1And after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,
2son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,
3son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,
4son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,
5son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the head priest;
6Ezra himself has come up from Babylon, and he [is] a scribe ready in the Law of Moses, that YHWH God of Israel gave, and the king gives to him—according to the hand of his God YHWH on him—all his request.
7And there go up of the sons of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
8And he comes to Jerusalem in the fifth month, that [is in] the seventh year of the king,
9for on the first of the month he has founded the ascent from Babylon, and on the first of the fifth month he has come to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on him,
10for Ezra has prepared his heart to seek the Law of YHWH, and to do, and to teach in Israel statute and judgment.
11And this [is] a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a scribe of the words of the commands of YHWH, and of His statutes on Israel:
12“Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe of the Law of the God of the heavens, and at such a time:
13By me has been made a decree that everyone who is willing, in my kingdom, of the people of Israel and of its priests and Levites, to go to Jerusalem with you, go;
14because that from the king and his seven counselors you are sent, to inquire concerning Judah and concerning Jerusalem, with the Law of God that [is] in your hand,
15and to carry silver and gold that the king and his counselors willingly offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling place [is] in Jerusalem,
16and all the silver and gold that you find in all the province of Babylon, with the free-will offerings of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly, for the house of their God that [is] in Jerusalem,
17therefore you speedily buy with this money, bullocks, rams, lambs, and their presents, and their drink-offerings, and bring them near to the altar of the house of your God that [is] in Jerusalem,
18and that which to you and to your brothers is good to do with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God you do.
19And the vessels that are given to you, for the service of the house of your God, make perfect before the God of Jerusalem;
20and the rest of the necessary things of the house of your God, that it falls to you to give, you give from the treasure-house of the king.
21And by me—I Artaxerxes the king—is made a decree to all treasurers who [are] beyond the river, that all that Ezra the priest, scribe of the Law of the God of the heavens, asks of you, be done speedily:
22To silver one hundred talents, and to wheat one hundred cors, and to wine one hundred baths, and to oil one hundred baths, and salt without reckoning;
23all that [is] by the decree of the God of the heavens, let be done diligently for the house of the God of the heavens; for why is there wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons?
24And to you we are making known, that on any of the priests and Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, and servants of the house of God, tribute and custom there is no authority to lift up.
25And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God, that [is] in your hand, appoint magistrates—even judges who may be judging—judging all the people who are beyond the river, to all knowing the Law of your God, and he who has not known, you cause to know;
26and any who does not do the Law of your God, and the law of the king, judgment is done speedily on him, whether to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of riches, and to bonds.”
27Blessed [is] YHWH, God of our fathers, who has given such a thing as this in the heart of the king, to beautify the house of YHWH that [is] in Jerusalem,
28and to me has stretched out kindness before the king and his counselors, and before all the mighty heads of the king: and I have strengthened myself as the hand of my God YHWH [is] on me, and I gather out of Israel heads to go up with me.