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JULY 23
baths of wine, one hundred baths of
oil, and salt without prescribed limit.
23 Whatever is commanded by the God of
7:10 seek…do…teach. The pattern of Ezra’s heaven, let it diligently be done for the
preparation is exemplary. He studied before house of the God of heaven. For why
he attempted to live a life of obedience, and should there be wrath against the realm
he studied and practiced the law in his own of the king and his sons?
life before he opened his mouth to teach that
24 Also we inform you that it shall not be
law. But the success of Ezra’s leadership did
not come from his strength alone, but most lawful to impose tax, tribute, or custom
significantly because “the good hand of his on any of the priests, Levites, singers,
God [was] upon him”(7:9). gatekeepers, Nethinim, or servants of
this house of God. And you, Ezra,
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according to your God-given wisdom,
Perfect peace, and so forth. set magistrates and judges who may
judge all the people who are in the
I issue a decree that all those of the region beyond the River, all such as
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people of Israel and the priests and know the laws of your God; and teach
Levites in my realm, who volunteer to those who do not know them. Whoever
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go up to Jerusalem, may go with you.
14 will not observe the law of your God
And whereas you are being sent by the
king and his seven counselors to inquire and the law of the king, let judgment be
executed speedily on him, whether it be
concerning Judah and Jerusalem, with death, or banishment, or confiscation of
regard to the Law of your God which is goods, or imprisonment.
in your hand; and whereas you are to
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carry the silver and gold which the king 27 Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, who
and his counselors have freely offered has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart,
to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Je-
in Jerusalem; and whereas all the silver rusalem, and has extended mercy to me
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and gold that you may find in all the before the king and his counselors, and before
province of Babylon, along with the all the king’s mighty princes.
freewill offering of the people and the So I was encouraged, as the hand of the
priests, are to be freely offered for the LORD my God was upon me; and I gathered
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house of their God in Jerusalem— now leading men of Israel to go up with me.
therefore, be careful to buy with this These are the heads of their fathers’ houses,
money bulls, rams, and lambs, with 8 and this is the genealogy of those who went
their grain offerings and their drink up with me from Babylon, in the reign of King
offerings, and offer them on the altar of Artaxerxes: of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom;
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the house of your God in Jerusalem. of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel; of the sons of Da-
vid, Hattush; of the sons of Shecaniah, of the
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And whatever seems good to you and sons of Parosh, Zechariah; and registered with
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your brethren to do with the rest of the him were one hundred and fifty males; of the
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silver and the gold, do it according to sons of Pahath-Moab, Eliehoenai the son of
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the will of your God. Also the articles Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males; of
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that are given to you for the service of the sons of Shechaniah, Ben-Jahaziel, and with
the house of your God, deliver in full him three hundred males; of the sons of Adin,
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before the God of Jerusalem. And Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty
whatever more may be needed for the males; of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of
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house of your God, which you may Athaliah, and with him seventy males; of the
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have occasion to provide, pay for it sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Mi-
from the king’s treasury.
chael, and with him eighty males; of the sons
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And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, issue of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him
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a decree to all the treasurers who are in two hundred and eighteen males; of the sons
the region beyond the River, that of Shelomith, Ben-Josiphiah, and with him one
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whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of hundred and sixty males; of the sons of Bebai,
the Law of the God of heaven, may Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty-
require of you, let it be done diligently, eight males; of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the
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up to one hundred talents of silver, one son of Hakkatan, and with him one hundred
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hundred kors of wheat, one hundred and ten males; of the last sons of Adonikam,
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