Ezra 7:24
New International Version
You 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.

New Living Translation
I also decree that no priest, Levite, singer, gatekeeper, Temple servant, or other worker in this Temple of God will be required to pay tribute, customs, or tolls of any kind.’

English Standard Version
We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on anyone of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
Also 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.

New King James Version
Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tax, tribute, or custom on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God.

New American Standard Bible
We also inform you that it is not allowed to impose tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

NASB 1995
“We also inform you that it is not allowed to impose tax, tribute or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim or servants of this house of God.

NASB 1977
“We also inform you that it is not allowed to impose tax, tribute or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God.

Legacy Standard Bible
We also make known to you that it is not allowed to impose tribute, custom, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

Amplified Bible
We also inform you that it is not authorized to impose tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants or other servants of this house of God.

Christian Standard Bible
Be advised that you do not have authority to impose tribute, duty, and land tax on any priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Be advised that tribute, duty, and land tax must not be imposed on any priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

American Standard Version
Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, the singers, porters, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll, upon them.

Contemporary English Version
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.

English Revised Version
Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, the singers, porters, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll, upon them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Furthermore, we are notifying you that you are forbidden to make any priest, Levite, singer, gatekeeper, servant, or worker in the temple of this God pay any taxes, fees, or tolls.

Good News Translation
You are forbidden to collect any taxes from the priests, Levites, musicians, guards, workers, or anyone else connected with this Temple.

International Standard Version
Furthermore, we decree that with respect to any of the priests, descendants of Levi, singers, gatekeepers, Temple Servants, or other servants of this Temple of God, it is not to be lawful to impose any tribute, tax, or toll on them.

Majority Standard Bible
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.

NET Bible
Furthermore, be aware of the fact that you have no authority to impose tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the musicians, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or the attendants at the temple of this God.

New Heart English Bible
Also we inform you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, the singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll, on them.

Webster's Bible Translation
Also we certify you, that concerning 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.

World English Bible
Also 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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And to you we are making known, that on any of the priests and Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, and servants of the house of God, tribute and custom there is no authority to lift up.

Young's Literal Translation
'And to you we are making known, that upon any of the priests and Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, and servants of the house of God, tribute and custom there is no authority to lift up.

Smith's Literal Translation
And making known to you that all the priests and Levites, the players, the porters, the Nethinims, and those serving this house of God, tribute, excise and toll, not being permitted to be lifted up upon them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
We give you also to understand concerning all the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nathinites, and ministers of the house of this God, that you have no authority to impose toll or tribute, or custom upon them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Likewise, we would make known to you, about all the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the temple servants, and the ministers of the house of this God, that you have no authority to impose tax, or tribute, or duty upon them.

New American Bible
We also inform you that it is not permitted to impose taxes, tributes, or tolls on any priest, Levite, singer, gatekeeper, temple servant, or any other servant of that house of God.

New Revised Standard Version
We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Also we inform you that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, and the workers of the house of God, it is unlawful for you to interfere with them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And to you we disclose that to all the Priests and the Levites and the Trumpeters and the Servants of the house of God, it is not legal for you to say anything to them.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Also we announce to you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, the singers, porters, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, impost, or toll, upon them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Also this has been declared to you, with respect to all the priests, and Levites, the singers, porters, Nathinim and ministers of the house of God, let no tribute be paid to thee; thou shalt not have power to oppress them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Artaxerxes' Letter for Ezra
23Whatever 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? 24And 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. 25And 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.…

Cross References
Nehemiah 10:39
For the Israelites and the Levites are to bring the contributions of grain, new wine, and oil to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are kept and where the ministering priests, the gatekeepers, and the singers stay. Thus we will not neglect the house of our God.”

Nehemiah 13:10-12
I also learned that because the portions for the Levites had not been given to them, all the Levites and singers responsible for performing the service had gone back to their own fields. / So I rebuked the officials and asked, “Why has the house of God been neglected?” Then I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts, / and all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storerooms.

Malachi 3:8-10
Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you ask, ‘How do we rob You?’ In tithes and offerings. / You are cursed with a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing Me. / Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you blessing without measure.

1 Corinthians 9:13-14
Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings? / In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

Numbers 18:21-24
Behold, I have given to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work they do, the service of the Tent of Meeting. / No longer may the Israelites come near to the Tent of Meeting, or they will incur guilt and die. / The Levites are to perform the work of the Tent of Meeting, and they must bear their iniquity. This is a permanent statute for the generations to come. The Levites will not receive an inheritance among the Israelites. ...

Deuteronomy 18:1-5
The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the food offerings to the LORD; that is their inheritance. / Although they have no inheritance among their brothers, the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them. / This shall be the priests’ share from the people who offer a sacrifice, whether a bull or a sheep: the priests are to be given the shoulder, the jowls, and the stomach. ...

2 Chronicles 31:4-6
Moreover, he commanded the people living in Jerusalem to make a contribution for the priests and Levites so that they could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD. / As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously provided the firstfruits of the grain, new wine, oil, and honey, and of all the produce of the field, and they brought in an abundance—a tithe of everything. / And the Israelites and Judahites who lived in the cities of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things consecrated to the LORD their God, and they laid them in large heaps.

Matthew 10:10
Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions.

Luke 10:7
Stay at the same house, eating and drinking whatever you are offered. For the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

1 Timothy 5:17-18
Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. / For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”

Hebrews 7:5
Now the law commands the sons of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers—though they too are descended from Abraham.

Leviticus 27:30-33
Thus any tithe from the land, whether from the seed of the land or the fruit of the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD. / If a man wishes to redeem part of his tithe, he must add a fifth to its value. / Every tenth animal from the herd or flock that passes under the shepherd’s rod will be holy to the LORD. ...

2 Kings 12:16
The money from the guilt offerings and sin offerings was not brought into the house of the LORD; it belonged to the priests.

2 Kings 23:35
So Jehoiakim paid the silver and gold to Pharaoh Neco, but to meet Pharaoh’s demand he taxed the land and exacted the silver and the gold from the people, each according to his wealth.

1 Chronicles 9:33
Those who were musicians, the heads of Levite families, stayed in the temple chambers and were exempt from other duties because they were on duty day and night.


Treasury of Scripture

Also 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, on them.

touching any

Ezra 7:7
And 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.

Ezra 2:36-55
The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three…

Jump to Previous
Addition Allowed Announce Authority Certify Clear Custom Door-Keepers Duty Forced Gatekeepers Goods House Impose Impost Inform Levites Ministers Music-Makers Nethinim Nethinims Payment Porters Priests Servants Singers Tax Taxes Toll Touching Tribute Workers
Jump to Next
Addition Allowed Announce Authority Certify Clear Custom Door-Keepers Duty Forced Gatekeepers Goods House Impose Impost Inform Levites Ministers Music-Makers Nethinim Nethinims Payment Porters Priests Servants Singers Tax Taxes Toll Touching Tribute Workers
Ezra 7
1. Ezra goes up to Jerusalem
11. The gracious commission of Artaxerxes to Ezra
27. Ezra blesses God for this favor














Furthermore
This word serves as a continuation or an addition to what has been previously stated. In the context of Ezra 7, it signifies the ongoing instructions and decrees given by King Artaxerxes to Ezra. The use of "furthermore" emphasizes the importance and seriousness of the decree, ensuring that the reader understands that this is an extension of the king's authoritative command.

you are to be aware
This phrase indicates a directive for conscious acknowledgment and understanding. It implies a responsibility on the part of the recipients to recognize and adhere to the instructions given. In the historical context, it underscores the importance of the decree being known and respected by all officials and subjects within the Persian Empire.

you have no authority
This phrase is a clear prohibition, emphasizing the limits of power and jurisdiction. In the context of the Persian Empire, where authority was centralized under the king, this statement underscores the king's absolute power to grant exemptions and privileges. It reflects the divine favor and protection over the temple and its servants, as decreed by the king.

to impose tribute, duty, or toll
These terms refer to various forms of taxation or financial obligations that were common in ancient empires. "Tribute" often involved payments made by subject peoples or regions, "duty" could refer to taxes on goods, and "toll" might involve fees for using roads or facilities. The exemption from these financial burdens highlights the special status and protection afforded to the temple workers, allowing them to focus on their religious duties without economic hindrance.

on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God
This list encompasses the various roles and functions within the temple service. Each group had specific duties related to worship and the maintenance of the temple. The priests and Levites were responsible for sacrifices and rituals, singers led worship in song, gatekeepers managed the entrances, and temple servants assisted in various tasks. The comprehensive nature of this list underscores the holistic protection and provision for all who served in the house of God, ensuring that the worship and service to God could continue unhindered. This reflects the high regard and respect for the religious practices of the Jewish people, even within a foreign empire, and highlights God's providential care for His people and His house.

(24) We certify you.--The exemption of so large a number as the entire ministry of the Temple from all kinds of taxation is emphatically introduced.

Verse 24. - We certify you. The use of the plural is curious. Hitherto the king has made every permission and command to rest on his own sole authority (see vers. 12, 13, 21). Now that he reaches the most important point in the whole of his decree - the permanent exemption of a large part of the people from liability to taxation of any kind, his style changes, and he says, "We certify you." Perhaps he speaks in the name of himself and his successors; or possibly he means to say that in this matter he has asked and obtained the assent and consent of his council (compare ver. 28). Or ministers. Rather, "and ministers." It is generally allowed that the word here translated "ministers" is not applied to the Nethinim, but to that still lower grade of attendants in the sanctuary called "Solomon's servants" in Ezra 2:55-58, and Nehemiah 7:57-60. It shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom upon them It may be suspected from this proviso that the Persians exempted from taxation their own (Magian) priests, though of this there is no other evidence. But they would scarcely have placed a foreign priesthood on a higher level of favour than their own.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And
וּלְכֹ֣ם (ū·lə·ḵōm)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

be advised
מְהוֹדְעִ֗ין (mə·hō·wḏ·‘în)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3046: To know

that
דִּ֣י (dî)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 1768: Who, which, that, because

you have no
לָ֥א (lā)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3809: Not, no

authority
שַׁלִּ֖יט (šal·lîṭ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7990: Mighty, permission, a premier

to impose
לְמִרְמֵ֥א (lə·mir·mê)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7412: To throw, set, assess

tribute,
מִנְדָּ֤ה (min·dāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4061: Tribute in money

duty,
בְלוֹ֙ (ḇə·lōw)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1093: Tribute

or toll
וַהֲלָ֔ךְ (wa·hă·lāḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1983: A journey, toll on goods at a, road

on
עֲלֵיהֹֽם׃ (‘ă·lê·hōm)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5922: Above, over, upon, against

any
כָל־ (ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3606: The whole, all, any, every

of the priests,
כָּהֲנַיָּ֣א (kā·hă·nay·yā)
Noun - masculine plural determinate
Strong's 3549: Priest

Levites,
וְ֠לֵוָיֵא (wə·lê·wā·yê)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3879: Levites -- descendants of Levi

singers,
זַמָּ֨רַיָּ֤א (zam·mā·ray·yā)
Noun - masculine plural determinate
Strong's 2171: An instrumental musician

doorkeepers,
תָרָֽעַיָּא֙ (ṯā·rā·‘ay·yā)
Noun - masculine plural determinate
Strong's 8652: A doorkeeper

temple servants,
נְתִ֣ינַיָּ֔א (nə·ṯî·nay·yā)
Noun - masculine plural determinate
Strong's 5412: The Nethinim, Temple-servants

or other servants
וּפָ֣לְחֵ֔י (ū·p̄ā·lə·ḥê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 6399: To pay reverence to, serve

of this
דְנָ֑ה (ḏə·nāh)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 1836: This

house
בֵּ֖ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1005: A house

of God.
אֱלָהָ֣א (’ĕ·lā·hā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 426: God


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OT History: Ezra 7:24 Also we inform you that touching any (Ezr. Ez)
Ezra 7:23
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