Ezra 7:10-26

10For Ezra had set his heart to 1study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and 2to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.

11Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, 3learned in the words of the commandments of the Lord and His statutes to Israel: 12“4Artaxerxes, 5king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now 136I 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. 14Forasmuch as you are sent 7by the king and his 8seven counselors to inquire concerning 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 counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, 9whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16with 10all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along 11with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, who 12offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem; 17with this money, therefore, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams and lambs, 13with their grain offerings and their drink offerings and 14offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18Whatever 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. 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. 20The rest of the needs for the house of your God, for which you may have occasion to provide, 15provide for it from the royal treasury.

21“I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the 16River, that whatever Ezra the priest, 17the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently, 22even up to 100 talents of silver, 100 18kors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt 19as needed. 23Whatever is 20commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, 21so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons. 24We also inform you that 22it is not allowed to 23impose tax, tribute or toll 24on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim or servants of this house of God.

25“You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, 25appoint 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 26teach anyone who is ignorant of them. 2627Whoever 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 28banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.”