Ezra 7:11-26
New American Standard Bible
King’s Decree on Behalf of Ezra
11 Now this is the copy of the letter which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, [a]learned in the words of the commandments of the Lord and His statutes to Israel: 12 “[b]Artaxerxes, (A)king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, [c]perfect peace. And now 13 (B)I 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 Since you are sent [d]on the part of the king and his (C)seven advisers to inquire about 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 advisers have voluntarily given to the God of Israel, (D)whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16 with (E)all the silver and gold which you find in the entire province of Babylon, along (F)with the [e]voluntary offering of the people and of the priests, who (G)offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem; 17 with this money, therefore, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams, and lambs, (H)with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and (I)offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18 And whatever seems good to you and 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 And the rest of the needs of the house of your God, for which it may be incumbent upon you to provide, (J)provide for them from the royal treasury.
21 “I myself, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the Euphrates River, that whatever Ezra the priest, (K)the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently, 22 up to [f]a hundred talents of silver, [g]a hundred kors of wheat, [h]a hundred baths of wine, [i]a hundred baths of anointing oil, and salt [j]as needed. 23 Whatever is [k]commanded by the God of heaven, it shall be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, (L)so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons. 24 We also inform you that (M)it is not allowed to impose tax, tribute, or toll (N)on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
25 “And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, (O)appoint magistrates and judges so that they may judge all the people who are in the province beyond the Euphrates River, that is, all those who know the laws of your God; and you may (P)teach anyone who is ignorant of them. 26 And (Q)whoever does not comply with the Law of your God and the law of the king, judgment is to be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for banishment, or for [l]confiscation of property or for imprisonment.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ezra 7:11 Or the scribe of
- Ezra 7:12 Ch 7:12-26 is in Aram
- Ezra 7:12 Or perhaps it is determined
- Ezra 7:14 Lit from before
- Ezra 7:16 Or freewill offering
- Ezra 7:22 About 3.75 tons or 3.4 metric tons
- Ezra 7:22 About 770 cubic feet or 22 cubic meters
- Ezra 7:22 About 600 gallons or 2,271 liters
- Ezra 7:22 About 600 gallons or 2,271 liters
- Ezra 7:22 Lit without instruction
- Ezra 7:23 Lit from the command of
- Ezra 7:26 Or fines
Ezra 7:11-26
New Living Translation
Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra
11 King Artaxerxes had given a copy of the following letter to Ezra, the priest and scribe who studied and taught the commands and decrees of the Lord to Israel:
12 [a]“From Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the teacher of the law of the God of heaven. Greetings.
13 “I decree that any of the people of Israel in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may volunteer to return to Jerusalem with you. 14 I and my council of seven hereby instruct you to conduct an inquiry into the situation in Judah and Jerusalem, based on your God’s law, which is in your hand. 15 We also commission you to take with you silver and gold, which we are freely presenting as an offering to the God of Israel who lives in Jerusalem.
16 “Furthermore, you are to take any silver and gold that you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the voluntary offerings of the people and the priests that are presented for the Temple of their God in Jerusalem. 17 These donations are to be used specifically for the purchase of bulls, rams, male lambs, and the appropriate grain offerings and liquid offerings, all of which will be offered on the altar of the Temple of your God in Jerusalem. 18 Any silver and gold that is left over may be used in whatever way you and your colleagues feel is the will of your God.
19 “But as for the cups we are entrusting to you for the service of the Temple of your God, deliver them all to the God of Jerusalem. 20 If you need anything else for your God’s Temple or for any similar needs, you may take it from the royal treasury.
21 “I, Artaxerxes the king, hereby send this decree to all the treasurers in the province west of the Euphrates River[b]: ‘You are to give Ezra, the priest and teacher of the law of the God of heaven, whatever he requests of you. 22 You are to give him up to 7,500 pounds[c] of silver, 500 bushels[d] of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, 550 gallons of olive oil,[e] and an unlimited supply of salt. 23 Be careful to provide whatever the God of heaven demands for his Temple, for why should we risk bringing God’s anger against the realm of the king and his sons? 24 I also decree that no priest, Levite, singer, gatekeeper, Temple servant, or other worker in this Temple of God will be required to pay tribute, customs, or tolls of any kind.’
25 “And you, Ezra, are to use the wisdom your God has given you to appoint magistrates and judges who know your God’s laws to govern all the people in the province west of the Euphrates River. Teach the law to anyone who does not know it. 26 Anyone who refuses to obey the law of your God and the law of the king will be punished immediately, either by death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
