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Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra

11 This is the copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the scroll of the words of the commands of Yahweh and his statutes for Israel: 12 “Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of the heavens. Peace. And now 13 I issue forth a decree that any of the people of Israel, their priests, or their Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem may go with you. 14 For you are sent from the king and his seven counselors to enquire about Judah and Jerusalem concerning the law of your God, which is in your hand. 15 Also, bring the silver and gold that the king and his advisors have freely offered to the God of Israel whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16 and all of the silver and gold that you will find in the whole province of Babylonia, with the freewill offerings of the people and the priests giving willingly for the house of their God in Jerusalem. 17 With this money, then, with diligence you must buy young bulls, young rams, lambs, and their offerings and libations. You must offer them on the altar that is in the house of your God in Jerusalem. 18 You may do whatever seems best to you and your brothers to do with the remainder of the silver and gold according to the desire of your God. 19 And the vessels that were given to you for the service of the house of your God you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem. 20 And the remainder of the needs for the house of your God that falls to you to provide, you may provide from the house of the king’s treasury.”

21 “I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue forth a decree to all the treasurers who are in the province Beyond the River. Whatever the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may ask of you, let it be done with diligence, 22 up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred measures of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and unlimited salt.[a] 23 All that is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with diligence for the house of the God of heaven, otherwise wrath will come on the kingdom of the king and his sons. 24 You also should be aware that it is not permitted to place tax, tribute, or duty upon all of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, and other servants of the house of God.

25 “You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that you possess, appoint magistrates and judges who can judge all of the people in the province Beyond the River who know the laws of your God. And you will teach those who do not know. 26 All who do not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with diligence, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods and for imprisonment.”

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Footnotes

  1. Ezra 7:22 Literally, “salt that is not specified”

Artaxerxes Gives Official Endorsement to Ezra’s Mission

11 What follows[a] is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priestly scribe.[b] Ezra was[c] a scribe in matters pertaining to the commandments of the Lord and his statutes over Israel:

12 [d] “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven:[e] 13 I have now issued a decree[f] 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[g] 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,[h] 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[i] 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[j] 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[k] with the rest of the silver and the gold, in keeping with the will of your God. 19 Deliver to[l] 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,[m] you may do so from the royal treasury.

21 “I, King Artaxerxes, hereby issue orders to all the treasurers of[n] 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,[o] and unlimited[p] 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[q] against the empire of the king and his sons? 24 Furthermore, be aware of the fact[r] 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,[s] appoint judges[t] 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[u] liable to the appropriate penalty, whether it is death or banishment or confiscation of property or detainment in prison.”

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Footnotes

  1. Ezra 7:11 tn Heb “this.”
  2. Ezra 7:11 tn Heb “the priest, the scribe.” So also in v. 21.
  3. Ezra 7:11 tn The words “Ezra was” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.
  4. Ezra 7:12 sn Ezra 7:12-26 is written in Aramaic rather than Hebrew.
  5. 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.”
  6. Ezra 7:13 tn Heb “from me is placed a decree.” So also in v. 21.
  7. Ezra 7:14 tn Aram “sent.”
  8. Ezra 7:14 tn Aram “in your hand.”
  9. Ezra 7:16 tn Aram “find.”
  10. Ezra 7:17 tn Aram “their meal offerings and their libations.”
  11. Ezra 7:18 tn Aram “brothers.”
  12. Ezra 7:19 tn Or “before.”
  13. Ezra 7:20 tn Aram “may fall to you to give.”
  14. Ezra 7:21 tn Aram “who are in.”
  15. Ezra 7:22 tc The translation reads מְשַׁח בַּתִּין (meshakh battin) rather than מְשַׁח בַּתִּין (battin meshakh) of the MT.
  16. Ezra 7:22 tn Aram “he did not write.”
  17. 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.
  18. Ezra 7:24 tn Aram “we are making known to you.”
  19. Ezra 7:25 tn Aram “in your hand.”
  20. Ezra 7:25 tc For the MT reading שָׁפְטִין (shoftim, “judges”) the LXX uses the noun γραμματεῖς (grammateis, “scribes”).
  21. Ezra 7:26 tn On the meaning of this word see HALOT 1820-21 s.v. אָסְפַּרְנָא; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 14.