Ezra 7
1 And after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra 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 head priest;
The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:
6 Ezra himself has come up from Babylon, and he [is] a scribe ready in the Law of Moses, that YHWH God of Israel gave, and the king gives to him—according to the hand of his God YHWH on him—all his request.
This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which Yhwh God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of Yhwh his God upon him.
7 And there go up of the sons of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
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 And he comes to Jerusalem in the fifth month, that [is in] the seventh year of the king,
And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
9 for on the first of the month he has founded the ascent from Babylon, and on the first of the fifth month he has come to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on 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 has prepared his heart to seek the Law of YHWH, and to do, and to teach in Israel statute and judgment.
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of Yhwh, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
11 And this [is] a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a scribe of the words of the commands of YHWH, and of His statutes on 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 Yhwh, and of his statutes to Israel.
12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe of the Law of the God of the heavens, and at such a time:
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 By me has been made a decree that everyone who is willing, in my kingdom, of the people of Israel and of its priests and Levites, to go to Jerusalem with you, go;
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 thee.
14 because that from the king and his seven counselors you are sent, to inquire concerning Judah and concerning Jerusalem, with the Law of God that [is] in your hand,
Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;
15 and to carry silver and gold that the king and his counselors willingly offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling place [is] 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 and all the silver and gold that you find in all the province of Babylon, with the free-will offerings of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly, for the house of their God that [is] in Jerusalem,
And all the silver and gold that thou canst 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 therefore you speedily buy with this money, bullocks, rams, lambs, and their presents, and their drink-offerings, and bring them near to the altar of the house of your God that [is] in Jerusalem,
That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
18 and that which to you and to your brothers is good to do with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God you do.
And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.
19 And the vessels that are given to you, for the service of the house of your God, make perfect before the God of Jerusalem;
The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.
20 and the rest of the necessary things of the house of your God, that it falls to you to give, you give from the treasure-house of the king.
And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house.
21 And by me—I Artaxerxes the king—is made a decree to all treasurers who [are] beyond the river, that all that Ezra the priest, scribe of the Law of the God of the heavens, asks of you, be done speedily:
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 To silver one hundred talents, and to wheat one hundred cors, and to wine one hundred baths, and to oil one hundred baths, and salt without reckoning;
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 all that [is] by the decree of the God of the heavens, let be done diligently for the house of the God of the heavens; for why is there wrath against the kingdom of 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 And to you we are making known, that on any of the priests and Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, and servants of the house of God, tribute and custom there is no authority to lift up.
Also we certify you, that touching 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 And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God, that [is] in your hand, appoint magistrates—even judges who may be judging—judging all the people who are beyond the river, to all knowing the Law of your God, and he who has not known, you cause to know;
And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not.
26 and any who does not do the Law of your God, and the law of the king, judgment is done speedily on him, whether to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of riches, and to bonds.”
And whosoever will not do the law of thy 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 Blessed [is] YHWH, God of our fathers, who has given such a thing as this in the heart of the king, to beautify the house of YHWH that [is] in Jerusalem,
Blessed be Yhwh God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of Yhwh which is in Jerusalem:
28 and to me has stretched out kindness before the king and his counselors, and before all the mighty heads of the king: and I have strengthened myself as the hand of my God YHWH [is] on me, and I gather out of Israel heads to go up with me.
And hath 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 Yhwh my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
