Ezra 7
1 After all this, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra arrived from Babylon. He was the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, 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 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,
the son of Selum, the son of Sadduc, the son of Achitob,
3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,
the son of Samarias, the son of Esria, the son of Mareoth,
4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,
the son of Zaraia, the son of Ozias, the son of Bokki,
5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the high priest.
the son of Abisue, the son of Phinees, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the first priest.
6 This Ezra arrived from Babylon, and was a scribe who was an expert in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given to Israel. The king had granted Ezra everything he'd asked for, because the Lord his God was with 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 In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes left for Jerusalem, accompanied by some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests and Levites, singers and 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 King Artaxerxes' reign.
And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, this [was] the seventh year of the king.
9 He had started 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, his gracious God going with 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 committed himself to gaining insights from the Law of the Lord, wanting to practice it and to teach in Israel its rules and how to live.
For Esdras had determined in his heart to seek the law, and to do and teach the ordinances and judgements in Israel.
11 This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, who had studied the Lord's commandments and regulations given 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 issue this decree: Any of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom who voluntarily decide to go to Jerusalem with you may do so.
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 being sent by the king and his seven counselors to investigate the situation in Judah and Jerusalem as it relates to the Law of your God, which you carry with you.
[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 We also instruct you to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have voluntarily donated to the God of Israel, whose lives 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 receive from the province of Babylon, as well as the voluntary donations of the people and priests to the Temple 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 You are to use this money first to buy as many bulls, rams, and lambs as necessary, along with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and present them on the altar at the Temple 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 Then you and those with you may decide to use the rest of the silver and gold in whatever way you think best, in accordance with 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 But the items you have been given for the service of the Temple of your God must be all delivered to the God of Jerusalem.
And deliver the vessels that are given you for the service of the house of God, before God in Jerusalem.
20 If there is anything else required for the Temple of your God that you have to provide, you may charge it to 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 that all the treasurers west of the Euphrates should provide whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require from you, and it must be provided in full,
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 one hundred talents of silver, one hundred cors of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of olive oil, and unrestricted amounts of salt.
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 Make sure you provide in full whatever the God of heaven requires for his Temple, for why should his anger be brought down on 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 Also be aware that all of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Temple servants, or other workers of this Temple are exempt from paying any tax, tribute, or fees, and you are not authorized to charge them.
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 You, Ezra, are to follow the wisdom of your God which you possess, shall appoint magistrates and judges to provide justice to all the people west of the Euphrates—all those who follow the laws of your God. You are to teach these laws to those who do not.
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 Anyone who does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, will be severely punished, either by death, banishment, seizure of property, or imprisonment.”
And whoever shall not do the law of God, and the law of the king readily, judgement shall be taken upon him, whether for death or for chastisement, or for a fine of his property, or casting into prison.
27 Praise the Lord, the God of our forefathers, who put into the king's mind to honor the Lord's Temple in Jerusalem in this way,
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 such kindness by honoring me before the king, his counselors, and all his high officials. Because the Lord my God was with me, I was encouraged and called together the leaders of Israel to return to Jerusalem with me.
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.
