Ezra 7 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Ezra Goes Up from Babylon to Jerusalem

1 Now after ^H310 these ^H428 things ^H1697, in the reign ^H4438 of Artaxerxes ^H783 king ^H4428 of Persia ^H6539, there went up Ezra ^H5830 son ^H1121 of Seraiah ^H8304, son ^H1121 of Azariah ^H5838, son ^H1121 of Hilkiah ^H2518,

2 son ^H1121 of Shallum ^H7967, son ^H1121 of Zadok ^H6659, son ^H1121 of Ahitub ^H285, 3 son ^H1121 of Amariah ^H568, son ^H1121 of Azariah ^H5838, son ^H1121 of Meraioth ^H4812, 4 son ^H1121 of Zerahiah ^H2228, son ^H1121 of Uzzi ^H5813, son ^H1121 of Bukki ^H1231, 5 son ^H1121 of Abishua ^H50, son ^H1121 of Phinehas ^H6372, son ^H1121 of Eleazar ^H499, son ^H1121 of Aaron ^H175 the chief ^H7218 priest ^H3548. 6 This ^H1931 Ezra ^H5830 went ^H5927 up ^H5927 from Babylon ^H894, and he was a scribe ^H5608 skilled ^H4106 in the law ^H8451 of Moses ^H4872, which ^H834 Yahweh ^H3068, the God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478 had given ^H5414; and the king ^H4428 granted ^H5414 him all ^H3605 [fn]he requested ^H1246 because the hand ^H3028 of Yahweh ^H3068 his God ^H430 was upon him. 7 And some ^H4480 of the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 and some ^H4480 of the priests ^H3548, the Levites ^H3881, the singers ^H7891, the gatekeepers ^H7778, and the temple ^H5411 servants ^H5411 went ^H5927 up ^H5927 to Jerusalem ^H3389 in the seventh ^H7651 year ^H8141 of King ^H4428 Artaxerxes ^H783.

8 He came ^H935 to Jerusalem ^H3389 in the fifth ^H2549 month ^H2320, which ^H1931 was in the seventh ^H7637 year ^H8141 of the king ^H4428. 9 For on the first ^H259 of the first ^H7223 month ^H2320 [fn]he began ^H3246 to go ^H4609 up ^H4609 from Babylon ^H894; and on the first ^H259 of the fifth ^H2549 month ^H2320 he came ^H935 to Jerusalem ^H3389, because the good ^H2896 hand ^H3027 of his God ^H430 was upon him. 10 For Ezra ^H5830 had set ^H3559 his heart ^H3824 to [fn]study ^H1875 the law ^H8451 of Yahweh ^H3068 and to practice ^H6213 it, and to teach ^H3925 His statute ^H2706 and judgment ^H4941 in Israel ^H3478.

The King’s Decree on Behalf of Ezra

11 Now this ^H2088 is the copy ^H6572 of the letter ^H5406 which ^H834 King ^H4428 Artaxerxes ^H783 gave ^H5414 to Ezra ^H5830 the priest ^H3548, the scribe ^H5608, [fn]learned ^H5608 in the words ^H1697 of the commandments ^H4687 of Yahweh ^H3068 and His statutes ^H2706 to Israel ^H3478:

12 “[fn]Artaxerxes ^H783, king ^H4430 of kings ^H4430, to Ezra ^H5831 the priest ^H3549, the scribe ^H5613 of the law ^H1882 of the God ^H426 of heaven ^H8065, perfect ^H1585 peace. And now ^H3706—

13 I have issued ^H7761 a decree ^H2942 that any ^H3606 of the people ^H5972 of Israel ^H3479 and their priests ^H3549 and the Levites ^H3879 in my kingdom ^H4437 who ^H1768 freely ^H5069 offer ^H5069 to go ^H1981 to Jerusalem ^H3390, may go ^H1981 with you.

14 Forasmuch ^H6903 H1768 as you are sent ^H7972 from before the king ^H4430 and his seven ^H7655 counselors ^H3272 to inquire ^H1240 concerning ^H5922 Judah ^H3061 and Jerusalem ^H3390 according to the law ^H1882 of your God ^H426 which ^H1768 is in your hand ^H3028,

15 and to bring ^H2987 the silver ^H3702 and gold ^H1722, which ^H1768 the king ^H4430 and his counselors ^H3272 have freely ^H5069 offered ^H5069 to the God ^H426 of Israel ^H3479, whose ^H1768 dwelling ^H4907 is in Jerusalem ^H3390,

16 and all ^H3606 the silver ^H3702 and gold ^H1722 which ^H1768 you find ^H7912 in the whole ^H3606 province ^H4083 of Babylon ^H895, along ^H5973 with ^H5973 the freewill ^H5069 offering ^H5069 of the people ^H5972 and of the priests ^H3549, who offered ^H5069 willingly ^H5069 for the house ^H1005 of their God ^H426 which ^H1768 is in Jerusalem ^H3390;

17 with this ^H1836 money ^H3702, therefore ^H6903 H1836, you shall with all ^H629 diligence ^H629 buy ^H7066 bulls ^H8450, rams ^H1798, and lambs ^H563, with their grain offerings ^H4504 and their drink ^H5261 offerings ^H5261, and bring ^H7127 them near ^H727 to the altar ^H4056 of the house ^H1005 of your God ^H426 which ^H1768 is in Jerusalem ^H3390.

18 And whatever ^H4101 seems ^H3190 good ^H3191 to you and to your brothers ^H252 to do with the rest ^H7606 of the silver ^H3702 and gold ^H1722, you may do ^H5648 according to the will ^H7470 of your God ^H426.

19 Also the utensils ^H3984 which ^H1768 are given ^H3052 to you for the service ^H6402 of the house ^H1005 of your God ^H426, deliver ^H8000 in ^H8000 full ^H8000 before ^H6925 the God ^H426 of Jerusalem ^H3390.

20 The rest ^H7606 of the needs ^H2819 for the house ^H1005 of your God ^H426, which ^H1768 may fall ^H5308 upon ^H5308 you to provide ^H5415, provide ^H5415 for it from the royal ^H4430 treasury ^H1596.

21 “So I, even I, King ^H4430 Artaxerxes ^H783, issue ^H7761 a decree ^H2942 to all ^H3606 the treasurers ^H1490 who ^H1768 are in the provinces beyond ^H5675 the [fn]River ^H5103, that whatever ^H3606 H1768 Ezra ^H5831 the priest ^H3549, the scribe ^H5613 of the law ^H1882 of the God ^H426 of heaven ^H8065, may ask ^H7593 of you, it shall be done ^H5648 with all ^H629 diligence ^H629,

22 even up to [fn]100 ^H3967 talents ^H3604 of silver ^H3702, [fn]100 ^H3967 kors ^H3734 of wheat ^H2591, [fn]100 ^H3967 baths ^H1325 of wine ^H2562, [fn]100 ^H3967 baths ^H1325 of oil ^H4887, and salt ^H4416 without written ^H3792 order ^H3792.

23 Whatever ^H3606 H1768 is [fn]decreed ^H4481 H2942 by the God ^H426 of heaven ^H8065, let it be done ^H5648 with zeal ^H149 for the house ^H1005 of the God ^H426 of heaven ^H8065, so ^H1768 that there will not be wrath ^H7109 against ^H5922 the kingdom ^H4437 of the king ^H4430 and his sons ^H1123.

24 We also make ^H3046 known ^H3046 to you that it is not allowed ^H7990 to [fn]impose ^H7412 tribute ^H4061, custom ^H4061, or toll ^H1983 on any ^H3606 of the priests ^H3549, Levites ^H3879, singers ^H2171, doorkeepers ^H8652, temple ^H5412 servants ^H5412, or other servants ^H6399 of this ^H1836 house ^H1005 of God ^H426.

25 “And you, Ezra ^H5831, according to the wisdom ^H2452 of your God ^H426 which ^H1768 is in your hand ^H3028, appoint ^H4483 magistrates ^H8200 and judges ^H1782 that they may judge ^H1934 H1778 all ^H3606 the people ^H5972 who ^H1768 are in the province beyond ^H5675 the River ^H5103, even all ^H3606 those who know ^H3046 the laws ^H1882 of your God ^H426; and to anyone ^H1768 who ^H1768 does ^H3046 not ^H3809 know ^H3046 the laws, you shall make ^H3046 them known ^H3046.

26 Whoever ^H3605 will not do ^H5648 the law ^H1882 of your God ^H426 and the law ^H1882 of the king ^H4430, let judgment ^H1780 be done ^H5648 to him with all ^H629 diligence ^H629, whether ^H2006 for death ^H4193 or ^H2006 for [fn]banishment ^H8332 or ^H2006 for confiscation ^H6065 of goods ^H5232 or for imprisonment ^H613.”

Yahweh Put This in the King’s Heart

27 Blessed ^H1288 be Yahweh ^H3068, the God ^H430 of our fathers ^H1, who ^H834 has put ^H5414 such a thing as this ^H2088 in the king’s ^H4428 heart ^H3820, to beautify ^H6286 the house ^H1004 of Yahweh ^H3068 which ^H834 is in Jerusalem ^H3389,

28 and has extended ^H5186 lovingkindness ^H2617 to me before ^H6440 the king ^H4428 and his counselors ^H3289 and before all ^H3605 the king’s ^H4428 mighty ^H1368 princes ^H8269. Thus I was strengthened ^H2388 according to the hand ^H3027 of Yahweh ^H3068 my God ^H430 upon me, and I gathered ^H6908 [fn]chief ^H7218 men ^H7218 from Israel ^H3478 to go ^H5927 up ^H5927 with me.