1 Esdras 4:7

7 Although the emperor is only one man, if he orders people to kill, they kill; if he orders them to set prisoners free, they do it;

1 Esdras 4:7 In-Context

5 They may kill or be killed, but they never disobey the emperor's orders. If they are victorious, they bring him all their loot and everything else they have taken in battle.

6 Farmers do not go out to war, but even they bring to the emperor a part of everything that they harvest, and they compel one another to pay taxes to the emperor.

7 Although the emperor is only one man, if he orders people to kill, they kill; if he orders them to set prisoners free, they do it;

8 if he orders them to attack, they do; if he orders destruction, they destroy; if he orders them to build, they build;

9 if he orders crops to be destroyed or fields to be planted, it is done.