Ezra 7:16-28 ▼

16 and all the silver and gold that you may find in all the province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and the priests offering willingly for the house of their God that is in Jerusalem.

17 All that diligently buy therefore with this silver: Bulls, rams, lambs, and their grain offerings, and their drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your? God that is in Jerusalem.

18 And that which to you and your brothers seems good to do with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your? God, do it.

19 And the vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem.

20 And the rest of what is needed for the house of your God, which you may have occasion to give, you are to give from the house of the treasury of the king.

21 And by me—I, Artaxerxes the king—is made a decree to all treasurers who are beyond the River, that all that Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of the heavens, may ask of you?, let it be done diligently.

22 Up to a hundred talents of silver, and a hundred cors of wheat, and a hundred baths of wine, and a hundred baths of oil, and salt that is is not written,

23 all that is by the decree of the God of the heavens, let it be done diligently for the house of the God of the heavens. For why should there be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons?

24 And to you? we inform that on any of the priests and Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, or servants of the house of God, there is no authority to impose this tax, tribute, or custom.

25 And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, all knowing the law of your God. And he who has not known, you? shall cause to know.

26 And whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king diligently, let judgment be done on him, whether death, or banishment, or confiscation of goods, or bonds.

27 Blessed be YHWH, God of our fathers, who has put such as this in the heart of the king, to beautify the house of YHWH that is in Jerusalem,

28 and has extended to me mercy before the face of the king, and his counselors, and before all the mighty princes of the king. And I was encouraged as the hand of YHWH my God was upon me, and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me.