1Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, 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 came up from Babylon; and he was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which Yahweh the God of Israel had given. And the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of Yahweh his God upon him.
7And some of the sons of Israel, and of the priests and the Levites, the singers and the gatekeepers and the temple servants, went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
8And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was the seventh year of the king.
9For on the first of the first month he laid the foundation of the going up from Babylon, and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.
10For Ezra had set his heart to seek the Law of Yahweh and to do it, and to teach statute and judgment in Israel.
11Now this is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe—a scribe of the words of the commandments of Yahweh and his statutes concerning Israel:
12Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, scribe of the law of the God of heaven: perfect peace, and now:
13From me a decree is issued: that everyone in my kingdom of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites who freely offers to go to Jerusalem with you—let him go.
14Inasmuch as you are sent from before the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God, which is in your hand,
15and to carry the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
16together with all the silver and gold that you find in the whole province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God that is in Jerusalem.
17Therefore with this money you shall diligently buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your God that is in Jerusalem.
18And 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.
19And the vessels that 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 that fall to you to provide, you may provide from the king’s treasure house.
21And I, I Artaxerxes the king, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the province Beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, asks of you, let it be done diligently:
22up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred kors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of oil, and salt without limit.
23Whatever is by the decree of the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
24Also we make known to you that upon any of the priests and Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, or servants of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, tax, or toll upon them.
25And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are in Beyond the River—all who know the laws of your God; and whoever does not know them, you shall make known.
26And whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him diligently, whether for death, or for banishment, or for confiscation of goods, or for imprisonment.
27Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this in the heart of the king, to beautify the house of Yahweh that is in Jerusalem,
28and who extended loyal love to me before the king and his counselors and all the mighty officials of the king. And I took courage, according to the hand of Yahweh my God upon me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.
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