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
,
The son of Shallum
, the son
of Zadok
, the son
of Ahitub
,
The son of Amariah
, the son
of Azariah
, the son
of Meraioth
,
The son of Zerahiah
, the son
of Uzzi
, the son
of Bukki
,
The son of Abishua
, the son
of Phinehas
, the son
of Eleazar
, the son
of Aaron
the chief
priest
:
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.
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
.
And he came to Jerusalem
in the fifth
month
, which was in the seventh
year
of the king
.
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.
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
.
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
.
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
.
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
.
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
;
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
,
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
:
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
.
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
.
The vessels also that are given
thee for the service
of the house
of thy God
, those deliver
thou before
the God
of Jerusalem
.
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
.
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
,
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 .
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
?
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.
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
.
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
.
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
:
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.