1 This is the second book of the prophet Ezra. He was the son of Seraiah, the grandson of Azariah, and a descendant of Hilkiah, Shallum, Zadok, Ahitub,
2 Ahijah, Phinehas, Eli, Amariah, Azariah, Meraioth, Arna, Uzzi, Borith, Abishua, Phinehas, Eleazar,
3 and Aaron, of the tribe of Levi.When I, Ezra, was a captive in Media during the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia,
4 the Lord said to me,
5 “Go and remind my people and their children of the sins they have committed against me, and let them tell their grandchildren.
6 My people have sinned even more than their ancestors, for they have forgotten me and offered sacrifices to foreign gods.
7 I rescued them from Egypt, where they were slaves, but they have done things that made me angry and have refused to listen to my warnings.