Ezra 7

Ezra Journeys from Babylon to Jerusalem

11Now afterH310 theseH428 thingsH1697, in the reignH4438 of 2ArtaxerxesH783 kingH4428 of PersiaH6539, EzraH5830 went up to Jerusalem; Ezra was the sonH1121 of SeraiahH8304, sonH1121 of AzariahH5838, sonH1121 of HilkiahH2518, 2sonH1121 of ShallumH7967, sonH1121 of ZadokH6659, sonH1121 of AhitubH285, 3sonH1121 of AmariahH568, sonH1121 of AzariahH5838, sonH1121 of MeraiothH4812, 4sonH1121 of ZerahiahH2228, sonH1121 of UzziH5813, sonH1121 of BukkiH1231, 5sonH1121 of AbishuaH50, sonH1121 of PhinehasH6372, sonH1121 of EleazarH499, sonH1121 of AaronH175 the chiefH7218 priestH3548. 6So thisH1931 EzraH5830 wentH5927 upH5927 from BabylonH894, and he was a 3scribeH5613 skilledH4106 in the LawH8451 of MosesH4872, whichH834 the LordH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478 had givenH5414; and the kingH4428 grantedH5414 him allH3605 4he requestedH1246 5because the handH3028 of the LordH3068 his GodH430 was upon him. 76SomeH4480 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 and someH4480 of the priestsH3548, the LevitesH3881, the singersH7891, the gatekeepersH7778, and the templeH5411 servantsH5411 wentH5927 upH5927 to JerusalemH3389 in the seventhH7651 yearH8141 of KingH4428 ArtaxerxesH783.

8And he cameH935 to JerusalemH3389 in the fifthH2549 monthH2320, whichH1931 was in the seventhH7637 yearH8141 of the kingH4428. 9For on the firstH259 day of the firstH7223 monthH2320 he beganH3246 to goH4609 upH4609 from BabylonH894; and on the firstH259 of the fifthH2549 monthH2320 he cameH935 to JerusalemH3389, 7because the goodH2896 handH3027 of his GodH430 was upon him. 10For EzraH5830 had 8firmlyH3559 resolvedH3824 to studyH1875 the LawH8451 of the LordH3068 and to practiceH6213 it, and 9to teachH3925 His statutesH2706 and ordinancesH4941 in IsraelH3478.

King’s Decree on Behalf of Ezra

11Now thisH2088 is the copyH6572 of the letterH5406 whichH834 KingH4428 ArtaxerxesH783 gaveH5414 to EzraH5830 the priestH3548, the scribeH5613, 10learnedH5613 in the wordsH1697 of the commandmentsH4687 of the LordH3068 and His statutesH2706 to IsraelH3478: 12“11ArtaxerxesH783, 12kingH4430 of kingsH4430, to EzraH5831 the priestH3549, the scribeH5613 of the LawH1882 of the GodH426 of heavenH8065, 13perfectH1585 peace. And nowH3706 1314I have issuedH7761 a decreeH2942 that anyH3606 of the peopleH5972 of IsraelH3479 and their priestsH3549 and the LevitesH3879 in my kingdomH4437 whoH1768 are willingH5069 to goH1981 to JerusalemH3390, may goH1981 with you. 14SinceH6903H1768 you are sentH7972 15on the partH6925 of the kingH4430 and his 16sevenH7655 advisersH3272 to inquireH1240 aboutH5922 JudahH3061 and JerusalemH3390 according to the LawH1882 of your GodH426 whichH1768 is in your handH3028, 15and to bringH2987 the silverH3702 and goldH1722, whichH1768 the kingH4430 and his advisersH3272 have voluntarilyH5069 givenH5069 to the GodH426 of IsraelH3479, 17whoseH1768 dwellingH4907 is in JerusalemH3390, 16with 18allH3606 the silverH3702 and goldH1722 whichH1768 you findH7912 in the entireH3606 provinceH4083 of BabylonH895, alongH5973 19withH5973 the 20voluntaryH5069 offeringH5069 of the peopleH5972 and of the priestsH3549, who 21offeredH5069 willinglyH5069 for the houseH1005 of their GodH426 whichH1768 is in JerusalemH3390; 17with thisH1836 moneyH3702, thereforeH6903H1836, you shall diligentlyH629 buyH7066 bullsH8450, ramsH1798, and lambsH563, 22with their grain offeringsH4504 and their drinkH5261 offeringsH5261, and 23offerH7127 them on the altarH4056 of the houseH1005 of your GodH426 whichH1768 is in JerusalemH3390. 18And whateverH4101 seemsH3191 goodH3191 to you and your brothersH252 to doH5648 with the restH7606 of the silverH3702 and goldH1722, you may doH5648 according to the willH7466 of your GodH426. 19Also the utensilsH3984 whichH1768 are givenH3052 to you for the serviceH6402 of the houseH1005 of your GodH426, deliverH8000 inH8000 fullH8000 beforeH6925 the GodH426 of JerusalemH3390. 20And the restH7606 of the needsH2819 of the houseH1005 of your GodH426, for whichH1768 it may be incumbentH5308 upon you to provideH5415, 24provideH5415 for them from the royalH4430 treasuryH1596.

21“I myself, KingH4430 ArtaxerxesH783, issueH7761 a decreeH2942 to allH3606 the treasurersH1490 whoH1768 are in the provinces beyondH5675 the Euphrates RiverH5103, that whateverH3606H1768 EzraH5831 the priestH3549, 25the scribeH5613 of the LawH1882 of the GodH426 of heavenH8065, may requireH7593 of you, it shall be doneH5648 diligentlyH629, 22up to 26a hundredH3967 talentsH3604 of silverH3702, 27a hundredH3967 korsH3734 of wheatH2591, 28a hundredH3967 bathsH1325 of wineH2562, 29a hundredH3967 bathsH1325 of anointingH4887 oilH4887, and saltH4416 30as neededH3792. 23WhateverH3606H1768 is 31commandedH4481H2942 by the GodH426 of heavenH8065, it shall be doneH5648 with zealH149 for the houseH1005 of the GodH426 of heavenH8065, 32soH1768 thatH1768 there will not be wrathH7109 againstH5922 the kingdomH4437 of the kingH4430 and his sonsH1123. 24We also informH3046 you that 33it is not allowedH7990 to imposeH7412 taxH1093, tributeH4061, or tollH1983 34on anyH3606 of the priestsH3549, LevitesH3879, singersH2171, doorkeepersH8652, templeH5412 servantsH5412, or other servantsH6399 of thisH1836 houseH1005 of GodH426.

25“And you, EzraH5831, according to the wisdomH2452 of your GodH426 whichH1768 is in your handH3028, 35appointH4483 magistratesH8200 and judgesH1782 soH1768 thatH1768 they may judgeH1934H1778 allH3606 the peopleH5972 whoH1768 are in the province beyondH5675 the Euphrates RiverH5103, that is, allH3606 those who knowH3046 the lawsH1882 of your GodH426; and you may 36teachH3046 anyone whoH1768 isH3046 ignorantH3809H3046 of them. 26And 37whoeverH3605 does not complyH5648 withH5648 the LawH1882 of your GodH426 and the lawH1882 of the kingH4430, judgmentH1780 is to be executedH5648 upon him strictlyH629, whetherH2006 for deathH4193 orH2006 for banishmentH8332, orH2006 for 38confiscationH6065 of propertyH5232 or for imprisonmentH613.”

The King’s Kindness

27BlessedH1288 be the LordH3068, the GodH430 of our fathersH1, 39whoH834 has putH5414 such a thing as thisH2088 in the king’sH4428 heartH3820, to glorifyH6286 the houseH1004 of the LordH3068 whichH834 is in JerusalemH3389, 28and 40has extendedH5186 favorH2617 to me beforeH6440 the kingH4428 and his counselorsH3289 and beforeH6440 allH3605 the king’sH4428 mightyH1368 officialsH8269. So I was strengthenedH2388 according to 41the handH3027 of the LordH3068 my GodH430 that was upon me, and I gatheredH6908 42leadingH7218 menH7218 from IsraelH3478 to goH5927 upH5927 with me.