Ezra 7

Modern

Literal

Ezra Arrives in Jerusalem

¹Many years later,^a during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

¹And after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,

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

²son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,

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

³son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,

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

⁴son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,

⁵the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—

⁵son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest—

⁶this 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 had granted Ezra all his requests, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.

⁶Ezra himself came up from Babylon, and he was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which YHWH, God of Israel, had given. And the king granted him, according to the hand of YHWH his God upon him, all his request,

⁷So in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, he went up to Jerusalem with some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants.^a

⁷and came up some of the sons of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim, to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

⁸Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king.

⁸And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, that was in the seventh year of the king.

⁹He had begun 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.

⁹For on the first of the first month he began the ascent from Babylon, and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.

¹⁰For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.

¹⁰For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of YHWH, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances.

Artaxerxes’ Letter for Ezra

¹¹This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in the commandments and statutes of the LORD to Israel:^a

¹¹And this is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a scribe of the words of the commandments of YHWH and of His statutes to Israel:

¹²Artaxerxes, king of kings.

To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven:

Greetings.^a

¹²Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Law of the God of the heavens: Peace and now.

¹³I hereby decree that any volunteers among the Israelites in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may go up with you to Jerusalem.

¹³I issue a decree that everyone who is willing in my kingdom from the people of Israel—and the priests and Levites, to go up to Jerusalem with you—go.

¹⁴You are sent by the king and his seven counselors to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.

¹⁴All according to that from before the king and his seven counselors, you are sent to inquire concerning Judah and concerning Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God which is in your hand,

¹⁵Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,

¹⁵and 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,

¹⁶together with all the silver and gold you may find in all the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem.

¹⁶and all the silver and gold that you may find in all the province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and the priests offering willingly for the house of their God that is in Jerusalem.

¹⁷With this money, therefore, you are to buy as many bulls, rams, and lambs as needed, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem.

¹⁷All that diligently buy therefore with this silver: Bulls, rams, lambs, and their grain offerings, and their drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your God that is in Jerusalem.

¹⁸You and your brothers may do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God.

¹⁸And that which to you and your brothers seems good to do with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God, do it.

¹⁹You must deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God.

¹⁹And the vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem.

²⁰And if anything 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.

²⁰And the rest of what is needed for the house of your God, which you may have occasion to give, you are to give from the house of the treasury of the king.

²¹I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers west of the Euphrates:^a Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it must be provided promptly,

²¹And by me—I, Artaxerxes the king—is made a decree to all treasurers who are beyond the River, that all that Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of the heavens, may ask of you, let it be done diligently.

²²up to a hundred talents of silver,^a a hundred cors of wheat,^b a hundred baths of wine,^c a hundred baths of olive oil,^d and salt without limit.

²²Up to a hundred talents of silver, and a hundred cors of wheat, and a hundred baths of wine, and a hundred baths of oil, and salt that is is not written,

²³Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for His house. For why should wrath fall on the realm of the king and his sons?

²³all that is by the decree of the God of the heavens, let it be done diligently for the house of the God of the heavens. For why should there be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons?

²⁴And be advised that you have no authority to impose tribute, duty, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

²⁴And to you we inform that on any of the priests and Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, or servants of the house of God, there is no authority to impose this tax, tribute, or custom.

²⁵And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God, which you possess, are to appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people west of the Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach these laws to anyone who does not know them.

²⁵And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, all knowing the law of your God. And he who has not known, you shall cause to know.

²⁶If anyone does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let a strict judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.

²⁶And whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king diligently, let judgment be done on him, whether death, or banishment, or confiscation of goods, or bonds.

Ezra Blesses God

²⁷Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put into the heart of the king to so honor the house of the LORD in Jerusalem,

²⁷Blessed be YHWH, God of our fathers, who has put such as this in the heart of the king, to beautify the house of YHWH that is in Jerusalem,

²⁸and who has shown me favor before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officials.

And because the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, I took courage and gathered the leaders of Israel to return with me.

²⁸and has extended to me mercy before the face of the king, and his counselors, and before all the mighty princes of the king. And I was encouraged as the hand of YHWH my God was upon me, and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me.