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Whatsoeuer is commanded by the God of heauen, let it be diligently done, for the house of the God of heauen: for why should there be wrath against the realme of the king and his sonnes?

Also we certifie you, that touching any of the priests, and Leuites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawfull to impose tolle, tribute, or custome vpon them.

And thou, Ezra, after the wisdome of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and iudges, which may iudge all the people, that are beyond the riuer, all such as know the lawes of thy God, and teach yee them that knowe them not.

And whosoeuer will not doe the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let iudgement be executed speedily vpon him, whether it be vnto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this, in the kings heart, to beautifie the house of the Lord which is in Ierusalem:

And hath extended mercy vnto me, before the king and his counsellers, and before all the kings mighty princes, and I was strengthned as the hand of the Lord my God was vpon me, and I gathered together out of Israel, chiefe men to goe vp with me.

And I sent them with commandement vnto Iddo the chiefe at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say vnto Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring vnto vs ministers for the house of our God.

And by the good hand of our God vpon vs, they brought vs a man of vnderstanding, of the sonnes of Mahli the sonne of Leui, the sonne of Israel, and Sherebiah, with his sonnes, and his brethren, eighteene.

Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the riuer Ahaua, that we might afflict our selues before our God, to seeke of him a right way for vs, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.

For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of souldiers and horsmen, to helpe vs against the enemie in the way: because wee had spoken vnto the king, saying, The hand of our God is vpon all them for good, that seeke him, but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

So we fasted, and besought our God for this, and hee was intreated of vs.

And weighed vnto them the siluer and the gold, and the vessels, euen the offering of the house of our God, which the king and his counsellours, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered:

And I said vnto them, Yee are holy vnto the Lord, the vessels are holy also, and the siluer and the gold are a free-will offring vnto the Lord God of your fathers.

So tooke the Priests and the Leuites the weight of the siluer and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Ierusalem, vnto the house of our God.

Then wee departed from the riuer of Ahaua, on the twelfth day of the first moneth, to goe vnto Ierusalem; and the hand of our God was vpon vs, and hee deliuered vs from the hand of the enemie, and of such as lay in wait by the way.

Now on the fourth day was the siluer and the gold, and the vessels weighed in the house of our God, by the hand of Meremoth the sonne of Uriah the Priest, and with him was Eleazar the sonne of Phinehas, and with them was Iozabad the sonne of Ieshua, and Noadiah the sonne of Binnui, Leuites:

Also the children of those that had bene caried away which were come out of the captiuitie, offered burnt offrings vnto the God of Israel, twelue bullocks for all Israel, ninetie and sixe rammes, seuentie and seuen lambes, twelue hee goates for a sinne offering: All this was a burnt offering vnto the Lord.

And they deliuered the Kings commissions vnto the kings lieuteuants, and to the gouernours on this side the riuer, and they furthered the people, and the house of God.

Then were assembled vnto me euery one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had bene caried away, and I sate astonied, vntill the euening sacrifice.

And at the euening sacrifice, I arose vp from my heauinesse, and hauing rent my garment and my mantle, I fell vpon my knees, and spread out my hands vnto the Lord my God,