1 N ow after this, during the rule of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra went up from Babylon. Ezra was the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,

Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, there went up Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,

2 s on of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,

son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,

3 s on of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,

son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,

4 s on of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,

son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,

5 s on of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the head religious leader.

son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest.

6 T his Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a writer who knew well the Law of Moses which the Lord God of Israel had given. The king gave him everything he asked for, because the Lord his God was good to him.

This Ezra went up from Babylon, and he was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all he requested because the hand of the Lord his God was upon him.

7 S ome of the sons of Israel and some of the religious leaders, the Levites, the singers, the gate-keepers and the servants of the house of God went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

Some of the sons of Israel and some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

8 E zra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month in the seventh year of the king.

He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.

9 H e left Babylon on the first day of the first month, and came to Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, because the good hand of his God was upon him.

For on the first of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, because the good hand of his God was upon him.

10 F or Ezra had set his heart to learn the Law of the Lord, to live by it, and to teach His Laws in Israel.

For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. King’s Decree on Behalf of Ezra

11 T his is what was written in the letter which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the religious leader, the writer, who had much learning in the Laws of the Lord and His Laws for Israel:

Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, learned in the words of the commandments of the Lord and His statutes to Israel:

12 “ Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the religious leader, the writer who knows the Law of the God of heaven: Peace. And now

“ Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now

13 I let it be known that if there are any people of Israel, religious leaders or Levites in my nation who are willing to go to Jerusalem, they may go with you.

I 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.

14 F or you are sent by the king and his seven men of wisdom to see if the Law of your God which is in your hand is being obeyed in Judah and Jerusalem.

Forasmuch as you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God which is in your hand,

15 T ake the silver and gold which the king and his men of wisdom have given because they wanted to give to the God of Israel, Whose house is in Jerusalem.

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

16 T ake this with all the silver and gold you will find in the whole land of Babylon. And take the gifts of the people and of the religious leaders, who have given because they have wanted to for the house of their God in Jerusalem.

with all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, who offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem;

17 W ith this money, buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain gifts and their drink gifts. And give them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem.

with this money, therefore, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings and offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

18 W hatever you and your brothers think is best to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do, if it is the will of your God.

Whatever 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.

19 A lso take to the God of Jerusalem all the objects given to you for the work of the house of your God.

Also the utensils which are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem.

20 W hatever else is needed for the house of your God, you may take it from the king’s store-house.

The rest of the needs for the house of your God, for which you may have occasion to provide, provide for it from the royal treasury.

21 I , King Artaxerxes, here make this known to all those who take care of the money in the lands on the other side of the River. You should be ready and willing to give Ezra, the religious leader and writer who knows the Law of the God of heaven, whatever he needs.

“I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently,

22 G ive silver weighing up to as much as 100 men, and as much as 1, 000 baskets of grain, 1, 100 jars of wine, 1, 100 jars of oil, and as much salt as is needed.

even up to 100 talents of silver, 100 kors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt as needed.

23 W hatever is wanted by the God of heaven, let it be done in full for the house of the God of heaven. Or else He might be angry with the nation of the king and his sons.

Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons.

24 W e also let you know that it is not allowed to take any taxes from any of the religious leaders, Levites, singers, door-keepers, or servants of this house of God.

We also inform you that it is not allowed to impose tax, tribute or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim or servants of this house of God.

25 A nd you, Ezra, use the wisdom of your God which is in your hand to choose leaders and judges. They are to judge all the people in the land on the other side of the River, all those who know the Laws of your God. You may teach anyone who does not know them.

“You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint 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 teach anyone who is ignorant of them.

26 W hoever will not obey the Law of your God and the law of the king, let his punishment be hard. Put him to death, or send him out of the land, or take what he has, or put him in prison.” Ezra Gives Praise to God

Whoever 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 banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.” The King’s Kindness

27 H onor and thanks be to the Lord, the God of our fathers, Who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to make the house of the Lord in Jerusalem beautiful.

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

28 H e has shown loving-kindness to me in front of the king and his wise men, and in front of all the king’s powerful leaders. I was given strength, because the hand of the Lord my God was upon me. And I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

and has extended lovingkindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king’s mighty princes. Thus I was strengthened according to the hand of the Lord my God upon me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.