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,

Now after this, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

2 t he son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,

The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,

3 t he son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,

The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,

4 t he son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,

The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,

5 t he son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the first priest.

The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—

6 T his Ezra went up from Babylon, and he was a diligent scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.

This Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a skilled scribe in the five books of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. And the king granted him all he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was upon him.

7 A nd there went up some of the sons 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.

And also some of the Israelites, with some of the priests and Levites, the singers and gatekeepers, and the temple servants, went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

8 A nd he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, in the seventh year of the king.

Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king.

9 F or upon the first of the first month he began to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.

On the first of the first month he started out from Babylon, and on the first of the fifth month he arrived in Jerusalem, for upon him was the good hand of his God.

10 F or Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD and to do it and to teach in Israel his statutes and judgments.

For Ezra had prepared and set his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do and teach in Israel its statutes and its ordinances.

11 ¶ Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra, the priest, the scribe, a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD and of his statutes over Israel.

Now this is the copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe the words of the commands of the Lord and of His statutes to Israel:

12 A rtaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra, the priest, perfect scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and to Cheenet.

Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, scribe of the instructions of the God of heaven: Greetings.

13 B y me is given commandment, that any of the people of Israel and of his priests and Levites in my realm, who desire of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.

I make a decree that all of the people of Israel and of their priests and Levites in my realm, who offer freely to go up to Jerusalem, may go with you.

14 F or thou art sent on behalf of the king and of his seven counsellors, to inquire of Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thy hand,

For you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem according to the instruction of your God, which is in your hand,

15 a nd to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors freely offer unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,

And to carry the silver and gold which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, Whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,

16 a nd 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, who offer willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem;

And all the silver and gold that you may find in all the province of Babylonia, with the freewill offerings of the people and of the priests, offered willingly for the house of their God in Jerusalem.

17 T herefore, with diligence thou shalt buy with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their presents and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

Therefore you shall with all speed and exactness buy with this money young bulls, rams, lambs, with their cereal offerings and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem.

18 A nd whatever 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 God.

And whatever shall seem good to you and to your brethren to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.

19 T he vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, thou shalt restore before the God of Jerusalem.

The vessels also that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, those deliver before the God of Jerusalem.

20 A nd whatever else shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have need to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house.

And whatever more shall be needful for the house of your God which you shall have occasion to provide, provide it out of the king’s treasury.

21 A nd by me, Artaxerxes, the king, is given the commandment to all the treasurers who are on the other side of the river, that whatever Ezra, the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,

And I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers in the province beyond the River that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the instructions of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it shall be done exactly and at once—

22 u nto one hundred talents of silver and to one hundred measures of wheat and to one hundred baths of wine and to one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

Up to 100 talents of silver, 100 measures of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt not specified.

23 W hatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be speedily done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done diligently and honorably for the house of the God of heaven, lest His wrath be against the realm of the king and his sons.

24 A lso unto you we cause it to be known, that regarding all of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, and ministers of the house of this God, no one shall be able to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.

Also we notify you that as to any of the priests and Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on them.

25 A nd thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thy hand, set as judges and governors, who govern all the people that are on the other side of the river, all such as know the laws of thy God, and teach those that do not know them.

You, Ezra, after the wisdom of your God, which is in your hand, set magistrates and judges who may judge all the people of the River; choose those who know the instructions of your God, and teach him who does not know them.

26 A nd whoever will not do the law of thy God and the law of the king, let them be judged speedily, whether it be unto death or to banishment or to confiscation of goods or to imprisonment.

And whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him exactly and speedily, whether it be unto death or banishment or confiscation of goods or imprisonment.

27 ¶ Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to honour the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem,

Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, Who put such a thing as this into the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem,

28 a nd has extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors and before all the king’s mighty princes. And I, comforted according to the hand of the LORD my God upon me, gathered together the principals of Israel to go up with me.

And Who has extended His mercy and steadfast love to me before the king, his counselors, and all the king’s mighty officers. I was strengthened and encouraged, for the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, and I gathered together outstanding men of Israel to go with me to Jerusalem.