Ezra 7
7After all of this, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Seraiah's son Ezra (who was the grandson of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,H310H1697H4438H783H4428H6539H5830H1121H8304H1121H5838H1121H25182son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,H1121H7967H1121H6659H1121H2853son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,H1121H568H1121H5838H1121H48124son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,H1121H2228H1121H5813H1121H12315son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest)H1121H50H1121H6372H1121H499H1121H175H7218H35486left Babylon. He was a skillful scribe of the Law of Moses that the Lord God of Israel had given. And the king granted him everything he had requested because the hand of the Lord his God was upon him.H5830H5927H894H4106H5608H8451H4872H3068H430H3478H5414H4428H5414H1246H3027H3068H4307Some of the descendants of Israel also left for Jerusalem, including the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple Servants, during the seventh year of king Artaxerxes.H5927H1121H3478H3548H3881H7891H7778H5411H3389H7651H8141H783H44288He arrived in Jerusalem during the fifth month of the seventh year of the king's reign.H935H3389H2549H2320H7637H8141H44289On the first day of the first month he left Babylon and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, since the beneficent hand of his God was upon him.H259H7223H2320H3246H4609H894H259H2549H2320H935H3389H2896H3027H43010For Ezra had set his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, to obey it, and to teach God's statutes and judgments in Israel.9H5830H3559H3824H1875H8451H3068H6213H3925H3478H2706H494111Here is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra, the priest-scribe, a scholar in matters concerning the commandments of the Lord and concerning his statutes pertaining to Israel:H6572H5406H4428H783H5414H5830H3548H5608H5608H1697H4687H3068H2706H347812From: Artaxerxes, King of Kings To: Ezra, the Priest, a scholar in matters concerning the laws of the God of Heaven Greetings!H783H4430H4430H5831H3549H5613H1882H426H8065H1585H370613I hereby decree that all of the people of Israel?along with their priests and Levites in my kingdom - who are determined to return to Jerusalem with you may do so.H4481H7761H2942H3606H4481H5972H3479H3549H3879H4437H5069H1946H3390H1946H597414You have authority to act for the king and for his Council of Seven to conduct an inquiry concerning Judah and Jerusalem in accordance with the Law of your God, which is in your possession.H1768H6903H3606H7972H4481H6925H4430H7655H3272H1240H5922H3061H3390H1882H426H302815You are carrying silver and gold that the King and his advisors have freely given to the God of Israel, whose temple is in Jerusalem,H2987H3702H1722H4430H3272H5069H426H3479H1768H4907H339016together with all of the silver and gold that you can raise in the province of Babylon, plus the freewill offerings given by the people and the priests, contributed for the temple of their God, which is in Jerusalem.H3606H3702H1722H7912H3606H4083H895H5974H5069H5972H3549H5069H1005H426H339017Accordingly, you are to exercise due diligence to utilize this money to purchase bulls, rams, lambs, grain offerings, and drink offerings, and to offer them upon the altar of the temple of your God, which is in Jerusalem.H3606H6903H7066H629H1836H3702H8450H1798H563H4504H5261H7127H1994H5922H4056H1005H426H339018Furthermore, the balance remaining of the silver and gold may be used for whatever other purpose you and your people desire, as long as such use is consistent with the will of your God.H4101H1768H3191H5922H252H5648H7606H3702H1722H5648H7470H42619Furthermore, you are to deliver to the God of Jerusalem the vessels for the service of the temple of your God that have been given to you.H3984H3052H6402H1005H426H8000H6925H426H339020Furthermore, provide from the royal treasury whatever else may be needed for the temple of your God.H7606H2819H1005H426H5308H5415H5415H4481H4430H1596H100521I, Artaxerxes, in my capacity as king, hereby decree to all royal treasuries beyond the Euphrates River that whatever Ezra the priest-scribe of the Law of the God of Heaven, may require of you are to be performed with all due diligence,H4481H576H783H4430H7761H2942H3606H1490H5675H5103H5831H3549H5613H1882H426H8065H7593H5648H62922up to 100 silver talents, 100 measures of wheat, 100 measures of wine, 100 measures of oil, and salt without limitation.H5705H3969H3604H3702H3969H3734H2591H3969H1325H2562H3969H1325H4887H4416H3809H379223Whatever is commanded by the God of Heaven is to be done with all due diligence for the temple of the God of Heaven, or wrath will come against the king's realm and his sons.H3606H2941H4481H426H8065H149H5648H1005H426H8065H1768H4101H1934H7109H5922H4437H4430H112324Furthermore, we decree that with respect to any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple Servants, or other servants of this temple of God, it is not to be lawful to impose any tribute, tax, or toll on them.H3046H3606H3549H3879H2171H8652H5412H6399H1836H1005H426H3809H7990H7412H4061H1093H1983H592225And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom given to you by your God, shall appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people beyond the Euphrates River. All of them are to know the laws of your God, and you are to instruct those who do not know them.H607H5831H2452H426H3028H4483H8200H1782H1934H1778H3606H5972H5675H5103H3606H3046H1882H426H3046H3046H380926Whoever refuses to practice the law of your God and the law of the king shall see judgment executed quickly, whether to death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.H3606H3809H1934H5648H1882H426H1882H4430H1780H1934H5648H629H4481H2006H4193H2006H8332H2006H6065H5232H61327Blessed be the Lord God of our ancestors, who placed this decree into the king's heart to beautify the temple of the Lord in JerusalemH1288H3068H430H1H5414H4428H3820H6286H1004H3068H338928and who showed gracious love to me before the king, before his advisors, and before all of the king's mighty officials. And I was strengthened because the hand of the Lord my God was upon me. So I gathered together the leaders of Israel to go with me.H5186H2617H6440H4428H3289H4428H1368H8269H2388H3027H3068H430H6908H3478H7218H5927
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