Ezra Arrives in Jerusalem
1 Many years later, when Artaxerxes was emperor of Persia, there was a man named Ezra. He traced his ancestors back to Aaron, the High Priest, as follows: Ezra was the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron.
6-7 Ezra was a scholar with a thorough knowledge of the Law which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given to Moses. Because Ezra had the blessing of the Lord his God, the emperor gave him everything he asked for. In the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes, Ezra set out from Babylonia for Jerusalem with a group of Israelites which included priests, Levites, Temple musicians, Temple guards, and workers. 8-9 They left Babylonia on the first day of the first month, and with God's help they arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month. 10 Ezra had devoted his life to studying the Law of the Lord, to practicing it, and to teaching all its laws and regulations to the people of Israel.
The Document Which Emperor Artaxerxes Gave to Ezra
11 Emperor Artaxerxes gave the following document to Ezra, the priest and scholar, who had a thorough knowledge of the laws and commands which the Lord had given to Israel:
12 “From Emperor Artaxerxes to the priest Ezra, scholar in the Law of the God of Heaven.
13 “I command that throughout my empire all the Israelite people, priests, and Levites that so desire be permitted to go with you to Jerusalem. 14 I, together with my seven counselors, send you to investigate the conditions in Jerusalem and Judah in order to see how well the Law of your God, which has been entrusted to you, is being obeyed. 15 You are to take with you the gold and silver offerings which I and my counselors desire to give to the God of Israel, whose Temple is in Jerusalem. 16 You are also to take all the silver and gold which you collect throughout the province of Babylon and the offerings which the Israelite people and their priests give for the Temple of their God in Jerusalem.
17 “You are to spend this money carefully and buy bulls, rams, lambs, grain, and wine and offer them on the altar of the Temple in Jerusalem. 18 You may use the silver and gold that is left over for whatever you and your people desire, in accordance with the will of your God. 19 You are to present to God in Jerusalem all the utensils that have been given to you for use in the Temple services. 20 And anything else which you need for the Temple, you may get from the royal treasury.
21 “I command all the treasury officials in West-of-Euphrates Province to provide promptly for Ezra, the priest and scholar in the Law of the God of Heaven, everything he asks you for, 22 up to a limit of 7,500 pounds of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, 550 gallons of olive oil, and as much salt as needed. 23 You must be careful to provide everything which the God of Heaven requires for his Temple, and so make sure that he is never angry with me or with those who reign after me. 24 You are forbidden to collect any taxes from the priests, Levites, musicians, guards, workers, or anyone else connected with this Temple.
25 “You, Ezra, using the wisdom which your God has given you, are to appoint administrators and judges to govern all the people in West-of-Euphrates who live by the Law of your God. You must teach that Law to anyone who does not know it. 26 If any disobey the laws of your God or the laws of the empire, they are to be punished promptly: by death or by exile or by confiscation of their property or by imprisonment.”
Ezra Praises God
27 Ezra said, “Praise the Lord, the God of our ancestors! He has made the emperor willing to honor in this way the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. 28 By God's grace I have won the favor of the emperor, of his counselors, and of all his powerful officials; the Lord my God has given me courage, and I have been able to persuade many of the heads of the clans of Israel to return with me.”
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.
