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Contemporary English Version

Ezra 7:21

Ezra, you are a priest and an expert in the laws of the God of heaven, and I order all treasurers in Western Province to do their very best to help you.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Liberality;   Temple;   Treasure-Houses;   Thompson Chain Reference - Decrees of Kings;   Ezra;   King's Decrees;   Nation, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Artaxerxes;   Language;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Aram;   Artaxerxes;   Ezra;   Malachi;   Persia;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Priest, Christ as;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Chaldee Language;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Artaxerxes;   Chaldaea;   Ezra, the Book of;   Persia;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Aramaic;   Artaxerxes;   Ezra, Book of;   Hebrew;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Bible;   Ezra;   Ezra, Book of;   Nehemiah, Book of;   Text, Versions, and Languages of Ot;   Treasure, Treasury, Treasurer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Language of Christ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Aramaic;   Artaxerxes ;   Bible,;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ezra;   Interesting facts about the bible;   Persia;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Bi'ble;   Per'sia;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Aramaic Language;   Bible, the;   Ezra-Nehemiah;   Treasure;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Ahasuerus;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Confiscation and Forfeiture;   Ezra the Scribe;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers in the region west of the Euphrates River:
Hebrew Names Version
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,
King James Version
And 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, it be done speedily,
English Standard Version
"And I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, requires of you, let it be done with all diligence,
New Century Version
Now I, King Artaxerxes, give this order to all the men in charge of the treasury of Trans-Euphrates: Give Ezra, a priest and a teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, whatever he asks for.
New English Translation
"I, King Artaxerxes, hereby issue orders to all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates, that you precisely execute all that Ezra the priestly scribe of the law of the God of heaven may request of you—
Amplified Bible
"And I, Artaxerxes the king, issue a decree to all the treasurers in the provinces west of the [Euphrates] River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently and at once—
New American Standard Bible
"I myself, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the Euphrates River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently,
World English Bible
I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done with all diligence,
Geneva Bible (1587)
And I King Artahshashte haue giuen commandemet to all the treasurers which are beyond the Riuer, that whatsoeuer Ezra the Priest and Scribe of the Law of the God of heauen shall require of you, that it be done incontinently,
Legacy Standard Bible
"So I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may ask of you, it shall be done with all diligence,
Berean Standard Bible
I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers west of the Euphrates: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it must be provided promptly,
Complete Jewish Bible
"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,
Darby Translation
And I, I Artaxerxes the king, do give orders to all the treasurers that are beyond the river, that whatever Ezra the priest and scribe of the law of the God of the heavens shall require of you, it be done diligently,
Easy-to-Read Version
Now I, King Artaxerxes, give this order: I order all the men who keep the king's money in the area west of the Euphrates River to give Ezra anything he wants. Ezra is a priest and a teacher of the Law of the God of heaven. Do this quickly and completely.
George Lamsa Translation
And I, Artakhshisht the king, do make a decree to all treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe learned in the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, you shall do it speedily,
Good News Translation
"I command all the treasury officials in West-of-Euphrates Province to provide promptly for Ezra, the priest and scholar in the Law of the God of Heaven, everything he asks you for,
Lexham English Bible
"I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue forth a decree to all the treasurers who are in the province Beyond the River. Whatever the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may ask of you, let it be done with diligence,
Literal Translation
And I, Artaxerxes the king, made a decree to all the treasurers who are Beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of Heaven, shall ask of you, it shall be done exactly,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I kynge Artaxerses haue commaunded all the treasurers beyonde the water, yt loke what so euer E?dras the prest and scrybe in the lawe of the God of heaue, requyreth of you, that ye fulfyll the same diligently,
American Standard Version
And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers that are beyond the River, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done with all diligence,
Bible in Basic English
And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, now give orders to all keepers of the king's money across the river, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may have need of from you, is to be done with all care,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
I king Artaxerxes haue commaunded all the treasures beyond the water, that loke what soeuer Esdras the priest and scribe in the law of the God of heauen requireth of you, that ye fulfill the same speedylie,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers that are beyond the River, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done with all diligence,
King James Version (1611)
And I, euen I Artaxerxes the king, doe make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the riuer, that whatsoeuer Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heauen, shall require of you, it be done speedily,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
and from me, whatever it shall seem good to thee to give.
English Revised Version
And 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, it be done with all diligence,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y Artaxerses, kyng, haue ordeyned, and demyd to alle the keperis of the comyn arke, that ben biyende the flood, that what euer thing Esdras, the preest, writere of the lawe of God of heuene, axith of you, ye yyue with out tariyng,
Update Bible Version
And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers that are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it is to be done with all diligence,
Webster's Bible Translation
And I, [even] I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers who [are] beyond the river, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,
New King James Version
And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the region beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, let it be done diligently,
New Living Translation
"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.
New Life Bible
I, King Artaxerxes, here make this known to all those who take care of the money in the lands on the other side of the River. You should be ready and willing to give Ezra, the religious leader and writer who knows the Law of the God of heaven, whatever he needs.
New Revised Standard
"I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River: Whatever the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, let it be done with all diligence,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, from me myself, Artaxerxes the king, issueth an edict, to all the treasurers who are Beyond the River, - that, whatsoever Ezra the priest the scribe of the law of the God of the heavens shall ask of you, with diligence, shall it be done:
Douay-Rheims Bible
I Artaxerxes the king have ordered and decreed to all the keepers of the public chest, that are beyond the river, that whatsoever Esdras the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, you give it without delay,
Revised Standard Version
"And I, Ar-ta-xerx'es the king, make a decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, be it done with all diligence,
Young's Literal Translation
`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, scribe of the law of the God of heaven, doth ask of you, be done speedily:
THE MESSAGE
I, Artaxerxes the king, have formally authorized and ordered all the treasurers of the land across the Euphrates to give Ezra the priest, scholar of the Teaching of the God-of-Heaven, the full amount of whatever he asks for up to 100 talents of silver, 650 bushels of wheat, and 607 gallons each of wine and olive oil. There is no limit on the salt. Everything the God-of-Heaven requires for The Temple of God must be given without hesitation. Why would the king and his sons risk stirring up his wrath?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently,

Contextual Overview

11 Ezra was a priest and an expert in the laws and commands that the Lord had given to Israel. One day King Artaxerxes gave Ezra a letter which said: 12 Greetings from the great King Artaxerxes to Ezra the priest and expert in the teachings of the God of heaven. 13Any of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom may go with you to Jerusalem if they want to. My seven advisors and I agree that you may go to Jerusalem and Judah to find out if the laws of your God are being obeyed. 15 When you go, take the silver and gold that I and my advisors are freely giving to the God of Israel, whose temple is in Jerusalem. 16 Take the silver and gold that you collect from everywhere in Babylonia. Also take the gifts that your own people and priests have so willingly contributed for the temple of your God in Jerusalem. 17 Use the money carefully to buy the best bulls, rams, lambs, grain, and wine. Then sacrifice them on the altar at God's temple in Jerusalem. 18 If any silver or gold is left, you and your people may use it for whatever pleases your God. 19 Give your God the other articles that have been contributed for use in his temple. 20 If you need to get anything else for the temple, you may have the money you need from the royal treasury. 21 Ezra, you are a priest and an expert in the laws of the God of heaven, and I order all treasurers in Western Province to do their very best to help you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Artaxerxes: Ezra 7:12, Ezra 7:13

beyond the river: Ezra 4:16, Ezra 4:20, Ezra 6:6

Ezra the priest: Ezra 7:6, Ezra 7:10, Ezra 7:11

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 32:31 - General Judges 5:3 - even I Ezra 5:3 - Tatnai Ezra 8:36 - the king's commissions Nehemiah 2:7 - let letters Daniel 3:3 - the treasurers Matthew 13:52 - scribe Revelation 16:11 - the God

Cross-References

Genesis 6:13
So he told Noah: Cruelty and violence have spread everywhere. Now I'm going to destroy the whole earth and all its people.
Genesis 6:17
I'm going to send a flood that will destroy everything that breathes! Nothing will be left alive.
Genesis 7:3
Also take seven pairs of every kind of bird with you. Do this so there will always be animals and birds on the earth.
Genesis 7:4
Seven days from now I will send rain that will last for forty days and nights, and I will destroy all other living creatures I have made.
Genesis 7:15
Noah took a male and a female of every living creature with him,
Genesis 7:17
For forty days the rain poured down without stopping. And the water became deeper and deeper, until the boat started floating high above the ground.
Genesis 7:22
The Lord destroyed everything that breathed. Nothing was left alive except Noah and the others in the boat.
Isaiah 24:6
The earth is under a curse; its people are dying out because of their sins.
Isaiah 24:19
the earth is shattered, ripped to pieces.
Hosea 4:3
And so your land is a desert. Every living creature is dying— people and wild animals, birds and fish.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river,.... The receivers of his tribute, tax, and custom, beyond the river Euphrates, on the side towards the land of Israel:

that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven; see Ezra 7:12,

shall require of you, it be done speedily; which seems at first a grant at large for whatsoever he should want or demand, but is limited and restrained by what follows.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

All the treasurers - The Persian system of taxing the provinces through the satraps involved the establishment in each province of at least one local treasury.


 
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