Ezra comes to Jerusalem
1After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra 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 came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him. 7Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.
8Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. 9He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. 10For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.
King Artaxerxes’ letter to Ezra
11This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the Lord for Israel:
12Artaxerxes, king of kings,
To Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven:
Greetings.
13Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who volunteer to go to Jerusalem with you, may go. 14You are sent by the king and his seven advisors to enquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand. 15Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisors have freely given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16together with all the silver and gold you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem. 17With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
18You and your fellow Israelites may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God. 19Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for worship in the temple of your God. 20And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you are responsible to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.
21Now I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates are to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you – 22up to a hundred talents7:22 That is, about 3.4 metric tons of silver, a hundred cors7:22 That is, probably about 16 metric tons of wheat, a hundred baths7:22 That is, about 2,200 litres of wine, a hundred baths7:22 That is, about 2,200 litres of olive oil, and salt without limit. 23Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should his wrath fall on the realm of the king and of his sons? 24You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.
25And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates – all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them. 26Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.7:26 The text of 7:12-26 is in Aramaic.
27Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honour to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way 28and who has extended his good favour to me before the king and his advisors and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.
以斯拉到达耶路撒冷
1这些事以后，波斯王亚达薛西年间，以斯拉从巴比伦上到耶路撒冷。以斯拉是西莱雅的儿子，西莱雅是亚撒利雅的儿子，亚撒利雅是希勒迦的儿子， 2希勒迦是沙龙的儿子，沙龙是撒督的儿子，撒督是亚希突的儿子， 3亚希突是亚玛利雅的儿子，亚玛利雅是亚撒利雅的儿子，亚撒利雅是米拉约的儿子， 4米拉约是西拉希雅的儿子，西拉希雅是乌西的儿子，乌西是布基的儿子， 5布基是亚比书的儿子，亚比书是非尼哈的儿子，非尼哈是以利亚撒的儿子，以利亚撒是大祭司亚伦的儿子。 6这以斯拉是位律法教师，精通以色列的上帝耶和华赐下的摩西律法。他的上帝耶和华帮助他，使王批准他的一切要求。
7亚达薛西王第七年，一些以色列人、祭司、利未人、歌乐手、殿门守卫和殿役来到耶路撒冷。 8-9这年一月一日，以斯拉从巴比伦启程去耶路撒冷，五月一日就到达那里，因为他的上帝施恩帮助他。 10以斯拉定意研读、遵行耶和华的律法，并在以色列教导律例和典章。
亚达薛西王给以斯拉的谕旨
11以斯拉是祭司和律法教师，精通耶和华赐给以色列的诫命和律例。亚达薛西王降旨给以斯拉，内容如下：
12“王中之王亚达薛西降旨给精通天上上帝律法的教师以斯拉祭司，愿你平安！
13“我现在降旨，我国中的以色列人、祭司和利未人，凡愿意上耶路撒冷的都可以与你同去。 14我和七位谋士派你去按照你手中上帝的律法察看犹大和耶路撒冷的情况， 15并带去我和谋士们自愿献的金银，献给住在耶路撒冷的以色列的上帝， 16还要带去你在巴比伦省得到的金银，以及民众和祭司为耶路撒冷的上帝之殿自愿奉献的祭物。 17你一定要用这些金银购买公牛、公绵羊和绵羊羔，以及素祭和奠祭用品，把这一切献在耶路撒冷上帝殿的祭坛上。 18至于余下的金银，你和你的弟兄可以按你们上帝的心意妥善使用。 19那些交托给你、用来在你上帝的殿里敬拜的器皿，你要带到耶路撒冷的上帝面前。 20如果你们上帝的殿还需要什么，你可以从国库支取费用。
21“我亚达薛西王降旨给河西所有的财政大臣，精通天上上帝律法的律法教师以斯拉祭司无论向你们要什么，都要速速办理， 22可以给他银子三点四吨、麦子两万二千升、酒两千二百升、油两千二百升，盐可以随意取用。 23不论天上的上帝为祂的殿有何要求，都要认真办理，以免祂的烈怒临到王及众王子的国。 24我们也通知你们不可向这座上帝殿的祭司、利未人、歌乐手、殿门守卫、殿役或其他工人征收赋税。
25“你以斯拉要运用上帝赐给你的智慧委派官员和审判官，让他们治理河西省的人民，就是明白你上帝律法的人。你要教导那些不明白你上帝律法的人。 26凡不遵行你上帝的律法和王法的，要对他严加治罪，或处死，或发配，或抄家，或监禁。”
以斯拉赞美上帝
27以斯拉说：
“我们祖先的上帝耶和华当受赞美！因为祂使王有这样的心意尊崇耶路撒冷耶和华的殿。 28祂又在王及其谋士和所有权贵面前施恩于我。因为我的上帝耶和华帮助我，我便有勇气召集以色列的首领与我一同上去。”
