Ezra 7:13

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I issue a decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including their priests and Levites, who want to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.

Hebrew Names Version
I make a decree, that all those of the people of Yisra'el, and their Kohanim and the Levites, in my realm, who are minded of their own free will to go to Yerushalayim, go with you.

King James Version
I 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 thee.

English Standard Version
I make a decree that anyone of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom, who freely offers to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.

New Century Version
Now I give this order: Any Israelite in my kingdom who wishes may go with you to Jerusalem, including priests and Levites.

New English Translation
I have now issued a decree that anyone in my kingdom from the people of Israel—even the priests and Levites—who wishes to do so may go up with you to Jerusalem.

Amplified Bible
I have issued a decree that all of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.

New American Standard Bible
I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.

World English Bible
I make a decree, that all those of the people of Israel, and their priests and the Levites, in my realm, who are minded of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with you.

Geneva Bible (1587)
I haue giuen commaundement, that euery one, that is willing in my kingdome of the people of Israel, and of the Priestes, and Leuites to goe to Ierusalem with thee, shall goe.

Legacy Standard Bible
I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who freely offer to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.

Berean Standard Bible
I hereby decree that any volunteers among the Israelites in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may go up with you to Jerusalem.

Contemporary English Version
Any 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.

Complete Jewish Bible
I decree that everyone in my realm who belongs to the people of Isra'el, including their cohanim and L'vi'im, who, of his own free will, chooses to go with you to Yerushalayim, should go.

Darby Translation
I have given orders that all they of the people of Israel, and of their priests and the Levites, in my realm, who are disposed to go to Jerusalem, go with thee.

Easy-to-Read Version
I give this order: Any of the Israelites living in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who want to go with you to Jerusalem, may go.

George Lamsa Translation
I have issued a decree and made a statute that any one of the people of Israel and of the priests and Levites in my realm who wishes to go up to Jerusalem with you may go.

Good News Translation
"I command that throughout my empire all the Israelite people, priests, and Levites that so desire be permitted to go with you to Jerusalem.

Lexham English Bible
I issue forth a decree that any of the people of Israel, their priests, or their Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem may go with you.

Literal Translation
From me was made a decree that any one of the people of Israel, and their priests and Levites in my kingdom who volunteers to go up to Jerusalem, may go with you;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I haue commaunded, that all they of the people of Israel, and of the prestes and Leuites in my realme, which are mynded of their awne good wyll to go vp to Ierusalem, that they go with the,

American Standard Version
I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and their priests and the Levites, in my realm, that are minded of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with thee.

Bible in Basic English
And now it is my order that all those of the people of Israel, and their priests and Levites in my kingdom, who are ready and have a desire to go to Jerusalem, are to go with you.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
I haue commaunded that all they of the people of Israel, and of the priestes and Leuites in my realme, which are minded of their owne good wyll to go vp to Hierusalem, go with thee:

JPS Old Testament (1917)
I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and their priests and the Levites, in my realm, that are minded of their own free will to go with thee to Jerusalem, go.

King James Version (1611)
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.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.

English Revised Version
I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and their priests and the Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with thee.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
It is demyd of me, that whom euer it plesith in my rewme of the puple of Israel, and of hise preestis, and dekenes, to go in to Jerusalem, go he with thee.

Update Bible Version
I make a decree, that all those of the people of Israel, and their priests and the Levites, in my realm, that are minded of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with you.

Webster's Bible Translation
I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and [of] his priests and Levites, in my realm, who are disposed of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with thee.

New King James Version
I issue a decree that all those of the people of Israel and the priests and Levites in my realm, who volunteer to go up to Jerusalem, may go with you.

New Living Translation
"I decree that any of the people of Israel in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may volunteer to return to Jerusalem with you.

New Life Bible
I let it be known that if there are any people of Israel, religious leaders or Levites in my nation who are willing to go to Jerusalem, they may go with you.

New Revised Standard
I decree that any of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom who freely offers to go to Jerusalem may go with you.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
From me, is issued an edict, that, every one in my kingdom, of the people of Israel, and of their priests and the Levites, who is minded of his own freewill to go to Jerusalem, with thee, let him go.

Douay-Rheims Bible
It is decreed by me, that all they of the people of Israel, and of the priests and of the Levites in my realm, that are minded to go into Jerusalem, should go with thee.

Revised Standard Version
I make a decree that any one of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom, who freely offers to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.

Young's Literal Translation
By me hath been made a decree that every one who is willing, in my kingdom, of the people of Israel and of its priests and Levites, to go to Jerusalem with thee, doth go;

New American Standard Bible (1995)
I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.

Contextual Overview

¹¹ What follows is the letter that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra, priest and scholar, expert in matters involving the truths and ways of God concerning Israel: ¹²Artaxerxes, 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. ²¹I, 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? ²⁴ Also, let it be clear that no one is permitted to impose tribute, tax, or duty on any priest, Levite, singer, temple security guard, temple servant, or any other worker connected with The Temple of God. ²⁵ I authorize you, Ezra, exercising the wisdom of God that you have in your hands, to appoint magistrates and judges so they can administer justice among all the people of the land across the Euphrates who live by the Teaching of your God. Anyone who does not know the Teaching, you teach them. ²⁶ Anyone who does not obey the Teaching of your God and the king must be tried and sentenced at once—death, banishment, a fine, prison, whatever.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I make: Ezra 5:13, Ezra 6:1, 2 Chronicles 30:5, Esther 3:15, Esther 9:14, Psalms 148:6

minded: Ezra 1:3, Psalms 110:3, Philippians 2:13, Revelation 22:17

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 36:23 - Who is there Ezra 7:21 - Artaxerxes Ezra 7:23 - Whatsoever is commanded Ezra 8:1 - them that went up Psalms 68:29 - shall Daniel 6:26 - make Jonah 1:9 - the God

Cross-References

Genesis 5:32
When Noah was 500 years old, he had Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 6:18
"But I'm going to establish a covenant with you: You'll board the ship, and your sons, your wife and your sons' wives will come on board with you. You are also to take two of each living creature, a male and a female, on board the ship, to preserve their lives with you: two of every species of bird, mammal, and reptile—two of everything so as to preserve their lives along with yours. Also get all the food you'll need and store it up for you and them."

Genesis 7:1
Next God said to Noah, "Now board the ship, you and all your family—out of everyone in this generation, you're the righteous one.

Genesis 7:2
"Take on board with you seven pairs of every clean animal, a male and a female; one pair of every unclean animal, a male and a female; and seven pairs of every kind of bird, a male and a female, to insure their survival on Earth. In just seven days I will dump rain on Earth for forty days and forty nights. I'll make a clean sweep of everything that I've made."

Genesis 10:6
The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, Canaan.

Genesis 10:21
Shem, the older brother of Japheth, also had sons. Shem was ancestor to all the children of Eber.

Hebrews 11:7
By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn't see, and acted on what he was told. The result? His family was saved. His act of faith drew a sharp line between the evil of the unbelieving world and the rightness of the believing world. As a result, Noah became intimate with God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I make a decree,.... Which, according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, when signed, might not be changed, Daniel 6:8,

that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm; who remained there, and took not the benefit of the edict of Cyrus, which gave them leave to go; but neglecting the opportunity, it seems as if they could not now go out of the realm without a fresh grant, which is hereby given:

which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee; this decree did not oblige them to go whether they would or not; for they might, notwithstanding this, continue if they pleased; it only gave them leave to make use of the present opportunity of going along with Ezra, if they chose it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 13. Their own free-will — None shall be forced either to go or to stay. He who loves his God will avail himself of this favourable opportunity.