Ezra 7

1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of the Persians, Ezra came up — the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Mareroth, 4 son of Zerahiah, son of Sauia, son of Bukki, 5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the first priest. [a]

6 This Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which the Lord the God of Israel gave; and the king made him a grant, because the hand of the Lord his God was on him in all that he sought. [b] 7 And some of the children of Israel went up, and some of the priests and of the Levites, and the singers and the gatekeepers and the temple servants, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. 8 And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month; this was the seventh year of the king. [c] 9 For on the first day of the first month he set out on the journey up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month they came to Jerusalem, because the good hand of his God was on him. [d] 10 For Ezra had given his heart to seek the law, and to do it, and to teach decrees and judgments in Israel.

11 And this is the wording of the edict that Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the book of the words of the commands of the Lord and of his decrees for Israel: 12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the scribe of the law of the God of heaven. The matter and the answer are settled. [e] 13 An order has been given by me: everyone in my kingdom, of the people of Israel and of the priests and Levites, who is willing to go to Jerusalem may go with you. 14 You have been sent from the king and his seven counselors to look into Judah and Jerusalem, by the law of their God that is in your hand, [f] 15 and to carry to the house of the Lord the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have given freely to the God of Israel, who has his dwelling in Jerusalem, 16 and all the silver and gold that you find in the whole province of Babylon, along with the freewill gift of the people and of the priests who give freely for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.

17 And everything that comes in, enter it promptly in this record — young bulls, rams, lambs, and their sacrifices and their drink offerings; and you are to offer them on the altar of the house of your God that is in Jerusalem. [g] 18 And whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do as is pleasing to your God. 19 And the vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of God, hand them over before God in Jerusalem. 20 And as to the rest of what is needed for the house of your God — whatever it seems good to you to give — you are to give it from the king’s treasure-houses. [h]

21 And from me: I, King Artaxerxes, have given an order for all the treasuries that are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest and scribe of the law of the God of heaven asks of you is to be done promptly, 22 up to seventy-five hundred pounds of silver, and six hundred bushels of wheat, and six hundred gallons of wine, and six hundred gallons of olive oil, and salt with no amount written down. [i] 23 Whatever is in the order of the God of heaven, let it be done. Take care that no one lays a hand on the house of the God of heaven, so that wrath may never come on the kingdom of the king and his sons. 24 And this is made known to you: as for all the priests and the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, the temple servants and those who serve this house of God — no tribute is to be laid on them by you; you will have no authority to make slaves of them.

25 And you, Ezra — since the wisdom of God is in your hand — appoint scribes and judges to give judgment for all the people beyond the River, for all who know the law of your God; and whoever does not know it, you are to make it known to him. 26 And everyone who does not readily do the law of God and the law of the king — judgment will be carried out on him, whether for death, or for correction, or for a fine on his property, or for prison.”

27 Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who put it in the king’s heart in this way, to glorify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, 28 and turned mercy toward me in the eyes of the king and his counselors and all the king’s leaders, the exalted ones. And I was strengthened, as the good hand of my God was on me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.