Esdras llega a Jerusalén
1Durante el reinado de Artajerjes, rey de Persia, vivió un hombre llamado Esdras, hijo de Seraías, que era descendiente en línea directa de Azarías, Jilquías, 2Salún, Sadoc, Ajitob, 3Amarías, Azarías, Merayot, 4Zeraías, Uzi, Buquí, 5Abisúa, Finés, Eleazar y Aarón, que fue el primer sacerdote. 6Este Esdras llegó de Babilonia. Era un maestro muy versado en la Ley que el Señor, Dios de Israel, había dado a Moisés. El rey le concedió todo lo que pidió porque el Señor su Dios estaba con él. 7Con Esdras regresaron a Jerusalén algunos israelitas, entre los cuales había sacerdotes, levitas, cantores, porteros y servidores del Templo. Esto sucedió en el séptimo año del reinado de Artajerjes.
8Así que Esdras llegó a Jerusalén en el mes quinto del séptimo año del reinado de Artajerjes. 9Había salido de Babilonia el día primero del mes primero y llegó a Jerusalén el día primero del mes quinto, porque la mano bondadosa de Dios estaba con él. 10Esdras se había dedicado por completo a estudiar la Ley del Señor, a ponerla en práctica y a enseñar sus estatutos y ordenanzas a los israelitas.
Carta de Artajerjes a Esdras
11El rey Artajerjes le entregó la siguiente carta a Esdras, quien era sacerdote y maestro de los mandamientos y estatutos que el Señor dio a Israel:
12Artajerjes, rey de reyes,
a Esdras, sacerdote y maestro versado en la Ley del Dios del cielo:
Saludos.7:12 Saludos. Texto de difícil traducción.
13He dispuesto que todos los israelitas que quieran ir contigo a Jerusalén puedan hacerlo, incluyendo a los sacerdotes y levitas. 14El rey y sus siete consejeros te mandan a investigar la situación de Jerusalén y de Judá, conforme a la Ley de tu Dios que se te ha confiado. 15Lleva el oro y la plata que el rey y sus consejeros han ofrecido voluntariamente al Dios de Israel, que habita en Jerusalén. 16También lleva contigo toda la plata y el oro que obtengas de la provincia de Babilonia, junto con los donativos del pueblo y de los sacerdotes para el Templo de su Dios en Jerusalén. 17Con ese dinero compra, sin falta, becerros, carneros y corderos, con sus respectivas ofrendas de cereales y de vino, para ofrecerlos en el altar del Templo del Dios de ustedes en Jerusalén.
18Con el resto de la plata y del oro tú y tus compañeros podrán hacer lo que les parezca mejor, de acuerdo con la voluntad del Dios de ustedes. 19Pero deposita en el Templo los utensilios sagrados que se te han entregado para rendir culto a tu Dios en Jerusalén. 20Cualquier otro gasto que sea necesario para el Templo de tu Dios se cubrirá del tesoro real.
21Ahora bien, yo, el rey Artajerjes, ordeno a todos los tesoreros que están al oeste del río Éufrates que entreguen de inmediato todo cuanto solicite Esdras, sacerdote y maestro versado en la Ley del Dios del cielo. 22Pueden darle cien talentos7:22 Es decir, aprox. 3.4 t. de plata, cien coros7:22 Es decir, aprox. 16 t. de trigo, cien batos7:22 Es decir, aprox. 2,200 l. de vino, cien batos de aceite y toda la sal que requiera. 23Todo lo que ha ordenado el Dios del cielo para su Templo, háganlo de inmediato, de modo que no se descargue su ira contra el dominio del rey y su familia. 24También les ordeno que exoneren de impuestos a los sacerdotes, levitas, cantores, porteros y servidores del Templo de Dios.
25Por cuanto tú, Esdras, posees la sabiduría de Dios, serás el encargado de nombrar funcionarios y jueces para que juzguen a los habitantes de la provincia al oeste del río Éufrates, es decir, a todos los que conocen las leyes de tu Dios. Pero, a quienes no la conozcan, enséñasela. 26Si alguien desobedece la ley de tu Dios y las órdenes del rey, haz que se le castigue de inmediato con la pena de muerte, el destierro, la confiscación de bienes o la cárcel.
Oración de Esdras
27Bendito sea el Señor, Dios de nuestros antepasados, que puso en el corazón del rey el deseo de honrar el Templo del Señor en Jerusalén. 28Por su infinito amor, él me ha permitido recibir el favor del rey, de sus consejeros y de todos sus oficiales más importantes. Y porque la mano del Señor mi Dios estaba sobre mí, cobré ánimo y reuní a los jefes de Israel para que me acompañaran a Jerusalén.
Ezra Comes to Jerusalem
1After all these things had happened, Ezra came up to Jerusalem from Babylon. It was during the rule of Artaxerxes. He was king of Persia. Ezra was the son of Seraiah. Seraiah was the son of Azariah. Azariah was the son of Hilkiah. 2Hilkiah was the son of Shallum. Shallum was the son of Zadok. Zadok was the son of Ahitub. 3Ahitub was the son of Amariah. Amariah was the son of Azariah. Azariah was the son of Meraioth. 4Meraioth was the son of Zerahiah. Zerahiah was the son of Uzzi. Uzzi was the son of Bukki. 5Bukki was the son of Abishua. Abishua was the son of Phinehas. Phinehas was the son of Eleazar. And Eleazar was the son of Aaron the chief priest. 6So Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher who knew the Law of Moses very well. The Lord, the God of Israel, had given Israel that law. The king had given Ezra everything he asked for. That’s because the Lord his God helped him. 7Some of the Israelites came up to Jerusalem too. They included priests, Levites and musicians. They also included the temple servants and those who guarded the temple gates. It was in the seventh year that Artaxerxes was king.
8Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king’s rule. 9Ezra had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month. He arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month. That’s because God was gracious to him and helped him. 10Ezra had committed himself to study and obey the Law of the Lord. He also wanted to teach the Lord’s rules and laws in Israel.
King Artaxerxes’s Letter to Ezra
11Ezra was a priest and teacher of the Law. He was an educated man. He knew the Lord’s commands and rules for Israel very well. Here is a copy of a letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra. It said,
12I, Artaxerxes, am writing this letter. I am the greatest king of all.
I have given it to Ezra the priest. He is the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven.
I give you my greetings.
13Ezra, I am giving an order about the Israelites in my kingdom. Any of them who want to go to Jerusalem with you may go. The order also allows priests and Levites to go with you. 14I and my seven advisers are sending you to see how things are going in Judah and Jerusalem. Find out whether the people there are obeying the Law of your God. You have a copy of that law with you. 15I and my advisers have freely given some silver and gold to the God of Israel. He is the God who lives in Jerusalem. Take that silver and gold with you. 16Also take any other silver and gold you can get from the land of Babylon. And take the offerings the people and priests choose to give for the temple of their God in Jerusalem. 17Make sure you use the money to buy bulls, rams and male lambs. Also buy their grain offerings and drink offerings. Then sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
18You and the other Jews can do what you think is best with the rest of the silver and gold. Do what your God wants you to do. 19Give to the God of Jerusalem all the things you are responsible for. Use them for worshiping your God in his temple. 20You might need to supply some other things for the temple of your God. If you do, take them from among the royal treasures.
21I, King Artaxerxes, also give this order. It applies to all those who are in charge of the treasures west of the Euphrates River. Make sure you provide anything Ezra the priest might ask you to give. He is the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven. 22Give Ezra up to three and three-fourths tons of silver. Give him up to 18 tons of wheat. Give him up to 600 gallons of wine and up to 600 gallons of olive oil. And give him as much salt as he needs. 23Work hard for the temple of the God of heaven. Do everything he has required. I don’t want him to be angry with my kingdom and the kingdom of my sons. 24Here is something else I want you to know. You have no authority to collect taxes, gifts or fees from these people. You may not collect them from the priests, Levites or musicians. You may not collect them from those who guard the temple gates. You may not collect them from the temple servants. And you may not collect them from other workers at the house of God in Jerusalem.
25Ezra, appoint judges and other court officials. When you do it, use the wisdom your God gives you. Those you appoint should do what is right and fair when they judge people. They should do it for everyone who lives west of the Euphrates River. They should do it for everyone who knows the laws of your God. And I want you to teach the people who don’t know those laws. 26Anyone who doesn’t obey the law of your God must be punished. The same thing applies to anyone who doesn’t obey my law. The people must be punished in keeping with the laws they have broken. Some of them must be put to death. Others must be forced to leave the places where they live. Others must have their property taken away from them. Still others must be put in prison.
27So here is what I, Ezra, say to you people of Israel. “Give praise to the Lord. He is the God of our people who lived long ago. He has put it in the king’s heart to bring honor to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem. The king has honored the Lord in his letter. 28The Lord has been kind to me. He has caused the king and his advisers to be kind to me. In fact, all the king’s powerful officials have been kind to me. The strong hand of the Lord my God helped me. That gave me new strength. So I gathered together leaders from Israel to go up to Jerusalem with me.”
