Study Desk

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,

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?

Also, we notify you that in regard to any of the priests and the Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple-slaves, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, taxes, or forced labor on them.

And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God in your hand, you appoint judges and magistrates who may judge all the people who are Beyond the River; all who know the laws of your God; and those who do not know, you cause to know.

And whoever will not do the Law of your God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed diligently on him, whether to death, or to exile, or to confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.

Blessed be Jehovah, the God of our fathers, who has put this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of Jehovah in Jerusalem.

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.

Then I called a fast there at the river Ahava, so that we might humble ourselves before our God, in order to seek from Him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our goods.

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.

So we fasted and prayed to our God for good. And He was pleased to hear us.

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 I said to them, You are holy to Jehovah, and the articles also are holy. And the silver and the gold are a free gift to Jehovah, the God of your fathers.

So the priests and the Levites took the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the articles, to bring them to Jerusalem, to the house of our God.

And we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. And the hand of our God was on us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and ambushers along the way.

And on the fourth day the silver and the gold and the articles were weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest. And with him was Eleazar the son ofPhinehas, and with them was Jozabad the sonof Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, the Levites.

Those who came out of the captivity of the sons of exile offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve young bulls for all Israel, ninety six rams, seventy seven lambs, twelve he goats for a sin offering. All was a burntoffering to Jehovah.

And they delivered the king's edicts to the king's satraps, and to the governors of the province Beyond the River. And they supported the people and the house of God.

Then everyone who trembled at the Words of the God of Israel were gathered to me, because of the perfidy of the exiles. And I remained stunned until the evening offering.