Ezra 7

Ezra Arrives in Jerusalem

1Many years laterH310H428H1697,1 during the reignH4438 of ArtaxerxesH783 kingH4428 of PersiaH6539, EzraH5830 sonH1121 of SeraiahH8304, the sonH1121 of AzariahH5838, the sonH1121 of HilkiahH2518, 2the sonH1121 of ShallumH7967, the sonH1121 of ZadokH6659, the sonH1121 of AhitubH285, 3the sonH1121 of AmariahH568, the sonH1121 of AzariahH5838, the sonH1121 of MeraiothH4812, 4the sonH1121 of ZerahiahH2228, the sonH1121 of UzziH5813, the sonH1121 of BukkiH1231, 5the sonH1121 of AbishuaH50, the sonH1121 of PhinehasH6372, the sonH1121 of EleazarH499, the sonH1121 of AaronH175 the chiefH7218 priestH3548— 6thisH1931 EzraH5830 came upH5927 from BabylonH894. HeH1931 was a scribeH5608 skilledH4106 in the LawH8451 of MosesH4872, whichH834 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, had givenH5414.

The kingH4428 had grantedH5414 Ezra allH3605 his requestsH1246, for the handH3027 of the LORDH3068 his GodH430 was upon himH5921. 7So in the seventhH7651 yearH8141 of KingH4428 ArtaxerxesH783, he went upH5927 toH413 JerusalemH3389 with some ofH4480 the IsraelitesH1121H3478, including priestsH3548, LevitesH3881, singersH7891, gatekeepersH7778, and temple servantsH5411.2

8Ezra arrivedH935 in JerusalemH3389 in the fifthH2549H1931 monthH2320 of the seventhH7637 yearH8141 of the kingH4428. 9HeH1931 had begunH3246 the journeyH4609 from BabylonH894 on the firstH259 day of the firstH7223 monthH2320, and he arrivedH935 inH413 JerusalemH3389 on the firstH259 day of the fifthH2549 monthH2320, for the graciousH2896 handH3027 of his GodH430 was upon himH5921. 10ForH3588 EzraH5830 had setH3559 his heartH3824 to studyH1875 the LawH8451 of the LORDH3068, to practice itH6213, and to teachH3925 its statutesH2706 and ordinancesH4941 in IsraelH3478.

Artaxerxes’ Letter for Ezra

11ThisH2088 is the textH6572 of the letterH5406 KingH4428 ArtaxerxesH783 had givenH5414 to EzraH5830 the priestH3548 and scribeH5608, an expertH5608 in the commandmentsH1697H4687 and statutesH2706 of the LORDH3068 toH5921 IsraelH3478:3

12ArtaxerxesH783, kingH4430 of kingsH4430.

To EzraH5831 the priestH3549, the scribeH5613 of the LawH1882 ofH1768 the GodH426 of heavenH8065:

GreetingsH1585H3706.4

13IH4481 herebyH7761 decreeH2942 thatH1768 anyH3606 volunteersH5069 among the IsraelitesH5972H3479 in my kingdomH4437H4481, including the priestsH3549 and LevitesH3879, may go upH1946 with youH5974 to JerusalemH3390. 14You are sentH7972 byH4481H6925 the kingH4430 and his sevenH7655 counselorsH3272 to evaluateH1240H5922 JudahH3061 and JerusalemH3390 according to the LawH1882 of your GodH426, whichH1768 is in your handH3028.

15Moreover, you are to take with youH2987 the silverH3702 and goldH1722 thatH1768 the kingH4430 and his counselorsH3272 have freely offeredH5069 to the GodH426 of IsraelH3479, whoseH1768 dwellingH4907 is in JerusalemH3390, 16together with allH3606 the silverH3702 and goldH1722H1768 you may findH7912 in allH3606 the provinceH4083 of BabylonH895, as well asH5974 the freewill offeringsH5069 of the peopleH5972 and priestsH3549H5069 to the houseH1005 of their GodH426H1768 in JerusalemH3390. 17With thisH1836 moneyH3702H3606, thereforeH1836, you are to buyH7066 as many bullsH8450, ramsH1798, and lambsH563 as neededH629, together with their grain offeringsH4504 and drink offeringsH5261, and offerH7127 themH1994 onH5922 the altarH4056H1768 at the houseH1005 of your GodH426H1768 in JerusalemH3390. 18You and your brothersH252 may doH5648 whateverH4101H1768H5922 seems bestH3191 with the restH7606 of the silverH3702 and goldH1722, according to the willH7470 of your GodH426H5648.

19You must deliverH8000 toH6925 the GodH426 of JerusalemH3390 all the articlesH3984H1768 givenH3052 to you for the serviceH6402 of the houseH1005 of your GodH426. 20And if anything elseH7606 is neededH2819 for the houseH1005 of your GodH426 thatH1768 you may have occasionH5308 to supplyH5415, you may payH5415 for it fromH4481 the royalH4430 treasuryH1005H1596.

21

IH576, KingH4430 ArtaxerxesH783, decreeH7761H2942 to allH3606 the treasurersH1490 westH5675 of the EuphratesH5103:5 WhateverH3606H1768 EzraH5831 the priestH3549, the scribeH5613 of the LawH1882 of the GodH426 of heavenH8065, may require of youH7593, it must be providedH5648 promptlyH629, 22up toH5705 a hundredH3969 talentsH3604H5705 of silverH3702,6 a hundredH3969 corsH3734 of wheatH2591,7 a hundredH3969 bathsH1325H5705 of wineH2562,8 a hundredH3969 bathsH1325 of olive oilH4887,9 and saltH4416H1768 withoutH3809 limitH3792. 23WhateverH3606H1768 is commandedH2942 byH4481 the GodH426 of heavenH8065 must be doneH5648 diligentlyH149 for His houseH1005H426H8065. ForH1768 whyH4101 should wrathH7109 fallH1934 onH5922 the realmH4437 of the kingH4430 and his sonsH1123? 24And be advisedH3046 thatH1768 you have noH3809 authorityH7990 to imposeH7412 tributeH4061, dutyH1093, or tollH1983 onH5922 anyH3606 of the priestsH3549, LevitesH3879, singersH2171, doorkeepersH8652, temple servantsH5412, or other servantsH6399 of thisH1836 houseH1005 of GodH426.

25And youH607, EzraH5831, according to the wisdomH2452 of your GodH426, which you possessH1768H3028, are to appointH4483 magistratesH8200 and judgesH1782 to judgeH1778 allH3606 the peopleH5972H1768 westH5675 of the EuphratesH5103—allH3606 who knowH3046 the lawsH1882 of your GodH426. And you are to teachH3046 these laws to anyone whoH1768 does notH3809 know themH3046. 26If anyoneH3606H1768 doesH1934 notH3809 keepH5648 the lawH1882 ofH1768 your GodH426 and the lawH1882 ofH1768 the kingH4430, let a strictH629 judgmentH1780 beH1934 executedH5648 against himH4481, whetherH2006 deathH4193H2006, banishmentH8332H2006, confiscationH6065 of propertyH5232, or imprisonmentH613.

Ezra Blesses God

27BlessedH1288 be the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of our fathersH1, whoH834 has putH5414 into the heartH3820 of the kingH4428 to so honorH6286 the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 in JerusalemH3389, 28and who has shownH5186 meH5921 favorH2617 beforeH6440 the kingH4428, his counselorsH3289, and allH3605 hisH4428 powerfulH1368 officialsH8269.

And because the handH3027 of the LORDH3068 my GodH430 was upon meH5921, IH589 took courageH2388 and gatheredH6908 the leadersH7218 of IsraelH3478 to returnH5927 with meH5973.