Ezra 7

Ezra Goes Up from Babylon

1After these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest— 6this Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a skilled scribe in the instruction of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king granted him all his request, because the hand of the LORD his God was upon him. 7Some of the children of Israel, some of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants also went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. 8Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9For on the first day of the first month he began the journey up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, because the good hand of his God was upon him. 10For Ezra had set his heart to seek the instruction of the LORD, to do it, and to teach statute and judgment in Israel.

Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra

11This is a copy of the document that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, a scribe learned in the words of the commandments of the LORD and his statutes for Israel: 12“Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, scribe of the instruction of the God of heaven, complete peace. And now: 13I issue a decree that anyone from the people of Israel, their priests, and the Levites in my kingdom who freely chooses to go to Jerusalem may go with you. 14For you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the instruction of your God that is in your hand, 15and to carry the silver and gold that the king and his counselors freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16together with all the silver and gold that you find in the whole province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and priests, who freely offer for the house of their God in Jerusalem.

Provision for the House of God

17“Therefore with this silver you will diligently buy bulls, rams, lambs, their grain offerings, and their drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem. 18Whatever seems good to you and your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, do according to the will of your God. 19The vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem. 20Whatever more is needed for the house of your God that falls to you to provide, provide it from the royal treasury.

The Treasurers Beyond the River

21“I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the instruction of the God of heaven, requests from you will be carried out diligently, 22up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred cors of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and salt without limit. 23Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be carried out exactly for the house of the God of heaven. Why should wrath come upon the kingdom of the king and his sons? 24We also reveal to you that you have no authority to impose tribute, tax, or toll upon any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

Ezra Is Given Judicial Authority

25“And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people in the province Beyond the River who know the laws of your God; and teach anyone who does not know them. 26Whoever does not carry out the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed diligently upon him, whether for death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.”

Blessed Be the LORD

27Blessed be the LORD, the God of our ancestors, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, 28and who extended steadfast love to me before the king, his counselors, and all the king’s powerful officials. I took courage because the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.