1 A1 Chr 6:4-14Now after these things, in the reign of BEzra 7:12, 21; Neh 2:1Artaxerxes king of Persia, there went up Ezra 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 Meraioth, 4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest. 6 This Ezra went up from Babylon, and he was a AEzra 7:11, 12, 21scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which the Loʀᴅ God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all 1Lit his requesthe requested BEzra 7:9, 28; 8:22because the hand of the Loʀᴅ his God was upon him. 7 AEzra 8:1-20Some of the sons of Israel and some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

8 He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9 For on the first of the first month 1Lit was the foundationhe began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, AEzra 7:6; Neh 2:8because the good hand of his God was upon him. 10 For Ezra had set his heart to 1Lit seekstudy the law of the Loʀᴅ and to practice it, and ADeut 33:10; Ezra 7:25; Neh 8:1to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.

11 Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, 1Lit the scribe oflearned in the words of the commandments of the Loʀᴅ and His statutes to Israel: 12 “1Ch 7:12-26 is in AramArtaxerxes, AEzek 26:7; Dan 2:37king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now 13 AEzra 6:1I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. 14  “Forasmuch as you are sent 1Lit from beforeby the king and his AEzra 7:15, 28; 8:25seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God which is in your hand, 15 and to bring the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, A2 Chr 6:2; Ezra 6:12; Ps 135:21whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16 with AEzra 8:25all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along BEzra 1:4, 6with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, who C1 Chr 29:6offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem; 17 with this money, therefore, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams and lambs, ANum 15:4-13with their grain offerings and their drink offerings and BDeut 12:5-11offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18  “Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do according to the will of your God. 19  “Also the utensils which are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem. 20  “The rest of the needs for the house of your God, for which you may have occasion to provide, AEzra 6:4provide for it from the royal treasury.

21 “I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the 1I.e. Euphrates River, and so throughout the chRiver, that whatever Ezra the priest, AEzra 7:6the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently, 22 even up to 100 talents of silver, 100 1I.e. One kor equals approx ten bukors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt 2Lit without prescriptionas needed. 23  “Whatever is 1Lit from the decree ofcommanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, AEzra 6:10so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons. 24  “We also inform you that AEzra 4:13, 20it is not allowed to 1Lit throw on themimpose tax, tribute or toll BEzra 7:7on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim or servants of this house of God.

25 “You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, AEx 18:21; Deut 16:18appoint magistrates and judges that they may judge all the people who are in the province beyond the River, even all those who know the laws of your God; and you may BEzra 7:10; Mal 2:7; Col 1:28teach anyone who is ignorant of them. 26  “AEzra 6:11, 12Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for 1Lit rooting outbanishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.”

27 Blessed be the Loʀᴅ, the God of our fathers, AEzra 6:22who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to adorn the house of the Loʀᴅ which is in Jerusalem, 28 and AEzra 9:9has extended lovingkindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king’s mighty princes. Thus I was strengthened according to BEzra 5:5the hand of the Loʀᴅ my God upon me, and I gathered 1Lit headsleading men from Israel to go up with me.