the guard, that kept the king's body, spake one to another;

4 If he bid them make war the one against 5 Let every one of us speak a sentence: he the other, they do it: if he send them out against that shall overcome, and whose sentence shall the enemies, they go, and break down mounseem wiser than the others, unto him shall the tains, walls, and towers.

Apocrypha.

I. ESDRAS.

Apocrypha.

5 They slay and are slain, and transgress not 29 Yet did I see him and Apame the king's the king's commandment: if they get the vic- concubine, the daughter of the admirable Bartory, they bring all to the king, as well the spoil, tacus, sitting at the right hand of the king, as all things else.

6 Likewise for those that are no soldiers, and have not to do with wars, but use husbandry, when they have reaped again that which they had sown, they bring it to the king, and compel one another to pay tribute unto the king.

7 And yet he is but one man: if he command to kill, they kill; if he command to spare, they

spare;

8 If he command to smite, they smite; if he command to make desolate, they make desolate; if he command to build, they build;

9 If he command to cut down, they cut down; if he command to plant, they plant.

10 So all his people and his armies obey him furthermore he lieth down, he eateth and drinketh, and taketh his rest:

11 And these keep watch round about him, neither may any one depart, and do his own business, neither disobey they him in any thing. 12 O ye men, how should not the king be mightiest, when in such sort he is obeyed? And he held his tongue.

13 Then the third, who had spoken of women, and of the truth, (this was Zorobabel,) began to speak.

:

14 O ye men, it is not the great king, nor the multitude of men, neither is it wine that excelleth who is it then that ruleth them, or hath the lordship over them? are they not women? 15 Women have borne the king and all the people that bear rule by sea and land.

16 Even of them came they': and they nourished them up that planted the vineyards from whence the wine cometh.

17 These also make garments for men; these bring glory unto men; and without women cannot men be.

30 And taking the crown from the king's head, and setting it upon her own head; she also struck the king with her left hand.

31 And yet for all this the king gaped and gazed upon her with open mouth: if she laughed upon him, he laughed also: but if she took any displeasure at him, the king was fain to flatter, that she might be reconciled to him again.

32 O ye men, how can it be but women should be strong, seeing they do thus?

33 ¶ Then the king and the princes looked one upon another: so he began to speak of the truth.

34 O ye men, are not women strong? great is the earth, high is the heaven, swift is the sun in his course, for he compasseth the heavens round about, and fetcheth his course again to his own place in one day.

35 Is he not great that maketh these things? therefore great is the truth, and stronger than all things.

36 All the earth calleth upon the truth, and the heaven blesseth it: all works shake and tremble at it, and with it is no unrighteous thing.

37 Wine is wicked, the king is wicked, women are wicked, all the children of men are wicked, and such are all their wicked works; and there is no truth in them; in their unrighteousness also they shall perish.

38 As for the truth, it endureth, and is always strong; it liveth and conquereth for evermore. 39 With her there is no accepting of persons or rewards; but she doeth the things that are just, and refraineth from all unjust and wicked things; and all men do well like of her works.

40 Neither in her judgment is any unrighteousness; and she is the strength, kingdom, power, and majesty of all ages. Blessed be the God of truth.

41 ¶ And with that he held his peace. And all the people then shouted, and said, Great is truth, and mighty above all things.

18 Yea, and if men have gathered together gold and silver, or any other goodly thing, do they not love a woman which is comely in favour and beauty? 19 And letting all those things go, do they 42 Then said the king unto him, Ask what not gape, and even with open mouth fix their thou wilt more than is appointed in the writing, eyes fast on her; and have not all men more de- and we will give it thee, because thou art found sire unto her than unto silver or gold, or any wisest; and thou shalt sit next me, and shalt goodly thing whatsoever? be called my cousin.

20 A man leaveth his own father that brought him up, and his own country, and cleaveth unto his wife.

43 Then said he unto the king, Remember thy vow, which thou hast vowed to build Jerusalem, in the day when thou camest to thy

21 He sticketh not to spend his life with his kingdom, wife, and remembereth neither father, nor mother, nor country.

22 By this also ye must know that women have dominion over you: do ye not labour and toil, and give and bring all to the woman?

23 Yea, a man taketh his sword, and goeth his way to rob and to steal, and to sail upon the sea and upon rivers;

24 And looketh upon a lion, and goeth in the darkness; and when he hath stolen, spoiled, and robbed, he bringeth it to his love.

25 Wherefore a man loveth his wife better than father or mother.

26 Yea, many there be that have run out of their wits for women, and become servants for their sakes.

27 Many also have perished, have erred, and sinned, for women.

28 And now do ye not believe me? is not the king great in his power? do not all regions fear

to touch him?

44 And to send away all the vessels that were taken away out of Jerusalem, which Cyrus set apart, when he vowed to destroy Babylon, and to send them again thither.

45 Thou also hast vowed to build up the temple, which the Edomites burned, when Judea was made desolate by the Chaldees.

46 And now, O lord the king, this is that which I require, and which I desire of thee, and this is the princely liberality proceeding from thyself: I desire therefore that thou make good the vow, the performance whereof with thine own mouth thou hast vowed to the King of heaven.

47 Then Darius the king stood up and kissed him, and wrote letters for him unto all the treasurers, and lieutenants, and captains, and governors, that they should safely convey on their way both him, and all those that go up with him to build Jerusalem.

48 He wrote letters also unto the lieutenants

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