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EZR A 7
finally finished, as had been commanded by the
God of Israel and decreed by Cyrus, Darius, and
Artaxerxes, the kings of Persia. 15 The Temple
was completed on March 12,* during the sixth
year of King Darius’s reign.
16 The Temple of God was then dedicated
with great joy by the people of Israel, the
priests, the Levites, and the rest of the people
who had returned from exile. 17 During the
dedication ceremony for the Temple of God,
100 young bulls, 200 rams, and 400 male
lambs were sacrificed. And 12 male goats were
presented as a sin offering for the twelve tribes
of Israel. 18 Then the priests and Levites were
divided into their various divisions to serve at
the Temple of God in Jerusalem, as prescribed
in the Book of Moses.
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. 7 Some 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.
8 Ezra arrived in Je ru sa lem in August* of
that year. 9 He 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. 10 This
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.
Celebration of Passover
19 On April 21* the returned exiles celebrated
Passover. 20 The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were ceremonially clean.
So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all
the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and
for themselves. 21 The Passover meal was eaten
by the people of Israel who had returned from
exile and by the others in the land who had
turned from their corrupt practices to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. 22 Then they
celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread
for seven days. There was great joy throughout
the land because the Lord had caused the king
of Assyria* to be favorable to them, so that he
helped them to rebuild the Temple of God, the
God of Israel.
Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra
11 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:
Ezra Arrives in Jerusalem
Many 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, 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 the high
priest.* 6 This 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.
7
6:15 Aramaic on the third day of the month Adar, of the ancient
Hebrew lunar calendar. A number of events in Ezra can be
cross-checked with dates in surviving Persian records and
related accurately to our modern calendar. This day was
March 12, 515 b.c. 6:19 Hebrew On the fourteenth day of
the first month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This
day was April 21, 515 b.c.; also see note on 6:15. 6:22 King
Darius of Persia is here identified as the king of Assyria
because Persia had conquered the Babylonian Empire, which
included the earlier Assyrian Empire. 7:1a Artaxerxes
reigned 465–424 b.c. 7:1b Or descendant; see 1 Chr 6:14.
7:3 Or descendant; see 1 Chr 6:6-10. 7:5 Or the first priest.
7:8 Hebrew in the fifth month. This month in the ancient
Hebrew lunar calendar occurred within the months of August
and September 458 b.c. 7:9a Hebrew on the first day of the
first month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day
was April 8, 458 b.c.; also see note on 6:15. 7:9b Hebrew on
the first day of the fifth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar
calendar. This day was August 4, 458 b.c.; also see note
on 6:15. 7:12 The original text of 7:12-26 is in Aramaic.
12*“From Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to
Ezra the priest, the teacher of the law of the
God of heaven. Greetings.
13 “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. 14 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. 15 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.
16 “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. 17 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. 18 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.
19 “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. 20 If you need anything else for
your God’s Temple or for any similar needs,
you may take it from the royal treasury.
21 “I, Artaxerxes the king, hereby send
this decree to all the treasurers in the