Ezra 7
1 Many years later, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
Now after these things, in the reign of Arthasastha king of the Persians, came up Esdras the son of Saraias, the son of Azarias, the son of Chelcias,
2 the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
the son of Selum, the son of Sadduc, the son of Achitob,
3 the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
the son of Samarias, the son of Esria, the son of Mareoth,
4 the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
the son of Zaraia, the son of Ozias, the son of Bokki,
5 the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—
the son of Abisue, the son of Phinees, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the first priest.
6 this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted Ezra all his requests, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.
This Esdras went up out of Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel gave: and the king gave him [leave], for the hand of the Lord his God was upon him in all things which he sought.
7 So in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, he went up to Jerusalem with some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants.
And [some] of the children of Israel went up, and [some] of the priests, and of the Levites, and the singers, and the doorkeepers, and the Nathinim, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Arthasastha the king.
8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king.
And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, this [was] the seventh year of the king.
9 He had begun the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him.
For in the first [day] of the first month he began the going up from Babylon, and in the first day of the fifth month, they came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was upon him.
10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.
For Esdras had determined in his heart to seek the law, and to do and teach the ordinances and judgments in Israel.
11 This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in the commandments and statutes of the LORD to Israel:
And this [is] the copy of the order which Arthasastha gave to Esdras the priest, the scribe of the book of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his ordinances to Israel.
12 Artaxerxes, king of kings. To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.
Arthasastha, king of kings, to Esdras, the scribe of the law of the Lord God of heaven, Let the order and the answer be accomplished.
13 I hereby decree that any volunteers among the Israelites in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may go up with you to Jerusalem.
A decree is made by me, that every one who is willing in my kingdom of the people of Israel, and of the priests and Levites, to go to Jerusalem, [be permitted] to go with you.
14 You are sent by the king and his seven counselors to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.
[One] has been sent from the king and the seven councillors, to visit Judea and Jerusalem, according to the law of their God that is in your hand.
15 Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
And for the house of the Lord [there have been sent] silver and gold, which the king and the councillors have freely given to the God of Israel, who dwells in Jerusalem.
16 together with all the silver and gold you may find in all the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem.
And all the silver and gold, whatever you shall find in all the land of Babylon, with the free will offering of the people, and the priests that offer freely for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.
17 With this money, therefore, you are to buy as many bulls, rams, and lambs as needed, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem.
And as for every one that arrives [there], speedily order him by this letter [to bring] calves, rams, lambs, and their meat-offerings, and their drink-offerings; and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
18 You and your brothers may do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God.
And whatever it shall seem good to you and to your brethren to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do as it is pleasing to your God.
19 You must deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God.
And deliver the vessels that are given you for the service of the house of God, before God in Jerusalem.
20 And if anything else is needed for the house of your God that you may have occasion to supply, you may pay for it from the royal treasury.
And as to the rest of the need of the house of your God, you shall give from the king's treasure-houses,
21 I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers west of the Euphrates: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it must be provided promptly,
and from me, whatever it shall seem [good] to you to give. I king Arthasastha have made a decree for all the treasuries that are in the [country] beyond the river, that whatever Esdras the priest and scribe of the God of heaven may ask you, it shall be done speedily,
22 up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit.
to [the amount of] a hundred talents of silver, and a hundred measures of wheat, and a hundred baths of wine, and a hundred baths of oil, and salt without reckoning.
23 Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for His house. For why should wrath fall on the realm of the king and his sons?
Let whatever is in the decree of the God of heaven, be done: take heed lest any one make an attack on the house of the God of heaven, lest at any time there shall be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons.
24 And be advised that you have no authority to impose tribute, duty, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
Also this has been declared to you, with respect to all the priests, and Levites, the singers, porters, Nathinim and ministers of the house of God, let no tribute be [paid] to you; you shall not have power to oppress them.
25 And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which you possess, are to appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people west of the Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach these laws to anyone who does not know them.
And you, Esdras, as the wisdom of God [is] in your hand, appoint scribes and judges, that they may judge for all the people beyond the river, all that know the law of the Lord your God; and you shall make it known to him that knows not.
26 If anyone does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let a strict judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.
And whoever shall not do the law of God, and the law of the king readily, judgment shall be taken upon him, whether for death or for chastisement, or for a fine of his property, or casting into prison.
27 Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put into the heart of the king to so honor the house of the LORD in Jerusalem,
Blessed [be] the Lord God of our fathers, who has put it thus into the heart of the king, to glorify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem;
28 and who has shown me favor before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officials. And because the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, I took courage and gathered the leaders of Israel to return with me.
and has given me favor in the eyes of the king, and of his councillors, and all the rulers of the king, the exalted ones. And I was strengthened according to the good hand of God upon me, and I gathered chief men of Israel to go up with me.
