1And after these events, in the reign of Artaḥshashta sovereign of Persia, Ezra son of Serayah, son of Azaryah, son of Ḥilqiyah,

2son of Shallum, son of Tsaḏoq, son of Aḥituḇ,

3son of Amaryah, son of Azaryah, son of Merayoth,

4son of Zeraḥyah, son of Uzzi, son of Buqqi,

5son of Aḇishua, son of Phineḥas, son of El‛azar, son of Aharon the chief priest –

6this Ezra came up from Baḇel. And he was a scribe, skilled in the Torah of Mosheh, which יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl had given. And the sovereign gave him all he asked, according to the hand of יהוה his Elohim upon him.

7And some of the children of Yisra’ĕl, and the priests, and the Lĕwites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim came up to Yerushalayim in the seventh year of Sovereign Artaḥshashta.

8And he came to Yerushalayim in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the sovereign.

9For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Baḇel, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Yerushalayim, according to the good hand of his Elohim upon him.

10For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Torah of יהוה, and to do it, and to teach laws and right-rulings in Yisra’ĕl.

11And this is the copy of the letter that Sovereign Artaḥshashta gave Ezra the priest, the scribe, a scribe in the words of the commands of יהוה, and of His laws to Yisra’ĕl:

12Artaḥshashta, sovereign of sovereigns, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe of the law of the Elah of heaven. And now,

13I make a decree that all those of the people of Yisra’ĕl and the priests and Lĕwites in my reign, who volunteer to go up to Yerushalayim, go with you.

14Since you are being sent by the sovereign and his seven counsellors to inquire about Yehuḏah and Yerushalayim, with regard to the law of your Elah which is in your hand;

15and to bring the silver and gold which the sovereign and his counsellors have voluntarily given to the Elah of Yisra’ĕl, whose dwelling is in Yerushalayim,

16and all the silver and gold that you find in all the province of Baḇel, along with the gift of the people and the priests, voluntarily given for the House of their Elah in Yerushalayim,

17therefore, with this silver promptly buy bulls, rams, lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the House of your Elah in Yerushalayim.

18And whatever seems good to you and your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do it according to the desire of your Elah.

19And the utensils that are given to you for the service of the House of your Elah, put back before the Elah of Yerushalayim.

20And the rest of the needs for the House of your Elah, which falls to you to give, give from the sovereign’s treasure-house.

21And I, I Artaḥshashta the sovereign, do make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the Elah of heaven, does ask of you, let it be done promptly,

22up to one hundred talents of silver, and up to one hundred kors of wheat, and up to one hundred baths of wine, and up to one hundred baths of oil, and salt without reckoning.

23Whatever is commanded by the Elah of heaven, let it be diligently done for the House of the Elah of heaven. For why should there be wrath against the reign of the sovereign and his sons?

24We further inform you that there is no authority to impose tax, excise, or toll on any of the priests and Lĕwites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, and servants of this House of Elah.

25And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your Elah that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people who are beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your Elah. And teach those who do not know them.

26And whoever does not do the law of your Elah and the law of the sovereign, let judgment be promptly executed on him, whether it be death, or banishment, or confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.

27Blessed be יהוה Elohim of our fathers, who has put this in the sovereign’s heart, to embellish the House of יהוה which is in Yerushalayim,

28and has extended kindness to me before the sovereign and his counsellors, and before all the sovereign’s mighty princes. So I was strengthened, as the hand of יהוה my Elohim was upon me. And I gathered heads from Yisra’ĕl to go up with me.