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these events, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra 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 came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king granted him everything that he requested, for the hand of the Lord his God was upon him. 7 Some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, and temple servants also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.
8 Ezra came to Jerusalem in fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9 He began the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him. 10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to study the Law of the Lord and to obey it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.
11 This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, a man learned in the matters concerning the commandments of the Lord, and of His statutes for Israel:
12 Artaxerxes, king of kings,
To Ezra the priest, a scholar in the Law of the God of heaven:
Greetings.
13 I issue a decree that any of the people of Israel in my kingdom, including their priests and Levites, who wish to go up to Jerusalem with you of their own free will, may go with you. 14 You are sent by the king and his seven counsellors to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand. 15 You are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counsellors have willingly given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16 and all the silver and gold that you may receive throughout the province of Babylon, along with the freewill offerings given by the people and the priests for the house of their God in Jerusalem. 17 Then you shall, with all diligence, buy with this money bulls, rams, and lambs, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem.
18 You and your brothers may do whatever seems good to you with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God. 19 You shall also deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles that have been entrusted to you for the service of the house of your God. 20 And whatever else is needed for the house of your God that you may have occasion to supply, you may pay for it from the royal treasury.
21 I, King Artaxerxes, do issue a decree to all the treasurers in the region west of the Euphrates River to promptly supply whatever Ezra the priest, a scholar of the Law of the God of heaven, may require from you— 22 up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without prescribed limit. 23 Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with diligence for the house of the God of heaven. For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? 24 You are also hereby notified that will not be lawful to impose any taxes, tributes, or duties on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, or any other workers at this house of God.
25 And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people in the region west of the Euphrates River—all who know the laws of your God. Furthermore, you are to teach any who do not know them. 26 Whoever will not obey the Law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed upon him, whether it be death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.
27 Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who has it into the king’s heart to bring honour this way to the House of the Lord in Jerusalem, 28 and who has extended His mercy to me before the king and his counsellors, and before all the king’s powerful officials. So I was strengthened because the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.