Immerse: Chronicles Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 124
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IMMERSE
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CHRONICLES
7:11-25
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.
King 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:
“From Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the teacher of
the law of the God of heaven. Greetings.
“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.
I 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. We 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.
“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. These 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. Any silver and gold that is left
over may be used in whatever way you and your colleagues feel is the
will of your God.
“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. If you
need anything else for your God’s Temple or for any similar needs,
you may take it from the royal treasury.
“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. You 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. Be 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? I 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.’
“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
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