Ezra 7:9-10, 28 - Prayer Tents

Ezra 7

Ezra Arrives in Jerusalem

7Many years later, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia

, there was a man named Ezra. He was the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,H310H1697H4438H783H4428H6539H5830H1121H8304H1121H5838H1121H25182son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,H1121H7967H1121H6659H1121H2853son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son

of Meraioth,H1121H568H1121H5838H1121H48124son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,H1121H2228H1121H5813H1121H12315son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the high priest

.H1121H50H1121H6372H1121H499H1121H175H7218H35486This Ezra was a scribe who was well versed in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given to the people of Israel. He came up to Jerusalem from Babylon, and the king gave him everything he asked for, because the gracious hand of the LORD his God was on him.H5830H5927H894H4106H5608H8451H4872H3068H430H3478H5414H4428H5414H1246H3027H3068H4307Some of the people of Israel, as well as some of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants, traveled up to Jerusalem with him in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes' reign.H5927H1121H3478H3548H3881H7891H7778H5411H3389H7651H8141H783H44288Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in August

of that year.H935H3389H2549H2320H7637H8141H44289He had arranged to leave Babylon on April 8, the first day of the new year

, and he arrived at Jerusalem on August 4, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.H259H7223H2320H3246H4609H894H259H2549H2320H935H3389H2896H3027H43010This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the LORD and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel.H5830H3559H3824H1875H8451H3068H6213H3925H3478H2706H4941

Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra

11King Artaxerxes had given a copy of the following letter to Ezra, the priest and scribe who studied and taught the commands and decrees of the LORD to Israel.H6572H5406H4428H783H5414H5830H3548H5608H5608H1697H4687H3068H2706H347812

"From Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the teacher of the law of the God of heaven. GreetingsH783H4430H4430H5831H3549H5613H1882H426H8065H1585H370613"I decree that any of the people of Israel in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may volunteer to return to Jerusalem with you.H4481H7761H2942H3606H4481H5972H3479H3549H3879H4437H5069H1946H3390H1946H597414I and my council of seven hereby instruct you to conduct an inquiry into the situation in Judah and Jerusalem, based on your God's law, which is in your hand.H1768H6903H3606H7972H4481H6925H4430H7655H3272H1240H5922H3061H3390H1882H426H302815We also commission you to take with you silver and gold, which we are freely presenting as an offering to the God of Israel who lives in Jerusalem.H2987H3702H1722H4430H3272H5069H426H3479H1768H4907H339016"Furthermore, you are to take any silver and gold that you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the voluntary offerings of the people and the priests that are presented for the Temple of their God in Jerusalem.H3606H3702H1722H7912H3606H4083H895H5974H5069H5972H3549H5069H1005H426H339017These donations are to be used specifically for the purchase of bulls, rams, male lambs, and the appropriate grain offerings and liquid offerings, all of which will be offered on the altar of the Temple of your God in Jerusalem.H3606H6903H7066H629H1836H3702H8450H1798H563H4504H5261H7127H1994H5922H4056H1005H426H339018Any silver and gold that is left over may be used in whatever way you and your colleagues feel is the will of your God.H4101H1768H3191H5922H252H5648H7606H3702H1722H5648H7470H42619"But as for the cups we are entrusting to you for the service of the Temple of your God, deliver them all to the God of Jerusalem.H3984H3052H6402H1005H426H8000H6925H426H339020If you need anything else for your God's Temple or for any similar needs, you may take it from the royal treasury.H7606H2819H1005H426H5308H5415H5415H4481H4430H1596H100521"I, Artaxerxes the king, hereby send this decree to all the treasurers in the province west of the Euphrates River

: 'You are to give Ezra, the priest and teacher of the law of the God of heaven, whatever he requests of you.H4481H576H783H4430H7761H2942H3606H1490H5675H5103H5831H3549H5613H1882H426H8065H7593H5648H62922You are to give him up to 7,500 pounds

of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, 550 gallons of olive oil, and an unlimited supply of salt.H5705H3969H3604H3702H3969H3734H2591H3969H1325H2562H3969H1325H4887H4416H3809H379223Be careful to provide whatever the God of heaven demands for his Temple, for why should we risk bringing God's anger against the realm of the king and his sons?H3606H2941H4481H426H8065H149H5648H1005H426H8065H1768H4101H1934H7109H5922H4437H4430H112324I also decree that no priest, Levite, singer, gatekeeper, Temple servant, or other worker in this Temple of God will be required to pay tribute, customs, or tolls of any kind.'H3046H3606H3549H3879H2171H8652H5412H6399H1836H1005H426H3809H7990H7412H4061H1093H1983H592225"And you, Ezra, are to use the wisdom your God has given you to appoint magistrates and judges who know your God's laws to govern all the people in the province west of the Euphrates River. Teach the law to anyone who does not know it.H607H5831H2452H426H3028H4483H8200H1782H1934H1778H3606H5972H5675H5103H3606H3046H1882H426H3046H3046H380926Anyone who refuses to obey the law of your God and the law of the king will be punished immediately, either by death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment."H3606H3809H1934H5648H1882H426H1882H4430H1780H1934H5648H629H4481H2006H4193H2006H8332H2006H6065H5232H613

Ezra Praises the Lord

27Praise the LORD, the God of our ancestors, who made the king want to beautify the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem!H1288H3068H430H1H5414H4428H3820H6286H1004H3068H338928And praise him for demonstrating such unfailing love to me by honoring me before the king, his council, and all his mighty nobles! I felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the LORD my God was on me. And I gathered some of the leaders of Israel to return with me to Jerusalem.H5186H2617H6440H4428H3289H4428H1368H8269H2388H3027H3068H430H6908H3478H7218H5927