18
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.
19
The vessels that are given you for the service of the house of your God, deliver you before the God of Yerushalayim.
20
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.
21
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,
22
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.
23
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?
24
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.
25
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.
26
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.
27
Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Yerushalayim;
28
and has extended lovingkindness to me before the king, and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty princes. I was strengthened according to the hand of the LORD my God on me, and I gathered together out of Yisra'el chief men to go up with me.