Study Desk

Now, this, is a copy of the letter which King Artaxerxes gave, to Ezra the priest the scribe, - the scribe of the words of the commandments of Yahweh, and of his statutes, for Israel: -

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

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.

Forasmuch as, from before the king and his seven counselors, thou art sent, to enquire concerning Judah and as to Jerusalem, - by the law of thy God which is in thy hand;

and to carry the silver and gold which the king and his counselors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, who, in Jerusalem, hath his habitation;

and all the silver and the gold, which thou shalt find, in all the province of Babylon, - with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem,

therefore, with all diligence, shalt thou buy - with this silver - bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meal-offerings, and their drink-offerings, - and shalt offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem;

and, whatsoever, unto thee and unto thy brethren, shall seem good, with the rest of the silver and the gold, to do, according to the pleasure of your God, shall ye do.

And, the utensils which are freely given to thee for the service of the house of thy God, put thou back, before the God of Jerusalem.

And, the rest of the need of the house of thy God, which it shall fall to thee to give, thou shalt give, out of the treasure-house of the king.

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:

unto a hundred talents of silver, and unto a hundred measures of wheat, and unto a hundred baths of wine, and unto a hundred baths of oil, - and salt without limit.

Whatsoever is due to an edict of the God of the heavens, let it be done diligently, for the house of the God of the heavens, - for wherefore should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

And, you, we do certify, that, as touching any of the priests or the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the Nethinim, or the servitors of this house of God, tribute, excise or toll, shall it not be competent to impose upon them.

And, thou, Ezra, according to the wisdom of thy God that is in thy hand, appoint thou judges and magistrates, who shall administer justice to all the people that are Beyond the River, to all who know the law of thy God, - and, whoso knoweth not, ye shall teach.

But, whosoever shall not do the law of thy God and the law of the king, speedily, let, penalty, be exacted from him, - whether to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.