1After all these accounts in the kingdom of Artakhshesht, King of Persia: Azarayah, son of Sariya, son of Azaryah, son of Khelaqya, 2Son of Shallum, son of Tsaduq, son of Akhitub, 3Son of Amaryah, son of Azaryah, son of Maryuth, 4Son of Zerakhyah, son of Gadi, son of Baqi, 5Son of Abishu, son of Phinkhes, son of Eliazar, son of Aaron the Priest. 6The Leader was Azra who went up from Babel. He was a Scribe, a wise man in the law of Moshe that LORD JEHOVAH God of Israel gave him, and the King gave to him the gift that he would walk in the Torah of LORD JEHOVAH as he pleased. 7And some children of Israel and some Priests and Levites, these Ministers, and some Porters and Nethanites of those who came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year went up to Artakhshesht the King.

8And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, this is the seventh year for the King. 9Because in the first month they began to go up from Babel, and on the first of the fifth month they came to Jerusalem, according to the hand of God which was kind to them. 10Because Azra had made his heart ready to perform the Law of LORD JEHOVAH, and to do and to teach the law and judgment in Israel.

11And this is the copy of the letter that King Artakhshesht gave to Azra the Priest, the Scribe of the words and the commandments of LORD JEHOVAH and his laws to all Israel: 12“Artakhshesht the King, the King of Kings, to Azra the Priest, the Scribe, Scribe of the law of the God of Heaven, peace! 13I have commanded and I have established a law that everyone whoever desires to go with you, of the people of Israel and of the Priests and of the Levites in my kingdom, they may go. 14I have commanded and I have established the law and I have sent some of my companions to inquire about Yehuda and about Jerusalem, also to inquire concerning the law of your God that is in your hands 15To carry the silver and gold of the King that I, from the pleasure of my mind, have brought to the house of LORD JEHOVAH, which is the Tabernacle in Jerusalem. 16For all the silver and gold that is found in all the city of Babel shall go with you, and the Priests and the Levites and those who seek to go with you shall go to the house of God that is in Jerusalem. 17And now you may carefully buy with this money bulls and rams and lambs, their offerings and their drink offerings, and you shall offer on the altar of your God in Jerusalem. 18And anything that is pleasing for you and for your brothers to do with the remainder of this money, according to the pleasure of your God you will do. 19And the vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver before God who is in Jerusalem. 20And the rest of the vessels that are needed for you for the ministry of the house of your God, take, and you shall give from the house of the treasury of the King.

21I, Artakhshesht the King, I have appointed the law to all the Treasurers who are at the Crossing of the River: ‘Everything that Azra the Priest the Scribe, Scribe of the law of the God of Heaven, will ask you, you shall diligently do 22Unto a hundred silver talents, unto a hundred wheat cors, unto a hundred wine quadrantals, unto a hundred oil quadrantals, and salt without a script. 23And everything in the written bond will be given, and give it according to the Law of his God, the Law of the God of Heaven! He shall take and he shall do and there shall not be wrath on the kingdom of the King and his children. 24And to you we disclose that to all the Priests and the Levites and the Trumpeters and the Servants of the house of God, it is not legal for you to say anything to them.

25And you, Azra the Scribe, according to the wisdom that your God gave to you, make Princes and Judges that they will be judging all the people at the Crossing of the River, all who know the law of your God. He who does not know, teach him. 26And everyone who will not be doing the law of your God and the Law of the King, judgment shall be executed of him rigorously, whether for death or for life, or whether for loss of riches or for the prison house.”

27Blessed are you, LORD JEHOVAH God of our fathers, who put this matter in the heart of the King, to glorify the house of LORD JEHOVAH which is in Jerusalem. 28And upon me he cast mercy before the King and before all the Princes of the King, the mighty men. Moreover, I was strengthened just as the hand of LORD JEHOVAH my God was upon me, and I chose men from Israel, Leaders, that they would go up with me.