Esdras 7
Bible in Basic English
1Now after these things, when Artaxerxes was king of Persia, Ezra, the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
2The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
3The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
4The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
5The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:
6This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a scribe, expert in the law of Moses which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given: and the king, moved by the Lord his God, gave him whatever he made request for.
7And some of the children of Israel went up, with some of the priests and the Levites and the music-makers and the door-keepers and the Nethinim, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
8And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, in the seventh year of the king's rule.
9For, starting his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, he came to Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, by the good help of his God.
10For Ezra had given his mind to learning the law of the Lord and doing it, and to teaching his rules and decisions in Israel.
11Now this is a copy of the letter which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra, the priest and the scribe, who put into writing the words of the orders of the Lord, and of his rules for Israel:
12Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, scribe of the law of the God of heaven, all peace;
13And now it is my order that all those of the people of Israel, and their priests and Levites in my kingdom, who are ready and have a desire to go to Jerusalem, are to go with you.
14Because you are sent by the king and his seven wise men, to get knowledge about Judah and Jerusalem, as you are ordered by the law of your God which is in your hand;
15And to take with you the silver and gold freely offered by the king and his wise men to the God of Israel, whose Temple is in Jerusalem,
16As well as all the silver and gold which you get from the land of Babylon, together with the offering of the people and of the priests, freely given for the house of their God, which is in Jerusalem:
17So with this money get with care oxen, sheep, and lambs, with their meal offerings and their drink offerings, to be offered on the altar of the house of your God, which is in Jerusalem.
18And whatever seems right to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, that do, as may be pleasing to your God.
19And the vessels which have been given to you for the uses of the house of your God, you are to give to the God of Jerusalem.
20And whatever more is needed for the house of your God, and which you may have to give, take it from the king's store-house.
21And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, now give orders to all keepers of the king's money across the river, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may have need of from you, is to be done with all care,
22Up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred measures of grain, a hundred measures of wine, and a hundred measures of oil, and salt without measure.
23Whatever is ordered by the God of heaven, let it be done completely for the house of the God of heaven; so that there may not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons.
24In addition, we make it clear to you, that it will be against the law to put any tax or payment in goods or forced payment on any of the priests or Levites, the music-makers, door-keepers, Nethinim, or any servants of this house of God.
25And you, Ezra, by the wisdom of your God which is in you, are to put rulers and judges to have authority over all the people across the river who have knowledge of the laws of your God; and you are to give teaching to him who has no knowledge of them.
26And if anyone does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, take care that punishment is given to him, by death or by driving him from his country or by taking away his goods or by putting him in prison.
27Praise be to the Lord, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing into the heart of the king, to make fair the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem;
28And has given mercy to me before the king and his government and before all the king's great captains. And I was made strong by the hand of the Lord my God which was on me, and I got together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
Reina-Valera 1909
1PASADAS estas cosas, en el reinado de Artajerjes rey de Persia, Esdras, hijo de Seraías, hijo de Azarías, hijo de Hilcías,
2Hijo de Sallum, hijo de Sadoc, hijo de Achîtob,
3Hijo de Amarías, hijo de Azarías, hijo de Meraioth,
4Hijo de Zeraías, hijo de Uzzi, hijo de Bucci,
5Hijo de Abisue, hijo de Phinees, hijo de Eleazar, hijo de Aarón, primer sacerdote:
6Este Esdras subió de Babilonia, el cual era escriba diligente en la ley de Moisés, que Jehová Dios de Israel había dado; y concedióle el rey, según la mano de Jehová su Dios sobre él, todo lo que pidió.
7Y subieron con él á Jerusalem de los hijos de Israel, y de los sacerdotes, y Levitas, y cantores, y porteros, y Nethineos, en el séptimo año del rey Artajerjes.
8Y llegó á Jerusalem en el mes quinto, el año séptimo del rey.
9Porque el día primero del primer mes fué el principio de la partida de Babilonia, y al primero del mes quinto llegó á Jerusalem, según la buena mano de su Dios sobre él.
10Porque Esdras había preparado su corazón para inquirir la ley de Jehová, y para hacer y enseñar á Israel mandamientos y juicios.
11Y este es el traslado de la carta que dió el rey Artajerjes á Esdras, sacerdote escriba, escriba de las palabras mandadas de Jehová, y de sus estatutos á Israel:
12Artajerjes, rey de los reyes, á Esdras sacerdote, escriba perfecto de la ley del Dios del cielo: Salud, etc.
13Por mí es dado mandamiento, que cualquiera que quisiere en mi reino, del pueblo de Israel y de sus sacerdotes y Levitas, ir contigo á Jerusalem, vaya.
14Porque de parte del rey y de sus siete consultores eres enviado á visitar á Judea y á Jerusalem, conforme á la ley de tu Dios que está en tu mano;
15Y á llevar la plata y el oro que el rey y sus consultores voluntariamente ofrecen al Dios de Israel, cuya morada está en Jerusalem;
16Y toda la plata y el oro que hallares en toda la provincia de Babilonia, con las ofrendas voluntarias del pueblo y de los sacerdotes, que de su voluntad ofrecieren para la casa de su Dios que está en Jerusalem.
17Comprarás pues prestamente con esta plata becerros, carneros, corderos, con sus presentes y sus libaciones, y los ofrecerás sobre el altar de la casa de vuestro Dios que está en Jerusalem.
18Y lo que á ti y á tus hermanos pluguiere hacer de la otra plata y oro, hacedlo conforme á la voluntad de vuestro Dios.
19Y los vasos que te son entregados para el servicio de la casa de tu Dios, los restituirás delante de Dios en Jerusalem.
20Y lo demás necesario para la casa de tu Dios que te fuere menester dar, daráslo de la casa de los tesoros del rey.
21Y por mí el rey Artajerjes es dado mandamiento á todos los tesoreros que están al otro lado del río, que todo lo que os demandare Esdras sacerdote, escriba de la ley del Dios del cielo, concédasele luego,
22Hasta cien talentos de plata, y hasta cien coros de trigo, y hasta cien batos de vino, y hasta cien batos de aceite; y sal sin tasa.
23Todo lo que es mandado por el Dios del cielo, sea hecho prestamente para la casa del Dios del cielo: pues, ¿por qué habría de ser su ira contra el reino del rey y de sus hijos?
24Y á vosotros os hacemos saber, que á todos los sacerdotes y Levitas, cantores, porteros, Nethineos y ministros de la casa de Dios, ninguno pueda imponerles tributo, ó pecho, ó renta.
25Y tú, Esdras, conforme á la sabiduría de tu Dios que tienes, pon jueces y gobernadores, que gobiernen á todo el pueblo que está del otro lado del río, á todos los que tienen noticia de las leyes de tu Dios; y al que no la tuviere, le enseñaréis.
26Y cualquiera que no hiciere la ley de tu Dios, y la ley del rey, prestamente sea juzgado, ó á muerte, ó á desarraigo, ó á pena de la hacienda, ó á prisión.
27Bendito Jehová, Dios de nuestros padres, que puso tal cosa en el corazón del rey, para honrar la casa de Jehová que está en Jerusalem.
28E inclinó hacia mí su misericordia delante del rey y de sus consultores, y de todos los príncipes poderosos del rey. Y yo, confortado según la mano de mi Dios sobre mí, junté los principales de Israel para que subiesen conmigo.
King James Version
1Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
2The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
3The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
4The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
5The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:
6This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
7And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
8And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
9For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.
10For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
11Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.
12Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.
13I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.
14Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;
15And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,
16And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:
17That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
18And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.
19The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.
20And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house.
21And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,
22Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
23Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
24Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
25And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not.
26And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
27Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem:
28And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
World English Bible
1Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
2the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
3the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
4the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
5the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—
6this Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a skilled scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to the LORD his God’s hand on him.
7Some of the children of Israel, including some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
8He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
9For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on him.
10For Ezra had set his heart to seek the LORD’s law, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.
11Now this is the copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of the LORD’s commandments, and of his statutes to Israel:
12Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the perfect God of heaven. Now
13I make a decree that all those of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my realm, who intend of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with you.
14Because you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your hand,
15and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,
16and all the silver and gold that you will find in all the province of Babylon, with the free will offering of the people and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem.
17Therefore you shall with all diligence buy with this money bulls, rams, and lambs with their meal offerings and their drink offerings, and shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
18Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do that according to the will of your God.
19The vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver before the God of Jerusalem.
20Whatever more will be needed for the house of your God, which you may have occasion to give, give it out of the king’s treasure house.
21I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, it shall be done with all diligence,
22up to one hundred talents of silver, and to one hundred cors of wheat, and to one hundred baths of wine, and to one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
23Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
24Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, or laborers of this house of God.
25You, 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 beyond the River, who all know the laws of your God; and teach him who doesn’t know them.
26Whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with all diligence, whether it is to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
27Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the LORD’s house which is in Jerusalem;
28and has extended loving kindness to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. I was strengthened according to the LORD my God’s hand on me, and I gathered together chief men out of Israel to go up with me.