Ezra Arrives in Jerusalem 1 ULT Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes, the king of Persia: Ezra(the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, BSB BSB: Many years later, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
2 ULT the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, BSB BSB: the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
3 ULT the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, BSB BSB: the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
4 ULT the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, BSB BSB: the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
5 ULT the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the head priest), BSB BSB: the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—
6 ULT this Ezra went up from Babylon, and he was a skilled scribe in the law of Moses that Yahweh, the God of Israel, had given. And the king granted to him all his request according to the hand of Yahweh his God upon him. BSB BSB: this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted Ezra all his requests, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.
7 ULT And some from the sons of Israel and from the priests, and the Levites, and the ones who sang, and the gatekeepers, and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in year seven of Artaxerxes the king. BSB BSB: So in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, he went up to Jerusalem with some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants.
8 ULT And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. BSB BSB: Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king.
9 ULT For on the first of the first month was the beginning of the ascent from Babylon. And on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. BSB BSB: He had begun the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him.
10 ULT For Ezra had made his heart firm to seek the law of Yahweh, and to do it, and to teach statute and ordinance in Israel. BSB BSB: For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.
Artaxerxes’ Letter for Ezra 12 ULT “Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven: Peace. And now: BSB BSB: Artaxerxes, king of kings. To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.
13 ULT from me is set a decree that everyone in my kingdom who freely offers to go to Jerusalem with you, from the people‘Israel’ and its priests and the Levites, may go. BSB BSB: I hereby decree that any volunteers among the Israelites in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may go up with you to Jerusalem.
14 ULT Because it was sent from before the king and his seven counselors to inquire about Judah and about Jerusalem by the law of your God which is in your hand, BSB BSB: You are sent by the king and his seven counselors to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.
15 ULT and to bring silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, BSB BSB: Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
16 ULT with all the silver and the gold that you find in all the province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and the priests who freely give for the house of God, which is in Jerusalem: BSB BSB: together with all the silver and gold you may find in all the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem.
17 ULT therefore, diligently you shall buy with this money bulls, rams, lambs, and their grain offerings and their drink offerings; and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God, which is in Jerusalem. BSB BSB: With this money, therefore, you are to buy as many bulls, rams, and lambs as needed, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem.
18 ULT And you may do whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, according to the will of your God. BSB BSB: You and your brothers may do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God.
19 ULT And the vessels that were given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem. BSB BSB: You must deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God.
20 ULT And the rest of what is needed for the house of your God that falls to you to give, you may give from the house of the treasures of the king. BSB BSB: And if anything else is needed for the house of your God that you may have occasion to supply, you may pay for it from the royal treasury.
21 ULT And from me myself, Artaxerxes the king, is set a decree for all the treasurers who are in Beyond- the- River: that all that Ezra(the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven) may ask of you, let it be done diligently; BSB BSB: I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers west of the Euphrates: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it must be provided promptly,
22 ULT as much as 100 silver kikkars, and as much as 100 cors of wheat, and as much as 100 baths of wine, and as much as 100 baths of oil, and salt which is not written. BSB BSB: up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit.
23 ULT Everything that is from the decree of the God of heaven shall be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven. For why should there be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons? BSB BSB: Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for His house. For why should wrath fall on the realm of the king and his sons?
24 ULT And to you is made known that there is no authority to set tax, tribute, or custom upon all the priests, and the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, the temple servants, and the servants of that house of God. BSB BSB: And be advised that you have no authority to impose tribute, duty, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
25 ULT And as for you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are in Beyond- the- River, all who know the laws of your God. And you shall teach those who do not know. BSB BSB: And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God, which you possess, are to appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people west of the Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach these laws to anyone who does not know them.
26 ULT And everyone who will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, judgment shall be exacted from him diligently, whether for death, whether for banishment, whether for confiscation of goods, or for imprisonment.” BSB BSB: If anyone does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let a strict judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.
Ezra Blesses God 27 ULT Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, who gave according to this in the heart of the king, to glorify the house of Yahweh, which is in Jerusalem, BSB BSB: Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put into the heart of the king to so honor the house of the LORD in Jerusalem,
28 ULT and caused covenant faithfulness to extend to me before the face of the king, and his counselors, and before all the mighty officials of the king. And as for me, I gained strength according to the hand of Yahweh my God upon me, and I gathered from Israel heads to go up with me. BSB BSB: and who has shown me favor before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officials. And because the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, I took courage and gathered the leaders of Israel to return with me.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.