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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://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</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/bsb/spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></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="/bmc//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="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="/ezra/">Ezra</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 align="center" id="jump2"><a href="/niv/ezra/7.htm">NIV</a> • <a href="/nlt/ezra/7.htm">NLT</a> • <a href="/esv/ezra/7.htm">ESV</a> • <a href="/kjv/ezra/7.htm">KJV</a> • <a href="/nkjv/ezra/7.htm">NKJ</a> • <a href="/nasb/ezra/7.htm">NAS</a></div><br /><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="1%" valign="top">BSB</td><td width="99%" valign="top" align="right"><a href="/parallel/ezra/7.htm" style="font-weight:normal" title="Parallel Chapters">Parallel Chapters ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><A name="2"></a><p class="hdg">Ezra Arrives in Jerusalem<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Many years later,<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">a</a></span> during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, <A name="3"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, <A name="4"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, <A name="5"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, <A name="6"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— <A name="7"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. <p class="reg"> The king had granted Ezra all his requests, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him. <A name="8"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>So in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, he went up to Jerusalem with some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">b</a></span> <A name="9"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. <A name="10"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>He had begun the 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 upon him. <A name="11"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel. <A name="12"></a><p class="hdg">Artaxerxes’ Letter for Ezra<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in the commandments and statutes of the LORD to Israel:<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">c</a></span> <A name="13"></a><p class="tab1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>Artaxerxes, king of kings. <p class="tab1stline"> To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: <p class="tab1stline"> Greetings.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">d</a></span> <A name="14"></a><p class="tab1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>I hereby decree that any volunteers among the Israelites in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may go up with you to Jerusalem. <A name="15"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>You are sent by the king and his seven counselors to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand. <A name="16"></a><p class="tab1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, <A name="17"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>together with all the silver and gold you may find in all the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem. <A name="18"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>With this money, therefore, you are to buy as many bulls, rams, and lambs as needed, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem. <A name="19"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>You and your brothers may do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God. <A name="20"></a><p class="tab1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>You must deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God. <A name="21"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>And if anything else is needed for the house of your God that you may have occasion to supply, you may pay for it from the royal treasury. <A name="22"></a><p class="tab1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers west of the Euphrates:<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">e</a></span> Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it must be provided promptly, <A name="23"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>up to a hundred talents of silver,<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">f</a></span> a hundred cors of wheat,<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">g</a></span> a hundred baths of wine,<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">h</a></span> a hundred baths of olive oil,<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">i</a></span> and salt without limit. <A name="24"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for His house. For why should wrath fall on the realm of the king and his sons? <A name="25"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>And be advised that you have no authority to impose tribute, duty, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God. <A name="26"></a><p class="tab1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which you possess, are to appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people west of the Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach these laws to anyone who does not know them. <A name="27"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>If anyone does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let a strict judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment. <A name="28"></a><p class="hdg">Ezra Blesses God<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put into the heart of the king to so honor the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, <span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/7-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>and who has shown me favor before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officials. <p class="reg"> And because the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, I took courage and gathered the leaders of Israel to return with me.</p><A name="fn"></a><div id="fnlink"><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:</b><br><br><span class="fnverse">1</span> <span class="footnotesbot">a</span> Literally <i>After these things</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">7</span> <span class="footnotesbot">b</span> Hebrew <i>Nethinim</i><span class="thin"> </span>; also in verse 24<br><span class="fnverse">11</span> <span class="footnotesbot">c</span> The original text of <a href="../ezra/7.htm#12">Ezra 7:12–26</a> is in Aramaic.<br><span class="fnverse">12</span> <span class="footnotesbot">d</span> Aramaic <i>Perfect now</i><span class="thin"> </span> (probably a greeting)<br><span class="fnverse">21</span> <span class="footnotesbot">e</span> Aramaic <i>beyond the River</i><span class="thin"> </span>; also in verse 25<br><span class="fnverse">22</span> <span class="footnotesbot">f</span> <i>100 talents</i><span class="thin"> </span> is approximately 3.77 tons or 3.42 metric tons of silver.<br><span class="fnverse">22</span> <span class="footnotesbot">g</span> <i>100 cors</i><span class="thin"> </span> is approximately 624 bushels or 22,000 liters (probably about 19.2 tons or 17.4 metric tons of wheat).<br><span class="fnverse">22</span> <span class="footnotesbot">h</span> <i>100 baths</i><span class="thin"> </span> is approximately 580 gallons or 2,200 liters of wine.<br><span class="fnverse">22</span> <span class="footnotesbot">i</span> Or <i>100 baths of oil</i><span class="thin"> </span>; that is, approximately 580 gallons or 2,200 liters<br><br /></div><br /></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Berean Bible (<a href=http://berean.bible>www.Berean.Bible</a>) <a href=http://bereanbible.com>Berean Study Bible (BSB)</a> © 2016, 2020 by <a href=http://biblehub.com>Bible Hub</a> and <a href=http://berean.bible>Berean.Bible</a>. 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