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 this, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra came up from Babylon. Ezra's ancestors were Seraiah, Azariah, Hilkiah,
2 the son of Selum, the son of Sadduc, the son of Achitob,
Shallum, Zadok, Ahitub,
3 the son of Samarias, the son of Esria, the son of Mareoth,
Amariah, Azariah, Meraioth,
4 the son of Zaraia, the son of Ozias, the son of Bokki,
Zerahiah, Uzzi, Bukki,
5 the son of Abisue, the son of Phinees, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the first priest.
Abishua, Phinehas, Eleazar, who was son of Aaron the high priest.
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.
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 [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.
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 they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, this [was] the seventh year of the king.
He arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the same year.
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.
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 Esdras had determined in his heart to seek the law, and to do and teach the ordinances and judgments 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 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.
This was the decree that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest and scribe of Yahweh's commandments and statutes for 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.
“The King of kings Artaxerxes, to the priest Ezra, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven:
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 you.
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 [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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
Do with the rest of the silver and gold whatever seems good to you and your brothers, to please your God.
19 And deliver the vessels that are given you for the service of the house of God, before God in Jerusalem.
Place the objects that were freely given to you before him for the service of the house of your God in Jerusalem.
20 And as to the rest of the need of the house of your God, you shall give from the king's treasure-houses,
Anything else that is needed for the house of your God that you require, take its cost from my treasury.
21 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,
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 whoever 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.
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, who has put it thus into the heart of the king, to glorify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem;
Praise Yahweh, our ancestors' God, who placed all this into the king's heart to glorify Yahweh's house in Jerusalem,
28 and has given me favor 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.
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.
