Ezra 7:1-13 ▼

1 Now after these things, in the reign of Arthasastha king of the Persians, came up Esdras the son of Saraias, the son of Azarias, the son of Chelcias,

2 the son of Selum, the son of Sadduc, the son of Achitob,

3 the son of Samarias, the son of Esria, the son of Mareoth,

4 the son of Zaraia, the son of Ozias, the son of Bokki,

5 the son of Abisue, the son of Phinees, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the first priest.

6 This Esdras went up out of Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel gave: and the king gave him leave , for the hand of the Lord his God was upon him in all things which he sought.

7 And some of the children of Israel went up, and some of the priests, and of the Levites, and the singers, and the door-keepers, and the Nathinim, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Arthasastha the king.

8 And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, this was the seventh year of the king.

9 For in the first day of the first month he began the going up from Babylon, and in the first day of the fifth month, they came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was upon him.

10 For Esdras had determined in his heart to seek the law, and to do and teach the ordinances and judgments in Israel.

11 And this is the copy of the order which Arthasastha gave to Esdras the priest, the scribe of the book of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his ordinances to Israel.

12 Arthasastha, king of kings, to Esdras, the scribe of the law of the Lord God of heaven, Let the order and the answer be accomplished.

13 A decree is made by me, that every one who is willing in my kingdom of the people of Israel, and of the priests and Levites, to go to Jerusalem, be permitted to go with thee.