And from the time forth that it was committed unto me to be a captain in the land of Judah, namely from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of king Artaxerxes - that is twelve years - I and my brethren lived not of such sustenance as was given to a captain:
And in the time of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the others of their counsel wrote unto Artaxerxes the king of Persia. But the scripture of the letter was written in the Syrians speech, and was interpreted in the language of the Syrians. Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, wrote a letter from Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, as it followeth. Then Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and others of the council of Dina, of Arphaxad, of Tarplat, of Persia, of Erech, of Babylon, of Susa, of Deha, and of Elam,
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and other of the people, whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and others that are now on this side the water. And this is the sum of the letter that they sent: "Unto king Artaxerxes: Thy servants, the men that are now on this side the water. Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which are come up from thee to us unto Ierusalem, into that seditious and wicked city, build the same? And make up the walls of it? And bring it out of the foundation? Be it known also unto the king, that if this city be builded and the walls made up again, then shall not they pay tribute, toll, and yearly custom, and the king's profit shall incur damage? And now in the mean season we have destroyed the temple, and would no longer see the king's dishonour. Therefore sent we out, and caused the king to be certified thereof: That it may be sought in the Chronicles of thy progenitors, and so shalt thou find in the same Chronicles, and perceive, that this city is seditious and noisome unto kings and lands, and that they cause others also to rebel of the old, and for the same cause was this city destroyed. Therefore do we certify the king, that if this city be builded, and the walls thereof made up, thou shalt keep nothing on this side the water by the reason of it." Then sent the king an answer, "Unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the others of their counsel that dwelt in Samaria, and unto others beyond the water: Peace and salutation. The letter which ye sent unto us, hath been openly read before me, and I have commanded to make search: and it is found, that this city, of old, hath made insurrection against kings; and how the uproar and rebellion hath been committed therein. There have been mighty kings also at Jerusalem which have reigned over all that is beyond the water, and toll, tribute and a yearly custom was given unto them. Do ye now after this commandment, forbid the same men, that the city be not builded, till I have given commandment? Take heed now that ye be not negligent herein, lest the king have harm therethrough." Now when king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe and their counsel, they went up in all the haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and forbade them with violence and power. Then ceased the work of the house of God at Jerusalem, and continued so unto the second year of Darius king of Persia.
and therefore art thou sent of the king and of the seven lords of the counsel, to visit Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of God, which is in thy hand;
Liberality » Instances of » Artaxerxes
I have commanded, that all they of the people of Israel, and of the priests and Levites in my realm, which are minded of their own good will to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee; and therefore art thou sent of the king and of the seven lords of the counsel, to visit Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of God, which is in thy hand; and that thou shouldest take with thee, silver and gold, which the king and the lords of his counsel give of their own good will unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is at Jerusalem,
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and all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the country of Babylon; with it that the people and priests give of their own good will unto the house of God at Jerusalem. Take thou the same, and buy diligently with the same money, calves, lambs, goats, and meat offerings and drink offerings, to be offered upon the altar of the house of your God at Jerusalem. And look: what it liketh thee and thy brethren to do with the remnant of the money, that do after the will of your God. And the vessels that are given thee for the ministration in the house of thy God, those deliver thou before God at Jerusalem. And whatsoever thing more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which is necessary for thee to spend, let the same be given out of the king's chamber. I king Artaxerxes have commanded all the treasurers beyond the water, that look: whatsoever Ezra, the priest and scribe in the law of the God of heaven, requireth of you; that ye fulfill the same diligently, until a hundred talents of silver, until a hundred quarters of wheat, and until a hundred baths of wine, and till a hundred baths of oil, and salt without measure. Whatsoever belongeth to the law of the God of heaven, let the same be done with diligence for the house of the God of heaven, that there come no wrath upon the king's realm and his children. And known be it unto you, that ye shall have no authority to require taxing and custom, yearly rents upon any of the priests, Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, and ministers in the house of this God. But thou Ezra - after the wisdom of thy God that is in thy hand - set thou judges and arbiters, to judge all the people that is beyond the Jordan, even all such as know the law of thy God: and them that know it not, those see that ye teach. And whosoever will not diligently fulfill the law of thy God, and the king's law, shall have his judgment for the deed, whether it be unto death, or to be banished, or to be condemned in goods, or to be put in prison." Praised be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath so inspired the king's heart, to garnish the house of God at Jerusalem:
And I took out twelve of the chief priests, Sherebiah and Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them, and weighed them there the silver and gold and vessels for the heave offering unto the house of our God, which the king and his lords of his counsel and princes, and all Israel that were at hand, had given to the heave offering: And there weighed I them, under their hand, six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and in silver vessel a hundred talents, and in gold a hundred talents,
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twenty cups of gold of a thousand drams, and two costly ornaments of good brass, as clear as gold, and said unto them, "Ye are holy unto the LORD, therefore are these vessels holy also, and so is the silver and the gold that is given of a good will unto the LORD God of your fathers: Watch ye therefore and keep it, till ye weigh it down before the chief priests and Levites, and ancient fathers of Israel at Jerusalem in the chests of the house of the LORD." Then took the priests and the Levites that weighed silver and gold and vessel, to bring it to Jerusalem unto the house of our God. So we brake up, from the water of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and delivered us from the hand of the enemies and of such as laid wait for us by the way. And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days. But on the fourth day was the silver and gold and vessels weighed in the house of our God under the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest, and with him Eleazar the son of Phinehas, and with them Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, the Levites, according to the number and weight of every one. And the weight was all written up at the same time. And the children of the captivity, which were come out of prison, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel: twelve bullocks for all Israel, six and ninety rams, seven and seventy lambs, twelve goats for a sin offering, all to the burnt offering of the LORD. And they delivered the king's commission unto the king's officers, and to the captains on this side the water. And they promoted the people and the house of God.
And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, next to the king in all matters concerning the people
But when Ahasuerus was king, even in the beginning of his reign, they wrote unto him a complaint against the inhabiters of Judah and Jerusalem. And in the time of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the others of their counsel wrote unto Artaxerxes the king of Persia. But the scripture of the letter was written in the Syrians speech, and was interpreted in the language of the Syrians. Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, wrote a letter from Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, as it followeth.
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Then Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and others of the council of Dina, of Arphaxad, of Tarplat, of Persia, of Erech, of Babylon, of Susa, of Deha, and of Elam, and other of the people, whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and others that are now on this side the water. And this is the sum of the letter that they sent: "Unto king Artaxerxes: Thy servants, the men that are now on this side the water. Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which are come up from thee to us unto Ierusalem, into that seditious and wicked city, build the same? And make up the walls of it? And bring it out of the foundation? Be it known also unto the king, that if this city be builded and the walls made up again, then shall not they pay tribute, toll, and yearly custom, and the king's profit shall incur damage? And now in the mean season we have destroyed the temple, and would no longer see the king's dishonour. Therefore sent we out, and caused the king to be certified thereof: That it may be sought in the Chronicles of thy progenitors, and so shalt thou find in the same Chronicles, and perceive, that this city is seditious and noisome unto kings and lands, and that they cause others also to rebel of the old, and for the same cause was this city destroyed. Therefore do we certify the king, that if this city be builded, and the walls thereof made up, thou shalt keep nothing on this side the water by the reason of it."