The Book of Ezra

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 7 -

Now after these things, in the reigne of Artahshashte King of Persia, was Ezra the sonne of Seraiah, the sonne of Azariah, the sonne of Hilkiah,

The sonne of Shallum, the sonne of Zadok, the sonne of Ahitub,

The sonne of Amariah, the sonne of Azariah, the sonne of Meraioth,

The sonne of Zeraiah, the sonne of Vzzi, the sonne of Bukki,

The sonne of Abishua, the sonne of Phinehas, the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron, the chiefe Priest.

This Ezra came vp from Babel, and was a Scribe prompt in the Lawe of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had giuen, and the King gaue him all his request according to the hande of the Lord his God which was vpon him.

And there went vp certaine of the children of Israel, and of the Priests, and the Leuites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims vnto Ierusalem, in the seuenth yere of King Artahshashte.

And hee came to Ierusalem in the fift moneth, which was in the seuenth yeere of the King.

For vpon the first day of the first moneth began he to goe vp from Babel, and on the first day of the fift moneth came he to Ierusalem, according to the good hande of his God that was vpon him.

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seeke the Lawe of the Lord, and to doe it, and to teach the precepts and iudgements in Israel.

Artaxerxes’ Letter for Ezra

And this is the copie of the letter that King Artahshashte gaue vnto Ezra the Priest and scribe, euen a writer of the words of the commadements of ye Lord, and of his statutes ouer Israel.

ARTAHSHASHTE King of Kings to Ezra the Priest and perfite scribe of the Lawe of the God of heauen, and to Cheeneth.

I haue giuen commandement, that euery one, that is willing in my kingdome of the people of Israel, and of the Priestes, and Leuites to goe to Ierusalem with thee, shall goe.

Therefore art thou sent of the King and his seuen counsellers, to enquire in Iudah and Ierusalem, according to the lawe of thy God, which is in thine hand,

And to carry the siluer and the gold, which the King and his cousellers willingly offer vnto the God of Israel (whose habitation is in Ierusalem)

And all the siluer and gold that thou canst finde in all the prouince of Babel, with the free offring of the people, and that which the Priestes offer willingly to the house of their God which is in Ierusalem,

That thou mayest bye speedily with this siluer, bullocks, rammes, lambes, with their meate offrings and their drinke offrings: and thou shalt offer them vpon the altar of the house of your God, which is in Ierusalem.

And whatsoeuer it pleaseth thee and thy brethren to do with the rest of the siluer, and gold, doe ye it according to the will of your God.

And the vessels that are giuen thee for the seruice of the house of thy God, those deliuer thou before God in Ierusalem.

And the residue that shall be needeful for the house of thy God, which shall be meete for thee to bestowe, thou shalt bestowe it out of the Kings treasure house,

And I King Artahshashte haue giuen commandemet to all the treasurers which are beyond the Riuer, that whatsoeuer Ezra the Priest and Scribe of the Law of the God of heauen shall require of you, that it be done incontinently,

Vnto an hundreth talents of siluer, vnto an hundreth measures of wheate, and vnto an hundreth baths of wine, and vnto an hundreth baths of oyle, and salt without writing.

Whatsoeuer is by the commandement of the God of heauen, let it be done speedily for the house of the God of heauen: for why should he be wroth against the realme of the King, and his children?

And we certifie you, that vpon any of the Priestes, Leuites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or Ministers in this house of God, there shall no gouernour laye vpon them tolle, tribute nor custome.

And thou Ezra (after the wisedome of thy God, that is in thine hand) set iudges and arbiters, which may iudge all the people that is beyond the Riuer, euen all that knowe the Lawe of thy God, and teach ye them that know it not.

And whosoeuer will not doe the Lawe of thy God, and the Kings lawe, let him haue iudgement without delay, whether it be vnto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

Ezra Blesses God

Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, which so hath put in the Kings heart, to beautifie the house of the Lord that is in Ierusalem,

And hath enclined mercy toward me, before the King and his counsellers, and before all the Kings mightie Princes: and I was comforted by the hand of the Lord my God which was vpon me, and I gathered the chiefe of Israel to goe vp with me.

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,

the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,

the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,

the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,

the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—

this Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a skilled scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to the LORD his God’s hand on him.

Some of the children of Israel, including some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.

For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on him.

For Ezra had set his heart to seek the LORD’s law, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Artaxerxes’ Letter for Ezra

Now this is the copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of the LORD’s commandments, and of his statutes to Israel:

Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the perfect God of heaven. Now

I make a decree that all those of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my realm, who intend of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with you.

Because you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your hand,

and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,

and all the silver and gold that you will find in all the province of Babylon, with the free will offering of the people and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem.

Therefore you shall with all diligence buy with this money bulls, rams, and lambs with their meal offerings and their drink offerings, and shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do that according to the will of your God.

The vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver before the God of Jerusalem.

Whatever more will be needed for the house of your God, which you may have occasion to give, give it out of the king’s treasure house.

I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, it shall be done with all diligence,

up to one hundred talents

(a)

of silver, and to one hundred cors

(b)

of wheat, and to one hundred baths

(c)

of wine, and to one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, or laborers of this house of God.

You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, who all know the laws of your God; and teach him who doesn’t know them.

Whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with all diligence, whether it is to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

Ezra Blesses God

Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the LORD’s house which is in Jerusalem;

and has extended loving kindness to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. I was strengthened according to the LORD my God’s hand on me, and I gathered together chief men out of Israel to go up with me.

Footnotes

(a)7:22 A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces

(b)7:22 1 cor is the same as a homer, or about 55.9 U. S. gallons (liquid) or 211 liters or 6 bushels.

(c)7:22 1 bath is one tenth of a cor, or about 5.6 U. S. gallons or 21 liters or 2.4 pecks. 100 baths would be about 2,100 liters.