[1] Now after this, in the reign of Ar-ta-xerx'es king of Persia, Ezra the
son of Serai'ah, son of Azari'ah, son of Hilki'ah, [2] son of Shallum, son
of Zadok, son of Ahi'tub, [3] son of Amari'ah, son of Azari'ah, son of
Merai'oth, [4] son of Zerahi'ah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, [5] son of
Abi'shu-a, son of Phin'ehas, son of Elea'zar, son of Aaron the chief
priest-- [6] this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in
the law of Moses which the LORD the God of Israel had given; and the king
granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon
him. [7] And there went up also to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of
Ar-ta-xerx'es the king, some of the people of Israel, and some of the
priests and Levites, the singers and gatekeepers, and the temple servants.
[8] And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh
year of the king; [9] for on the first day of the first month he began to
go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to
Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was upon him. [10] For Ezra had set
his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach his
statutes and ordinances in Israel. [11] This is a copy of the letter which
King Ar-ta-xerx'es gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, learned in matters
of the commandments of the LORD and his statutes for Israel: [12]
"Ar-ta-xerx'es, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of
the God of heaven. And now [13] I make a decree that any one of the people
of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom, who freely offers to
go to Jerusalem, may go with you. [14] For you are sent by the king and his
seven counselors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to
the law of your God, which is in your hand, [15] and also to convey the
silver and gold which the king and his counselors have freely offered to
the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, [16] with all the silver
and gold which you shall find in the whole province of Babylonia, and with
the freewill offerings of the people and the priests, vowed willingly for
the house of their God which is in Jerusalem. [17] With this money, then,
you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their cereal
offerings and their drink offerings, and you shall offer them upon the
altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. [18] Whatever seems
good to you and your brethren to do with the rest of the silver and gold,
you may do, according to the will of your God. [19] The vessels that have
been given you for the service of the house of your God, you shall deliver
before the God of Jerusalem. [20] And whatever else is required for the
house of your God, which you have occasion to provide, you may provide it
out of the king's treasury. [21] "And I, Ar-ta-xerx'es the king, make a
decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River: Whatever
Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of
you, be it done with all diligence, [22] up to a hundred talents of silver,
a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of oil,
and salt without prescribing how much. [23] Whatever is commanded by the
God of heaven, let it be done in full for the house of the God of heaven,
lest his wrath be against the realm of the king and his sons. [24] We also
notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll
upon any one of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the
temple servants, or other servants of this house of God. [25] "And you,
Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint
magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond
the River, all such as know the laws of your God; and those who do not know
them, you shall teach. [26] Whoever will not obey the law of your God and
the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed upon him, whether
for death or for banishment or for confiscation of his goods or for
imprisonment." [27] Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who put
such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of
the LORD which is in Jerusalem, [28] and who extended to me his steadfast
love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty
officers. I took courage, for the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and
I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.
