1 And after these things in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persians, Esdras, the son of Saraias, the son of Azarias, the son of Helcias,
1 Now after these things in the reign of Artaxerxes king of the Persians, Esdras the son of Saraias, the son of Azarias, the son of Helcias,
2 the son of Sellum, the son of Sadoc, the son of Achitob,
2 The son of Sellum, the son of Sadoc, the son of Achitob,
3 the son of Amarias, the son of Azarias, the son of Maraioth,
3 The son of Amarias, the son of Azarias, the son of Maraioth,
4 the son of Zarahias, the son of Ozi, the son of Bocci,
4 The son of Zarahias, the son of Ozi, the son of Bocci,
5 the son of Abisue, the son of Phinees, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the Priest from the beginning:
5 The son of Abisue, the son of Phinees, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest from the beginning.
6 The same Esdras came up from Babylon, and he was a quick scribe in the law of Moyses, which our Lord God gave to Israel: and the king gave him according to the hand of our Lord his God upon him all his petition.
6 This Esdras went up from Babylon, and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God had given to Israel: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him.
7 And there came up of the children of Israel, and of the children of the Priests, and of the children of the Levites, and of the singing men, and of the porters, and of the Nathineites into Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the children of the priests, and of the children of the Levites, and of the singing men, and of the porters, and of the Nathinites to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
8 And they came into Jerusalem the fifth month, that is the seventh year of the king.
8 And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, in the seventh year of the king.
9 For in the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon, and in the first day of the fifth month he came into Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.
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10 For Esdras prepared his heart to search the law of our God, & to do and to teach in Israel precept & judgment,
10 For Esdras had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do and to teach in Israel the commandments and judgment.
11 And this is the copy of the epistle of the edict, which king Artaxerxes gave to Esdras the Priest, the learned scribe, in the words and precepts of our Lord, & his ceremonies in Israel.
11 And this is the copy of the letter of the edict, which king Arta- xerxes gave to Esdras the priest, the scribe instructed in the words and commandments of the Lord, and his ceremonies in Israel.
12 Artaxerxes the king of kings to Esdras the Priest, the most learned scribe of the law of God of heaven, greeting.
12 Artaxerxes king of kings to Esdras the priest, the most learned scribe of the law of the God of heaven, greeting.
13 It is decreed by me that whomsoever it shall please in my Kingdom, of the people of Israel, and of the Priests and Levites, to go into Jerusalem, let him go with thee.
13 It is decreed by me, that all they of the people of Israel, and of the priests and of the Levites in my realm, that are minded to go into Jerusalem, should go with thee.
14 For thou art sent from the face of the king, & of his seven counsellers, that thou mayst visit Jewry & Jerusalem in the law of thy God, which is in thy hand.
14 For thou art sent from before the king, and his seven counselors, to visit Judea and Jerusalem according to the law of thy God, which is in thy hand.
15 And that thou mayst carry the silver & gold, which the king & his counsellers have voluntarily offered to the God of Israel, whose tabernacle is in Jerusalem.
15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose tabernacle is in Jerusalem.
16 And all the silver & gold whatsoever thou shalt find in all the Province of Babylon, & the people will offer, & of the Priests that shall voluntarily offer to the house of their God which is in Jerusalem,
16 And all the silver and gold that thou shalt find in all the province of Babylon, and that the people is willing to offer, and that the priests shall offer of their own accord to the house of their God, which is in Jerusalem,
17 take freely, and buy diligently of this money calves, rams, lambs, and the sacrifices and libaments of them, and offer them upon the altar of the temple of your God, that is in Jerusalem.
17 Take freely, and buy diligently with this money, calves, rams, lambs, with the sacrifices and libations of them, and offer them upon the altar of the temple of your God, that is in Jerusalem.
18 Yea and if it shall please thee, and thy brethren to do any thing with the rest of the silver and gold, do ye according to the will of your God.
18 And if it seem good to thee, and to thy brethren to do anything with the rest of the silver and gold, do it according to the will of your God.
19 The vessels also, which are given thee for the ministry of the house of thy God, deliver thou in the sight of God in Jerusalem.
19 The vessels also, that are given thee for the sacrifice of the house of thy God, deliver thou in the sight of God in Jerusalem.
20 Yea and other things whereof need shall be for the house of thy God, how much soever is necessary for thee to spend, thou shalt give it out of the treasure and exchequer of the king, and from me.
20 And whatsoever more there shall be need of for the house of thy God, how much soever thou shalt have occasion to spend, it shall be given out of the treasury, and the king’s exchequer, and by me.
21 I Artaxerxes the king have appointed and decreed to all the keepers of the Common coffer, that are beyond the River, that whatsoever Esdras the Priest, the scribe of the law of God of heaven, shall ask of you, you give it without delay,
21 I Artaxerxes the king have ordered and decreed to all the keepers of the public chest, that are beyond the river, that whatsoever Esdras the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, you give it without delay,
22 unto an hundred talents of silver, and unto an hundred cores of wheat, and unto an hundred bates of wine, and unto an hundred bates of oil, but salt without measure.
22 Unto a hundred talents of silver, and unto a hundred cores of wheat, and unto a hundred bates of wine, and unto a hundred bates of oil, and salt without measure.
23 All that pertaineth to the rite of the God of heaven let it be given diligently in the house of the God of heaven: lest perhaps he be angry against the kingdom of the king, and of his sons.
23 All that belongeth to the rites of the God of heaven, let it be given diligently in the house of the God of heaven: lest his wrath should be enkindled against the realm of the king, and of his sons.
24 We do you also to understand concerning all the Priests, & Levites, and the singers, and the porters, the Nathineites, and ministers of the house of this God, that you have no authority to put toll and tribute and yearly rents upon them.
24 We give you also to understand concerning all the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nathinites, and ministers of the house of this God, that you have no authority to impose toll or tribute, or custom upon them.
25 And thou Esdras according to the wisdom of thy God, which is in thy hand, appoint judges and presidents, that they may judge for all the people, that is beyond the River, that is for them which know the law of thy God, yea and the ignorant teach ye freely.
25 And thou Esdras according to the wisdom of thy God, which is in thy hand, appoint judges and magistrates, that may judge all the people, that is beyond the river, that is, for them who know the law of thy God, yea and the ignorant teach ye freely.
26 And every one that shall not do the law of thy God, and the law of thy king diligently, there shall be judgement of him, either unto death, or into banishment, or to the confiscation of his substance, or at the least into prison.
26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king diligently, judgment shall be executed upon him, either unto death, or unto banishment, or to the confiscation of goods, or at least to prison.
27 Blessed be our Lord the God of our fathers, which hath put this in the king's heart, that he would glorify the house of our Lord, which is in Jerusalem,
27 Blessed be the Lord the God of our fathers, who hath put this in the king’s heart, to glorify the house of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem,
28 and hath inclined his mercy toward me before the king and his counsellers, and all the mighty princes of the king: and I taking courage by the hand of our Lord my God, which was on me, gathered together out of Israel princes that should go up with me.
28 And hath inclined his mercy toward me before the king and his counselors, and all the mighty princes of the king: and I being strengthened by the hand of the Lord my God, which was upon me, gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.