1 É esta a genealogia de Esdras, que viajou desde Babilónia até Jerusalém, durante o reinado de Artaxerxes da Pérsia: Esdras era filho de Seraías; Seraías, era filho de Azarias; Azarias era filho de Hilquias; Hilquias era filho de Salum; Salum era filho de Zadoque; Zadoque era filho de Aitube;3 Aitube era filho de Amarias; Amarias era filho de Azarias; Azarias era filho de Meraiote;4 Meraiote era filho de Zeraías; Zeraías era filho de Uzi; Uzi era filho de Buqui;5 Buqui era filho de Abisua; Abisua era filho de Finéias; Finéias era filho de Eleazar; Eleazar era filho de Arão, o sacerdote supremo.6 Como chefe religioso, Esdras era muito versado nas leis que Moisés dera ao povo de Israel. Pedira ao rei para regressar a Jerusalém e foi autorizado; porque o Senhor seu Deus o abençoava. Houve aliás muita gente do povo, assim como sacerdotes, levitas, cantores, porteiros e funcionários do templo que viajaram com ele para Jerusalém.8 Deixaram Babilónia em meados do mês de Março do sétimo ano do reinado de Artaxerxes e chegaram a Jerusalém no mês de Agosto depois de o Senhor lhes ter dado uma boa viagem.10 Porque Esdras tinha posto no seu coração estudar a lei do Senhor, obedecer-lhe e ensinar em Israel os seus mandamentos.11 Foi esta a carta que o rei Artaxerxes deu ao sacerdote Esdras, mestre nas leis do Deus dos céus:27 Louvado seja o Senhor Deus dos nossos antepassados que inspirou o coração do rei para enriquecer o templo do Senhor em Jerusalém! Bendito seja o Senhor, também, pela demonstração de misericórdia para comigo, honrando-me perante o rei e os seus conselheiros, assim como perante todos os seus poderosos ministros! Foi-me dada uma grande responsabilidade porque o Senhor meu Deus está comigo. Consegui também persuadir alguns dos chefes de Israel a regressarem comigo a Jerusalém.

1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:6 This Ezra went from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.7 And there went some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.9 For upon the first day of the first month he began to go from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, who are disposed of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with thee.14 Forasmuch as thou art sent by the king, and by his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thy hand;15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,16 And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the free-will-offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat-offerings and their drink-offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.18 And whatever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and gold, that do after the will of your God.19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.20 And whatever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure-house.21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the river, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,22 To a hundred talents of silver, and to a hundred measures of wheat, and to a hundred baths of wine, and to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.23 Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?24 Also we certify you, that concerning any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom upon them.25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thy hand, set magistrates and judges, who may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not.26 And whoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.27 Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, who hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem:28 And hath extended mercy to me before the king, and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I assembled out of Israel chief men to go up with me.