Study Desk

The copy of the letter which Tatnai, governor of the province Beyond the River, and Shethar-boznai, and his associates the officials who were Beyond the River, sent to Darius the king:

so that they may offer sacrifices of sweet odor to the God of Heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons.

Also I have given a decree that whoever shall change this word, let timber be torn out from his house, and let him be impaled and hanged on it. And let his house be made an outhouse for this.

And may the God who has caused His name to dwell there destroy any kings and people who shall put their hand to change or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have placed a decree. Let it be done exactly.

this Ezra went up from Babylon. And he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which Jehovah the God of Israel had given. And the king granted him all he asked, according to the hand of Jehovah his God on him.

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of Jehovah, and to do it, and to teach statutes and judgments in Israel.

And this is the copy of the letter which the king, Artaxerxes, gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a scribe of the words of the commands of Jehovah, and of His statutes to Israel:

since you have been sent by the king, and by his seven counselors to ask about Judah and Jerusalem, according to the Law of your God in your hand;

and to carry the silver and gold which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose house is in Jerusalem:

Whatever is commanded by the God of Heaven, let it be carefully done for the house of the God of Heaven. For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

And He has extended mercy to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty leaders. And I was made strong, as the hand of Jehovah my God was on me. And Igathered out of Israel chief men to go up withme.

And I sent them with command to Iddo, the chief of the place Casiphia, and I put in their mouth words to say to Iddo, to his brothers the temple-slaves, at the place Casiphia; that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God.

And by the good hand of our God on us, they brought us a man of understanding from the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen.

Also came Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah from the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty.

For I was ashamed to ask of the king troops and horsemen to help us against the enemy of the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our God is on all those who seek Him for good; but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.

And I weighed to them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, the offering of the house of our God, which the king and his counselors, and his lords, and all Israel who were there had lifted up.

And now, for a little time grace has been shown from Jehovah our God to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in His holy place, so that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a little reviving in our bondage.

And while Ezra was praying and making his confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, a very great congregation of men and women and children gathered to him out of Israel. For the people wept with a greatweeping.

and that whoever would not come within three days according to the counsel of the leaders and the elders, all his property would be forfeited, and he would be excluded from the congregation of the exiles.

And now make confession to Jehovah God of your fathers and do His will. And separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women.