7:1 Now after these things, in the reign of
Arthasastha king of the Persians, came up Esdras the son of Saraias, the son
of Azarias, the son of Chelcias,
7:2 the son of Selum, the son of Sadduc, the son of Achitob,
7:3 the son of Samarias, the son of Esria, the son of Mareoth,
7:4 the son of Zaraia, the son of Ozias, the son of Bokki,
7:5 the son of Abisue, the son of Phinees, the son of Eleazar, the son of
Aaron the first priest.
7:6 This Esdras went up out of Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law
of Moses, which Yehovah Elohim of Israel gave: and the king gave him [leave],
for the hand of Yehovah his Elohim was upon him in all things which he sought.
7:7 And [some] of the children of Israel went up, and [some] of the priests,
and of the Levites, and the singers, and the door-keepers, and the Nathinim,
to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Arthasastha the king.
7:8 And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, this [was] the seventh
year of the king.
7:9 For in the first [day] of the first month he began the going up from
Babylon, and in the first day of the fifth month, they came to Jerusalem,
for the good hand of his Elohim was upon him.
7:10 For Esdras had determined in his heart to seek the law, and to do and
teach the ordinances and judgments in Israel.
7:11 And this [is the copy of the order which Arthasastha gave to Esdras the
priest, the scribe of the book of the words of the commandments of Yehovah,
and of his ordinances to Israel.
7:12 Arthasastha, king of kings, to Esdras, the scribe of the law of the
Lord Elohim of heaven, Let the order and the answer be accomplished.
7:13 A decree is made by me, that every one who is willing in my kingdom of
the people of Israel, and of the priests and Levites, to go to Jerusalem,
[be permitted] to go with thee.
7:14 [One] has been sent from the king and the seven councillors, to visit
Judea and Jerusalem, according to the law of their Elohim that is in thine
hand.
7:15 And for the house of Yehovah [there have been sent] silver and gold,
which the king and the councillors have freely given to the Elohim of Israel,
who dwells in Jerusalem.
7:16 And all the silver and gold, whatsoever thou shalt find in all the land
of Babylon, with the freewill-offering of the people, and the priests that
offer freely for the house of Elohim which is in Jerusalem.
7:17 And as for every one that arrives [there], speedily order him by this
letter [to bring] calves, rams, lambs, and their meat-offerings, and their
drink-offerings; and thou shalt offer them on the altar of the house of your
Elohim which is in Jerusalem.
7:18 And whatever it shall seem good to thee and to thy brethren to do with
the rest of the silver and the gold, do as it is pleasing to your Elohim.
7:19 And deliver the vessels that are given thee for the service of the
house of Elohim, before Elohim in Jerusalem.
7:20 And as to the rest of the need of the house of thy Elohim, thou shalt give
from the king's treasure-houses,
7:21 and from me, whatever it shall seem [good] to thee to give. I king
Arthasastha have made a decree for all the treasuries that are in the
[country] beyond the river, that whatever Esdras the priest and scribe of
the Elohim of heaven may ask you, it shall be done speedily,
7:22 to [the amount of] a hundred talents of silver, and a hundred measures
of wheat, and a hundred baths of wine, and a hundred baths of oil, and salt
without reckoning.
7:23 Let whatever is in the decree of the Elohim of heaven, be done: take heed
lest any one make an attack on the house of the Elohim of heaven, lest at any
time there shall be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons.
7:24 Also this has been declared to you, with respect to all the priests,
and Levites, the singers, porters, Nathinim and ministers of the house of
Elohim, let no tribute be [paid] to thee; thou shalt not have power to oppress
them.
7:25 And thou, Esdras, as the wisdom of Elohim [is] in thy hand, appoint
scribes and judges, that they may judge for all the people beyond the river,
all that know the law of Yehovah thy Elohim; and ye shall make it known to him
that knows not.
7:26 And whosoever shall not do the law of Elohim, and the law of the king
readily, judgment shall be taken upon him, whether for death or for
chastisement, or for a fine of his property, or casting into prison.
7:27 Blessed [be] Yehovah Elohim of our fathers, who has put it thus into the
heart of the king, to glorify the house of Yehovah which is in Jerusalem;
7:28 and has given me favour in the eyes of the king, and of his councillors,
and all the rulers of the king, the exalted ones. And I was strengthened
according to the good hand of Elohim upon me, and I gathered chief men of
Israel to go up with me. |
7:1 Now after these things, in the reign of
Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the
son of Hilkiah,
7:2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
7:3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
7:4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
7:5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of
Aaron the chief priest:
7:6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of
Moses, which Yehovah Elohim of Israel had given: and the king granted him all
his request, according to the hand of Yehovah his Elohim upon him.
7:7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests,
and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto
Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
7:8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh
year of the king.
7:9 For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from
Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem,
according to the good hand of his Elohim upon him.
7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of Yehovah, and to do
it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
7:11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto
Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments
of Yehovah, and of his statutes to Israel.
7:12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of
the Elohim of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.
7:13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his
priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to
go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.
7:14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors,
to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy Elohim
which is in thine hand;
7:15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors
have freely offered unto the Elohim of Israel, whose habitation is in
Jerusalem,
7:16 And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of
Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests,
offering willingly for the house of their Elohim which is in Jerusalem:
7:17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs,
with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the
altar of the house of your Elohim which is in Jerusalem.
7:18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with
the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your Elohim.
7:19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of
thy Elohim, those deliver thou before the Elohim of Jerusalem.
7:20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy Elohim, which
thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure
house.
7:21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the
treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the
scribe of the law of the Elohim of heaven, shall require of you, it be done
speedily,
7:22 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat,
and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt
without prescribing how much.
7:23 Whatsoever is commanded by the Elohim of heaven, let it be diligently done
for the house of the Elohim of heaven: for why should there be wrath against
the realm of the king and his sons?
7:24 Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites,
singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of Elohim, it shall not
be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
7:25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy Elohim, that is in thine hand, set
magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the
river, all such as know the laws of thy Elohim; and teach ye them that know
them not.
7:26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy Elohim, and the law of the king,
let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to
banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
7:27 Blessed be Yehovah Elohim of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as
this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of Yehovah which is in
Jerusalem:
7:28 And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors,
and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand
of Yehovah my Elohim was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief
men to go up with me. |