Ezra 7:11-26

¹¹ Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest , the scribe , learned in the words of the commandments of the Lord and His statutes to Israel : ¹² "Artaxerxes , king of kings , to Ezra the priest , the scribe of the law of the God of heaven , perfect peace. And now ¹³ I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem , may go with you. ¹⁴ "Forasmuch e e as you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God which is in your hand , ¹⁵ and to bring the silver and gold , which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel , whose dwelling is in Jerusalem , ¹⁶ with all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon , along with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests , who offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem ; ¹⁷ with this money , therefore e e , you shall diligently buy bulls , rams and lambs , with their grain offerings and their drink offerings and offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem . ¹⁸ "Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold , you may do according to the will of your God . ¹⁹ "Also the utensils which are given to you for the service of the house of your God , deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem . ²⁰ "The rest of the needs for the house of your God , for which you may have occasion to provide , provide for it from the royal treasury . ²¹ "I, even I, King Artaxerxes , issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the River , that whatever e Ezra the priest , the scribe of the law of the God of heaven , may require of you, it shall be done diligently , ²² even up to 100 talents of silver , 100 kors of wheat , 100 baths of wine , 100 baths of oil , and salt as needed . ²³ "Whatever e is commanded e by the God of heaven , let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven , so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons . ²⁴ "We also inform you that it is not allowed to impose tax , tribute or toll on any of the priests , Levites , singers , doorkeepers , Nethinim or servants of this house of God . ²⁵ "You, Ezra , according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand , appoint magistrates and judges that they may judge e all the people who are in the province beyond the River , even all those who know the laws of your God ; and you may teach anyone who is ignorant e of them. ²⁶ " Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king , let judgment be executed upon him strictly , whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment ."