1After these events, during the reign of King Artaxerxes Ezr 4:7; 6:14; Neh 2:1 of Persia, Ezra —

8Ezra LXX, Syr, Vg read They came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, during the seventh year of the king.

9He began the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month Ezr 8:15,21,31 and arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month Ezr 8:32 since the gracious hand of his God was on him. Ezr 7:28; 8:18,31; Neh 2:8,18

10Now Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it, and teach Neh 8:1-8 its statutes and ordinances in Israel.

11This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in matters of the Lord’s commands and statutes for Israel: Ezr 7:12-26 is written in Aram.

12Artaxerxes, king of kings, Ezk 26:7; Dn 2:37 to Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of heaven:

13I issue a decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including their priests and Levites, who want to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. Ezr 1:3

14You are sent by the king and his seven counselors Est 1:14 to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God, which is in your possession.

15You are also to bring the silver and gold the king and his counselors have willingly given to the God of Israel, Hg 2:8 whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, Dt 12:5-6; 2Ch 6:2

16and all the silver and gold you receive throughout the province of Babylon, together with the freewill offerings given by the people and the priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem. Ex 3:22; Ezr 1:6

17Then you are to buy with this money as many bulls, rams, and lambs as needed, along with their grain and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem. Nm 15:1-14; Ezr 6:9

18You may do whatever seems best to you and your brothers with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God.

19You must deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God. Ezr 8:33

20You may use the royal treasury to pay for anything else needed for the house of your God. Ezr 6:4,8; 7:22-23

21I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers in the region west of the Euphrates River: Ezr 4:10; 7:25

22up to 7,500 pounds Lit 100 talents of silver, 500 bushels Lit 100 cors of wheat, 550 gallons Lit 100 baths of wine, 550 gallons Lit 100 baths of oil, and salt without limit. Lit without instruction

23Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for the house of the God of heaven, so that wrath will not fall on the realm of the king and his sons. Ezr 6:10

24Be advised that tribute, duty, and land tax must not be imposed on any priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

25And you, Ezra, according to Lit to your God’s wisdom that you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people in the region west of the Euphrates who know the laws of your God and to teach anyone who does not know them. Ezr 7:10; Neh 8:1-3,8

26Anyone who does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let a fair judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment. Ezr 6:11

27Praise Yahweh the God of our fathers, who has put it into the king’s mind Ezr 6:22 to glorify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, Is 60:7,13

28and who has shown favor to me before the king, Ezr 9:9 his counselors, and all his powerful officers. So I took courage because I was strengthened by Yahweh my God, Lit because the hand of the Lord my God was on me Ezr 7:6; 8:18 and I gathered Israelite leaders to return with me. Ezr 8:1-14,16