Ezra 7

1 Many years later, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

2 the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,

3 the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,

4 the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,

5 the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—

6 this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted Ezra all his requests, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.

7 So in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, he went up to Jerusalem with some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants.

8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king.

9 He had begun the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him.

10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.

11 This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in the commandments and statutes of the LORD to Israel:

12 Artaxerxes, king of kings. To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.

13 I hereby decree that any volunteers among the Israelites in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may go up with you to Jerusalem.

14 You are sent by the king and his seven counselors to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.

15 Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,

16 together with all the silver and gold you may find in all the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem.

17 With this money, therefore, you are to buy as many bulls, rams, and lambs as needed, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem.

18 You and your brothers may do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God.

19 You must deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God.

20 And if anything else is needed for the house of your God that you may have occasion to supply, you may pay for it from the royal treasury.

21 I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers west of the Euphrates: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it must be provided promptly,

22 up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit.

23 Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for His house. For why should wrath fall on the realm of the king and his sons?

24 And be advised that you have no authority to impose tribute, duty, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

25 And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God, which you possess, are to appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people west of the Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach these laws to anyone who does not know them.

26 If anyone does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let a strict judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.

27 Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put into the heart of the king to so honor the house of the LORD in Jerusalem,

28 and who has shown me favor before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officials. And because the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, I took courage and gathered the leaders of Israel to return with me.

1 ¶ 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 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,

3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,

4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,

5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:

6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he [was] a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.

7 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 came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which [was] in the seventh year of the king.

9 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 had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do [it], and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

11 ¶ 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 the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.

12 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 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 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 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 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 That thou mayest 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 [be] the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put [such a thing] as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which [is] in Jerusalem:

28 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 the LORD my God [was] upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.

1 According to these acts in the kingdom of Arthahsashtas king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, went up from Babylon,

2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,

3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,

4 The son of Seraiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bubi,

5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the chief priest,

6 Who was a skillful scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given. And the king gave him all that he required, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.

7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and of the Levites, and of the singers, and of the porters, and of the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Arthashta the king.

8 And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which is the seventh year of the king.

9 For in the first day of the first month he was counselled to go up from Babylon; and in the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of God upon him.

10 For Ezra sent his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do and teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

11 And this is the substance of the letter which Arthaxerxes the king gave unto Ezra the priest the scribe, which was a teacher in the words of the LORD, and in his commandments concerning Israel:

12 Arthahsastha, king of kings, peace and salutation unto Ezra the priest and scribe in the law of GOD from heaven!

13 And it is commanded of me that all they that are of free will in my kingdom, of the people of Israel, and of the priests, and of the Levites, should go up to Jerusalem, that they should go with thee,

14 Sent by the king and the seven counsellors to visit Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of GOD, which is under thine hand,

15 And thou shalt take silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors shall freely give unto the God of Israel, whose tabernacle is at Jerusalem,

16 And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the country of Babylon, with that which the people and the priests freely give unto the house of GOD at Jerusalem.

17 Take all these, and buy diligently of the same money calves, and lambs, and he goats, and meat offering, and drink offerings, to offer upon the altar of the house of your God which is at Jerusalem.

18 And whatsoever it shall please thee and thy brethren to do with the rest of the money, do it according to the will of your God.

19 And the vessels which are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, deliver them up before God in Jerusalem.

20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which it shall befall thee to spend, let it be given out of the king's chamber.

21 I, king Arthahsastha, have commanded these things unto the treasurers on the other side of the river, that whatsoever Ezra shall require of you, the priest and scribe in the law of GOD from heaven, that ye do diligently,

22 To 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 measure.

23 All things that pertain unto the law of God from heaven, to do them diligently unto the house of God from heaven, lest wrath come upon the king's kingdom, and upon his children.

24 And let it be known unto you, that ye have no power to lay interest, or toll, or yearly rent, upon any priest, or Levite, or singer, or porter, or Nethinim, or servant, in the house of this God.

25 And thou, Ezra, according to the wisdom of thy God, which is under thine hand, appoint judges and officers to judge all the people that are beyond the waters, all they that know the law of thy God; and they that know it not, teach them.

26 And whosoever shall not diligently do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, he shall have his sentence for the deed, whether it be to death, or to the eight, or to the penance of the estate, or to prison.

27 Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath inspired the king to adorn the house of God which is at Jerusalem,

28 And he showed me mercy in the sight of the king, and in the sight of his counsellors, and in the sight of all the king's mighty men. And I was confident in the hand of the LORD my God upon me, and gathered the heads of Israel to go up with me.