1 Now after|strong="H0310" these things|strong="H1697", in the reign|strong="H4438" of Artaxerxes|strong="H0783" king|strong="H4428" of Persia|strong="H6539", Ezra|strong="H5830" the son|strong="H1121" of Seraiah|strong="H8304", the son|strong="H1121" of Azariah|strong="H5838", the son|strong="H1121" of Hilkiah|strong="H2518",
2 The son|strong="H1121" of Shallum|strong="H7967", the son|strong="H1121" of Zadok|strong="H6659", the son|strong="H1121" of Ahitub|strong="H0285",
3 The son|strong="H1121" of Amariah|strong="H0568", the son|strong="H1121" of Azariah|strong="H5838", the son|strong="H1121" of Meraioth|strong="H4812",
4 The son|strong="H1121" of Zerahiah|strong="H2228", the son|strong="H1121" of Uzzi|strong="H5813", the son|strong="H1121" of Bukki|strong="H1231",
5 The son|strong="H1121" of Abishua|strong="H0050", the son|strong="H1121" of Phinehas|strong="H6372", the son|strong="H1121" of Eleazar|strong="H0499", the son|strong="H1121" of Aaron|strong="H0175" the chief|strong="H7218" priest|strong="H3548":
6 This Ezra|strong="H5830" went up|strong="H5927" from Babylon|strong="H0894"; and he was a ready|strong="H4106" scribe|strong="H5608" in the law|strong="H8451" of Moses|strong="H4872", which the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* God|strong="H0430" of Israel|strong="H3478" had given|strong="H5414": and the king|strong="H4428" granted|strong="H5414" him all his request|strong="H1246", according to the hand|strong="H3027" of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* his God|strong="H0430" upon him.
7 And there went up|strong="H5927" some of the children|strong="H1121" of Israel|strong="H3478", and of the priests|strong="H3548", and the Levites|strong="H3881", and the singers|strong="H7891", and the porters|strong="H7778", and the Nethinims|strong="H5411", unto Jerusalem|strong="H3389", in the seventh|strong="H7651" year|strong="H8141" of Artaxerxes|strong="H0783" the king|strong="H4428".
8 And he came|strong="H0935" to Jerusalem|strong="H3389" in the fifth|strong="H2549" month|strong="H2320", which was in the seventh|strong="H7637" year|strong="H8141" of the king|strong="H4428".
9 For upon the first|strong="H0259" day of the first|strong="H7223" month|strong="H2320" began|strong="H3246" he to go up|strong="H4609" from Babylon|strong="H0894", and on the first|strong="H0259" day of the fifth|strong="H2549" month|strong="H2320" came|strong="H0935" he to Jerusalem|strong="H3389", according to the good|strong="H2896" hand|strong="H3027" of his God|strong="H0430" upon him.
10 For Ezra|strong="H5830" had prepared|strong="H3559" his heart|strong="H3824" to seek|strong="H1875" the law|strong="H8451" of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w*, and to do|strong="H6213" it, and to teach|strong="H3925" in Israel|strong="H3478" statutes|strong="H2706" and judgments|strong="H4941".
11 Now this is the copy|strong="H6572" of the letter|strong="H5406" that the king|strong="H4428" Artaxerxes|strong="H0783" gave|strong="H5414" unto Ezra|strong="H5830" the priest|strong="H3548", the scribe|strong="H5608", even a scribe|strong="H5608" of the words|strong="H1697" of the commandments|strong="H4687" of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w*, and of his statutes|strong="H2706" to Israel|strong="H3478".
12 Artaxerxes|strong="H0783", king|strong="H4430" of kings|strong="H4430", unto Ezra|strong="H5831" the priest|strong="H3549", a scribe|strong="H5613" of the law|strong="H1882" of the God|strong="H0426" of heaven|strong="H8065", perfect|strong="H1585" peace, and at such a time|strong="H3706".
13 I|strong="H4481" make|strong="H7761" a decree|strong="H2942", that all|strong="H3606" they of|strong="H4481" the people|strong="H5972" of Israel|strong="H3479", and of his priests|strong="H3549" and Levites|strong="H3879", in my realm|strong="H4437", which are minded of their own freewill|strong="H5069" to go up|strong="H1946" to Jerusalem|strong="H3390", go|strong="H1946" with thee|strong="H5974".
14 Forasmuch|strong="H1768" as|strong="H3606" thou art sent|strong="H7972" of|strong="H4481" the king|strong="H4430", and of his seven|strong="H7655" counsellors|strong="H3272", to enquire|strong="H1240" concerning|strong="H5922" Judah|strong="H3061" and Jerusalem|strong="H3390", according to the law|strong="H1882" of thy God|strong="H0426" which is in thine hand|strong="H3028";
15 And to carry|strong="H2987" the silver|strong="H3702" and gold|strong="H1722", which the king|strong="H4430" and his counsellors|strong="H3272" have freely offered|strong="H5069" unto the God|strong="H0426" of Israel|strong="H3479", whose|strong="H1768" habitation|strong="H4907" is in Jerusalem|strong="H3390",
16 And all|strong="H3606" the silver|strong="H3702" and gold|strong="H1722" that thou canst find|strong="H7912" in all|strong="H3606" the province|strong="H4083" of Babylon|strong="H0895", with|strong="H5974" the freewill offering|strong="H5069" of the people|strong="H5972", and of the priests|strong="H3549", offering willingly|strong="H5069" for the house|strong="H1005" of their God|strong="H0426" which is in Jerusalem|strong="H3390":
17 That|strong="H3606" thou mayest buy|strong="H7066" speedily|strong="H0629" with this|strong="H1836" money|strong="H3702" bullocks|strong="H8450", rams|strong="H1798", lambs|strong="H0563", with their meat offerings|strong="H4504" and their drink offerings|strong="H5261", and offer|strong="H7127" them|strong="H1994" upon|strong="H5922" the altar|strong="H4056" of the house|strong="H1005" of your God|strong="H0426" which is in Jerusalem|strong="H3390".
18 And whatsoever|strong="H4101" shall seem good|strong="H3191" to thee, and to|strong="H5922" thy brethren|strong="H0252", to do|strong="H5648" with the rest|strong="H7606" of the silver|strong="H3702" and the gold|strong="H1722", that do|strong="H5648" after the will|strong="H7470" of your God|strong="H0426".
19 The vessels|strong="H3984" also that are given|strong="H3052" thee for the service|strong="H6402" of the house|strong="H1005" of thy God|strong="H0426", those deliver|strong="H8000" thou before|strong="H6925" the God|strong="H0426" of Jerusalem|strong="H3390".
20 And whatsoever more|strong="H7606" shall be needful|strong="H2819" for the house|strong="H1005" of thy God|strong="H0426", which thou shalt have occasion|strong="H5308" to bestow|strong="H5415", bestow|strong="H5415" it out of|strong="H4481" the king’s|strong="H4430" treasure|strong="H1596" house|strong="H1005".
21 And I|strong="H4481", even I|strong="H0576" Artaxerxes|strong="H0783" the king|strong="H4430", do make|strong="H7761" a decree|strong="H2942" to all|strong="H3606" the treasurers|strong="H1490" which are beyond|strong="H5675" the river|strong="H5103", that whatsoever Ezra|strong="H5831" the priest|strong="H3549", the scribe|strong="H5613" of the law|strong="H1882" of the God|strong="H0426" of heaven|strong="H8065", shall require|strong="H7593" of you, it be done|strong="H5648" speedily|strong="H0629",
22 Unto|strong="H5705" an hundred|strong="H3969" talents|strong="H3604" of silver|strong="H3702", and to an hundred|strong="H3969" measures|strong="H3734" of wheat|strong="H2591", and to an hundred|strong="H3969" baths|strong="H1325" of wine|strong="H2562", and to an hundred|strong="H3969" baths|strong="H1325" of oil|strong="H4887", and salt|strong="H4416" without|strong="H3809" prescribing|strong="H3792" how much.
23 Whatsoever|strong="H3606" is commanded by|strong="H2941" the God|strong="H0426" of heaven|strong="H8065", let it be diligently|strong="H0149" done|strong="H5648" for the house|strong="H1005" of the God|strong="H0426" of heaven|strong="H8065": for|strong="H1768" why|strong="H4101" should there be|strong="H1934" wrath|strong="H7109" against|strong="H5922" the realm|strong="H4437" of the king|strong="H4430" and his sons|strong="H1123"?
24 Also we certify|strong="H3046" you, that touching any|strong="H3606" of the priests|strong="H3549" and Levites|strong="H3879", singers|strong="H2171", porters|strong="H8652", Nethinims|strong="H5412", or ministers|strong="H6399" of this|strong="H1836" house|strong="H1005" of God|strong="H0426", it shall not|strong="H3809" be lawful|strong="H7990" to impose|strong="H7412" toll|strong="H4061", tribute|strong="H1093", or custom|strong="H1983", upon|strong="H5922" them.
25 And thou|strong="H0607", Ezra|strong="H5831", after the wisdom|strong="H2452" of thy God|strong="H0426", that is in thine hand|strong="H3028", set|strong="H4483" magistrates|strong="H8200" and judges|strong="H1782", which may judge|strong="H1934" all|strong="H3606" the people|strong="H5972" that are beyond|strong="H5675" the river|strong="H5103", all|strong="H3606" such as know|strong="H3046" the laws|strong="H1882" of thy God|strong="H0426"; and teach|strong="H3046" ye them that know|strong="H3046" them not|strong="H3809".
26 And whosoever|strong="H3606" will not|strong="H3809" do|strong="H1934" the law|strong="H1882" of thy God|strong="H0426", and the law|strong="H1882" of the king|strong="H4430", let judgment|strong="H1780" be|strong="H1934" executed|strong="H5648" speedily|strong="H0629" upon him|strong="H4481", whether|strong="H2006" it be unto death|strong="H4193", or|strong="H2006" to banishment|strong="H8332", or|strong="H2006" to confiscation|strong="H6065" of goods|strong="H5232", or to imprisonment|strong="H0613".
27 Blessed|strong="H1288" be the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* God|strong="H0430" of our fathers|strong="H0001", which hath put|strong="H5414" such a thing as this in the king’s|strong="H4428" heart|strong="H3820", to beautify|strong="H6286" the house|strong="H1004" of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* which is in Jerusalem|strong="H3389":
28 And hath extended|strong="H5186" mercy|strong="H2617" unto me before|strong="H6440" the king|strong="H4428", and his counsellors|strong="H3289", and before all the king’s|strong="H4428" mighty|strong="H1368" princes|strong="H8269". And I was strengthened|strong="H2388" as the hand|strong="H3027" of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* my God|strong="H0430" was upon me, and I gathered together|strong="H6908" out of Israel|strong="H3478" chief men|strong="H7218" to go up|strong="H5927" with me.