Ezra 7
1 Now after these things, in the reigne of Artahshashte King of Persia, was Ezra the sonne of Seraiah, the sonne of Azariah, the sonne of Hilkiah,
And after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king of Persia, Ezra the son of Serayah, the son of 'Azaryah, the son of Chilkiyah,
2 The sonne of Shallum, the sonne of Zadok, the sonne of Ahitub,
The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Achitub,
3 The sonne of Amariah, the sonne of Azariah, the sonne of Meraioth,
The son of Amaryah, the son of 'Azaryah, the son of Merayoth,
4 The sonne of Zeraiah, the sonne of Vzzi, the sonne of Bukki,
The son of Zerachyah, the son of 'Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
5 The sonne of Abishua, the sonne of Phinehas, the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron, the chiefe Priest.
The son of Abishua', the son of Phinehas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:
6 This Ezra came vp from Babel, and was a Scribe prompt in the Lawe of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had giuen, and the King gaue him all his request according to the hande of the Lord his God which was vpon him.
This 'Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a practised expounder in the law of Moses, which the Lord the God of Israel hath given; and the king gave him, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him, all his request.
7 And there went vp certaine of the children of Israel, and of the Priests, and the Leuites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims vnto Ierusalem, in the seuenth yere of King Artahshashte.
And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the gate-keepers, and the temple-servants, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of king Artaxerxes.
8 And hee came to Ierusalem in the fift moneth, which was in the seuenth yeere of the King.
And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
9 For vpon the first day of the first moneth began he to goe vp from Babel, and on the first day of the fift moneth came he to Ierusalem, according to the good hande of his God that was vpon him.
For on the first day of the first month was the commencement of the expedition 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 prepared his heart to seeke the Lawe of the Lord, and to doe it, and to teach the precepts and iudgements in Israel.
For 'Ezra had directed his heart to inquire in the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances.
11 And this is the copie of the letter that King Artahshashte gaue vnto Ezra the Priest and scribe, euen a writer of the words of the commadements of ye Lord, and of his statutes ouer Israel.
Now this is the copy of the letter which king Artaxerxes gave unto 'Ezra the priest, the expounder of the law, the expounder of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his statutes for Israel.
12 ARTAHSHASHTE King of Kings to Ezra the Priest and perfite scribe of the Lawe of the God of heauen, and to Cheeneth.
Artaxerxes, the king of kings, unto 'Ezra the priest, the expounder of the law of the God of heaven, the perfect, and so forth.
13 I haue giuen commandement, that euery one, that is willing in my kingdome of the people of Israel, and of the Priestes, and Leuites to goe to Ierusalem with thee, shall goe.
By me is the order given, that every one who is freely willing in my kingdom out of the people of Israel, and their priests and Levites, to go up to Jerusalem, may go up with thee:
14 Therefore art thou sent of the King and his seuen counsellers, to enquire in Iudah and Ierusalem, according to the lawe of thy God, which is in thine hand,
Forasmuch as thou art sent on the part of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to make inquiry concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thy hand;
15 And to carry the siluer and the gold, which the King and his cousellers willingly offer vnto the God of Israel (whose habitation is in Ierusalem)
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 And all the siluer and gold that thou canst finde in all the prouince of Babel, with the free offring of the people, and that which the Priestes offer willingly to the house of their God which is in Ierusalem,
And all [freewill offerings of] silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offerings which the people and the priests offer willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem.
17 That thou mayest bye speedily with this siluer, bullocks, rammes, lambes, with their meate offrings and their drinke offrings: and thou shalt offer them vpon the altar of the house of your God, which is in Ierusalem.
Therefore mayest thou buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat-offerings and their drink-offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
18 And whatsoeuer it pleaseth thee and thy brethren to do with the rest of the siluer, and gold, doe ye it according to the will of your God.
And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do according to the will of your God.
19 And the vessels that are giuen thee for the seruice of the house of thy God, those deliuer thou before God in Ierusalem.
And the vessels which have been given unto thee for the service of the house of thy God, deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.
20 And the residue that shall be needeful for the house of thy God, which shall be meete for thee to bestowe, thou shalt bestowe it out of the Kings treasure house,
And the remainder that will yet be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to procure, procure out of the King's treasure-house.
21 And I King Artahshashte haue giuen commandemet to all the treasurers which are beyond the Riuer, that whatsoeuer Ezra the Priest and Scribe of the Law of the God of heauen shall require of you, that it be done incontinently,
And by me, me King Artaxerxes, is the order given unto all the treasurers who are beyond the river, that whatsoever 'Ezra the priest, the expounder of the law of the God of heaven, may demand of you, shall be done speedily.
22 Vnto an hundreth talents of siluer, vnto an hundreth measures of wheate, and vnto an hundreth baths of wine, and vnto an hundreth baths of oyle, and salt without writing.
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 salt without prescribing it.
23 Whatsoeuer is by the commandement of the God of heauen, let it be done speedily for the house of the God of heauen: for why should he be wroth against the realme of the King, and his children?
Whatsoever is ordered by the God of heaven shall be carefully done for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons?
24 And we certifie you, that vpon any of the Priestes, Leuites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or Ministers in this house of God, there shall no gouernour laye vpon them tolle, tribute nor custome.
And to you make we it known, that on any of the priests and Levites, singers, gate-keepers, and temple-servants, or ministers of this house of God, no one shall be empowered to impose any tax, tribute, or toll.
25 And thou Ezra (after the wisedome of thy God, that is in thine hand) set iudges and arbiters, which may iudge all the people that is beyond the Riuer, euen all that knowe the Lawe of thy God, and teach ye them that know it not.
And thou, 'Ezra, according to the wisdom of thy God which is in thy hand, appoint judges and magistrates, who are to judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and make ye them known to those that know them not.
26 And whosoeuer will not doe the Lawe of thy God, and the Kings lawe, let him haue iudgement without delay, whether it be vnto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
And if there be any one who will not execute the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let justice be speedily executed upon him, whether it be unto death or to banishment, or to a fine on goods, or to imprisonment.
27 Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, which so hath put in the Kings heart, to beautifie the house of the Lord that is in Ierusalem,
Blessed be the Lord the God of our fathers, who hath put the like of this in the heart of the king, to glorify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem;
28 And hath enclined mercy toward me, before the King and his counsellers, and before all the Kings mightie Princes: and I was comforted by the hand of the Lord my God which was vpon me, and I gathered the chiefe of Israel to goe vp with me.
And who hath extended kindness unto me before the king and his counsellors, and before all the mighty princes of the king: and I strengthened myself according to the hand of the Lord my God upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel principal men to go up with me.
