Ezra 7:12-26
12 ▼▼sn Ezra 7:12-26 is written in Aramaic rather than Hebrew.
“Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven: ▼▼tn The verse ends with גְּמִיר וּכְעֶנֶת (gemir ukheʿenet) meaning “completed and now” or “perfect and now.” Some take the masculine form גְּמִיר (gemir) to apply to Ezra, as an expert scribe (Youngs, HCSB, Darby). Many others take it as an abbreviated greeting “perfect (peace)” (KJV, NASB, ESV). Some simply render “Greetings” (NIV). The second term “and now” is understood either as beginning the letter’s text, i.e., that it belongs in the next verse (ESV), or as a form of “et cetera” meaning that the full introduction, whether of Ezra’s titles or of a lengthier list of greetings was deliberately omitted as extraneous to Ezra’s purposes here. The LXX interprets it as an introduction, “the message and answer are completed.”
13I have now issued a decree ▼ that anyone in my kingdom from the people of Israel—even the priests and Levites—who wishes to do so may go up with you to Jerusalem. 14You are authorized ▼▼tn Aram “sent.”
by the king and his seven advisers to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your possession, ▼▼tn Aram “in your hand.”
15and to bring silver and gold which the king and his advisers have freely contributed to the God of Israel, who resides in Jerusalem, 16along with all the silver and gold that you may collect ▼▼tn Aram “find.”
throughout all the province of Babylon and the contributions of the people and the priests for the temple of their God which is in Jerusalem. 17With this money you should be sure to purchase bulls, rams, and lambs, along with the appropriate ▼▼tn Aram “their meal offerings and their libations.”
meal offerings and libations. You should bring them to the altar of the temple of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18You may do whatever seems appropriate to you and your colleagues ▼▼tn Aram “brothers.”
with the rest of the silver and the gold, in keeping with the will of your God. 19Deliver to ▼▼tn Or “before.”
the God of Jerusalem the vessels that are given to you for the service of the temple of your God. 20The rest of the needs for the temple of your God that you may have to supply, ▼▼tn Aram “may fall to you to give.”
you may do so from the royal treasury. 21 “I, King Artaxerxes, hereby issue orders to all the treasurers of ▼▼tn Aram “who are in.”
Trans-Euphrates that you precisely execute all that Ezra the priestly scribe of the law of the God of heaven may request of you— 22up to 100 talents of silver, 100 cors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of olive oil, ▼▼tc The translation reads מְשַׁח בַּתִּין (meshakh battin) rather than בַּתִּין מְשַׁח (battin meshakh) of the MT.
and unlimited ▼▼tn Aram “he did not write.”
salt. 23Everything that the God of heaven has required should be precisely done for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should there be wrath ▼▼tn The Aramaic word used here for “wrath” (קְצַף, qetsaf; cf. Heb קָצַף, qatsaf) is usually used in the Hebrew Bible for God’s anger as opposed to human anger (but contra Eccl 5:17 [MT 5:16]; Esth 1:18; 2 Kgs 3:27). The fact that this word is used in v. 23 may have theological significance, pointing to the possibility of divine judgment if the responsible parties should fail to make available these provisions for the temple.
against the empire of the king and his sons? 24Furthermore, be aware of the fact ▼▼tn Aram “we are making known to you.”
that you have no authority to impose tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the musicians, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or the attendants at the temple of this God. 25 “Now you, Ezra, in keeping with the wisdom of your God which you possess, ▼▼tn Aram “in your hand.”
appoint judges ▼▼tc For the MT reading שָׁפְטִין (shoftim, “judges”) the LXX uses the noun γραμματεῖς (grammateis, “scribes”).
and court officials who can arbitrate cases on behalf of all the people who are in Trans-Euphrates who know the laws of your God. Those who do not know this law should be taught. 26Everyone who does not observe both the law of your God and the law of the king will be completely ▼▼tn On the meaning of this word see HALOT 1820-21 s.v. אָסְפַּרְנָא; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 14.
liable to the appropriate penalty, whether it is death or banishment or confiscation of property or detainment in prison.”
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