Ezra 7

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW JERUSALEM
1 After these events, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son ofHilkiah,	1 After these events, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son ofHilkiah,
2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,	2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,
3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,	3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,
4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,	4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,
5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of the chief priest Aaron-	5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of the chief priest Aaron-
6 this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe versed in the Law of Moses, which Yahweh, God ofIsrael, had given. The king gave him everything that he asked for, since the hand of Yahweh his God was overhim.	6 this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe versed in the Law of Moses, which Yahweh, God ofIsrael, had given. The king gave him everything that he asked for, since the hand of Yahweh his God was overhim.
7 A number of Israelites, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers and temple slaves went up to Jerusalem inthe seventh year of the reign of King Artaxerxes.	7 A number of Israelites, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers and temple slaves went up to Jerusalem inthe seventh year of the reign of King Artaxerxes.
8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month, in the seventh year of the king's reign;	8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month, in the seventh year of the king's reign;
9 for he had ordered the departure from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived inJerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, since the kindly hand of his God was over him.	9 for he had ordered the departure from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived inJerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, since the kindly hand of his God was over him.
10 For Ezra had devoted himself to studying the Law of Yahweh so as to put into practice and teach itsstatutes and rulings.	10 For Ezra had devoted himself to studying the Law of Yahweh so as to put into practice and teach itsstatutes and rulings.
11 This is the text of the document which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra, the priest-scribe, a student ofmatters pertaining to Yahweh's commandments and statutes relating to Israel:	11 This is the text of the document which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra, the priest-scribe, a student ofmatters pertaining to Yahweh's commandments and statutes relating to Israel:
12 'Artaxerxes, king of kings, to the priest Ezra, Secretary of the Law of the God of heaven: greetings!	12 'Artaxerxes, king of kings, to the priest Ezra, Secretary of the Law of the God of heaven: greetings!
13 'Now here are my orders. Al members of the people of Israel in my kingdom, including their priests andLevites, who freely choose to go to Jerusalem, may go with you,	13 'Now here are my orders. Al members of the people of Israel in my kingdom, including their priests andLevites, who freely choose to go to Jerusalem, may go with you,
14 for you are being sent by the king and his seven counsel ors to investigate how the Law of your God, inwhich you are expert, is being applied in Judah and Jerusalem,	14 for you are being sent by the king and his seven counsel ors to investigate how the Law of your God, inwhich you are expert, is being applied in Judah and Jerusalem,
15 and to transport the silver and gold which the king and his counsel ors have voluntarily offered to theGod of Israel who resides in Jerusalem,	15 and to transport the silver and gold which the king and his counsel ors have voluntarily offered to theGod of Israel who resides in Jerusalem,
16 as wel as all the silver and gold which you receive throughout the province of Babylon and thevoluntary offerings freely contributed by the people and the priests for the Temple of their God in Jerusalem.	16 as wel as all the silver and gold which you receive throughout the province of Babylon and thevoluntary offerings freely contributed by the people and the priests for the Temple of their God in Jerusalem.
17 'This money you wil punctiliously use for the purchase of bul s, rams, lambs and the materials for theoblations and libations which go with them, offering these on the altar of the Temple of your God in Jerusalem,	17 'This money you wil punctiliously use for the purchase of bul s, rams, lambs and the materials for theoblations and libations which go with them, offering these on the altar of the Temple of your God in Jerusalem,
18 and using the remainder of the silver and gold in accordance with the wil of your God as you and yourbrothers may think fit.	18 and using the remainder of the silver and gold in accordance with the wil of your God as you and yourbrothers may think fit.
19 'You wil deliver the articles which have been given you for the ministry of the Temple of your God, tothe God of Jerusalem,	19 'You wil deliver the articles which have been given you for the ministry of the Temple of your God, tothe God of Jerusalem,
20 and whatever else is needed and you are obliged to supply for the Temple of your God, you will supplyfrom the royal treasury.	20 and whatever else is needed and you are obliged to supply for the Temple of your God, you will supplyfrom the royal treasury.
21 'I, King Artaxerxes, have issued the fol owing instruction to all the treasurers of Transeuphrates:Whatever the priest Ezra, Secretary of the Law of the God of heaven, may request of you is to be punctiliouslycomplied with:	21 'I, King Artaxerxes, have issued the fol owing instruction to all the treasurers of Transeuphrates:Whatever the priest Ezra, Secretary of the Law of the God of heaven, may request of you is to be punctiliouslycomplied with:
22 up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred kor of wheat, one hundred bat of wine, one hundred bat of oil, and unlimited salt.	22 up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred kor of wheat, one hundred bat of wine, one hundred bat of oil, and unlimited salt.
23 Whatever the God of heaven demands for the Temple of the God of heaven must be diligentlyprovided; why should retribution come on the realm of the king and of his sons?	23 Whatever the God of heaven demands for the Temple of the God of heaven must be diligentlyprovided; why should retribution come on the realm of the king and of his sons?
24 You are further informed that it is against the law to impose tribute, tax or tol on any of the priests,Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple slaves or other servants of this temple of God.	24 You are further informed that it is against the law to impose tribute, tax or tol on any of the priests,Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple slaves or other servants of this temple of God.
25 'And you, Ezra, by virtue of the wisdom of your God, which you possess, are to appoint magistratesand scribes to administer justice for the whole people of Transeuphrates, that is, for all who know the Law ofyour God; and you are to teach it to those who do not know it.	25 'And you, Ezra, by virtue of the wisdom of your God, which you possess, are to appoint magistratesand scribes to administer justice for the whole people of Transeuphrates, that is, for all who know the Law ofyour God; and you are to teach it to those who do not know it.
26 And on anyone who wil not comply with the Law of your God and the Law of the king let sentence beswiftly executed, whether it be death, banishment, fine or imprisonment.'	26 And on anyone who wil not comply with the Law of your God and the Law of the king let sentence beswiftly executed, whether it be death, banishment, fine or imprisonment.'
27 Blessed be Yahweh, God of our ancestors, who moved the king's heart in this way to restore thebeauty of the Temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem,	27 Blessed be Yahweh, God of our ancestors, who moved the king's heart in this way to restore thebeauty of the Temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem,
28 won for me the faithful love of the king, his counsel ors and al the most powerful of the king's officials!Taking heart since the hand of Yahweh my God was over me, I assembled those Israelite heads of families whowere to go with me.	28 won for me the faithful love of the king, his counsel ors and al the most powerful of the king's officials!Taking heart since the hand of Yahweh my God was over me, I assembled those Israelite heads of families whowere to go with me.