Ezra 7
1 Now, 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 Arthasastha king of the Persians, came up Esdras the son of Saraias, the son of Azarias, the son of Chelcias,
2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub;
the son of Selum, the son of Sadduc, the son of Achitob,
3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth;
the son of Samarias, the son of Esria, the son of Mareoth,
4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki;
the son of Zaraia, the son of Ozias, the son of Bokki,
5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eliazar, son of Aaron the first priest; —
the son of Abisue, the son of Phinees, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the first priest.
6 this Ezra, came up out of Babylon, he, being a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which Yahweh God of Israel had given, —and the king gave him, according to the hand of Yahweh his God upon him, all his request.
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.
7 So then there came up some of the sons of Israel, and some of the priests and the Levites and the singers and the doorkeepers and the Nethinim, unto Jerusalem, —in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
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.
8 And he entered Jerusalem, in the fifth month, —the same, was the seventh year of the king.
And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, this [was] the seventh year of the king.
9 For, on the first of the first month, was a beginning made of coming up from Babylon, —and, on the first of the fifth month, entered he into Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.
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.
10 For, Ezra, had settled his heart, to study the law of Yahweh, and to do [it], —and to teach in Israel, statute and regulation.
For Esdras had determined in his heart to seek the law, and to do and teach the ordinances and judgments in Israel.
11 Now, this, is a copy of the letter which King Artaxerxes gave, to Ezra the priest the scribe, —the scribe of the words of the commandments of Yahweh, and of his statutes, for Israel: —
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.
12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, Unto Ezra the priest, scribe of the law of the God of the heavens—To despatch and so forth.
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.
13 From me, is issued an edict, that, every one in my kingdom, of the people of Israel, and of their priests and the Levites, who is minded of his own freewill to go to Jerusalem, with thee, let him go.
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.
14 Forasmuch as, from before the king and his seven counselors, thou art sent, to enquire concerning Judah and as to Jerusalem, —by the law of thy God which is in thy hand;
[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.
15 and to carry the silver and gold which the king and his counselors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, who, in Jerusalem, hath his habitation;
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.
16 and all the silver and the gold, which thou shalt find, in all the province of Babylon, —with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem,
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.
17 therefore, with all diligence, shalt thou buy—with this silver—bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meal-offerings, and their drink-offerings, —and shalt offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem;
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.
18 and, whatsoever, unto thee and unto thy brethren, shall seem good, with the rest of the silver and the gold, to do, according to the pleasure of your God, shall ye do.
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.
19 And, the utensils which are freely given to thee for the service of the house of thy God, put thou back, before the God of Jerusalem.
And deliver the vessels that are given you for the service of the house of God, before God in Jerusalem.
20 And, the rest of the need of the house of thy God, which it shall fall to thee to give, thou shalt give, out of the treasure-house of the king.
And as to the rest of the need of the house of your God, you shall give from the king's treasure-houses,
21 And, from me myself, Artaxerxes the king, issueth an edict, to all the treasurers who are Beyond the River, —that, whatsoever Ezra the priest the scribe of the law of the God of the heavens shall ask of you, with diligence, shall it be done:
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,
22 unto a hundred talents of silver, and unto a hundred measures of wheat, and unto a hundred baths of wine, and unto a hundred baths of oil, —and salt without limit.
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.
23 Whatsoever is due to an edict of the God of the heavens, let it be done diligently, for the house of the God of the heavens, —for wherefore should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
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.
24 And, you, we do certify, that, as touching any of the priests or the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the Nethinim, or the servitors of this house of God, tribute, excise or toll, shall it not be competent to impose upon them.
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.
25 And, thou, Ezra, according to the wisdom of thy God that is in thy hand, appoint thou judges and magistrates, who shall administer justice to all the people that are Beyond the River, to all who know the law of thy God, —and, whoso knoweth not, ye shall teach.
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.
26 But, whosoever shall not do the law of thy God and the law of the king, speedily, let, penalty, be exacted from him, —whether to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
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.
27 Blessed be Yahweh, God of our fathers, —who hath put the like of this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of Yahweh, which is in Jerusalem;
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;
28 and, unto me, hath extended lovingkindness, before the king and his counselors, yea all the valiant captains of the king, —I, therefore have emboldened myself, according to the hand of Yahweh my God upon me, and gathered out of Israel, chief men, to go up with me.
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.
