Now afterthesethings,in the reignof Artaxerxeskingof Persia,[there went up] Ezrasonof Seraiah,sonof Azariah,sonof Hilkiah,
"Goup to Hilkiahthe highpriestthat he may countthe moneybroughtin to the houseof the LORDwhichthe doorkeepershave gatheredfrom the people.
Then Hilkiahthe highpriestsaidto Shaphanthe scribe,"I have foundthe bookof the lawin the houseof the LORD."And Hilkiahgavethe bookto Shaphanwho readit.
Then the captainof the guardtookSeraiahthe chiefpriestand Zephaniahthe secondpriest,with the threeofficersof the temple.
and Azariahthe sonof Hilkiah,the sonof Meshullam,the sonof Zadok,the sonof Meraioth,the sonof Ahitub,the chiefofficerof the houseof God;
Hilkiahrespondedand saidto Shaphanthe scribe,"I have foundthe bookof the lawin the houseof the LORD."And Hilkiahgavethe bookto Shaphan.
They cameto Hilkiahthe highpriestand deliveredthe moneythat was broughtinto the houseof God,whichthe Levites,the doorkeepers,had collectedfrom Manassehand Ephraim,and from allthe remnantof Israel,and from allJudahand Benjaminand the inhabitantsof Jerusalem.
And in the daysof Artaxerxes,Bishlam,Mithredath,Tabeeland the restof his colleagueswroteto Artaxerxeskingof Persia;and the textof the letterwas writtenin Aramaicand translated[from] Aramaic.
And the eldersof the Jewswere successfulin buildingthrough the prophesyingof Haggaithe prophetand Zechariahthe sonof Iddo.And they finishedbuildingaccordingto the commandof the Godof Israeland the decreeof Cyrus,Darius,and Artaxerxeskingof Persia.
For Ezrahad sethis heartto studythe lawof the LORDand to practice[it], and to teach[His] statutesand ordinancesin Israel.
"Artaxerxes,kingof kings,to Ezrathe priest,the scribeof the lawof the Godof heaven,perfect[peace]. And now
sonof Shallum,sonof Zadok,sonof Ahitub,
"I, even I, KingArtaxerxes,issuea decreeto allthe treasurerswhoare [in the provinces] beyondthe River,that whateverEzrathe priest,the scribeof the lawof the Godof heaven,may requireof you, it shall be donediligently,
Seraiahthe sonof Hilkiah,the sonof Meshullam,the sonof Zadok,the sonof Meraioth,the sonof Ahitub,the leaderof the houseof God,
And it cameabout in the monthNisan,in the twentiethyearof KingArtaxerxes,that wine[was] beforehim, and I tookup the wineand gaveit to the king.Now I had not beensadin his presence.
And allthe peoplegatheredas onemanat the squarewhichwas in frontof the WaterGate,and they askedEzrathe scribeto bringthe bookof the lawof Moseswhichthe LORDhad givento Israel.
