Ezra 7

 

וְאַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּמַלְכוּת אַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא מֶלֶךְ־פָּרָס עֶזְרָא בֶּן־שְׂרָיָה בֶּן־עֲזַרְיָה בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּה׃   7:1

Ezra 7:1   Now after these events, during the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah son of Azariah son of Hilkiah

בֶּן־שַׁלּוּם בֶּן־צָדוֹק בֶּן־אֲחִיטוּב׃   7:2

Ezra 7:2   son of Shallum son of Zadok son of Ahitub

בֶּן־אֲמַרְיָה בֶן־עֲזַרְיָה בֶּן־מְרָיוֹת׃   7:3

Ezra 7:3   son of Amariah son of Azariah son of Maraioth

בֶּן־זְרַחְיָה בֶן־עֻזִּי בֶּן־בֻּקִּי׃   7:4

Ezra 7:4   son of Zerahiah son of Uzzi son of Bukki

בֶּן־אֲבִישׁוּעַ בֶּן־פִּינְחָס בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן־אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן הָרֹאשׁ׃   7:5

Ezra 7:5   son of Abishua son of Phinehas son of Eleazar son of Aaron, the chief priest –

The purpose of this genealogy is apparently to show that Ezra was a direct descendant of Aaron.

הוּא עֶזְרָא עָלָה מִבָּבֶל וְהוּא־סֹפֵר מָהִיר בְּתוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַן יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּתֶּן־לוֹ   7:6

 הַמֶּלֶךְ כְּיַד־יְהוָה אֱלֹהָיו עָלָיו כֹּל בַּקָּשָׁתוֹ׃

Ezra 7:6   that Ezra -- went up from Babylon, and he was a skilled scribe in the law of Moses that the Lord, God of Israel, had given and the king granted to him his every request, as the “hand” of the Lord, his God, was on him.

וַיַּעֲלוּ מִבְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִן־הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִים וְהַשֹּׁעֲרִים וְהַנְּתִינִים אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלִָם   7:7

 בִּשְׁנַת־שֶׁבַע לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא הַמֶּלֶךְ׃

Ezra 7:7   And some from the children of Israel and from the priests and the Levites and the singers and the porters and the Nethinim went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year for Artaxerxes, the king.

The year of the second return of exiles was 458 BCE.

וַיָּבֹא יְרוּשָׁלִַם בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַחֲמִישִׁי הִיא שְׁנַת הַשְּׁבִיעִית לַמֶּלֶךְ׃   7:8

Ezra 7:8   And he entered Jerusalem in the fifth month, the same seventh year for the king.

כִּי בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן הוּא יְסֻד הַמַּעֲלָה מִבָּבֶל וּבְאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ הַחֲמִישִׁי בָּא אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלִַם   7:9

 כְּיַד־אֱלֹהָיו הַטּוֹבָה עָלָיו׃

Ezra 7:9   For on the first of the first month it was the beginning of the ascent from Babylon, and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, as the good “hand” of his God was upon him.

כִּי עֶזְרָא הֵכִין לְבָבוֹ לִדְרוֹשׁ אֶת־תּוֹרַת יְהוָה וְלַעֲשֹׂת וּלְלַמֵּד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט׃   7:10

Ezra 7:10   For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to observe and to teach statute and ordinance in Israel.

וְזֶה פַּרְשֶׁגֶן הַנִּשְׁתְּוָן אֲשֶׁר נָתַן הַמֶּלֶךְ אַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא לְעֶזְרָא הַכֹּהֵן הַסֹּפֵר סֹפֵר דִּבְרֵי מִצְוֺת־יְהוָה   7:11

 וְחֻקָּיו עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

Ezra 7:11   Now this a copy of the letter that the king, Artaxerxes, gave to Ezra, the priest, scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord and His statutes concerning Israel:

אַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא מֶלֶךְ מַלְכַיָּא לְעֶזְרָא כָהֲנָא סָפַר דָּתָא דִּי־אֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא גְּמִיר וּכְעֶנֶת׃   7:12

Ezra 7:12   “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra, the priest, scribe of the law of the perfect God of heaven:  And now,

This letter, which continues through v. 26, is in Aramaic.

מִנִּי שִׂים טְעֵם דִּי כָל־מִתְנַדַּב בְּמַלְכוּתִי מִן־עַמָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכָהֲנוֹהִי וְלֵוָיֵא לִמְהָךְ לִירוּשְׁלֶם עִמָּךְ יְהָךְ׃   7:13

Ezra 7:13   a decree is set out from me that everyone volunteering throughout my realm from the people of Israel, with its priests and Levites, to go to Jerusalem may go with you.

כָּל־קֳבֵל דִּי מִן־קֳדָם מַלְכָּא וְשִׁבְעַת יָעֲטֹהִי שְׁלִיחַ לְבַקָּרָא עַל־יְהוּד וְלִירוּשְׁלֶם בְּדָת אֱלָהָךְ דִּי   7:14

 בִידָךְ׃

Ezra 7:14   Inasmuch as from the king and his seven counselors you are being sent to inquire about Judah and concerning Jerusalem according to the law of your God that is in your hand,

וּלְהֵיבָלָה כְּסַף וּדְהַב דִּי־מַלְכָּא וְיָעֲטוֹהִי הִתְנַדַּבוּ לֶאֱלָהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּי בִירוּשְׁלֶם מִשְׁכְּנֵהּ׃   7:15

Ezra 7:15   and bringing the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel whose habitation is in Jerusalem,

וְכֹל כְּסַף וּדְהַב דִּי תְהַשְׁכַּח בְּכֹל מְדִינַת בָּבֶל עִם הִתְנַדָּבוּת עַמָּא וְכָהֲנַיָּא מִתְנַדְּבִין לְבֵית אֱלָהֲהֹם   7:16

 דִּי בִירוּשְׁלֶם׃

Ezra 7:16   and all the silver and gold that you will find in all the province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and the priests, freely offering for the house of their God that is in Jerusalem,

כָּל־קֳבֵל דְּנָה אָסְפַּרְנָא תִקְנֵא בְּכַסְפָּא דְנָה תּוֹרִין דִּכְרִין אִמְּרִין וּמִנְחָתְהוֹן וְנִסְכֵּיהוֹן וּתְקָרֵב הִמּוֹ   7:17

 עַל־מַדְבְּחָה דִּי בֵּית אֱלָהֲכֹם דִּי בִירוּשְׁלֶם׃

Ezra 7:17   therefore you shall diligently buy with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, and their meal offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your God that is in Jerusalem.

וּמָה דִי (עֲלַיִךְ) [עֲלָךְ] וְעַל־(אֶחַיִךְ) [אֶחָךְ] יִיטַב בִּשְׁאָר כַּסְפָּא וְדַהֲבָה לְמֶעְבַּד כִּרְעוּת אֱלָהֲכֹם   7:18

תַּעַבְדוּן׃

Ezra 7:18   And whatever shall be good to you and to your brethren, you should do with the rest of the silver and gold to be doing according to the will of your God.

The word in the first set of parentheses is incorrect; the yad is an error.  The correction is in the first set of brackets.  But I believe the word in the second set of parentheses is correctly spelled; the yad there makes the noun, translated as your brethren, plural.  The correction in the second set of brackets, which removes the yad, mistakenly makes the noun singular.

וּמָאנַיָּא דִּי־מִתְיַהֲבִין לָךְ לְפָלְחָן בֵּית אֱלָהָךְ הַשְׁלֵם קֳדָם אֱלָהּ יְרוּשְׁלֶם׃   7:19

Ezra 7:19   And render the vessels that are being given to you for the service of the house of your God before the God of Jerusalem.

וּשְׁאָר חַשְׁחוּת בֵּית אֱלָהָךְ דִּי יִפֶּל־לָךְ לְמִנְתַּן תִּנְתֵּן מִן־בֵּית גִּנְזֵי מַלְכָּא׃   7:20

Ezra 7:20   And any other need of the house of your God that shall fall to you to be giving, you shall give from the treasure house of the king.

וּמִנִּי אֲנָה אַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא מַלְכָּא שִׂים טְעֵם לְכֹל גִּזַּבְרַיָּא דִּי בַּעֲבַר נַהֲרָה דִּי כָל־דִּי יִשְׁאֲלֶנְכוֹן עֶזְרָא   7:21

 כָהֲנָה סָפַר דָּתָא דִּי־אֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא אָסְפַּרְנָא יִתְעֲבִד׃

Ezra 7:21   And from me -- I am Artaxerxes, the king -- is set out a decree to all treasurers that are in the region across the river that anything which Ezra, the priest, scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall ask of you, it shall be diligently done,

עַד־כְּסַף כַּכְּרִין מְאָה וְעַד־חִנְטִין כֹּרִין מְאָה וְעַד־חֲמַר בַּתִּין מְאָה וְעַד־בַּתִּין מְשַׁח מְאָה וּמְלַח   7:22

דִּי־לָא כְתָב׃

Ezra 7:22   up to a hundred of silver talents and up to a hundred of wheat measures and up to a hundred of wine baths and up to a hundred baths of oil, and salt that is without being prescribed.

כָּל־דִּי מִן־טַעַם אֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא יִתְעֲבֵד אַדְרַזְדָּא לְבֵית אֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא דִּי־לְמָה לֶהֱוֵא קְצַף עַל־מַלְכוּת   7:23

 מַלְכָּא וּבְנוֹהִי׃

Ezra 7:23   Anything that is from the command of the God of heaven shall be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven.  Because why is wrath to be against the realm of the king and his sons?

וּלְכֹם מְהוֹדְעִין דִּי כָל־כָּהֲנַיָּא וְלֵוָיֵא זַמָּרַיָּא תָרָעַיָּא נְתִינַיָּא וּפָלְחֵי בֵּית אֱלָהָא דְנָה מִנְדָּה בְלוֹ   7:24ֹ

וַהֲלָךְ לָא שַׁלִּיט לְמִרְמֵא עֲלֵיהֹם׃

Ezra 7:24   It is also being made known to you that all the priests and Levites, the singers, porters, Nethinim, and servants of this house of God, toll, tribute, or custom is not authorized to be cast upon them.

וְאַנְתְּ עֶזְרָא כְּחָכְמַת אֱלָהָךְ דִּי־בִידָךְ מֶנִּי שָׁפְטִין וְדַיָּנִין דִּי־לֶהֱוֹן (דָּאֲנִין) [דָּאיְנִין] לְכָל־עַמָּה דִּי    7:25

 בַּעֲבַר נַהֲרָה לְכָל־יָדְעֵי דָּתֵי אֱלָהָךְ וְדִי לָא יָדַע תְּהֹודְעוּן׃

Ezra 7:25   And you, Ezra, after the wisdom of your God Who is on your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who are to be judging for all the people who are in the region across the river, for all informed of the laws of your God.  And who does not know, you will make know.

The word in the parentheses is missing a yad that would make the noun, translated as your judges, plural, and it should be plural as shown in the brackets.

וְכָל־דִּי־לָא לֶהֱוֵא עָבֵד דָּתָא דִי־אֱלָהָךְ וְדָתָא דִּי מַלְכָּא אָסְפַּרְנָא דִּינָה לֶהֱוֵא מִתְעֲבֵד מִנֵּהּ הֵן   7:26

  לְמֹות הֵן (לִשְׁרֹשׁוּ) [לִשְׁרֹשִׁי] הֵן־לַעֲנָשׁ נִכְסִין וְלֶאֱסוּרִין׃

Ezra 7:26   And anyone who is not being observant of the law of your God and the law of the king, judgment is to be diligently done by him, whether it is to death or to banishment or to confiscation of goods or to imprisonment.”

The letter ends with this verse.  The next two verses are Ezra’s thanksgiving prayer for God’s goodness.  The word in the parentheses should be spelled with a yad suffix in place of the vav.  The correction is in the brackets.

בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אֲשֶׁר נָתַן כָּזֹאת בְּלֵב הַמֶּלֶךְ לְפָאֵר אֶת־בֵּית יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלִָם׃   7:27

Ezra 7:27   Blessed is the Lord, God of our fathers, Who puts something like this in the heart of the king to beautify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem,

וְעָלַי הִטָּה־חֶסֶד לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְיוֹעֲצָיו וּלְכָל־שָׂרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ הַגִּבֹּרִים וַאֲנִי הִתְחַזַּקְתִּי כְּיַד־יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי   7:28

עָלַי וָאֶקְבְּצָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל רָאשִׁים לַעֲלוֹת עִמִּי׃

Ezra 7:28   and on my behalf laid out mercy before the king and his counselors and for all the mighty princes of the king, so I was strengthened as the “hand” of the Lord, my God, was upon me, that I gathered the choicest from Israel to come up with me.

 

 

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