nkjv Ezra:7:11-28 SEEK
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This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest ,
the scribe ,
expert in the words of the commandments of the LORD ,
and of His statutes to Israel :
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Artaxerxes ,
king of kings ,
To Ezra the priest ,
a scribe of the Law of the God of heaven :
Perfect peace ,
and so forth .
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I issue a decree that all those of the people of Israel and the priests and Levites in my realm ,
who volunteer to go up to Jerusalem ,
may go with you .
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And whereas you are being sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem ,
with regard to the Law of your God which is in your hand ;
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and whereas you are to carry the silver and gold which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel ,
whose dwelling is in Jerusalem ;
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and whereas all the silver and gold that you may find in all the province of Babylon ,
along with the freewill offering of the people and the priests ,
are to be freely offered for the house of their God in Jerusalem --
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now therefore ,
be careful to buy with this money bulls ,
rams ,
and lambs ,
with their grain offerings and their drink offerings ,
and offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem .
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And whatever seems good to you and your brethren to do with the rest of the silver and the gold ,
do it according to the will of your God .
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Also the articles that are given to you for the service of the house of your God ,
deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem .
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And whatever more may be needed for the house of your God ,
which you may have occasion to provide ,
pay for it from the king '
s treasury .
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And I ,
even I ,
Artaxerxes the king ,
issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the region beyond the River ,
that whatever Ezra the priest ,
the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven ,
may require of you ,
let it be done diligently ,
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up to one hundred talents of silver ,
one hundred kors of wheat ,
one hundred baths of wine ,
one hundred baths of oil ,
and salt without prescribed limit .
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Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven ,
let it diligently be done for the house of the God of heaven .
For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons ?
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Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tax ,
tribute ,
or custom on any of the priests ,
Levites ,
singers ,
gatekeepers ,
Nethinim ,
or servants of this house of God .
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And you ,
Ezra ,
according to your God-given wisdom ,
set magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are in the region beyond the River ,
all such as know the laws of your God ;
and teach those who do not know them .
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Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king ,
let judgment be executed speedily on him ,
whether it be death ,
or banishment ,
or confiscation of goods ,
or imprisonment .
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Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers ,
who has put such a thing as this in the king '
s heart ,
to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem ,
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and has extended mercy to me before the king and his counselors ,
and before all the king '
s mighty princes .
So I was encouraged ,
as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me ;
and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me .