Bible, King James Version
Ezra
Ezra.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,
[2] The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of
Ahitub,
[3] The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of
Meraioth,
[4] The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of
Bukki,
[5] The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of
Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:
[6] This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready
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.
[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.
[8] And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was
in the seventh year of the king.
[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 God upon
him.
[10] For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of
the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and
judgments.
[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 the LORD, and of his statutes
to Israel.
[12] Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a
scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at
such a time.
[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.
[14] Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his
seven counsellers, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem,
according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;
[15] And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and
his counsellers have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose
habitation is in Jerusalem,
[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 God which is in Jerusalem:
[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 God
which is in Jerusalem.
[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 God.
[19] The vessels also that are given thee for the service
of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of
Jerusalem.
[20] And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of
thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out
of the king's treasure house.
[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 God of heaven,
shall require of you, it be done speedily,
[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.
[23] Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it
be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why
should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his
sons?
[24] Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests
and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this
house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or
custom, upon them.
[25] And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, 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 God; and teach ye them that know them not.
[26] And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, 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.
[27] Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath
put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the
house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem:
[28] And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and
his counsellers, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I
was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and
I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
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