Parallel Bible results for "ezra 7"

Ezra 7

The Complete Jewish Bible CJB

1 After these events, during the reign of Artach'shashta king of Persia, 'Ezra the son of S'rayah, the son of 'Azaryah, the son of Hilkiyah,

2 the son of Shalum, the son of Tzadok, the son of Achituv,

3 the son of Amaryah, the son of 'Azaryah, the son of M'rayot,

4 the son of Z'rachyah, the son of 'Uzi, the son of Buki,

5 the son of Avishua, the son of Pinchas, the son of Eli'ezer, the son of Aharon the cohen hagadol -

6 this 'Ezra went up from Bavel. He was a scribe, expert in the Torah of Moshe, which ADONAI the God of Isra'el had given; and the king granted him everything he asked for, since the hand of ADONAI his God was on him.

7 In the seventh year of Artach'shashta the king, some of the people of Isra'el, and some of the cohanim, L'vi'im, singers, gatekeepers and temple servants went up to Yerushalayim.

8 ['Ezra] arrived at Yerushalayim in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king.

9 He began going up to Yerushalayim from Bavel on the first day of the first month and arrived on the first day of the fifth month, since the good hand of his God was on him.

10 For 'Ezra had set his heart on studying and practicing the Torah of ADONAI and teaching Isra'el the laws and rulings.

11 Here is the letter that King Artach'shashta gave 'Ezra the cohen and Torah-teacher, the student of matters relating to ADONAI's mitzvot and his laws for Isra'el:

12 "From: Artach'shashta, king of kings "To: 'Ezra the cohen, scribe of the law of the God of heaven, etc.: "Herewith

13 I decree that everyone in my realm who belongs to the people of Isra'el, including their cohanim and L'vi'im, who, of his own free will, chooses to go with you to Yerushalayim, should go.

14 You are being sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire how the law of your God, of which you have expert knowledge, is being applied in Y'hudah and Yerushalayim.

15 You are also to bring with you the silver and gold which the king and his counselors have voluntarily offered to the God of Isra'el, whose dwelling is in Yerushalayim;

16 together with all the silver and gold you receive throughout the province of Bavel and the voluntary offerings of the people and the cohanim that have been offered willingly for the house of their God in Yerushalayim.

17 "You are to spend this money carefully on young bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and drink offerings; and offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Yerushalayim.

18 Whatever seems good to you and your kinsmen to do with the rest of the silver and gold, do it according to the will of your God.

19 "The articles given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver to the God of Yerushalayim.

20 "Whatever else may be needed for the house of your God that you have to supply, you may supply from the royal treasury.

21 "I, Artach'shashta the king, herewith order all the treasurers in the territory beyond the [Euphrates] River to do carefully anything 'Ezra the cohen, scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you,

22 up to three-and-a-third tons of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 500 gallons of wine, 500 gallons of olive oil and unlimited amounts of salt.

23 Whatever is ordered by the God of heaven is to be performed exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should wrath come against the realm of the king and his sons?

24 Moreover, we herewith proclaim to you that it will be illegal to impose tribute, taxes or tolls on any of the cohanim, L'vi'im, singers, gatekeepers, servants or laborers in this house of God.

25 "And you, 'Ezra, making use of the wisdom you have from your God, are to appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people in the territory beyond the River, that is, all who know the laws of your God; and you are to teach those who don't know them.

26 Whoever refuses to obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him swiftly, whether it be death, banishment, confiscation of goods or imprisonment."

27 Blessed be ADONAI, the God of our ancestors, who has put such a thing as this in the heart of the king, to restore the beauty of the house of ADONAI in Yerushalayim,

28 and has extended mercy to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king's most powerful officials. So I took courage, since the hand of ADONAI my God was on me, and I gathered together out of Isra'el key men to go up with me.

New Living Translation NLT

1 Many years later, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, there was a man named Ezra. He was the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,

2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,

3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,

4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,

5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the high priest.

6 This Ezra was a scribe who was well versed in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given to the people of Israel. He came up to Jerusalem from Babylon, and the king gave him everything he asked for, because the gracious hand of the LORD his God was on him.

7 Some of the people of Israel, as well as some of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants, traveled up to Jerusalem with him in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes’ reign.

8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in August of that year.

9 He had arranged to leave Babylon on April 8, the first day of the new year, and he arrived at Jerusalem on August 4, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.

10 This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the LORD and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel.

11 King Artaxerxes had given a copy of the following letter to Ezra, the priest and scribe who studied and taught the commands and decrees of the LORD to Israel:

12 “From Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the teacher of the law of the God of heaven. Greetings.

13 “I decree that any of the people of Israel in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may volunteer to return to Jerusalem with you.

14 I and my council of seven hereby instruct you to conduct an inquiry into the situation in Judah and Jerusalem, based on your God’s law, which is in your hand.

15 We also commission you to take with you silver and gold, which we are freely presenting as an offering to the God of Israel who lives in Jerusalem.

16 “Furthermore, you are to take any silver and gold that you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the voluntary offerings of the people and the priests that are presented for the Temple of their God in Jerusalem.

17 These donations are to be used specifically for the purchase of bulls, rams, male lambs, and the appropriate grain offerings and liquid offerings, all of which will be offered on the altar of the Temple of your God in Jerusalem.

18 Any silver and gold that is left over may be used in whatever way you and your colleagues feel is the will of your God.

19 “But as for the cups we are entrusting to you for the service of the Temple of your God, deliver them all to the God of Jerusalem.

20 If you need anything else for your God’s Temple or for any similar needs, you may take it from the royal treasury.

21 “I, Artaxerxes the king, hereby send this decree to all the treasurers in the province west of the Euphrates River : ‘You are to give Ezra, the priest and teacher of the law of the God of heaven, whatever he requests of you.

22 You are to give him up to 7,500 pounds of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, 550 gallons of olive oil, and an unlimited supply of salt.

23 Be careful to provide whatever the God of heaven demands for his Temple, for why should we risk bringing God’s anger against the realm of the king and his sons?

24 I also decree that no priest, Levite, singer, gatekeeper, Temple servant, or other worker in this Temple of God will be required to pay tribute, customs, or tolls of any kind.’

25 “And you, Ezra, are to use the wisdom your God has given you to appoint magistrates and judges who know your God’s laws to govern all the people in the province west of the Euphrates River. Teach the law to anyone who does not know it.

26 Anyone who refuses to obey the law of your God and the law of the king will be punished immediately, either by death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.”

27 Praise the LORD, the God of our ancestors, who made the king want to beautify the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem!

28 And praise him for demonstrating such unfailing love to me by honoring me before the king, his council, and all his mighty nobles! I felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the LORD my God was on me. And I gathered some of the leaders of Israel to return with me to Jerusalem.