Ezra, Chapter 7:

Verses from Ezra, Chapter 7 of the book of Ezra in the Bible.

Ezra comes to Jerusalem

• 1. During the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, there was a man named Ezra. He was the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
• 2. son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,
• 3. son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,
• 4. son of Zeraiah, son of Uzzi, son of Buki,
• 5. son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of the high priest Aaron.
• 6. Ezra came from Babylon and was a scribe versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was upon him.
• 7. Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants, went to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes' reign.
• 8. Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of his reign.
• 9. He departed from Babylon on the first day of the first month and arrived at Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the good hand of his God was upon him.
• 10. Ezra dedicated himself to studying the Law of the Lord, practicing it and teaching his decrees and commandments to the Israelites.

Letter from Artaxerxes to Ezra

• 11. This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to the priest and scribe Ezra, who knew the commandments and decrees of the Lord for Israel:
• 12. “Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Peace and prosperity!
• 13. I declare that any Israelite in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who wishes to go to Jerusalem may do so.
• 14. You are being sent by the king and his seven counselors to investigate Judah and Jerusalem regarding the Law of your God, which is in your hands.
• 15. In addition, you will take the silver and gold that the king and his counselors willingly offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
• 16. along with all the silver and gold that you receive from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and the priests intended for the temple of their God in Jerusalem.
• 17. With this money, buy bulls, rams and lambs, in addition to what is needed for grain offerings and drink offerings. Sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
• 18. As for the rest of the silver and gold, you and your brothers can use it as you see fit, according to the will of your God.
• 19. Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the utensils entrusted to you for service in the temple of your God.
• 20. All other necessary expenses for the temple of your God will be paid from the royal treasury.
• 21. “I order all the treasurers of the province west of the Euphrates to supply whatever the priest Ezra, scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, requests,
• 22. up to 3.5 tons of silver, one hundred tons of wheat, one hundred barrels of wine, one hundred barrels of olive oil and salt at will.
• 23. Whatever the God of heaven commands, let it be done promptly for the temple of the God of heaven, lest his wrath come upon the kingdom of the king and his sons.
• 24. Know also that you do not have the authority to impose taxes, tributes or tolls on any priest, Levite, singer, doorman, temple servant or anyone who works in this temple of God.
• 25. You, Ezra, with the wisdom that your God has given you, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of the province west of the Euphrates, to all who know the laws of your God. To those who don't know them, you must teach them.
• 26. Those who do not obey the law of your God and the law of the king will be punished by death, exile, confiscation of property or imprisonment.”
• 27. Blessed be the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who touched the king's heart to honor the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem.
• 28. Through the Lord's kindness to me, I have found favor with the king, his counselors, and all his senior officials. Therefore, I took courage and gathered some leaders from Israel to accompany me.

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