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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Ezra 7 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/ezra/7.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/ezra/7-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > Ezra 7</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../ezra/6.htm" title="Ezra 6">◄</a> Ezra 7 <a href="../ezra/8.htm" title="Ezra 8">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">Ezra Comes to Jerusalem</h3><p class="par"><span class="v15_7_1"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.1-Ezra.7.6" class="v15_7_1">1-6</span>Much later, when Artaxerxes<a href="#fn" id="link_Ezra.7.1-Ezra.7.6!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> was king of Persia, Ezra came to Jerusalem from Babylonia. Ezra was the son of Seraiah and the grandson of Azariah. His other ancestors were Hilkiah, Shallum, Zadok, Ahitub, Amariah, Azariah, Meraioth, Zerahiah, Uzzi, Bukki, Abishua, Phinehas, Eleazar, and Aaron, the high priest.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v15_7_1">Ezra was an expert in the Law that the <span class="nd">Lord</span> God of Israel had given to Moses, and the <span class="nd">Lord</span> made sure that the king gave Ezra everything he asked for.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v15_7_7"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.7" class="v15_7_7">7</span>Other Jews, including priests, Levites, musicians, the temple guards, and servants, came to Jerusalem with Ezra. This happened during the seventh year that Artaxerxes<a href="#fn" id="link_Ezra.7.7!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> was king.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v15_7_8"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.8-Ezra.7.9" class="v15_7_8">8-9</span>God helped Ezra, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month<a href="#fn" id="link_Ezra.7.8-Ezra.7.9!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> of that seventh year, after leaving Babylonia on the first day of the first month.<a href="#fn" id="link_Ezra.7.8-Ezra.7.9!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span><span class="v15_7_10"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.10" class="v15_7_10">10</span>Ezra had spent his entire life studying and obeying the Law of the <span class="nd">Lord</span> and teaching it to others.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Artaxerxes Gives a Letter to Ezra</h3><p class="par"><span class="v15_7_11"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.11" class="v15_7_11">11</span>Ezra was a priest and an expert in the laws and commands that the <span class="nd">Lord</span> had given to Israel. One day King Artaxerxes gave Ezra a letter which said:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v15_7_12"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.12" class="v15_7_12">12</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Ezra.7.12!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> Greetings from the great King Artaxerxes to Ezra the priest and expert in the teachings of the God of heaven.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v15_7_13"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.13-Ezra.7.14" class="v15_7_13">13-14</span>Any of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom may go with you to Jerusalem if they want to. My seven advisors and I agree that you may go to Jerusalem and Judah to find out if<a href="#fn" id="link_Ezra.7.13-Ezra.7.14!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> the laws of your God are being obeyed.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v15_7_15"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.15" class="v15_7_15">15</span>When you go, take the silver and gold that I and my advisors are freely giving to the God of Israel, whose temple is in Jerusalem. </span><span class="v15_7_16"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.16" class="v15_7_16">16</span>Take the silver and gold that you collect from everywhere in Babylonia. Also take the gifts that your own people and priests have so willingly contributed for the temple of your God in Jerusalem.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v15_7_17"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.17" class="v15_7_17">17</span>Use the money carefully to buy the best bulls, rams, lambs, grain, and wine. Then sacrifice them on the altar at God's temple in Jerusalem. </span><span class="v15_7_18"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.18" class="v15_7_18">18</span>If any silver or gold is left, you and your people may use it for whatever pleases your God. </span><span class="v15_7_19"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.19" class="v15_7_19">19</span>Give your God the other articles that have been contributed for use in his temple. </span><span class="v15_7_20"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.20" class="v15_7_20">20</span>If you need to get anything else for the temple, you may have the money you need from the royal treasury.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v15_7_21"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.21" class="v15_7_21">21</span>Ezra, you are a priest and an expert in the laws of the God of heaven, and I order all treasurers in Western Province to do their very best to help you. </span><span class="v15_7_22"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.22" class="v15_7_22">22</span>They will be allowed to give as much as 3.4 tons of silver, 10 tons of wheat, 2,000 liters of wine, 2,000 liters of olive oil, and all the salt you need.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v15_7_23"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.23" class="v15_7_23">23</span>They must provide whatever the God of heaven demands for his temple, so that he won't be angry with me and with the kings who rule after me. </span><span class="v15_7_24"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.24" class="v15_7_24">24</span>We want you to know that no priests, Levites, musicians, guards, temple servants, or any other temple workers will have to pay any kind of taxes.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v15_7_25"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.25" class="v15_7_25">25</span>Ezra, use the wisdom God has given you and choose officials and leaders to govern the people of Western Province. These leaders should know God's laws and have them taught to anyone who doesn't know them. </span><span class="v15_7_26"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.26" class="v15_7_26">26</span>Everyone who fails to obey God's Law or the king's law will be punished without pity. They will either be executed or put in prison or forced to leave their country, or have all they own taken away.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Ezra Praises God</h3><p class="par"><span class="v15_7_27"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.27" class="v15_7_27">27</span>Because King Artaxerxes was so kind, Ezra said:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v15_7_27">Praise the <span class="nd">Lord</span> God of our ancestors! He made sure that the king honored the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s temple in Jerusalem. </span><span class="v15_7_28"><span class="reftext" id="Ezra.7.28" class="v15_7_28">28</span>God has told the king, his advisors, and his powerful officials to treat me with kindness. The <span class="nd">Lord</span> God has helped me, and I have been able to bring many Jewish leaders back to Jerusalem.</span></p> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">7.1-6 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Artaxerxes: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Either Artaxerxes I (ruled from 465 to 425 <char style="sc">b.c.</char>) or Artaxerxes II (ruled from 405–358 <char style="sc">b.c.</char>).</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">7.7 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">seventh year … Artaxerxes: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">458 <char style="sc">b.c.</char> if this is Artaxerxes I; 398 <char style="sc">b.c.</char>, if this is Artaxerxes II (see the note at 7.1-6).</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">7.8,9 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">fifth month: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Ab, the fifth month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-July to mid-August.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">7.8,9 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">first month: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See the note at 6.19.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"> <char style="fr" closed="false">7.12-26: </char> <char style="ft" closed="false">Ezra 7.12-26 was written in Aramaic, instead of Hebrew like most of the Old Testament.</char> </note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">7.13,14 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">find out if: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “make sure that.”</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. 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