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Ezra 7
1599 Geneva Bible
Ezra 7
1599 Geneva Bible
7 13 By the commandment of the king, Ezra and his companions come to Jerusalem. 27 He giveth thanks to God.
1 Now after these things, in the reign of [a]Artaxerxes king of Persia, was Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of [b]Aaron, the chief Priest.
6 This Ezra came up from Babel, and was a [c]Scribe, prompt in the Law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given, and the king gave him all his request according to the hand of the Lord his God, which was upon him.
7 And there went up certain of the children of Israel, and of the Priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of king Artaxerxes.
8 And he came to Jerusalem in the [d]fifth month, which was in the seventh year [e]of the king.
9 For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babel, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem according to the good hand of his God that was upon him.
10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach the precepts and judgments in Israel.
11 ¶ And this is the copy of the letter that king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the Priest and Scribe, even a writer of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his statutes over Israel.
12 ARTAXERXES king of kings, to Ezra the Priest and perfect Scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, and to [f]Cheeneth.
13 I have given commandment, that everyone that is willing in my kingdom of the people of Israel, and of the Priests, and Levites, [g]to go to Jerusalem with thee, shall go.
14 Therefore art thou sent of the king and his seven counselors, to [h]enquire in Judah and Jerusalem, according to the Law of thy God, which is in [i]thine hand,
15 And to carry the silver and the gold, which the king and his counselors willingly offer 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 Babel, with the free offering of the people, and that which the Priests offer willingly to the house of their God which is in Jerusalem,
17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this silver, bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings, and their drink offerings: and thou shalt offer them upon the Altar of the house of your God, which is in Jerusalem.
18 And whatsoever it pleaseth thee and thy brethren to do with the rest of the silver and gold, do ye it according to the will of your [j]God.
19 And the vessels that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before God in Jerusalem.
20 And the residue that shall be needful for the house of thy God, which shall be meet for thee to bestow, thou shalt bestow it out of the King’s treasure house,
21 And I king Artaxerxes have given commandment to all the treasurers which are beyond [k]the River, that whatsoever Ezra the Priest and Scribe of the Law of the God of heaven shall require of you, that it be done incontinently,
22 Unto an hundred talents of silver, unto an hundred [l]measures of wheat, and unto an hundred [m]baths of wine, and unto an hundred baths of oil, and salt without writing.
23 Whatsoever is by the commandment of the God of heaven, let it be done speedily for the house of the God of heaven: for why should he be wroth [n]against the realm of the King and his children?
24 And we certify you, that upon any of the Priests, Levites, singers, porters, Nethinim, or Ministers in this house of God, there shall no governor lay upon them toll, tribute nor custom.
25 And thou Ezra (after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand) [o]set judges and arbiters, which may judge all the people that is beyond the River, even all that know the law of thy God, and teach ye them that know it not.
26 And whosoever will not do the Law of thy God, and the king’s law, let him have judgment without delay, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
27 [p]Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, which so hath put in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem,
28 And hath inclined mercy toward me, before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty Princes: and I was comforted by the hand of the Lord my God which was upon me, and I gathered the chief of Israel to go up with me.
Footnotes
- Ezra 7:1 The Hebrews write, that divers of the kings of Persia were called by this name, as Pharaoh was a common name to the kings of Egypt, and Caesar to the Emperors Roman.
- Ezra 7:5 Ezra deduceth his kindred, till he cometh to Aaron, to prove that he came of him.
- Ezra 7:6 He showeth here what a Scribe is, who had charge to write the Law and to expound it, whom Mark calleth a Scribe, Mark 12:28, Matthew and Luke called him a Lawyer or doctor of the Law, Matt. 22:35; Luke 10:25.
- Ezra 7:8 That contained part of July, and part of August.
- Ezra 7:8 Of king Darius.
- Ezra 7:12 Some take this for the name of a people, some for time or continuance, meaning that the king wished him long life.
- Ezra 7:13 Which remained as yet in Babylon and had not returned with Zerubbabel.
- Ezra 7:14 To examine who lived according to the Law.
- Ezra 7:14 Whereof thou art expert.
- Ezra 7:18 As ye know best may serve to God’s glory.
- Ezra 7:21 Which was the river Euphrates, and they were beyond it in respect of Babylon.
- Ezra 7:22 Hebrew, Corim.
- Ezra 7:22 Read 1 Kings 7:26; 2 Chron. 2:10.
- Ezra 7:23 This declareth that the fear of God’s judgments causeth him to use this liberality, and not the love that he bare to God’s glory: or affection to his people.
- Ezra 7:25 He gave Ezra full authority to restore all things according to the word of God, and to punish them that resisted, and would not obey.
- Ezra 7:27 Thus Ezra gave God thanks for that he gave him so good success in his affairs by reason of the king.
Ezra 7
New International Version
Ezra 7
New International Version
Ezra Comes to Jerusalem
7 After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes(A) king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah,(B) the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,(C) 2 the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok,(D) the son of Ahitub,(E) 3 the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, 4 the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, 5 the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas,(F) the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— 6 this Ezra(G) came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted(H) him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.(I) 7 Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.(J)
8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. 9 He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.(K) 10 For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching(L) its decrees and laws in Israel.
King Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra
11 This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the Lord for Israel:
12 Artaxerxes, king of kings,(M)
To Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven:
Greetings.
13 Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who volunteer to go to Jerusalem with you, may go. 14 You are sent by the king and his seven advisers(N) to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand. 15 Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisers have freely given(O) to the God of Israel, whose dwelling(P) is in Jerusalem, 16 together with all the silver and gold(Q) you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem.(R) 17 With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs,(S) together with their grain offerings and drink offerings,(T) and sacrifice(U) them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
18 You and your fellow Israelites may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God. 19 Deliver(V) to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for worship in the temple of your God. 20 And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you are responsible to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.(W)
21 Now I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates are to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you— 22 up to a hundred talents[a] of silver, a hundred cors[b] of wheat, a hundred baths[c] of wine, a hundred baths[d] of olive oil, and salt without limit. 23 Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should his wrath fall on the realm of the king and of his sons?(X) 24 You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty(Y) on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.(Z)
25 And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint(AA) magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach(AB) any who do not know them. 26 Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.[e](AC)
27 Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart(AD) to bring honor(AE) to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way 28 and who has extended his good favor(AF) to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me,(AG) I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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