Ezra 7
1 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,
Now after these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes, the king of the Persians, Ezra, the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
2 the son of Selum, the son of Sadduc, the son of Achitob,
the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
3 the son of Samarias, the son of Esria, the son of Mareoth,
the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
4 the son of Zaraia, the son of Ozias, the son of Bokki,
the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
5 the son of Abisue, the son of Phinees, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the first priest.
the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, priest from the beginning,
6 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.
this same Ezra, ascended from Babylon; and he was a proficient scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God gave to Israel. And the king granted to him his every petition. For the hand of the Lord, his God, was over him.
7 And [some] of the children of Israel went up, and [some] of the priests, and of the Levites, and the singers, and the door-keepers, and the Nathinim, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Arthasastha the king.
And some from the sons of Israel, and from the sons of the priests, and from the sons of the Levites, and from the singing men, and from the gatekeepers, and from the temple servants ascended to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of king Artaxerxes.
8 And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, this [was] the seventh year of the king.
And they arrived at Jerusalem in the fifth month, in the same seventh year of the king.
9 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.
For on the first day of the first month, he began to ascend from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month, he arrived at Jerusalem. For the good hand of his God was over him.
10 For Esdras had determined in his heart to seek the law, and to do and teach the ordinances and judgments in Israel.
For Ezra prepared his heart, so that he might search the law of the Lord, and so that he might keep and teach precept and judgment in Israel.
11 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.
Now this is a copy of the letter of the edict, which king Artaxerxes gave to Ezra, the priest, a scribe well-taught in the words and precepts of the Lord and in his ceremonies in Israel:
12 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.
“Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra, the priest, a very learned scribe of the law of the God of heaven: a greeting.
13 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 thee.
It has been decreed by me, that whosoever wishes, among the people of Israel and their priests and Levites within my kingdom, to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
14 [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 thine hand.
For you have been sent from the face of the king and his seven counselors, so that you may visit Judea and Jerusalem by the law of your God, which is in your hand,
15 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.
and so that you may carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose tabernacle is in Jerusalem.
16 And all the silver and gold, whatsoever thou shalt find in all the land of Babylon, with the freewill-offering of the people, and the priests that offer freely for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.
And all the silver and gold, as much as you will find in the entire province of Babylon, and which the people will wish to offer, and which some of the priests will offer freely to the house of their God, which is in Jerusalem,
17 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 thou shalt offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
accept it freely. And with this money, carefully purchase calves, rams, lambs, and their sacrifices and libations, and offer these upon the altar of the temple of your God, which is in Jerusalem.
18 And whatever it shall seem good to thee and to thy brethren to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do as it is pleasing to your God.
But also, whatever it will please you and your brothers to do with the remainder of the silver and gold, do so in accord with the will of your God.
19 And deliver the vessels that are given thee for the service of the house of God, before God in Jerusalem.
Likewise, the vessels that have been given to you for the ministry of the house of your God, deliver these to the sight of God in Jerusalem.
20 And as to the rest of the need of the house of thy God, thou shalt give from the king's treasure-houses,
Then, whatever more will be needed for the house of your God, as much as is necessary for you to spend, it shall be given from the treasury, and from the king’s finances,
21 and from me, whatever it shall seem [good] to thee 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,
and by me. I, king Artaxerxes, have appointed and decreed to all the keepers of the public treasury, those who are beyond the river, that whatever Ezra, the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall ask of you, you shall provide it without delay,
22 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.
even up to one hundred talents of silver, and up to one hundred cors of wheat, and up to one hundred baths of wine, and up to one hundred baths of oil, and truly salt without measure.
23 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.
All that pertains to the rite of the God of heaven, let it be distributed scrupulously to the house of the God of heaven, lest perhaps he may become angry against the kingdom of the king and his sons.
24 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 thee; thou shalt not have power to oppress them.
Likewise, we would make known to you, about all the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the temple servants, and the ministers of the house of this God, that you have no authority to impose tax, or tribute, or duty upon them.
25 And thou, Esdras, as the wisdom of God [is] in thy hand, appoint scribes and judges, that they may judge for all the people beyond the river, all that know the law of the Lord thy God; and ye shall make it known to him that knows not.
But as for you, Ezra, in accord with the wisdom of your God, which is in your hand, appoint judges and magistrates, so that they may judge the entire people, which is beyond the river, especially so that they may know the law of your God, but also so as to teach the ignorant freely.
26 And whosoever 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.
And anyone who will not diligently keep the law of your God, and the law of the king, judgment shall be upon him, either to death, or to exile, or to the confiscation of his goods, or certainly to prison.”
27 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;
Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who has put this into the heart of the king, so that he may glorify the house of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem.
28 and has given me favour 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.
For he has turned his mercy toward me in the sight of the king, and his counselors, and all the powerful leaders of the king. And so, having been strengthened by the hand of the Lord, my God, which was upon me, I gathered together some of the leaders of Israel, those who were to go up with me.
