Ezra 7

Great^{(i) 1} After these actes, there was in the raygne of Arthaxerses kyng of Persia, one Esdras the sonne of Saraiah, the sonne of Asaria, the sonne of Helkia, ² the sonne of Sallum, the sonne of Zadoc, the sonne of Ahitob, ³ the sonne of Amaria, the sonne of Asaria, the sonne of Meraioth, ⁴ the sonne of Zeraia, the sonne of Uzi, the sonne of Bucki, ⁵ the sonne of Abisua, the sonne of Phinebes, the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron the chefe preast. ⁶ This Esdras also went vp from Babilon, and was a perfite scribe in the lawe of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel did geue. And the kyng gaue him all that he requyred, because the hande of the Lorde hys God was vpon him. ⁷ And there went vp certayne of the children of Israel, of the preastes. Leuites, syngers, porters, and of the Nethinims vnto Ierusalem, in the seuenth yere of kynge Arthaxerses. ⁸ And he came to Ierusalem in the fyfth moneth, euen in the seuenth yere of the kynge. ⁹ For vpon the fyrst daye of the fyrst moneth, beganne he to go vp from Babilon: & on the fyrst daye of the fyfth moneth came he to Ierusalem, because the good hande of God was vpon him. ¹⁰ For Esdras prepared his hert to seke the lawe of the Lorde, and to do it, and to teach the precept and iudgement in Israel. ¹¹ And this is the copye of the letter, that kyng Arthaxerses gaue vnto Esdras the preast & scrybe, which was a wryter of the wordes and commaundementes of the Lorde and of his statutes ouer Israel. ¹² Arthaxerses a king of kynges, Unto Esdras the preast & scrybe of the lawe of the God of heauen, peace and salutacion. ¹³ I haue commaunded, that all they of the people of Israel, and of the preastes and Leuites in my realme (which are mynded of their awne good wyll to go vp to Ierusalem) go with the: ¹⁴ and therfore art thou sent of the kyng and of his seuen councelers, to vyset Iuda and Ierusalem, accordinge to the lawe of thy God, which is in thy hande: ¹⁵ And that thou shuldest take with the syluer and golde, which the kynge and his councelers offre of their awne good wyll vnto the God of Israell (whose habitacyon is at Ierusalem) ¹⁶ and all the syluer and golde that thou canst fynde in all the countre of Babylon, wt it that the people offre of theyr awne good wyll and the preastes geue for the house of theyr God which is at Ierusalem. ¹⁷ Take thou the same, and bye diligently with the same money, oxen rammes, and lambes, with their meateofferinges and drinckofferynges, and thou shalt offer them vpon the aultare of the house of youre God which is at Ierusalem. ¹⁸ And loke what it lyketh the and thy brethren to do with the remnaunt of the money, that do after the wyll of youre God. ¹⁹ And the vessels that are geuen the for the ministracion in the house of thy God, those deliuer thou before God at Ierusalem. ²⁰ And whatsoeuer thyng more shall be nedefull for the house of thy God, which is necessary for the to spende, thou shalt receaue the charges out of the kynges treasure house. ²¹ I kyng Arthaxerses haue commaunded all the treasures beyonde the water, that loke whatsoeuer Esdras the preaste and scrybe in the lawe of the God of heauen, requireth of you, that ye fulfyll the same spedely, ²² vntyll an hundred talentes of syluer, vntyll an hundred quarters of wheate, and tyll an hundred Batthes of wyne, & tyll an hundred Batthes of oyle, & salt without measure. ²³ Whatsoeuer also belongeth to the lawe of the God of heauen, let the same be done without anye delaye for the house of the God of heauen, that he be not wroth agaynst the realme, & agaynst the kynge, and hys chyldren. ²⁴ And we certifye you, that ye haue no auctorite to requyre taxinge and custome, and yearly rentes vpon any of the preastes, Leuites, syngers, porters, Nethinims and ministers in the house of his God. ²⁵ And thou Esdras (after the wysdome of thy God, that is in thy hande) sett iudges and arbiters (by my auctorite) to iudge all the people that is beyonde the water, euen all soch as knowe the lawe of thy God: and them that knowe it not, those se that ye teach. ²⁶ And whosoeuer wyll not fulfyll the lawe of thy God, and the kynges lawe, let him haue his iudgement without delaye, whether it be vnto death, or to be rooted out, or to be condemned in goodes, or to be put in preson. ²⁷ Blessed be the Lorde God of oure fathers, which so hath inspired the kynges hert, to garnysh the house of the Lorde, that is at Ierusalem: ²⁸ and hath enclyned his mercy vnto me in the presence of the kyng, & his councelers, and before all the kynges hye estates. And I was conforted (euen as the hande of the Lorde my God was vpon me) & so geathered I the heades of Israell together, that they myghte go vp with me.