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 Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,
The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,
The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,
The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the high priest.
The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief 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 Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
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 there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of King Artaxerxes' reign.
And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in 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 upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God 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 Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
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:
Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.
12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.
Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.
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.
I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, 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.
Forasmuch as you are sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which 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 to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is 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 that you can find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their 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.
That you may buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their food offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon 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 whatsoever shall seem good to you, and to your brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of 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.
The vessels also that are given you for the service of the house of your God, those deliver you before the God of 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 whatsoever more shall be necessary for the house of your God, which you shall have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house.
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 I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it 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.
Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
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?
Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there 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 we certify you, that concerning any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon 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, Ezra, after the wisdom of your God, that is in your hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of your God; and teach all of you them that know them 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 whosoever will not do the law of your God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
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, which has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify 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 extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
