Ezra 7
Ezra Journeys from Babylon to Jerusalem
1 aNow after these things, in the reign of bArtaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra went up to Jerusalem; Ezra was the 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. 6So this 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. 8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, gbecause the good hand of his God was upon him. 10For Ezra had ▼
▼Lit set his heart
firmly resolved to study the Law of the Lord and to practice it, and ito teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. King’s Decree on Behalf of Ezra
11 Now this is the copy of the letter which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, ▼▼Or 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, lking of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, ▼▼Or perhaps it is determined
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. 14Since you are sent ▼▼Lit from before
on the part of the king and his pseven advisers to inquire about 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 advisers have voluntarily given to the God of Israel, qwhose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16with rall the silver and gold which you find in the entire province of Babylon, along swith the ▼▼Or freewill offering
voluntary offering of the people and of the priests, who uoffered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem; 17with this money, therefore, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams, and lambs, vwith their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and woffer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18And whatever seems good to you and your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do according to the will of your God. 19Also the utensils which are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem. 20And the rest of the needs of the house of your God, for which it may be incumbent upon you to provide, xprovide for them from the royal treasury. 21 “I myself, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the Euphrates 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, 22up to ▼
▼About 3.75 tons or 3.4 metric tons
a hundred talents of silver, ▼▼About 770 cubic feet or 22 cubic meters
a hundred kors of wheat, ▼▼About 600 gallons or 2,271 liters
a hundred baths of wine, ▼▼About 600 gallons or 2,271 liters
a hundred baths of anointing oil, and salt ▼▼Lit without instruction
as needed. 23Whatever is ▼▼Lit from the command of
commanded by the God of heaven, it shall be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, afso that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons. 24We also inform you that agit is not allowed to impose tax, tribute, or toll ahon 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 is in your hand, aiappoint magistrates and judges so that they may judge all the people who are in the province beyond the Euphrates River, that is, all those who know the laws of your God; and you may ajteach anyone who is ignorant of them. 26And akwhoever does not comply with the Law of your God and the law of the king, judgment is to be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for banishment, or for ▼
▼Or fines
confiscation of property or for imprisonment.” The King’s Kindness
27 Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, amwho has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to glorify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem, 28and anhas extended favor to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king’s mighty officials. So I was strengthened according to aothe hand of the Lord my God that was upon me, and I gathered ▼▼Lit heads
leading men from Israel to go up with me.
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