Ezra 7:12

King James Version (1611 Edition)

Artaxerxes king of kings, Unto Ezra the Priest, a Scribe of the Law of the God of heauen, Perfect peace, and at such a time.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of the heavens:

Hebrew Names Version
Artachshasta, king of kings, to Ezra the Kohen, the Sofer of the law of the God of heaven, perfect and so forth.

King James Version
Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.

English Standard Version
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven. Peace. And now

New Century Version
From Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law of the God of heaven. Greetings.

New English Translation
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the perfect law of the God of heaven:

Amplified Bible
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, perfect peace (greetings). And now

New American Standard Bible
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now

World English Bible
Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect and so forth.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Artahshashte King of Kings to Ezra the Priest and perfite scribe of the Lawe of the God of heauen, and to Cheeneth.

Legacy Standard Bible
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now—

Berean Standard Bible
Artaxerxes, king of kings. To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.

Contemporary English Version
Greetings from the great King Artaxerxes to Ezra the priest and expert in the teachings of the God of heaven.

Complete Jewish Bible
"From: Artach'shashta, king of kings "To: ‘Ezra the cohen, scribe of the law of the God of heaven, etc.: "Herewith

Darby Translation
Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, an accomplished scribe of the law of the God of the heavens, and so forth.

Easy-to-Read Version
From King Artaxerxes, To Ezra the priest, a teacher of the law of the God of heaven: Greetings!

George Lamsa Translation
Artakhshisht, king of kings, to Ezra the priest and scribe, learned in the law of the God of heaven, peace.

Good News Translation
"From Emperor Artaxerxes to the priest Ezra, scholar in the Law of the God of Heaven.

Lexham English Bible
"Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of the heavens. Peace. And now

Literal Translation
Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Law of the God of Heaven, perfect peace , and now:

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Vnto E?dras the prest and scrybe in the lawe of the God of heauen, peace and salutacion.

American Standard Version
Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect and so forth.

Bible in Basic English
Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, scribe of the law of the God of heaven, all peace;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Artaxerxes a king of kinges, vnto Esdras the priest and scribe of the law of the God of heauen, peace and salutation.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
'Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, and so forth. And now

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.

English Revised Version
Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect and so forth,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Artaxerses, kyng of kyngis, desirith helthe to Esdras, the preest, moost wijs writere of the lawe of God of heuene.

Update Bible Version
Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect and so forth.

Webster's Bible Translation
Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect [peace], and at such a time.

New King James Version
Artaxerxes, Ezra 7:12-26 is Aramaic.">[fn] king of kings, To Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Perfect peace, and so forth. [fn]

New Living Translation
"From Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the teacher of the law of the God of heaven. Greetings.

New Life Bible
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the religious leader, the writer who knows the Law of the God of heaven: Peace. And now

New Revised Standard
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven: Peace. And now

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Artaxerxes, king of kings, Unto Ezra the priest, scribe of the law of the God of the heavens - To despatch and so forth.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Artaxerxes king of kings to Esdras the priest, the most learned scribe of the law of the God of heaven, greeting.

Revised Standard Version
"Ar-ta-xerx'es, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven. And now

Young's Literal Translation
`Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe of the law of the God of heaven, and at such a time:

THE MESSAGE
Artaxerxes, King of Kings, to Ezra the priest, a scholar of the Teaching of the God-of-Heaven. Peace. I hereby decree that any of the people of Israel living in my kingdom who want to go to Jerusalem, including their priests and Levites, may go with you. You are being sent by the king and his seven advisors to carry out an investigation of Judah and Jerusalem in relation to the Teaching of your God that you are carrying with you. You are also authorized to take the silver and gold that the king and his advisors are giving for the God of Israel, whose residence is in Jerusalem, along with all the silver and gold that has been collected from the generously donated offerings all over Babylon, including that from the people and the priests, for The Temple of their God in Jerusalem. Use this money carefully to buy bulls, rams, lambs, and the ingredients for Grain-Offerings and Drink-Offerings and then offer them on the Altar of The Temple of your God in Jerusalem. You are free to use whatever is left over from the silver and gold for what you and your brothers decide is in keeping with the will of your God. Deliver to the God of Jerusalem the vessels given to you for the services of worship in The Temple of your God. Whatever else you need for The Temple of your God you may pay for out of the royal bank.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now

Contextual Overview

¹¹ Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gaue vnto Ezra the Priest, the Scribe, euen a Scribe of the words of the commandements of the Lord, and of his Statutes to Israel. ¹² Artaxerxes king of kings, Unto Ezra the Priest, a Scribe of the Law of the God of heauen, Perfect peace, and at such a time. ¹³ I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his Priests, and Leuites in my Realme, which are minded of their owne free-will to goe vp to Ierusalem, goe with thee. ¹⁴ Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seuen counsellers, to enquire concerning Iudah and Ierusalem, according to the Lawe of thy God, which is in thine hand; ¹⁵ And to cary the siluer and gold, which the king and his counsellers haue freely offered vnto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Ierusalem. ¹⁶ And all the siluer and gold, that thou canst find in all the prouince of Babylon, with the free-will offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God, which is in Ierusalem: ¹⁷ That thou maiest buy speedily with this money, bullockes, rammes, lambes, with their meate offerings, and their drinke offerings, and offer them vpon the altar of the house of your God, which is in Ierusalem. ¹⁸ And whatsoeuer shall seeme good to thee, and to thy brethren, to doe with the rest of the siluer and gold; that doe, after the will of your God. ¹⁹ The vessels also that are giuen thee, for the seruice of the house of thy God, those deliuer thou before the God of Ierusalem. ²⁰ And whatsoeuer more shall be needfull for the house of thy God, which thou shalt haue occasion to bestowe; bestowe it out of the kings treasure house.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Artaxerxes: The title of the king would, in Persian, run thus: Ardsheer shahinshah, or padshah, "Ardsheer, king of kings," i.e., great or supreme king or emperor. 1 Kings 4:24, 1 Kings 20:1, Isaiah 10:8, Ezekiel 26:7, Daniel 2:37, Daniel 2:47, 1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:16

unto Ezra: etc. or, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe of the law of the God of heaven, peace, etc. and at such a time. Ezra 4:10, Ezra 4:11, Ezra 4:17

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 18:28 - the king of Assyria Ezra 7:1 - Artaxerxes Ezra 7:6 - a ready Ezra 7:7 - Artaxerxes Ezra 7:21 - Artaxerxes Isaiah 13:3 - them that Isaiah 60:10 - their kings Daniel 6:26 - make Jonah 1:9 - the God Matthew 2:4 - scribes Acts 18:24 - mighty Revelation 16:11 - the God

Cross-References

Genesis 7:4
For yet seuen dayes, and I will cause it to raine vpon the earth, fortie dayes, and forty nights: and euery liuing substance that I haue made, will I destroy, fro off the face of the earth.

Genesis 7:17
And the Flood was fortie dayes vpon the earth, and the waters increased, and bare vp the Arke, and it was lift vp aboue the earth.

Exodus 24:18
And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gate him vp into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty dayes, and forty nights.

Deuteronomy 9:9
When I was gone vp into the mount, to receiue the Tables of stone, euen the Tables of the Couenant which the Lord made with you, then I abode in the mount fortie dayes, and fortie nights, I neither did eate bread, nor drinke water:

Deuteronomy 9:18
And I fell downe before the Lord, as at the first, fortie dayes and fortie nights, I did neither eate bread nor drinke water, because of all your sinnes which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the Lord, to prouoke him to anger.

Deuteronomy 10:10
And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, fortie dayes, and fortie nights: and the Lord hearkened vnto mee at that time also, and the Lord would not destroy thee.

1 Kings 19:8
And hee arose, and did eate and drinke, and went in the strength of that meate fourtie dayes and fourtie nights, vnto Horeb the mount of God.

Matthew 4:2
And when hee had fasted forty dayes and forty nights, hee was afterward an hungred.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Artaxerxes, king of kings,.... Having many kings and kingdoms subject and tributary to him; for this was not merely a proud haughty title which the eastern kings p assumed, particularly the Persians; for after Cyrus they were so in fact, who took this title also, and had it put on his sepulchral monument,

"Here I lie, Cyrus, king of kings q;''

this title was given to Grecian kings, particularly Agamemnon is called king of kings r, he being general at the siege of Troy, under whom the rest of the kings fought; if this was Darius Hystaspis, of him Cyrus dreamed that he had wings on his shoulders, with one he covered Asia, and with the other Europe s:

unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven; of which titles see Ezra 7:11:

perfect [peace], and at such a time; the word "perfect" belongs to Ezra's title as a scribe, signifying that he was a most learned and complete scribe or teacher of the law of God; "peace" is not in the text, and the phrase "at such a time" respects the date of the letter, though not expressed, or is only an "et cetera", Ezra 7:11- :.

p See the Universal History, vol. 5. p. 16, 137. & vol. 11. p. 7, 8. margin, & p. 66. q Strabo, Geograph. l. 15. p. 502. r Vell. Patercul. Hist. Roman. l. 1. in initio. s Herodot. Clio, sive, l. 1. c. 209.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The title, “king of kings,” is assumed by almost all the persian monarchs in their inscriptions.

Perfect peace - “Peace” is not in the original, and the word translated “perfect” occurs only in this place. Some prefer to take it as an adjective descriptive of Ezra (see margin); others (Septuagint) as the opening word of the first paragraph of the letter, and give it the meaning, “it is completed.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 12. Artaxerxes, king of kings — This letter, from the beginning of this verse to the end of Ezra 7:12-26, is in the Aramitic or Chaldee language.

This title of the king would, in Persian, run thus: [Persian] Ardsheer shahinshah, or [Persian] padshah, "Ardsheer, king of kings;" "great or supreme king, or emperor."