ThisEzrawent up fromBabylon; and he was a readyscribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the kinggranted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
And therewent up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, untoJerusalem, in the seventhyear of Artaxerxes the king.
For upon the first day of the firstmonthbegan he to go up fromBabylon, and on the first day of the fifthmonthcame he to Jerusalem, according to the goodhand of his God upon him.
Now this is the copy of the letterthat the kingArtaxerxesgaveuntoEzra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.
I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go withthee.
Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his sevencounsellors, to enquireconcerningJudah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thinehand;
And all the silver and goldthatthoucanstfind in all the province of Babylon, with the freewilloffering of the people, and of the priests, offeringwillingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:
Thatthoumayest buy speedilywiththismoneybullocks, rams, lambs, withtheirmeatofferings and theirdrinkofferings, and offerthemupon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurerswhich are beyond the river, thatwhatsoeverEzra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shallrequire of you, it be donespeedily,
Unto an hundredtalents of silver, and to an hundredmeasures of wheat, and to an hundredbaths of wine, and to an hundredbaths of oil, and saltwithoutprescribing how much.
Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligentlydone for the house of the God of heaven: for why shouldthere be wrathagainst the realm of the king and his sons?
Also we certify you, thattouching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of thishouse of God, it shall not be lawful to imposetoll, tribute, or custom, uponthem.
And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thinehand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the peoplethat are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye themthatknowthem not.
And whosoeverwill not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executedspeedilyupon him, whether it be untodeath, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
And hathextendedmercyunto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king’smightyprinces. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gatheredtogether out of Israelchief men to go up with me.