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
,
son of Shallum
, son
of Zadok
, son
of Ahitub
,
son of Amariah
, son
of Azariah
, son
of Meraioth
,
son of Zerahiah
, son
of Uzzi
, son
of Bukki
,
son of Abishua
, son
of Phinehas
, son
of Eleazar
, son
of Aaron
the chief
priest
.
This Ezra
went
up from Babylon
, and he was a ascribe
skilled
in the law
of Moses
, which
the LORD
God
of Israel
had given
; and the king
granted
him all
1he requested
bbecause the hand
of the LORD
his God
was upon him.
aSome 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
.
He came to Jerusalem
in the fifth
month
, which
was in the seventh
year
of the king
.
For on the first of the first
month
1he began
to go
up from Babylon
; and on the first
of the fifth
month
he came
to Jerusalem
, abecause the good
hand
of his God
was upon him.
For Ezra had set
his heart
to 1study
the law
of the LORD
and to practice
it, and ato teach
His statutes
and ordinances
in Israel
.
Now this is the copy
of the decree
which
King
Artaxerxes
gave
to Ezra
the priest
, the scribe
, 1learned
in the words
of the commandments
of the LORD
and His statutes
to Israel
:
" 1Artaxerxes, aking
of kings
, to Ezra
the priest
, the scribe
of the law
of the God
of heaven
, perfect
peace. And now
aI 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.
"Forasmuch as you are sent
1by the king
and his aseven
counselors
to inquire
concerning
Judah
and Jerusalem
according to the law
of your God
which
is in your hand
,
and to bring the silver
and gold
, which
the king
and his counselors
have freely
offered
to the God
of Israel
, awhose
dwelling
is in Jerusalem
,
with aall the silver
and gold
which
you find
in the whole
province
of Babylon
, along
bwith the freewill
offering
of the people
and of the priests
, who coffered
willingly
for the house
of their God
which
is in Jerusalem
;
with this money
, therefore
, you shall diligently
buy
bulls
, rams
and lambs
, awith their grain offerings
and their drink
offerings
and boffer
them on the altar
of the house
of your God
which
is in Jerusalem
.
"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
.
"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
.
"The rest of the needs
for the house
of your God
, for which
you may have
occasion
to provide
, aprovide
for it from the royal
treasury
.
"I, even I, King Artaxerxes
, issue
a decree
to all
the treasurers
who
are in the provinces beyond
the 1River
, that whatever
Ezra
the priest
, athe scribe
of the law
of the God
of heaven
, may require
of you, it shall be done
diligently
,
even up to 100 talents
of silver
, 100
1kors
of wheat
, 100
baths
of wine
, 100
baths
of oil
, and salt
2as needed
.
"Whatever is 1commanded
by the God
of heaven
, let it be done
with zeal
for the house
of the God
of heaven
, aso
that there will not be wrath
against
the kingdom
of the king
and his sons
.
"We also inform you that ait is not allowed
to 1impose
tax
, tribute
or toll
bon any
of the priests
, Levites
, singers
, doorkeepers
, Nethinim
or servants
of this
house
of God
.
"You, Ezra, according to the wisdom
of your God
which
is in your hand
, aappoint
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 bteach
anyone who
is ignorant
of them.
" aWhoever 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 1banishment
or
for confiscation
of goods
or for imprisonment
."
Blessed be the LORD
, the God
of our fathers
, awho
has put
such a thing as this
in the king's
heart
, to adorn
the house
of the LORD
which
is in Jerusalem
,
and ahas extended lovingkindness
to me before
the king
and his counselors
and before all
the king's
mighty
princes
. Thus I was strengthened
according to bthe hand
of the LORD
my God
upon me, and I gathered
1leading
men
from Israel
to go
up with me.