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And the children of Israel, the Priestes, and the Leuites, and the residue of the children of the captiuitie kept the dedication of this house of God with ioy,

And offred at the dedication of this house of God an hundreth bullockes, two hundreth rams, foure hundreth lambes, and twelue goates, for the sinne of all Israel, according to the nomber of the tribes of Israel.

And they set the Priests in their order, and the Leuites in their courses ouer the seruice of God in Ierusalem, as it is written in the booke of Moses.

So the children of Israel which were come againe out of captiuitie, and all such as had separated themselues vnto them, from the filthines of the Heathen of the land, to seeke the Lorde God of Israel, did eate,

And they kept ye feast of vnleauened bread seuen dayes with ioy: for the Lord had made them glad, & turned the heart of the King of Asshur vnto them, to incourage them in the worke of the house of God, euen the God of Israel.

This Ezra came vp from Babel, and was a Scribe prompt in the Lawe of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had giuen, and the King gaue him all his request according to the hande of the Lord his God which was vpon him.

For vpon the first day of the first moneth began he to goe vp from Babel, and on the first day of the fift moneth came he to Ierusalem, according to the good hande of his God that was vpon him.

Artahshashte King of Kings to Ezra the Priest and perfite scribe of the Lawe of the God of heauen, and to Cheeneth.

Therefore art thou sent of the King and his seuen counsellers, to enquire in Iudah and Ierusalem, according to the lawe of thy God, which is in thine hand,

And to carry the siluer and the gold, which the King & his cousellers willingly offer vnto the God of Israel (whose habitation is in Ierusalem)

And all the siluer and gold that thou canst finde in all the prouince of Babel, with the free offring of the people, and that which the Priestes offer willingly to the house of their God which is in Ierusalem,

That thou mayest bye speedily with this siluer, bullocks, rammes, lambes, with their meate offrings and their drinke offrings: and thou shalt offer them vpon the altar of the house of your God, which is in Ierusalem.

And whatsoeuer it pleaseth thee and thy brethren to do with the rest of the siluer, & gold, doe ye it according to the will of your God.

And the vessels that are giuen thee for the seruice of the house of thy God, those deliuer thou before God in Ierusalem.

And the residue that shall be needeful for the house of thy God, which shall be meete for thee to bestowe, thou shalt bestowe it out of the Kings treasure house,

And I King Artahshashte haue giuen commandemet to all the treasurers which are beyond the Riuer, that whatsoeuer Ezra the Priest and Scribe of the Law of the God of heauen shall require of you, that it be done incontinently,

Whatsoeuer is by the commandement of the God of heauen, let it be done speedily for the house of the God of heauen: for why should he be wroth against the realme of the King, and his children?

And we certifie you, that vpon any of the Priestes, Leuites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or Ministers in this house of God, there shall no gouernour laye vpon them tolle, tribute nor custome.

And thou Ezra (after the wisedome of thy God, that is in thine hand) set iudges and arbiters, which may iudge all the people that is beyond the Riuer, euen all that knowe the Lawe of thy God, and teach ye them that know it not.

And whosoeuer will not doe the Lawe of thy God, and the Kings lawe, let him haue iudgement without delay, whether it be vnto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.