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Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artachshasta gave to Ezra the Kohen, the Sofer, even the Sofer of the words of the mitzvot of the LORD, and of his statutes to Yisra'el:
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Artachshasta, king of kings, to Ezra the Kohen, the Sofer of the law of the God of heaven, perfect and so forth.
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I make a decree, that all those of the people of Yisra'el, and their Kohanim and the Levites, in my realm, who are minded of their own free will to go to Yerushalayim, go with you.
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Because you are sent of the king and his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Yehudah and Yerushalayim, according to the law of your God which is in your hand,
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and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Yisra'el, whose habitation is in Yerushalayim,
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and all the silver and gold that you shall find in all the province of Bavel, with the freewill-offering of the people, and of the Kohanim, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Yerushalayim;
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therefore you shall with all diligence buy with this money bulls, rams, lambs, with their meal-offerings and their drink-offerings, and shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Yerushalayim.
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Whatever shall seem good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do you after the will of your God.
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The vessels that are given you for the service of the house of your God, deliver you before the God of Yerushalayim.
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Whatever more shall be needful for the house of your God, which you shall have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure-house.
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I, even I Artachshasta the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the Kohen, the Sofer of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done with all diligence,
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to one hundred talents of silver, and to one hundred measures of wheat, and to one hundred baths of wine, and to one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
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Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
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Also we inform you, that touching any of the Kohanim and Levites, the singers, porters, temple servants, or servants of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll, on them.
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You, Ezra, after the wisdom of your God who is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges, who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God; and teach you him who doesn't know them.
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Whoever will not do the law of your God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with all diligence, whether it be to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.