Ezra 7:11-26
Expanded Bible
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].
Ezra 7:11-26
Amplified Bible
King’s Decree on Behalf of Ezra
11 Now this is a copy of the decree that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe [who was] learned in the words of the commandments of the Lord and of His statutes to Israel: 12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, perfect peace (greetings). And now 13 I have issued a decree that all 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 For you are sent by the king and his seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem in accordance with the Law of your God, which is in your hand, 15 and to bring [with you] the silver and gold which the king and his advisers have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16 and all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests for the house of their God in Jerusalem. 17 Therefore with this money, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18 And whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, you may do in accordance with the will of your God. 19 As for the utensils which are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver [those] in full before the God of Jerusalem. 20 The rest of the things required for the house of your God, which you may have occasion to provide, provide it from the royal treasury.
21 “And I, Artaxerxes the king, issue a decree to all the treasurers in the provinces [a]west of the [Euphrates] River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently and at once— 22 even up to 100 talents of silver, 100 kors (measures) of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of [olive] oil, and salt as needed. 23 Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done diligently and with enthusiasm for the house of the God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons. 24 We also inform you that it is not authorized to impose tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants or other servants of this house of God.
25 “You, Ezra, are to appoint magistrates and judges in accordance with the wisdom and instruction of your God which is in your hand, so that they may judge all the people who are in the province west of the [Euphrates] River; appoint those who know the laws of your God; and you may teach anyone who does not know them. 26 Whoever does not observe and practice the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly and promptly, whether it be for death or banishment or confiscation of property or imprisonment.”
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- Ezra 7:21 Lit beyond and so throughout.
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