Ezra Comes to Jerusalem
1-6 Much later, when Artaxerxes was king of Persia, Ezra came to Jerusalem from Babylonia. Ezra was the son of Seraiah and the grandson of Azariah. His other ancestors were Hilkiah, Shallum, Zadok, Ahitub, Amariah, Azariah, Meraioth, Zerahiah, Uzzi, Bukki, Abishua, Phinehas, Eleazar, and Aaron, the high priest.
Ezra was an expert in the Law that the Lord God of Israel had given to Moses, and the Lord made sure that the king gave Ezra everything he asked for.
7 Other Jews, including priests, Levites, musicians, the temple guards, and servants, came to Jerusalem with Ezra. This happened during the seventh year that Artaxerxes was king.
8-9 God helped Ezra, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month of that seventh year, after leaving Babylonia on the first day of the first month. 10 Ezra had spent his entire life studying and obeying the Law of the Lord and teaching it to others.
Artaxerxes Gives a Letter to Ezra
11 Ezra was a priest and an expert in the laws and commands that the Lord had given to Israel. One day King Artaxerxes gave Ezra a letter which said:
12 Greetings from the great King Artaxerxes to Ezra the priest and expert in the teachings of the God of heaven.
13-14 Any of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom may go with you to Jerusalem if they want to. My seven advisors and I agree that you may go to Jerusalem and Judah to find out if the laws of your God are being obeyed.
15 When you go, take the silver and gold that I and my advisors are freely giving to the God of Israel, whose temple is in Jerusalem. 16 Take the silver and gold that you collect from everywhere in Babylonia. Also take the gifts that your own people and priests have so willingly contributed for the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
17 Use the money carefully to buy the best bulls, rams, lambs, grain, and wine. Then sacrifice them on the altar at God's temple in Jerusalem. 18 If any silver or gold is left, you and your people may use it for whatever pleases your God. 19 Give your God the other articles that have been contributed for use in his temple. 20 If you need to get anything else for the temple, you may have the money you need from the royal treasury.
21 Ezra, you are a priest and an expert in the laws of the God of heaven, and I order all treasurers in Western Province to do their very best to help you. 22 They will be allowed to give as much as 3.4 tons of silver, 10 tons of wheat, 2,000 liters of wine, 2,000 liters of olive oil, and all the salt you need.
23 They must provide whatever the God of heaven demands for his temple, so that he won't be angry with me and with the kings who rule after me. 24 We want you to know that no priests, Levites, musicians, guards, temple servants, or any other temple workers will have to pay any kind of taxes.
25 Ezra, use the wisdom God has given you and choose officials and leaders to govern the people of Western Province. These leaders should know God's laws and have them taught to anyone who doesn't know them. 26 Everyone who fails to obey God's Law or the king's law will be punished without pity. They will either be executed or put in prison or forced to leave their country, or have all they own taken away.
Ezra Praises God
27 Because King Artaxerxes was so kind, Ezra said:
Praise the Lord God of our ancestors! He made sure that the king honored the Lord's temple in Jerusalem. 28 God has told the king, his advisors, and his powerful officials to treat me with kindness. The Lord God has helped me, and I have been able to bring many Jewish leaders back to Jerusalem.
Ezra atgriežas Jeruzālemē
1 Pēc šiem notikumiem Persijas ķēniņa Artakserksa valdīšanas laikā Ezra, Serāja dēls, Azarjas dēls, Hilkijas dēls, 2 Šallūma dēls, Cādoka dēls, Ahītūva dēls, 3 Amarjas dēls, Azarjas dēls, Merājota dēls, 4 Zerahjas dēls, Uzī dēls, Bukī dēls, 5 Abīšūas dēls, Pinhāsa dēls, Elāzāra dēls, augstā priestera Ārona dēls, – 6 šis Ezra izgāja no Bābeles. Viņš bija mācīts Mozus bauslībā, kuru bija devis Kungs, Israēla Dievs. Ķēniņš deva visu, ko viņš lūdza, jo pār viņu bija Kunga, viņa Dieva, roka.
7 Ķēniņa Artakserksa septītajā valdīšanas gadā uz Jeruzālemi devās daļa Israēla dēlu: priesteri, levīti, dziedātāji, vārtu sargi un tempļa kalpotāji. 8 Ezra nonāca Jeruzālemē piektajā mēnesī, ķēniņa septītajā valdīšanas gadā. 9 Pirmā mēneša pirmajā dienā viņš devās projām no Bābeles un nonāca Jeruzālemē piektā mēneša pirmajā dienā – Dievs bija labs pret viņu, 10 jo Ezra sirdī bija apņēmies turēties pie Kunga bauslības, pildīt to un mācīt Israēlam likumus un tiesu.
Artakserksa vēstule
11 Šis ir tās vēstules noraksts, ko ķēniņš Artakserkss deva priesterim Ezram, rakstu pazinējam, mācītam Kunga baušļos un Israēla likumos:
12 “Artakserkss, ķēniņu ķēniņš, priesterim Ezram, rakstu pazinējam, debesu Dieva likumu zinātājam. Tagad 13 es pavēlu, lai manā valstī ikviens no Israēla tautas, priesteriem un levītiem, kas labprātīgi grib iet uz Jeruzālemi, iet kopā ar tevi. 14 Tā kā tu esi ķēniņa un viņa septiņu padomnieku sūtīts pārbaudīt Jūdu un Jeruzālemi ar Dieva likumiem, kuri ir tavā rokā, 15 un aizvest sudrabu un zeltu, ko ķēniņš un viņa padomnieki labprātīgi ziedo Israēla Dievam, kas mīt Jeruzālemē, 16 kā arī visu sudrabu un zeltu, ko no labprātīgiem ziedojumiem tu savāksi visās Bābeles pavalstīs, ko tauta un priesteri ziedos Jeruzālemes Dieva namam, 17 tādēļ cītīgi pērc par šo naudu vēršus, aunus, jērus, labības dāvanas un lejamos upurus un upurē tos uz altāra Dieva namā Jeruzālemē! 18 Ar pārējo sudrabu un zeltu dari tā, kā tev un taviem brāļiem šķiet pareizi, dariet, kā grib jūsu Dievs! 19 Traukus, kas tev atdoti, lai kalpotu Dieva namā, novieto Dieva priekšā Jeruzālemē. 20 Pārējās Dieva namam nepieciešamās lietas, kas tev būs vajadzīgas, ņem no ķēniņa dārgumu nama! 21 Es, ķēniņš Artakserkss, esmu pavēlējis visiem Viņpusupes apgabala mantziņiem: ko priesteris Ezra, kas mācīts debesu Dieva likumos, jums lūgs, to dodiet! – 22 Sudrabu līdz simts mēriem, kviešus līdz simts korām , vīnu līdz simts batiem , eļļu līdz simts batiem un sāli bez mēra. 23 Dodiet debesu Dieva namam visu, ko debesu Dievs pavēl, lai pār valsti, ķēniņu un viņa dēliem nenāk dusmas! 24 Lai jums ir zināms, ka nedrīkst prasīt nodevas un muitu ne no viena priestera, levīta, dziedātāja, durvju sarga, tempļa kalpotāja un šī Dieva nama kalpa!
25 Un tu, Ezra, Dieva gudrībā, kas tev dota, iecel soģus un tiesnešus, kuri spēj tiesāt visus Viņpusupes apgabala ļaudis, lai visi zina tava Dieva likumus un lai iemāca tiem, kas tos nezina. 26 Bet ikvienu, kas nepildīs tava Dieva likumu un ķēniņa likumu, tiesājiet stingri – ar nāvi, izsūtīšanu, mantas atņemšanu vai cietumu.”
27 Slavēts lai Kungs, mūsu tēvu Dievs, kurš ķēniņa sirdij licis celt godā Kunga namu Jeruzālemē! 28 Viņš devis man laipnību pie ķēniņa, viņa padomniekiem un visiem augstmaņiem, ķēniņa varenajiem. Es kļuvu stiprs, jo ar mani bija Kunga, mana Dieva, roka, un es sapulcēju Israēla galvenos, lai tie nāk man līdzi.
