⁸ I hereby issue a decree concerning what you must do, so that the elders of the Jews can rebuild the house of God:

The cost is to be paid in full to these men out of the royal revenues^(A) from the taxes of the region west of the Euphrates River, so that the work will not stop. ⁹ Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, or wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem—let it be given to them every day without fail,^{(B) 10} so that they can offer sacrifices of pleasing aroma to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.^(C)

¹¹ I also issue a decree concerning any man who interferes with this directive:

Let a beam be torn from his house and raised up; he will be impaled on it, and his house will be made into a garbage dump because of this offense.^{(D) 12} May the God who caused His name to dwell there^(E) overthrow any king or people who dares^[a] to harm or interfere with this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued the decree. Let it be carried out diligently.

¹³ I issue a decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including their priests and Levites, who want to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.^(A)

²¹ I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers in the region west of the Euphrates River:^(A)

Whatever Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of heaven, asks of you must be provided promptly,^(B)