Ezra 7

And after these things, in the reign of Arthasastha king of the Persians, there went up Ezra son of Saraias, son of Azarias, son of Helkias,

son of Saloum, son of Saddouk, son of Achitob,

son of Samaria, son of Esria, son of Mareroth,

son of Zaraia, son of Saouia, son of Bokki,

son of Abisoue, son of Phinees, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the first priest.

This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a swift scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord the God of Israel gave; and the king gave to him, for the hand of the Lord his God was upon him in all things which he sought.

And there went up some of the sons of Israel and of the priests and of the Levites, and the singers and the gatekeepers and the nathinim, to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Arthasastha the king.

And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month; this was the seventh year of the king.

For on the first of the first month he laid the foundation of the ascent from Babylon, and on the first of the fifth month they came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was upon him.

For Ezra had given it in his heart to seek the law and to do it, and to teach ordinances and judgements in Israel.

And this is the explanation of the decree which Arthasastha gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the book of the words of the commandments of the Lord and of his ordinances upon Israel.

Arthasastha, king of kings, to Ezra, scribe of the law of the God of heaven: the word and the answer have been completed.

From me a decree has been set: that everyone in my kingdom of the people of Israel and of the priests and Levites who freely offers himself to go to Jerusalem with you, let him go.

From before the king and the seven counsellors one was sent to inspect over Judea and unto Jerusalem by the law of their God which is in your hand;

and to the house of the Lord, silver and gold which the king and the counsellors freely offered to the God of Israel who dwells in Jerusalem;

and all the silver and gold, whatever you may find in all the country of Babylon, together with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests who offer willingly for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.

And everyone who comes forward for this, readily enrol in this book: calves, rams, lambs, and their grain offerings and their drink offerings; and you shall offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

And if anything seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the remainder of the silver and the gold, do it as is pleasing to your God.

And the vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of God, deliver up before God in Jerusalem.

And the remainder of the need of the house of your God, whatever it shall seem good to you to give, you shall give from the houses of the king's treasure.

And from me, I Arthasastha the king, have set a decree to all the treasuries that are beyond the River: that whatever Ezra the priest and scribe of the law of the God of heaven shall ask of you, let it be done readily,

up to a hundred talents of silver, and up to a hundred kors of wheat, and up to a hundred baths of wine, and up to a hundred baths of oil; and salt, for which there is no written amount.

Let everything that is in the decree of the God of heaven be done. Take heed lest anyone lay hands against the house of the God of heaven, lest wrath come upon the kingdom of the king and of his sons.

And it has been made known to you: concerning all the priests and the Levites, singers, gatekeepers, nathinim and ministers of this house of God, let there be no tribute for you; you shall not have authority to enslave them.

And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of God which is in your hand, appoint scribes and judges, that they may be judging for all the people that is beyond the River, for all who know the law of your God; and to him who does not know, you shall make it known.

And everyone who is not doing the law of God and the law of the king, readily shall the judgement be carried out upon him, whether unto death, or unto chastisement, or unto the forfeiture of his goods, or unto bonds.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who gave it thus in the heart of the king, to glorify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem;

and he inclined mercy upon me in the eyes of the king and of his counsellors and of all the king's rulers, the exalted ones. And I was strengthened as the good hand of God was upon me, and I gathered rulers out of Israel to go up with me.