²¹ And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, now give orders to all keepers of the king's money across the river, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may have need of from you, is to be done with all care,

⁶ This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a scribe, expert in the law of Moses which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given: and the king, moved by the Lord his God, gave him whatever he made request for.

¹⁶ We give you word, that if the building of this town and its walls is made complete, there will be an end of your power in the country across the river.

²⁰ Further, there have been great kings in Jerusalem, ruling over all the country across the river, to whom they gave taxes and payments in goods and forced payments.

⁶ So now, Tattenai, ruler of the land across the river, and Shethar-bozenai and your people the Apharsachites across the river, keep far from that place:

¹⁰ For Ezra had given his mind to learning the law of the Lord and doing it, and to teaching his rules and decisions in Israel.

¹¹ Now this is a copy of the letter which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra, the priest and the scribe, who put into writing the words of the orders of the Lord, and of his rules for Israel:

¹² Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, scribe of the law of the God of heaven, all peace;

¹³ And now it is my order that all those of the people of Israel, and their priests and Levites in my kingdom, who are ready and have a desire to go to Jerusalem, are to go with you.