Ezra 7:12–20

¹²‘Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe of the law of the God of heaven, and at such a time: ¹³By me hath been made a decree that every one who is willing, in my kingdom, of the people of Israel and of its priests and Levites, to go to Jerusalem with thee, doth go; ¹⁴because that from the king and his seven counsellors thou art sent, to inquire concerning Judah and concerning Jerusalem, with the law of God that is in thy hand, ¹⁵and to carry silver and gold that the king and his counsellors willingly offered to the God of Israel, whose tabernacle is in Jerusalem, ¹⁶and all the silver and gold that thou findest in all the province of Babylon, with the free-will offerings of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly, for the house of their God that is in Jerusalem, ¹⁷therefore thou dost speedily buy with this money, bullocks, rams, lambs, and their presents, and their libations, and dost bring them near to the altar of the house of your God that is in Jerusalem, ¹⁸and that which to thee and to thy brethren is good to do with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God ye do.’ ¹⁹‘And the vessels that are given to thee, for the service of the house of thy God, make perfect before the God of Jerusalem; ²⁰and the rest of the needful things of the house of thy God, that it falleth to thee to give, thou dost give from the treasure-house of the king.