The Letter of Artaxerxes to Ezra

11Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his statutes to Israel.

12Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.   Eloah^s.f.

13I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with you.

14Forasmuch as you are sent of the king, and of his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your hand;

15And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,

16And all the silver and gold that you can find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:

17That you may buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your^p God which is in Jerusalem.   meal offerings

18And whatsoever shall seem good to you, and to your brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your^p God.

19The vessels also that are given you for the service of the house of your God, those deliver you before the God of Jerusalem.

20And whatsoever 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.

21And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you^p, it be done speedily,

22To a hundred talents of silver, and to a hundred measures of wheat, and to a hundred baths of wine, and to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

23Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

24Also we certify you^p, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.   gatekeepers

25And you, Ezra, after the wisdom of your God, that is in your hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of your God; and teach you^p them that know them not.

26And whosoever will not do the law of your God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

27Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, which has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem:

28And has extended mercy to me before the king, and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.   encouraged