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I muri i enei mea, i te kingitanga o Arataherehe kingi o Pahia, na ko Etera tama a Heraia, tama a Ataria, tama a Hirikia,

Tama a Harumu, tama a Haroko, tama a Ahitupu,

Tama a Amaria, tama a Ataria, tama a Meraioto,

Tama a Terahia, tama a Uti, tama a Puki,

Tama a Apihua, tama a Pinehaha, tama a Ereatara, tama a Arona tino tohunga:

I haere mai tenei Etera i Papurona; na he karaipi kakama ia ki te ture a Mohi i homai nei e Ihowa, e te Atua o Iharaira. I runga ano i a ia te ringa o Ihowa, o tona Atua, a homai ana e te kingi ki a ia nga mea katoa i tonoa e ia.

Na i haere mai ano etahi o nga tama a Iharaira, no nga tohunga hoki, o nga Riwaiti, o nga kaiwaiata, o nga kaitiaki keti, o nga Netinimi, ki Hiruharama i te whitu o nga tau o Kingi Arataherehe.

Na kua tae ia ki Hiruharama i te rima o nga marama o te whitu o nga tau o te kingi.

No te tuatahi hoki o nga ra o te marama tuatahi i timata ai ia te haere mai i Papurona, a no te tuatahi o nga ra o te rima o nga marama i tae mai ai ki Hiruharama, i runga hoki i a ia te ringa pai o tona Atua.

10 I whakatikaia hoki e Etera tona ngakau ki te rapu i te ture a Ihowa, ki te mahi ano hoki, a ki te whakaako i a Iharaira ki nga tikanga, ki nga whakaritenga.

11 Na ko nga kupu tenei o te pukapuka i homai e Kingi Arataherehe ki te tohunga, ki te karaipi ki a Etera; he karaipi ia no nga kupu o nga whakahau a Ihowa, no ana tikanga hoki ki a Iharaira.

12 Na Arataherehe kingi o nga kingi ki te tohunga, ki a Etera, ki te karaipi o te ture a te Atua o te rangi, he tino tika, he aha atu.

13 Ko taku tikanga tenei ka whakatakotoria nei; Na, ko te hunga katoa o te iwi o Iharaira, o ona tohunga hoki, o nga Riwaiti i toku kingitanga e whai ngakau ana kia haere ki Hiruharama, me haere tahi me koe.

14 He mea unga na hoki koe na te kingi ratou ko ana kaiwhakatakoto whakaaro tokowhitu, ki te ui i nga mea o Hura, o Hiruharama, kia rite ai ki te ture a tou Atua i tou ringa na;

15 Ki te kawe ano i te hiriwa, i te koura i hoatu noa nei e te kingi, ratou ko ana kaiwhakatakoto whakaaro ki te Atua o Iharaira, kei Hiruharama nei tona nohoanga,

16 I te hiriwa katoa ano, i te koura e kitea e koe i te kawanatanga katoa o Papurona, i nga mea homai noa ano a te iwi, a nga tohunga, a te hunga e homai noa ana mo te whare o to ratou Atua i Hiruharama.

17 Na kia hohoro koe te hoko ki tenei moni he puru, he hipi toa, he reme, he whakahere totokore, me nga ringihanga, ka whakaeke ai ki runga ki te aata o te whare o to koutou Atua i Hiruharama.

18 Na, ko ta koutou ko ou teina e pai ai mo te toenga o te hiriwa, o te koura, meatia, kia rite ki ta to koutou Atua e pai ai.

19 A, ko nga oko ka hoatu nei ki a koe mo nga mahi o te whare o tou Atua, me hoatu e koe ki te aroaro o te Atua i Hiruharama.

20 A, ko era atu mea e meatia ana e koe mo te whare o tou Atua, e tika ana kia hoatu e koe, hoatu i roto i te whare taonga o te kingi.

21 Na, tenei ahau, a Kingi Arataherehe te whakatakoto nei i te tikanga ki nga kaitiaki taonga katoa i tawahi o te awa, na, ko nga mea katoa e tonoa i a koutou e Etera tohunga, e te karaipi o te ture a te Atua o te rangi, kia hohoro te mea;

22 Ahakoa kotahi rau taranata hiriwa, ahakoa kotahi rau mehua witi, ahakoa kotahi rau pati waina, ahakoa kotahi rau pati hinu; me te tote ano, e kore tona taimaha e tuhituhia.

23 Ko nga mea katoa e kiia mai ana e te Atua o te rangi, me mahi kia tino rite mo te whare o te Atua o te rangi: he aha oti kia ai ai he riri mai ki te kingitanga o te kingi ratou ko ana tama?

24 Kia mohio ano koutou; ko nga tohunga katoa, ko nga Riwaiti, ko nga kaiwaiata, ko nga kaitiaki keti, ko nga Netinimi, ko nga kaimahi o tenei whare o te Atua, e kore e tika kia tangohia he takoha taonga, he takoha tangata, he takoha huarahi i a ra tou.

25 Na mau, e Etera, kei a koe na hoki te mohio o te Atua, mau e whakarite nga kaiwhakarite, nga kaiwhakarongo totohe, hei whakarite mo nga iwi katoa i tera taha o te awa, hei te hunga katoa e mohio ana ki nga ture a tou Atua: na, ko te hunga kahore e mohio, ma koutou e whakaako.

26 A, ko te tangata e kore e mahi i te ture a tou Atua, i te ture ano a te kingi, kia hohoro te whakapa o te whiu ki a ia, te whakamate ranei, te pei ranei he whenua ke, me tango ranei ana taonga, me here ranei.

27 Kia whakapaingia a Ihowa, te Atua o o tatou matua, nana nei i homai te whakaaro penei ki te ngakau o te kingi, ara kia whakapaia te whare o Ihowa i Hiruharama;

28 Nana hoki i whakaputa aroha mai ki ahau i te aroaro o te kingi ratou ko ana kaiwhakatakoto whakaaro, o nga rangatira rarahi ano a te kingi. Na kua whai kaha ahau; i runga hoki i ahau te ringa o Ihowa, o toku Atua. Na ka huihuia e ahau etahi tino tangata i roto i a Iharaira, hei hoa haere moku ki runga.

Ezra Comes to Jerusalem

After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes(A) king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah,(B) the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,(C) the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok,(D) the son of Ahitub,(E) the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas,(F) the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— this Ezra(G) came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted(H) him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.(I) Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.(J)

Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.(K) 10 For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching(L) its decrees and laws in Israel.

King Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra

11 This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the Lord for Israel:

12 Artaxerxes, king of kings,(M)

To Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven:

Greetings.

13 Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who volunteer to go to Jerusalem with you, may go. 14 You are sent by the king and his seven advisers(N) to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand. 15 Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisers have freely given(O) to the God of Israel, whose dwelling(P) is in Jerusalem, 16 together with all the silver and gold(Q) you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem.(R) 17 With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs,(S) together with their grain offerings and drink offerings,(T) and sacrifice(U) them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.

18 You and your fellow Israelites may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God. 19 Deliver(V) to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for worship in the temple of your God. 20 And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you are responsible to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.(W)

21 Now I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates are to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you— 22 up to a hundred talents[a] of silver, a hundred cors[b] of wheat, a hundred baths[c] of wine, a hundred baths[d] of olive oil, and salt without limit. 23 Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should his wrath fall on the realm of the king and of his sons?(X) 24 You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty(Y) on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.(Z)

25 And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint(AA) magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach(AB) any who do not know them. 26 Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.[e](AC)

27 Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart(AD) to bring honor(AE) to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way 28 and who has extended his good favor(AF) to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me,(AG) I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 7:22 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons
  2. Ezra 7:22 That is, probably about 18 tons or about 16 metric tons
  3. Ezra 7:22 That is, about 600 gallons or about 2,200 liters
  4. Ezra 7:22 That is, about 600 gallons or about 2,200 liters
  5. Ezra 7:26 The text of 7:12-26 is in Aramaic.

Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,

The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,

The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,

The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:

This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him.

And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.

For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.

10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his statutes to Israel.

12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.

13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.

14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;

15 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,

16 And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:

17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.

19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.

20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house.

21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,

22 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

23 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?

24 Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.

25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates 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.

26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

27 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:

28 And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all 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.