Ezra 7:7-13
New King James Version
7 (A)Some of the children of Israel, the priests, (B)the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and (C)the Nethinim came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. 8 And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9 On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, (D)according to the good hand of his God upon him. 10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to (E)seek[a] the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to (F)teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.
The Letter of Artaxerxes to Ezra
11 This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest, the scribe, expert in the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of His statutes to Israel:
To Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Law of the God of heaven:
13 I issue a decree that all those of the people of Israel and the priests and Levites in my realm, who volunteer to go up to Jerusalem, may go with you.
Footnotes
- Ezra 7:10 Study
- Ezra 7:12 The original language of Ezra 7:12–26 is Aramaic.
- Ezra 7:12 Lit. and now
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.