| This is the letter that the king, (Artaxerxes), gave unto |
| Azra, the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of |
| the commandments of the Lord and his statutes to Israel. |
| Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Azra the priest, a scribe |
| of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace..... and at |
| such a time. For, as much as thou art sent, of the king |
| and his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah |
| and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God, which |
| is in thine hand; And 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, and all |
| the silver and gold that thou can find in all the province |
| of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and |
| the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God |
| which is in Jerusalem, that thou may buy speedily with |
| this money bullocks, rams, lambs, and with their meat |
| offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon |
| the altar, of the house of your God, in Jerusalem. And |
| whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren |
| to do with the rest of the silver and gold.... that do after |
| the will of your God. The vessels that are also given to |
| thee for the service of the house of thy God, those thou |
| deliver before the God of Jerusalem. And, whatsoever |
| more shall be needful, for the house of thy God, which |
| thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it from the |
| king's treasure house. And I, Artaxerxes the king, do |
| make a decree, to all the treasurers, which are beyond |
| the river, that whatsoever Azra the priest, the scribe of |
| the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it |
| be done speedily, unto a hundred talents of silver, and |
| a hundred measures of wheat, and a hundred baths of |
| wine and oil, and salt, without prescribing how much. |
| Whatsoever 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? Also we certify you, that touching |
| any of the priests and Levites, and singers and porters, |
| Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall |
| not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon |
| them. And thou, Azra... after the wisdom of thy God, |
| that is in thine hand, set magistrate 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. And, whosoever will not do the |
| law of thy God and the law of the king, let judgement |
| be executed speedily upon him, whether it unto death, |
| or to banishment, or to the confiscation of goods, or |
| to imprisonment. |
| Blessed 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 and hath |
| extended mercy unto me, before the king, and before |
| his counsellors, and before 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. |