Ezra

Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

1Many years later, Artaxerxes was king of Persia. A man named Ezra lived then. Ezra was the son of Seraiah. Seraiah was the son of Azariah. Azariah was the son of Hilkiah.

2The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,

2Hilkiah was the son of Shallum. Shallum was the son of Zadok. Zadok was the son of Ahitub.

3The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,

3Ahitub was the son of Amariah. Amariah was the son of Azariah. Azariah was the son of Meraioth.

4The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,

4Meraioth was the son of Zerahiah. Zerahiah was the son of Uzzi. Uzzi was the son of Bukki.

5The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:

5Bukki was the son of Abishua. Abishua was the son of Phinehas. Phinehas was the son of Eleazar. Eleazar was the son of Aaron, the chief priest.

6This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.

6This Ezra came up from the city of Babylon. He was a scribe, someone who studied and copied God's Law. He knew the Law of Moses very well, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king gave Ezra everything he asked for. God was helping Ezra.

NoteA scribe was a person who copied God's Law by hand and studied it. Ezra was an expert in it.

7And 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.

7It was the seventh year that Artaxerxes was king. Some of the people of Israel went up to Jerusalem too. Priests and Levites went, who worked at God's house. Singers, gatekeepers, and temple workers went as well.

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

8Ezra reached Jerusalem in the fifth month of that year.

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

9He left Babylon on the first day of the first month. He reached Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month. God's kind hand was on him the whole way.

10For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

10Ezra had made up his mind to study the Law of the LORD. He wanted to obey it. He also wanted to teach its rules to the people of Israel.

11Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.

11Here is what King Artaxerxes wrote in a letter to Ezra. Ezra was a priest and a scribe. He knew all the commands and rules the LORD gave Israel.

12Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.

12"From Artaxerxes, the greatest king, to Ezra the priest. You are a teacher of the Law of the God of heaven. Greetings.

NoteThe King James Bible ends this verse with old greeting words: "perfect peace, and at such a time." It simply means "Greetings," the way a letter starts.

13I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.

13I now make this rule. Any of my people from Israel may go with you to Jerusalem. Priests and Levites may go too. They may go if they want to.

14Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;

14The king and his seven helpers are sending you. You are to go and see how things are in Judah and Jerusalem. You will look at them by the Law of your God, which you carry.

15And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,

15You are also to carry silver and gold with you. The king and his helpers gladly gave it to the God of Israel. That God's house is in Jerusalem.

16And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:

16Take all the silver and gold you can find in the land of Babylon too. Take the gifts the people and priests give on their own. These are for the house of their God in Jerusalem.

17That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

17Use that money to buy bulls, rams, and lambs. Buy grain and wine to go with them. Offer them all on the altar at your God's house in Jerusalem.

18And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.

18Some silver and gold will be left over. You and your fellow workers may use it as you think best. Just do what your God wants.

19The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.

19You have been given special bowls and cups for your God's house. Bring them all to God in Jerusalem.

20And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house.

20Your God's house may need other things too. If you must pay for them, take the money from the king's treasure room.

21And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,

21I, King Artaxerxes, also make this rule. It is for all my money keepers west of the Euphrates River. Ezra the priest teaches the Law of the God of heaven. Give him quickly whatever he asks for.

Note"Beyond the river" means the land west of the big Euphrates River. That is where Judah and Jerusalem were.

22Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

22Give him up to a hundred talents of silver. Give up to a hundred large baskets of wheat. Give up to a hundred barrels of wine and a hundred of olive oil. Give him as much salt as he needs.

NoteA talent of silver was about 75 pounds. A hundred talents was a huge amount of money.

23Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

23The God of heaven has given commands. Do all of them carefully for his house. We do not want God to be angry with the king or his sons.

24Also 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.

24Here is one more thing you should know. You may not make the workers at God's house pay taxes. That means the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and other temple workers.

25And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not.

25Ezra, your God has given you wisdom. Use it to pick leaders and judges. They will judge all the people west of the Euphrates River. These are people who know your God's laws. You must teach the laws to those who do not know them.

26And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

26Some people will not obey your God's law or the king's law. They must be punished right away. The punishment may be death, or being sent away. It may be losing what they own, or going to prison."

27Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem:

27Ezra said, "May the LORD be praised. He is the God of our fathers. He is the one who gave the king this idea. The king wants to make the LORD's house in Jerusalem beautiful.

28And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.

28God has also been kind to me. The king was good to me, and so were his helpers and his strong officers. The LORD my God was helping me, so I was brave. I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me."