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,
Now after this, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra came up from Babylon. Ezra's ancestors were Seraiah, Azariah, Hilkiah,
2 The sonne of Shallum, the sonne of Zadok, the sonne of Ahitub,
Shallum, Zadok, Ahitub,
3 The sonne of Amariah, the sonne of Azariah, the sonne of Meraioth,
Amariah, Azariah, Meraioth,
4 The sonne of Zeraiah, the sonne of Vzzi, the sonne of Bukki,
Zerahiah, Uzzi, Bukki,
5 The sonne of Abishua, the sonne of Phinehas, the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron, the chiefe Priest.
Abishua, Phinehas, Eleazar, who was son of Aaron the high 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.
Ezra came up from Babylon and he was a skilled scribe in the law of Moses that Yahweh, the God of Israel, had given. The king gave him anything he asked since the hand of Yahweh was with him.
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.
Some of the descendants of Israel and the priests, Levites, temple singers, gatekeepers, and those assigned to serve in the temple also went up to 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.
He arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the same year.
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.
He left Babylon on the first day of the first month. It was on the first day of the fifth month that he arrived in Jerusalem, since the good hand of God was with 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.
Ezra had established his heart to study, carry out, and teach the statutes and decrees of the law of Yahweh.
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.
This was the decree that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest and scribe of Yahweh's commandments and 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.
“The King of kings Artaxerxes, to the priest Ezra, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven:
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.
I am ordering that anyone from Israel in my kingdom along with their priests and Levites who desires to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
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,
I, the king, and my seven counselors, send you all out to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to God's law, which is in your 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)
You are to bring the silver and gold that they have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling 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,
Freely give all the silver and gold that all of Babylon has given along with what is freely offered by the people and the priests for the house of God 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.
So buy in full the oxen, rams and lambs, and grain and drink offerings. Offer them on the altar that is in the house of your God 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.
Do with the rest of the silver and gold whatever seems good to you and your brothers, to please 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.
Place the objects that were freely given to you before him for the service of the house of your God in 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,
Anything else that is needed for the house of your God that you require, take its cost from my treasury.
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,
I, King Artaxerxes, make a decree to all the treasurers in the Province Beyond the River, that anything that Ezra asks from you should be given in full,
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 silver talents, one hundred cors of grain, one hundred baths of wine, and one hundred baths of oil, also salt without limit.
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?
Anything that comes from the decree of the God of Heaven, do it with devotion for his house. For why should his wrath come upon the kingdom of me and my 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.
We are informing them about you not to impose any tribute or taxes on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, or on the people assigned to the service of the temple and servants of the house of this God.
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.
Ezra, with the wisdom that God has given you, you must appoint judges and magistrates to judge all the people in the Province Beyond the River, and to serve all who know the laws of your God. You must also teach those who do not know the law.
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.
Punish anyone who does not fully obey God's law or the king's law, whether by death, banishment, confiscation of their goods, or 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,
Praise Yahweh, our ancestors' God, who placed all this into the king's heart to glorify Yahweh's house 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 extended covenant faithfulness to me before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officials. I have been strengthened by the hand of Yahweh my God, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go with me.
