1   Now after these events, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, there came up from Babylon one Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, 2   son of Hilkiah, son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son ^note of Ahitub, 3    4   son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, son of

Ezra's mission to Jerusalem Zerahiah, 5   son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest. 6   He was a scribe ^note learned in the law of Moses which the Lord the God of Israel had given them; and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was upon him. 7   In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, other Israelites, priests, Levites, singers, door-keepers, and temple-servitors went up with him to Jerusalem; 8   and they reached Jerusalem in the fifth month, in the seventh year of the king. 9   On the first day of the first month Ezra fixed the day for departure from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he arrived at Jerusalem, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him. 10   For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the law of the Lord and to teaching statute and ordinance in Israel.

11   This is a copy of the royal letter which King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest and scribe, a scribe versed in questions concerning the commandments and the statutes of the Lord laid upon Israel:

   12    ^noteArtaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest and scribe learned in the law of the God of heaven:

   13   This is my decision. I hereby issue a decree that any of the people of Israel or of its priests or Levites in my kingdom who volunteer to go to Jerusalem may go with you. 14   You are sent by the king and his seven counsellors to find out how things stand in Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the law of your God with which you are entrusted. 15   You are also to convey the silver and gold which the king and his counsellors have freely offered to the God of Israel whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16   together with any silver and gold that you may find throughout the province of Babylon, and the voluntary offerings of the people and of the priests which they freely offer for the house of their God in Jerusalem. 17   In pursuance of this decree you shall use the money solely for the purchase of bulls, rams, and lambs, and the proper grain-offerings and drink-offerings, to be offered on the altar in the house of your God in Jerusalem. 18   Further, should any silver and gold be left over, you and your colleagues may use it at your discretion according to the will of your God. 19   The vessels which have been given you for the service of the house of your God you shall hand over to the God of Jerusalem; 20   and if anything else should be required for the house of your God, which it may fall to you to provide, you may provide it out of the king's treasury.

   21   And I, King Artaxerxes, issue an order to all treasurers in the province of Beyond-Euphrates that whatever is demanded of you by Ezra the priest, a scribe learned in the law of the God of heaven, is to

Ezra's mission to Jerusalem be supplied exactly, 22   up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred kor of wheat, a hundred bath of wine, a hundred bath of oil, and salt without reckoning. 23   Whatever is demanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently carried out for the house of the God of heaven; otherwise wrath may fall upon the realm of the king and his sons. 24   We also make known to you that you have no authority to impose general levy, poll-tax, or land-tax on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, door-keepers, temple-servitors, or other servants of this house of God.

   25   And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God with which you are entrusted, are to appoint arbitrators and judges to judge all your people in the province of Beyond-Euphrates, all who acknowledge the laws of your God; ^note and you and they are to instruct those who do not acknowledge them. 26   Whoever will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgement be rigorously executed upon him, be it death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.

27   Then Ezra said, ^note ‘Blessed be the Lord the God of our fathers who has prompted the king thus to add glory to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, 28   and has made the king and his counsellors and all his high officers well disposed towards me!’

So, knowing that the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, I took courage and assembled leading men out of Israel to go up with me.

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