7 After these things, during the reign of King Ar·ta·xerxʹes of Persia, Ezʹra returned. He was the son of Se·rayʹah, son of Az·a·ryʹah, son of Hil·kyʹah, 2 son of Shalʹlum, son of Zaʹdok, son of A·hiʹtub, 3 son of Am·a·ryʹah, son of Az·a·ryʹah, son of Me·raʹioth, 4 son of Zer·a·hyʹah, son of Uzʹzi, son of Bukʹki, 5 son of Ab·i·shuʹa, son of Phinʹe·has, son of Al·e·aʹzar, son of Aaron the chief priest. 6 This Ezʹra came up from Babylon. He was a copyist who was well-versed in the Law of Moses, which (Y)ahv'-ah the Yah'-ha-vah' of (Y)isra-Al had given. The king granted everything he requested, for the hand of (Y)ahv'-ah his Yah'-ha-vah' was upon him.
7 Some of the (Y)isra-Al·ites, the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants, went up to Yerushalom in the seventh year of King Ar·ta·xerxʹes. 8 And Ezʹra came to Yerushalom in the fifth month, in the seventh year of the king. 9 On the first day of the first month, he began the journey from Babylon, and he arrived in Yerushalom on the first day of the fifth month, for the good hand of his Yah'-ha-vah' was upon him. 10 Ezʹra had prepared his heart to consult the Law of (Y)ahv'-ah and to practice it, and to teach its regulations and judgments in (Y)isra-Al.
11 This is a copy of the letter that King Ar·ta·xerxʹes gave to Ezʹra the priest and copyist, an expert in the study of the commandments of (Y)ahv'-ah and of his regulations to (Y)isra-Al:
12 “Ar·ta·xerxʹes, the king of kings, to Ezʹra the priest, the copyist of the Law of the Yah'-ha-vah' of the shamayim: May you have perfect peace. And now 13 I have issued an order that everyone in my realm of the people of (Y)isra-Al and their priests and Levites who is willing to go with you to Yerushalom should go. 14 For you are sent by the king and his seven advisers to investigate whether the Law of your Yah’-ha-vah’, which is with you, is being applied in Judah and Yerushalom, 15 and to take the silver and the gold that the king and his advisers have voluntarily given to the Yah'-ha-vah' of (Y)isra-Al, whose residence is in Yerushalom, 16 with all the silver and the gold that you receive in all the province of Babylon, along with the gift that the people and the priests voluntarily give to the house of their Yah’-ha-vah’, which is in Yerushalom. 17 And you are to buy promptly with this money bulls, rams, lambs, along with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and you are to present them on the altar of the house of your Yah'-ha-vah' in Yerushalom.
18 “And whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do, you may do with the rest of the silver and the gold, according to the will of your Yah’-ha-vah’. 19 And all the vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your Yah’-ha-vah’, you are to deliver before Yah'-ha-vah' at Yerushalom. 20 And the rest of the necessities of the house of your Yah'-ha-vah' that you are required to give, you will give out of the royal treasury.
21 “I, King Ar·ta·xerxʹes, have issued an order to all the treasurers in the region Beyond the River, that everything that Ezʹra the priest, the copyist of the Law of the Yah'-ha-vah' of the shamayim, requests of you is to be done promptly, 22 up to 100 talents of silver, 100 cor measures of wheat, 100 bath measures of wine, 100 bath measures of oil, and salt without limit. 23 Let everything that is ordered by the Yah'-ha-vah' of the shamayim be done with zeal for the house of the Yah'-ha-vah' of the shamayim, so that there may be no wrath against the king’s realm and his sons. 24 And you are further advised that it is not permitted to impose any tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests and Levites, musicians, doorkeepers, temple servants, and workers of this house of Yah’-ha-vah’.
25 “And you, Ezʹra, according to the wisdom that you possess from your Yah’-ha-vah’, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people in the region Beyond the River, all those who know the laws of your Yah’-ha-vah’; and you should instruct anyone who does not know them. 26 And everyone who does not observe the Law of your Yah'-ha-vah' and the law of the king should have judgment executed on him promptly, whether it is death, banishment, a fine, or imprisonment.”
27 May (Y)ahv'-ah the Yah'-ha-vah' of our forefathers be praised, who put it into the heart of the king to beautify the house of (Y)ahv'-ah in Yerushalom! 28 And he has shown me loyal love before the king and his advisers and all the mighty princes of the king. So I took courage because the hand of (Y)ahv'-ah my Yah'-ha-vah' was upon me, and I gathered out of (Y)isra-Al leading men to go up with me.