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EZRA ยท Chapter 7
7:1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia,
Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
7:2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
7:3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
7:4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
7:5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the
son of Aaron the chief priest:
7:6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the
law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted
him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
7:7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests,
and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto
Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
7:8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh
year of the king.
7:9 For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from
Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem,
according to the good hand of his God upon him.
7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and
to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
7:11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave
unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments
of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.
7:12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the
law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.
7:13 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 with you.
7:14 Forasmuch as you are sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors,
to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your
God which is in your hand;
7:15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors
have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,
7:16 And all the silver and gold that you can find in all the province
of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests,
offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:
7:17 That you may buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs,
with their food offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon
the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
7:18 And whatsoever shall seem good to you, and to your brethren, to
do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of
your God.
7:19 The vessels also that are given you for the service of the house
of your God, those deliver you before the God of Jerusalem.
7:20 And whatsoever more shall be necessary for the house of your God,
which you shall have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure
house.
7:21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the
treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest,
the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be
done speedily,
7:22 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures
of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil,
and salt without prescribing how much.
7:23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently
done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath
against the realm of the king and his sons?
7:24 Also we certify you, that concerning any of the priests and Levites,
singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall
not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
7:25 And you, Ezra, after the wisdom of your God, that is in your hand,
set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond
the river, all such as know the laws of your God; and teach all of you
them that know them not.
7:26 And whosoever will not do the law of your God, and the law of
the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto
death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
7:27 Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which has put such a thing
as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is
in Jerusalem:
7:28 And has extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors,
and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the
hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel
chief men to go up with me.
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