Ezra 7
New English Translation
The Arrival of Ezra
7 Now after these things had happened, during the reign of King Artaxerxes[a] of Persia, Ezra came up from Babylon.[b] Ezra was the son of Seraiah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Hilkiah, 2 who was the son of Shallum, who was the son of Zadok, who was the son of Ahitub, 3 who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth, 4 who was the son of Zerahiah, who was the son of Uzzi, who was the son of Bukki, 5 who was the son of Abishua, who was the son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eleazar, who was the son of Aaron the chief priest. 6 This Ezra is the one who came up from Babylon. He was a scribe who was skilled in the law of Moses which the Lord God of Israel had given. The king supplied him with everything he requested, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him. 7 In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra brought up[c] to Jerusalem some of the Israelites and some of the priests, the Levites, the attendants, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants. 8 He entered Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. 9 On the first day of the first month he had determined to make[d] the ascent from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he arrived at Jerusalem,[e] for the good hand of his God was on him. 10 Now Ezra had dedicated himself[f] to the study of the law of the Lord, to its observance, and to teaching[g] its statutes and judgments in Israel.
Artaxerxes Gives Official Endorsement to Ezra’s Mission
11 What follows[h] is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priestly scribe.[i] Ezra was[j] a scribe in matters pertaining to the commandments of the Lord and his statutes over Israel:
12 [k] “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven:[l] 13 I have now issued a decree[m] that anyone in my kingdom from the people of Israel—even the priests and Levites—who wishes to do so may go up with you to Jerusalem. 14 You are authorized[n] by the king and his seven advisers to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your possession,[o] 15 and to bring silver and gold which the king and his advisers have freely contributed to the God of Israel, who resides in Jerusalem, 16 along with all the silver and gold that you may collect[p] throughout all the province of Babylon and the contributions of the people and the priests for the temple of their God which is in Jerusalem. 17 With this money you should be sure to purchase bulls, rams, and lambs, along with the appropriate[q] meal offerings and libations. You should bring them to the altar of the temple of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18 You may do whatever seems appropriate to you and your colleagues[r] with the rest of the silver and the gold, in keeping with the will of your God. 19 Deliver to[s] the God of Jerusalem the vessels that are given to you for the service of the temple of your God. 20 The rest of the needs for the temple of your God that you may have to supply,[t] you may do so from the royal treasury.
21 “I, King Artaxerxes, hereby issue orders to all the treasurers of[u] Trans-Euphrates, that you precisely execute all that Ezra the priestly scribe of the law of the God of heaven may request of you— 22 up to 100 talents of silver, 100 cors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of olive oil,[v] and unlimited[w] salt. 23 Everything that the God of heaven has required should be precisely done for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should there be wrath[x] against the empire of the king and his sons? 24 Furthermore, be aware of the fact[y] that you have no authority to impose tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the musicians, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or the attendants at the temple of this God.
25 “Now you, Ezra, in keeping with the wisdom of your God which you possess,[z] appoint judges[aa] and court officials who can arbitrate cases on behalf of all the people who are in Trans-Euphrates who know the laws of your God. Those who do not know this law should be taught. 26 Everyone who does not observe both the law of your God and the law of the king will be completely[ab] liable to the appropriate penalty, whether it is death or banishment or confiscation of property or detainment in prison.”
27 [ac] Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who so moved in the heart of the king to so honor the temple of the Lord which is in Jerusalem! 28 He has also conferred his favor on me before the king, his advisers, and all the influential leaders of the king. I gained strength as the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.
Footnotes
- Ezra 7:1 sn If the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7:1 is Artaxerxes I Longimanus (ca. 464-423 b.c.), Ezra must have arrived in Jerusalem ca. 458 b.c., since Ezra 7:7-8 connects the time of his arrival to the seventh year of the king. The arrival of Nehemiah is then linked to the twentieth year of the king (Neh 1:1), or ca. 445 b.c. Some scholars, however, have suggested that Ezra 7:7 should be read as “the thirty-seventh year” rather than “the seventh year.” This would have Ezra coming to Jerusalem after, rather than before, the arrival of Nehemiah. Others have taken the seventh year of Ezra 7:7-8 to refer not to Artaxerxes I but to Artaxerxes II, who ruled ca. 404-358 b.c. In this understanding Ezra would have returned to Jerusalem ca. 398 b.c., a good many years after the return of Nehemiah. Neither of these views is certain, however, and it seems better to retain the traditional understanding of the chronological sequence of returns by Ezra and Nehemiah. With this understanding there is a gap of about fifty-eight years between chapter six, which describes the dedication of the temple in 516 b.c., and chapter seven, which opens with Ezra’s coming to Jerusalem in 458 b.c.
- Ezra 7:1 tn The words “came up from Babylon” do not appear in the Hebrew text until v. 6. They have been supplied here for the sake of clarity.
- Ezra 7:7 tc The translation reads the Hiphil singular וַיַּעֲל (vayyaʿal, “he [Ezra] brought up”) rather than the Qal plural וַיַּעַלוּ (vayyaʿalu, “they came up”) of the MT.tn Heb “he brought”; the referent (Ezra) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Ezra 7:9 tc The translation reads יִסַּד (yissad, “he appointed” [= determined]) rather than the reading יְסֻד (yesud, “foundation”) of the MT. (The words “to make” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.)
- Ezra 7:9 sn Apparently it took the caravan almost four months to make the 500 mile journey.
- Ezra 7:10 tn Heb “established his heart.”
- Ezra 7:10 tn Heb “to do and to teach.” The expression may be a hendiadys, in which case it would have the sense of “effectively teaching.”
- Ezra 7:11 tn Heb “this.”
- Ezra 7:11 tn Heb “the priest, the scribe.” So also in v. 21.
- Ezra 7:11 tn The words “Ezra was” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.
- Ezra 7:12 sn Ezra 7:12-26 is written in Aramaic rather than Hebrew.
- Ezra 7:12 tn The verse ends with גְּמִיר וּכְעֶנֶת (gemir ukheʿenet) meaning “completed and now” or “perfect and now.” Some take the masculine form גְּמִיר (gemir) to apply to Ezra, as an expert scribe (Youngs, Holman, Darby). Many others take it as an abbreviated greeting “perfect (peace)” (KJV, NASB, ESV). Some simply render “Greetings” (NIV). The second term “and now” is understood either as beginning the letter’s text, i.e., that it belongs in the next verse (ESV), or as a form of “et cetera” meaning that the full introduction, whether of Ezra’s titles or of a lengthier list of greetings was deliberately omitted as extraneous to Ezra’s purposes here. The LXX interprets it as an introduction, “the message and answer are completed.”
- Ezra 7:13 tn Heb “from me is placed a decree.” So also in v. 21.
- Ezra 7:14 tn Aram “sent.”
- Ezra 7:14 tn Aram “in your hand.”
- Ezra 7:16 tn Aram “find.”
- Ezra 7:17 tn Aram “their meal offerings and their libations.”
- Ezra 7:18 tn Aram “brothers.”
- Ezra 7:19 tn Or “before.”
- Ezra 7:20 tn Aram “may fall to you to give.”
- Ezra 7:21 tn Aram “who are in.”
- Ezra 7:22 tc The translation reads מְשַׁח בַּתִּין (meshakh battin) rather than מְשַׁח בַּתִּין (battin meshakh) of the MT.
- Ezra 7:22 tn Aram “he did not write.”
- Ezra 7:23 tn The Aramaic word used here for “wrath” (קְצַף, qetsaf; cf. Heb קָצַף, qatsaf) is usually used in the Hebrew Bible for God’s anger as opposed to human anger (but contra Eccl 5:17 [MT 5:16]; Esth 1:18; 2 Kgs 3:27). The fact that this word is used in v. 23 may have theological significance, pointing to the possibility of divine judgment if the responsible parties should fail to make available these provisions for the temple.
- Ezra 7:24 tn Aram “we are making known to you.”
- Ezra 7:25 tn Aram “in your hand.”
- Ezra 7:25 tc For the MT reading שָׁפְטִין (shoftim, “judges”) the LXX uses the noun γραμματεῖς (grammateis, “scribes”).
- Ezra 7:26 tn On the meaning of this word see HALOT 1820-21 s.v. אָסְפַּרְנָא; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 14.
- Ezra 7:27 sn At this point the language of the book reverts from Aramaic (7:12-26) back to Hebrew.
Ezra 7
Expanded Bible
Ezra Comes to Jerusalem
7 After these things, during the rule of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra came up [C Ezra’s coming is not actually stated until v. 6] from Babylon [C if this refers to Artaxerxes I, then chapter seven takes place around 458 bc, about fifty-eight years after chapter six, but some date the events differently] as the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, 2 the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, 3 the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, 4 the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, 5 the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the ·high [chief] priest. 6 This Ezra came ·to Jerusalem [L up] from Babylon. He was a ·teacher and knew well [scribe skilled/well versed in] the ·Teachings [Law; L Torah] of Moses that had been given by the Lord, the God of Israel. Ezra received everything he asked for from the king, because the [L hand of the] Lord his God was ·helping [on] him. 7 In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes more ·Israelites [sons/people of Israel] came to Jerusalem. Among them were priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants.
8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of Artaxerxes’ seventh year as king. 9 Ezra had left Babylon on the first day of the first month [C April 8], and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month [C August 4], because [the good/gracious hand of] God was ·helping [on] him. 10 Ezra had ·worked hard [dedicated/devoted himself; L set his heart] to ·know [study] and ·obey [practice; do; observe] the ·Teachings [Law; L Torah] of the Lord and to teach his rules and commands to the Israelites.
Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra
11 King Artaxerxes had given a ·letter [document] to Ezra, a priest and ·teacher [scribe] ·who taught about [learned in] the commands and laws the Lord gave Israel. This is a copy of the ·letter [document]:
12 From Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a ·teacher [scribe] of the Law of the God of heaven.
·Greetings [Peace].
13 Now I ·give [issue] this ·order [decree]: Any Israelite in my kingdom who wishes may go with you to Jerusalem, including priests and Levites. 14 Ezra, you are ·sent [authorized] by the king and ·the [his] seven ·advisors [counselors] to ·ask [inquire] concerning Judah and Jerusalem in regards to the Law of your God [C whether they were obeying it], which ·you are carrying with you [L is in your hand]. 15 Also take with you the silver and gold that the king and his ·advisors [counselors] have ·given [offered] freely to the God of Israel, ·whose Temple is [whose dwelling is; who lives] in Jerusalem. 16 Also take the silver and gold you ·receive [collect; obtain] from the ·area [province] of Babylon. Take the ·voluntary [freewill] offerings the Israelites and their priests have given as gifts for the ·Temple [L house] of your God in Jerusalem. 17 With this money be sure to buy bulls, ·male sheep [rams], and lambs, and the appropriate grain offerings and ·drink offerings [liquid offerings; libations]. Then ·sacrifice [offer] them on the altar in the ·Temple [L house] of your God in Jerusalem.
18 You and your ·fellow Jews [colleagues; L brothers] may ·spend [use] the silver and gold ·left over [remaining] as you want ·and as God wishes [in keeping/accordance with God’s will]. 19 ·Take [Deliver] to the God of Jerusalem all the ·utensils [articles; vessels] for ·worship [service] in the ·Temple [L house] of your God. 20 Use the royal treasury to ·pay for [provide; supply] anything else you need for the ·Temple [L house] of your God.
21 Now I, King Artaxerxes, ·give this order [issue this decree] to all the ·men in charge of the treasury [treasurers] of Trans-Euphrates [C provinces west of the Euphrates River]: Give [L diligently to] Ezra, a priest and ·a teacher [the scribe] of the Law of the God of heaven, whatever he asks for. 22 Give him up to ·seventy-five hundred pounds [L one hundred talents] of silver, ·six hundred bushels [L one hundred kors] of wheat, ·six hundred gallons [L one hundred baths] of wine, and ·six hundred gallons [L one hundred baths] of olive oil. And give him ·as much salt as he wants [unlimited salt]. 23 ·Carefully [L Zealously] give him whatever the God of heaven ·wants [demands; commands] for the ·Temple [L house] of the God of heaven. ·We do not want God to [L Why should God …?] be angry with the [the kingdom/empire of the] king and his sons. 24 Remember, you ·must not [have no authority to] make these people pay taxes of any kind: priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Temple servants, and other workers in this ·Temple [L house] of God.
25 And you, Ezra, ·use [in accordance with] the wisdom you have from your God ·to choose [appoint] judges and lawmakers to ·rule [govern; arbitrate for] the ·Jews [people] of Trans-Euphrates [C provinces west of the Euphrates River]. They know the laws of your God, and you may teach anyone who does not know them. 26 Whoever does not ·obey [observe] the law of your God or of the king must be ·punished [judged quickly/immediately]. He will be killed, or ·sent away [banished], or have his property ·taken away [confiscated], or ·be put in jail [imprisoned].
27 ·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord, the God of our ·ancestors [fathers]. He ·caused the king [L put in the king’s heart] to want to ·honor [beautify; adorn; glorify] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord in Jerusalem. 28 The Lord has shown me [C Ezra], his ·love [loyalty] ·in the presence of [before] the king, ·those who advise the king [his counselors/advisers], and ·the royal officers [his mighty nobles/officials]. Because the Lord my God was helping me, I ·had courage [was strengthened], and I gathered the ·leaders [L heads of the fathers] of Israel to ·return [L go up] with me.
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.