Ezra 7:12-26

12“1Artaxerxes, 2king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now 133I 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 4by the king and his 5seven 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, 6whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16with 7all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along 8with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, who 9offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem; 17with this money, therefore, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams and lambs, 10with their grain offerings and their drink offerings and 11offer 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, 12provide 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 13River, that whatever Ezra the priest, 14the 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 15kors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt 16as needed. 23Whatever is 17commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, 18so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons. 24We also inform you that 19it is not allowed to 20impose tax, tribute or toll 21on 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, 22appoint 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 23teach anyone who is ignorant of them. 2624Whoever 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 25banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.”