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son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chiefpriest.
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ThisEzrawent up from Babylon, and he was a 3scribeskilled in the law of Moses, which the LORDGod of Israel had given; and the kinggranted him all he requested4because the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.
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5Some of the sons of Israel and some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the templeservantswent up to Jerusalem in the seventhyear of KingArtaxerxes.
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He came to Jerusalem in the fifthmonth, which was in the seventhyear of the king.
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For on the first of the firstmonth he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifthmonth he came to Jerusalem, 6because the goodhand of his God was upon him.
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For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and 7to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
King's Decree on Behalf of Ezra
11 Now this is the copy of the decreewhichKingArtaxerxesgave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, learned in the words of the commandments of the LORD and His statutes to Israel:
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"Artaxerxes, 8king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now
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9I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdomwho are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
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"Forasmuch** as you are sent by the king and his 10sevencounselors to inquireconcerningJudah and Jerusalem according to the law of your Godwhich is in your hand,
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and to bring the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freelyoffered to the God of Israel, 11whosedwelling is in Jerusalem,
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with 12all the silver and goldwhich you find in the wholeprovince of Babylon, along13with the freewilloffering of the people and of the priests, who 14offeredwillingly for the house of their Godwhich is in Jerusalem;
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with thismoney, therefore**, you shall diligentlybuybulls, rams and lambs, 15with their grain offerings and their drinkofferings and 16offer them on the altar of the house of your Godwhich is in Jerusalem.
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"Whateverseemsgood to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do according to the will of your God.
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"Also the utensilswhich are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in fullbefore the God of Jerusalem.
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"The rest of the needs for the house of your God, for which you may haveoccasion to provide, 17provide for it from the royaltreasury.
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"I, even I, KingArtaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurerswho are in the provinces beyond the River, that whatever*Ezra the priest, 18the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be donediligently,
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even up to 100talents of silver, 100kors of wheat, 100baths of wine, 100baths of oil, and salt as needed.
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"Whatever* is commanded* by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, 19so that there will not be wrathagainst the kingdom of the king and his sons.
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"We also inform you that 20it is not allowed to imposetax, tribute or toll21on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim or servants of thishouse of God.
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"You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your Godwhich is in your hand, 22appointmagistrates and judges that they may judge*all the peoplewho are in the province beyond the River, even all those who know the laws of your God; and you may 23teach anyone who is ignorant* of them.
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"24Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for deathor for banishmentor for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment."
The King's Kindness
27Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, 25who has put such a thing as this in the king'sheart, to adorn the house of the LORDwhich is in Jerusalem,
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and 26has extendedlovingkindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king'smightyprinces. Thus I was strengthened according to 27the hand of the LORD my God upon me, and I gatheredleadingmen from Israel to go up with me.