Ezra 7:11-26
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Letter of Artaxerxes to Ezra
11 This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, a scholar of the words of the commandments of the Lord and his statutes for Israel: 12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven: Peace.[a] And now(A) 13 I decree that any of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom who freely offers to go to Jerusalem may go with you. 14 For you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God, which is in your hand,(B) 15 and also to convey the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,(C) 16 with all the silver and gold that you shall find in the whole province of Babylonia and with the freewill offerings of the people and the priests, given willingly for the house of their God in Jerusalem.(D) 17 With this money, then, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs and their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem.(E) 18 Whatever seems good to you and your colleagues to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do, according to the will of your God. 19 The vessels that have been given you for the service of the house of your God, you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem. 20 And whatever else is required for the house of your God that you are responsible for providing, you may provide out of the king’s treasury.(F)
21 “I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River: Whatever the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, let it be done with all diligence,(G) 22 up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred cors of wheat, one hundred baths[b] of wine, one hundred baths[c] of oil, and unlimited salt. 23 Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, or wrath will come upon the realm of the king and his heirs.(H) 24 We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
25 “And you, Ezra, according to the God-given wisdom you possess, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River who know the laws of your God, and you shall teach those who do not know them.(I) 26 All who will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed on them, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of their goods or for imprisonment.”
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Ezra 7:11-26
International Standard Version
The Letter from King Artaxerxes
11 Here is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra, the priest-scribe, a scholar[a] in matters concerning the commandments of the Lord and concerning his statutes pertaining to Israel:
12 From:[b] Artaxerxes, King of Kings
To: Ezra, the Priest, a scholar[c] in matters concerning the laws of the God of Heaven
Greetings![d]
13 I hereby decree that all of the people of Israel—along with their priests and descendants of Levi in my kingdom—who are determined to return to Jerusalem with you may do so. 14 You have authority to act for the king and for his Council of Seven to conduct an inquiry concerning Judah and Jerusalem in accordance with the Law of your God, which is in your possession. 15 You are carrying silver and gold that the King and his advisors have freely given to the God of Israel, whose Temple is in Jerusalem, 16 together with all of the silver and gold that you can raise in the province of Babylon, plus the freewill offerings given by the people and the priests, contributed for the Temple of their God, which is in Jerusalem.
17 Accordingly, you are to exercise due diligence to utilize this money to purchase bulls, rams, lambs, grain offerings, and drink offerings, and to offer them upon the altar of the Temple of your God, which is in Jerusalem.
18 Furthermore, the balance remaining of the silver and gold may be used for whatever other purpose you and your people desire, as long as such use is consistent with the will of your God.
19 Furthermore, you are to deliver to the God of Jerusalem the vessels for the service of the Temple of your God that have been given to you.
20 Furthermore, provide from the royal treasury whatever else may be needed for the Temple of your God.
21 I, Artaxerxes, in my capacity as king,[e] hereby decree to all royal treasuries beyond the Euphrates[f] River that whatever Ezra the priest-scribe of the Law of the God of Heaven, may require of you are to be performed with all due diligence, 22 up to 100 silver talents,[g] 100 measures of wheat, 100 measures of wine, 100 measures of oil, and salt without limitation. 23 Whatever is commanded by the God of Heaven is to be done with all due diligence for the Temple of the God of Heaven, or wrath will come against the king’s realm and his sons.
24 Furthermore, we decree that with respect to any of the priests, descendants of Levi, singers, gatekeepers, Temple Servants, or other servants of this Temple of God, it is not to be lawful to impose any tribute, tax, or toll on them.
25 And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom given to you by your God, are to appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people beyond the Euphrates[h] River. All of them are to know the laws of your God, and you are to instruct those who do not know them. 26 Whoever refuses to practice the law of your God and the law of the king is to see judgment executed quickly, whether to death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.
Footnotes
- Ezra 7:11 Or scribe
- Ezra 7:12 At this point, the text of MT changes to Aramaic through verse 26.
- Ezra 7:12 Or scribe
- Ezra 7:12 Lit. Perfect and so forth
- Ezra 7:21 Lit. And I, even I, Artaxerxes the King
- Ezra 7:21 The Aram. lacks Euphrates
- Ezra 7:22 I.e. about 7,500 pounds; a talent weighed about 75 pounds
- Ezra 7:25 The Aram. lacks Euphrates
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