Ezra 7
1 Na deze geschiedenissen nu, in het koninkrijk van Arthahsasta, koning van Perzie: Ezra, de zoon van Seraja, den zoon van Azarja, den zoon van Hilkia,
[Many/Fifty years] later, while Artaxerxes was the king of Persia, I, Ezra came from Babylon here to Jerusalem. I am the son of Seraiah and the grandson of Azariah, and the great-grandson of Hilkiah.
2 Den zoon van Sallum, den zoon van Zadok, den zoon van Ahitub,
Hilkiah was the son of Shallum, who was the son of Zadok, who was the son of Ahitub,
3 Den zoon van Amarja, den zoon van Azarja, den zoon van Merajoth,
who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth,
4 Den zoon van Zerahja, den zoon van Uzzi, den zoon van Bukki,
who was the son of Zerahiah, who was the son of Uzzi, who was the son of Bukki,
5 Den zoon van Abisua, den zoon van Pinehas, den zoon van Eleazar, den zoon van Aaron, den hoofdpriester.
who was the son of Abishua, who was the son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eleazar, who was the son of Aaron, the [first] Supreme Priest.
6 Deze Ezra toog op uit Babel; en hij was een vaardig schriftgeleerde in de wet van Mozes, die de HEERE, de God Israels, gegeven heeft; en de koning gaf hem, naar de hand des HEEREN, zijns Gods, over hem, al zijn verzoek.
I am a man who knows very well the laws that Moses [wrote]. Those were the laws that Yahweh, the God whom we Israeli people ([worship/belong to]), had given to us Israeli people. When I arrived in Jerusalem, Yahweh my God was kind to me, and as a result the [people] gave me everything that I had requested the king to [tell them to] give to me.
7 Ook sommigen van de kinderen Israels, en van de priesteren en de Levieten, en de zangers, en de poortiers, en de Nethinim, togen op naar Jeruzalem, in het zevende jaar van den koning Arthahsasta.
Some of the priests, some [other] descendants of Levi, [some] singers, [some] (gatekeepers/men who guarded the gates of the temple), and [some] men who worked in the temple, and some other [Israeli] people came up with me here to Jerusalem. That was during the seventh year that Artaxerxes was the king [of Persia].
8 En hij kwam te Jeruzalem in de vijfde maand; dat was het zevende jaar dezes konings.
We left Babylon on April 8, which was the first day of the Jewish year. Because God was very kind to us, we arrived [safely] in Jerusalem on August 4 of that year.
9 Want op den eersten der eerste maand was het begin des optochts uit Babel, en op den eersten der vijfde maand kwam hij te Jeruzalem, naar de goede hand zijns Gods over hem.
10 Want Ezra had zijn hart gericht, om de wet des HEEREN te zoeken en te doen, en om in Israel te leren de inzettingen en de rechten.
During my entire life, I devoted myself to studying the laws of Yahweh, and how to obey those laws. I had also taught those laws and all their regulations to the Israeli people [for many years].
11 Dit is nu het afschrift des briefs, dien de koning Arthahsasta gaf aan Ezra, den priester, den schriftgeleerde; den schriftgeleerde van de woorden der geboden des HEEREN, en Zijn inzettingen over Israel:
King Artaxerxes [knew that] I am a priest who knows the Jewish laws very well. [He knew that for many years] I had studied those laws and had taught all the rules and regulations of those laws to the Israeli people. [So before I left Babylon to come to Jerusalem, ] he wrote a letter, and gave a copy to me. [This is what he wrote]:
12 Arthahsasta koning der koningen, aan Ezra, den priester, den schriftgeleerde der wet van den God des hemels, volkomen vrede en op zulken tijd.
[“This letter is] from me, Artaxerxes, the greatest of the kings. [I am giving it] to Ezra the priest, who has studied very well all the rules and regulations that the God [who is/rules] in heaven [gave to the Israeli people].
13 Van mij wordt bevel gegeven, dat al wie vrijwillig is in mijn koninkrijk, van het volk van Israel, en van deszelfs priesteren en Levieten, om te gaan naar Jeruzalem, dat hij met u ga.
“Ezra, I command that when you return to Jerusalem, any of the Israeli people in my kingdom who want to are allowed to go with you. That includes any priests and [other] descendants of Levi [who will work in the temple] who want to go.
14 Dewijl gij van voor den koning en zijn zeven raadsheren gezonden zijt, om onderzoek te doen in Judea, en te Jeruzalem, naar de wet uws Gods, die in uw hand is;
I, along with my seven counselors/advisors, am sending you to Jerusalem, in order that you can determine what is happening there and in [other towns in] Judah. You are taking with you [MTY] a copy of God’s laws; make sure that the people are doing everything that is written in those laws.
15 En om henen te brengen het zilver en goud, dat de koning en zijn raadsheren vrijwilliglijk gegeven hebben aan den God Israels, Wiens woning te Jeruzalem is;
[We are also saying that] you should take with you the silver and gold that I and my advisors are wanting to give to you, in order that you will present it to be an offering to the God who [rules] the Israeli people and who lives in Jerusalem.
16 Mitsgaders al het zilver en goud, dat gij vinden zult in het ganse landschap van Babel, met de vrijwillige gave des volks en der priesteren, die vrijwilliglijk geven, ten huize huns Gods, dat te Jeruzalem is;
You should also take any silver and gold that the people in the entire Babylonia province give to you, and the money that the priests and [other] Israeli people have happily said that they would give to you to be offerings for building the temple of their God in Jerusalem.
17 Opdat gij spoediglijk voor dat geld koopt runderen, rammen, lammeren, met hun spijsofferen, en hun drankofferen, en die offert op het altaar van het huis van ulieder God, dat te Jeruzalem is.
With this money, you should buy the bulls, rams, lambs, and the grain and wine that the priests will burn on the altar [outside] the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
18 Daartoe, wat u en uw broederen goed dunken zal, met het overige zilver en goud te doen, zult gijlieden doen naar het welgevallen uws Gods.
“If there is any silver or gold that remains [you have bought all those things], you and your companions/colleagues are permitted to use it to [buy] whatever you desire, but buy only things that [you know that] God wants you to buy.
19 En geef de vaten, die u gegeven zijn tot den dienst van het huis uws Gods, weder voor den God van Jeruzalem.
We have given to you some valuable items to be used in the temple of your God. Take them also to Jerusalem.
20 Het overige nu, dat van node zal zijn voor het huis uws Gods, dat u voorvallen zal uit te geven, zult gij geven uit het schathuis des konings.
If you need any other things for the temple, you are permitted to get the money for those things from the building here where my government’s money is kept/stored.
21 En van mij, mij, koning Arthahsasta, wordt bevel gegeven aan alle schatmeesters, die aan gene zijde der rivier zijt, dat alles, wat Ezra, de priester, de schriftgeleerde der wet van den God des hemels, van u zal begeren, spoediglijk gedaan worde;
“And I, King Artaxerxes, command this to all the treasurers in the province west of the [Euphrates] River: 'Give to Ezra, the priest who has studied very well the laws of the God [who is/rules] in heaven, everything that he requests, and give it to him quickly.
22 Tot honderd talenten zilvers toe, en tot honderd kor tarwe, en tot honderd bath wijn, en tot honderd bath olie, en zout zonder voorschrift.
The most that you should give to him is (7,500 pounds/3,400 kg.) of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, and 550 gallons of [olive] oil, but give to him all the salt that they need.
23 Al wat naar het bevel van den God des hemels is, dat het vlijtiglijk gedaan worde, voor het huis van den God des hemels; want waartoe zou er grote toorn zijn over het koninkrijk des konings en zijner kinderen?
Be sure that you provide whatever their God requires for his temple, because we certainly do not [RHQ] want him to be angry with me or with my descendants who will later be kings.
24 Ook laten wij ulieden weten, aangaande alle priesteren en Levieten, zangers, poortiers, Nethinim en dienaars van het huis dezes Gods, dat men den cijns, ouden impost en tol hun niet zal vermogen op te leggen.
We are also commanding that none of the priests, descendants of Levi, musicians, temple guards, or other men who work in the temple, will be required to pay any kind of taxes.'
25 En gij, Ezra, naar de wijsheid uws Gods, die in uw hand is, stel regeerders en richters, die al het volk richten, dat aan gene zijde der rivier is, allen, die de wetten Gods weten, en die ze niet weet, zult gijlieden die bekend maken.
“Ezra, your God has enabled you to become very wise. Using that wisdom, appoint men in the province west of the [Euphrates] River who will judge cases involving the people, and men who will judge cases involving the government. You must appoint men who know the laws of your God. All of you must teach God’s laws to others who do not know them.
26 En al wie de wet uws Gods en de wet des konings niet zal doen, over dien laat spoediglijk recht worden gedaan, hetzij ter dood, of tot uitbanning, of tot boete van goederen, of tot de banden.
Everyone who does not obey God’s laws or the laws of my government must be punished severely. Some of them will be executed, some will be put in prison, some will be sent out of the country or have all their property taken away from them.”
27 Geloofd zij de HEERE, de God onzer vaderen, Die alzulks in het hart des konings gegeven heeft, om te versieren het huis des HEEREN, dat te Jeruzalem is.
[Because King Artaxerxes was very kind like that, I said], “Praise Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped/belonged to]! He has caused the king to want to honor the temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem.
28 En heeft tot mij weldadigheid geneigd, voor het aangezicht des konings en zijner raadsheren, en aller geweldige vorsten des konings! Zo heb ik mij gesterkt, naar de hand des HEEREN, mijns Gods, over mij, en de hoofden uit Israel vergaderd, om met mij op te trekken.
Because God was very kind to me, the king and all his advisors and all his powerful officials have also been kind to me. So, because God has helped me, I have become encouraged, and I have [been able to] persuade some of the Israeli leaders to go up to Jerusalem with me.”
