Ezra 7
Ezra Journeys from Babylon to Jerusalem
1 aNow after these things, in the reign of bArtaxerxes king of Persia, there went up Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest. 6This Ezra went up from Babylon, and he was a cscribe skilled in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all ▼▼ Lit his request
he requested ebecause the hand of the Lord his God was upon him. 7 fSome of the sons of Israel and some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. 8He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9For on the first of the first month ▼▼ Lit was the foundation
he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, hbecause the good hand of his God was upon him. 10For Ezra had set his heart to ▼▼ Lit seek
study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and jto teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. King’s Decree on Behalf of Ezra
11Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, ▼▼ Lit the scribe of
learned in the words of the commandments of the Lord and His statutes to Israel: 12 ▼▼ Ch 7:12-26 is in Aram
“Artaxerxes, mking of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now 13 nI have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. 14“Forasmuch as you are sent ▼▼ Lit from before
by the king and his pseven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God which is in your hand, 15and to bring the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, qwhose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16with rall the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along swith the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, who toffered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem; 17with this money, therefore, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams and lambs, uwith their grain offerings and their drink offerings and voffer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18“Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do according to the will of your God. 19“Also the utensils which are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem. 20“The rest of the needs for the house of your God, for which you may have occasion to provide, wprovide for it from the royal treasury. 21“I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the ▼▼ I.e. Euphrates River, and so throughout the ch
River, that whatever Ezra the priest, ythe scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently, 22even up to 100 talents of silver, 100 ▼▼ I.e. One kor equals approx ten bu
kors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt ▼▼ Lit without prescription
as needed. 23“Whatever is ▼▼ Lit from the decree of
commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, acso that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons. 24“We also inform you that adit is not allowed to ▼▼ Lit throw on them
impose tax, tribute or toll af on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim or servants of this house of God. 25“You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, agappoint magistrates and judges that they may judge all the people who are in the province beyond the River, even all those who know the laws of your God; and you may ahteach anyone who is ignorant of them. 26 ai“Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for ▼▼ Lit rooting out
banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.” The King’s Kindness
27Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, akwho has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to adorn the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem, 28and alhas extended lovingkindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king’s mighty princes. Thus I was strengthened according to amthe hand of the Lord my God upon me, and I gathered ▼▼ Lit heads
leading men from Israel to go up with me.
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