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which the L
ORD
God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the
hand of the L
ORD
his God upon him.
7
And there went up
some
of the children of Israel, and of the
priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the
seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
8
And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which
was
in
the seventh year of the king.
9
For upon the first
day
of the first month began he to go up from
Babylon, and on the first
day
of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand
of his God upon him.
10
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the L
ORD
, and to do
it,
and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
11
Now this
is
the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe,
even
a scribe of the words of the commandments of the L
ORD
, and of his statutes to Israel.
12
Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect
peace,
and at such a time.
13
I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and
of
his priests
and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with
thee.
14
Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning
Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which
is
in thine hand;
15
And to carry the
silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose
habitation
is
in Jerusalem,
16
And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of
Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house
of their God which
is
in Jerusalem:
17
That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks,
rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of
the house of your God which
is
in Jerusalem.
18
And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to
thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.
19
The
vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God,
those
deliver thou before
the God of Jerusalem.
20
And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which
thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow
it
out of the king’s treasure house.
21
And I,
even
I
Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which
are
beyond the river, that
whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be
done speedily,
22
Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to
an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing
how much.
23
Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the
God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
24
Also
we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers
of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
25
And
thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that
is
in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which
may judge all the people that
are
beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach
ye them that know
them
not.
26
And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the
king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether
it be
unto death, or to banishment, or
to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
580
KJV Bible