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1After these things, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra left Babylon.
Ezra was the son of Seraiah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Hilkiah,
2who was the son of Shallum, who was the son of Zadok, who was the son of Ahitub,
3who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth,
4who was the son of Zerahiah, who was the son of Uzzi, who was the son of Bukki,
5who was the son of Abishua, who was the son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eleazer, who was the son of Aaron (the first priest).
6As a scribe, Ezra was an expert in Moses’ Teachings, which the Lord God of Israel had given. The king gave Ezra everything he requested because the Lord his God was guiding him.
7Some Israelites (including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants) went to Jerusalem in Artaxerxes’ seventh year as king.
8In that same year in the fifth month, Ezra arrived in Jerusalem.
9He had left Babylon on the first day of the first month, and on the first day of the fifth month, he arrived in Jerusalem, since his God was good to him.
10Ezra was determined to study the Lord ’s Teachings, live by them, and teach their rules and regulations in Israel.
11This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest and scribe, a man with a thorough knowledge of the Lord ’s commands and laws for Israel:
27⌞I, Ezra, said:⌟ Thanks be to the Lord God of our ancestors. He put this into the king’s mind to make the Lord ’s temple in Jerusalem beautiful.
28He made the king, his advisers, and all the king’s powerful officials treat me kindly.
I was encouraged because the Lord my God was guiding me. So I gathered leaders in Israel to go with me.