1 Esdras 8:8–27

The King’s Mandate

⁸The following is a copy of the written decree from King Artaxerxes that was delivered to Ezra the priest and reader of the law of the Lord:^*

⁹“King Artaxerxes to Ezra the priest and reader of the law of the Lord, greeting.^{* 10}In accordance with my gracious decision, I have given orders that those of the Jewish nation and of the priests and Levites and others in our realm, those who freely choose to do so, may go with you to Jerusalem. ¹¹Let as many as are so disposed, therefore, leave with you, just as I and the seven Friends who are my counselors have decided,^{* 12}in order to look into matters in Judea and Jerusalem, in accordance with what is in the law of the Lord, ¹³and to carry to Jerusalem the gifts for the Lord of Israel that I and my Friends have vowed, and to collect for the Lord in Jerusalem all the gold and silver that may be found in the region of Babylonia, together with what is given by the nation for the temple of their Lord that is in Jerusalem, ¹⁴both gold and silver for bulls and rams and lambs and what goes with them, ¹⁵so as to offer sacrifices on the altar of their Lord that is in Jerusalem. ¹⁶Whatever you and your kindred wish to do with the gold and silver, perform it in accordance with the will of your God; ¹⁷deliver the holy vessels of the Lord that are given you for the use of the temple of your God that is in Jerusalem. And whatever else occurs to you as necessary for the temple of your God, ¹⁸you may provide out of the royal treasury.

¹⁹“I, King Artaxerxes, have commanded the treasurers of Syria and Phoenicia that whatever Ezra the priest and reader of the law of the Most High God sends for, they shall take care to give him, up to a hundred talents of silver,^{* 20}and likewise up to a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, and salt in abundance.^{* 21}Let all things prescribed in the law of God be scrupulously fulfilled for the Most High God, so that wrath may not come upon the kingdom of the king and his sons.^{* 22}You are also informed that no tribute or any other tax is to be laid on any of the priests or Levites or temple singers or gatekeepers or temple servants or persons employed in this temple and that no one has authority to impose any tax on them.^*

²³“And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of God, appoint judges and justices to judge all those who know the law of your God throughout all Syria and Phoenicia, and you shall teach it to those who do not know it.^{* 24}All who transgress the law of your God or the law of the kingdom shall be strictly punished, whether by death or some other punishment, either fine or imprisonment.”

Ezra Praises God

²⁵Then Ezra the scribe said,^d “Blessed be the Lord alone, who put this into the heart of the king, to glorify his house that is in Jerusalem, ²⁶and who honored me in the sight of the king and his counselors and all his Friends and nobles. ²⁷I was encouraged by the help of the Lord my God, and I gathered men from Israel to go up with me.”