Ezra 7

7 ¹After these events, in Artaxerxes king of Persia's reign, Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, ²son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, ³son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, ⁴son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, ⁵son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest. ⁶This Ezra came up from Babylon, a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that our Father, Israel's God, had given. The king granted him all he asked, since his Father's hand was on him. ⁷Some Israelites, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. ⁸Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, in the seventh year of the king. ⁹On the first day of the first month he left Babylon; he reached Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for his Father's good hand was on him. ¹⁰For Ezra had set his heart to study our Father's Law, obey it, and teach his statutes and rules in Israel.

The King's Letter for Ezra

¹¹This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in our Father's commandments and statutes for Israel:

¹²Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, scribe of the God of heaven's Law: greetings. And now,

¹³I decree: any Israelite in my kingdom, with priests and Levites, willing to go to Jerusalem may go with you. ¹⁴For you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem by your God's Law, which is in your hand, ¹⁵and to bring the silver and gold the king and his counselors freely gave to Israel's God, whose home is in Jerusalem, ¹⁶together with all the silver and gold you find throughout Babylon's whole province, plus the voluntary gifts of the people and priests, freely given for their God's house in Jerusalem. ¹⁷With this money, promptly buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of your God's house in Jerusalem. ¹⁸Do whatever you and your brothers think best with the rest of the silver and gold, as your God wills. ¹⁹Deliver before the God of Jerusalem the vessels given you for the service of your God's house. ²⁰Supply from the king's treasury whatever more your God's house needs that falls to you to supply.

²¹I, King Artaxerxes, decree to every treasurer in the province Beyond the River: carry out exactly whatever Ezra the priest, scribe of the God of heaven's Law, asks of you. ²²Up to about 7,500 pounds of silver, 600 bushels of wheat, 600 gallons of wine, 600 gallons of oil, and unlimited salt. ²³Whatever the God of heaven commands, do it fully for his house, so no wrath comes on the king's realm and his sons. ²⁴We also inform you: no tribute, custom, or toll may be imposed on any priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, or workers of this house of God.

²⁵Ezra, by the wisdom of your God in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges to govern all the people in the province Beyond the River—all who know your God's laws. Teach those who don't. ²⁶Whoever refuses the law of your God and the king's law must be strictly punished—death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.

²⁷Blessed be our Father, God of our ancestors, who put it in the king's heart to beautify the house of our Father in Jerusalem, ²⁸and who showed me covenant love before the king, his counselors, and all the king's powerful officials. So I took courage, for my Father's hand was on me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.