Esra 7
1 Hernach zog unter der Regierung des Perserkönigs Artachsast der Sohn Serajas herauf, Esdras (Ezra), der Enkel des Azarja und Urenkel Chilkias,
[Many/Fifty years] later, while Artaxerxes was the king of Persia, I, Ezra came from Babylon here to Jerusalem. I am the son of Seraiah and the grandson of Azariah, and the great-grandson of Hilkiah.
2 des Sohnes Sallums und Enkels Sadoks und Urenkels des Achitub,
Hilkiah was the son of Shallum, who was the son of Zadok, who was the son of Ahitub,
3 des Sohnes des Amarja und Enkels des Ajarja und Urenkels des Merajot,
who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth,
4 des Sohnes des Zerachja und Enkels Uzzis und Urenkels des Bukki,
who was the son of Zerahiah, who was the son of Uzzi, who was the son of Bukki,
5 des Sohnes Abisuas, des Enkels Pinechas und Urenkel Eleazars, des Sohnes des Hohenpriesters Aaron.
who was the son of Abishua, who was the son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eleazar, who was the son of Aaron, the [first] Supreme Priest.
6 Eben dieser Esdras zog von Babylon herauf. Er war Schriftgelehrter, bewandert in Mosis Lehre, die der Herr, Gott Israels, gegeben hatte. Ihm gab der König, was er sich wünschte, unter dem Schutze des Herrn, seines Gottes.
I am a man who knows very well the laws that Moses [wrote]. Those were the laws that Yahweh, the God whom we Israeli people ([worship/belong to]), had given to us Israeli people. When I arrived in Jerusalem, Yahweh my God was kind to me, and as a result the [people] gave me everything that I had requested the king to [tell them to] give to me.
7 So zog eine Anzahl von Söhnen Israels, Priester, Leviten, Sänger, Torhüter und Tempelsklaven mit ihm nach Jerusalem im siebten Jahre des Königs Artachsast.
Some of the priests, some [other] descendants of Levi, [some] singers, [some] (gatekeepers/men who guarded the gates of the temple), and [some] men who worked in the temple, and some other [Israeli] people came up with me here to Jerusalem. That was during the seventh year that Artaxerxes was the king [of Persia].
8 Er kam nach Jerusalem im fünften Monat, das ist im siebten Jahre des Königs.
We left Babylon on April 8, which was the first day of the Jewish year. Because God was very kind to us, we arrived [safely] in Jerusalem on August 4 of that year.
9 Am ersten Tag des ersten Monats, das ist im Nisan, verfügte er den Auszug aus Babylon. Und am ersten Tag des fünften Monats kam er nach Jerusalem unter dem sicheren Schutze seines Gottes.
10 Denn Esdras hatte sein Herz darauf gerichtet, des Herrn Lehre zu erforschen und zu befolgen und Satzung und Recht in Israel zu lehren.
During my entire life, I devoted myself to studying the laws of Yahweh, and how to obey those laws. I had also taught those laws and all their regulations to the Israeli people [for many years].
11 Dies ist die Abschrift des Schreibens, das der König Artachsast dem Priester und Schreiber Esdras gegeben hat, dem Ausleger der Gebote und Vorschriften des Herrn für Israel:
King Artaxerxes [knew that] I am a priest who knows the Jewish laws very well. [He knew that for many years] I had studied those laws and had taught all the rules and regulations of those laws to the Israeli people. [So before I left Babylon to come to Jerusalem, ] he wrote a letter, and gave a copy to me. [This is what he wrote]:
12 "Artachsast, der König der Könige, an den Priester Esdras, den Ausleger des Gesetzes des Himmelsgottes usw.
[“This letter is] from me, Artaxerxes, the greatest of the kings. [I am giving it] to Ezra the priest, who has studied very well all the rules and regulations that the God [who is/rules] in heaven [gave to the Israeli people].
13 Von mir ergeht Befehl: Jeder in meinem Reich von dem Volke Israel und seinen Priestern und Leviten, der sich getrieben fühlt, nach Jerusalem zu ziehen, ziehe mit dir!
“Ezra, I command that when you return to Jerusalem, any of the Israeli people in my kingdom who want to are allowed to go with you. That includes any priests and [other] descendants of Levi [who will work in the temple] who want to go.
14 Du wirst vom König und seinen sieben Ratgebern gesandt, Juda und Jerusalem zu erkunden, nach deines Gottes Gesetz, dessen du kundig bist.
I, along with my seven counselors/advisors, am sending you to Jerusalem, in order that you can determine what is happening there and in [other towns in] Judah. You are taking with you [MTY] a copy of God’s laws; make sure that the people are doing everything that is written in those laws.
15 Überbringe das Silber und Gold, das der König und seine Räte für Israels Gott gespendet, dessen Wohnung in Jerusalem ist!
[We are also saying that] you should take with you the silver and gold that I and my advisors are wanting to give to you, in order that you will present it to be an offering to the God who [rules] the Israeli people and who lives in Jerusalem.
16 Ebenso alles Silber und Gold, das du in der ganzen Provinz Babel bekommst als freiwillige Gaben des Volkes und der Priester, die sie für das Haus ihres Gottes zu Jerusalem spenden!
You should also take any silver and gold that the people in the entire Babylonia province give to you, and the money that the priests and [other] Israeli people have happily said that they would give to you to be offerings for building the temple of their God in Jerusalem.
17 Demgemäß kaufe gewissenhaft für das Geld Stiere, Widder und Lämmer und die dazugehörigen Speise- und Trankopfer und opfere sie auf dem Altar des Hauses eures Gottes zu Jerusalem.
With this money, you should buy the bulls, rams, lambs, and the grain and wine that the priests will burn on the altar [outside] the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
18 Und was dir und deinen Brüdern beliebt, mit dem Rest des Silbers und des Goldes zu tun, das tut nach eures Gottes Willen!
“If there is any silver or gold that remains [you have bought all those things], you and your companions/colleagues are permitted to use it to [buy] whatever you desire, but buy only things that [you know that] God wants you to buy.
19 Liefere auch die Geräte ab, die man für den Gottesdienst im Hause deines Gottes hergegeben, vor Gott in Jerusalem!
We have given to you some valuable items to be used in the temple of your God. Take them also to Jerusalem.
20 Den übrigen Bedarf deines Gotteshauses, den du zu decken hast, bestreite aus dem königlichen Schatzhaus!
If you need any other things for the temple, you are permitted to get the money for those things from the building here where my government’s money is kept/stored.
21 Von mir, König Artachsast, wird Befehl an alle Schatzmeister in Syrien erteilt: Alles, was der Priester Esdras, der Ausleger des Gesetzes des Himmelsgottes, von euch verlangt, werde genau geleistet,
“And I, King Artaxerxes, command this to all the treasurers in the province west of the [Euphrates] River: 'Give to Ezra, the priest who has studied very well the laws of the God [who is/rules] in heaven, everything that he requests, and give it to him quickly.
22 an Silber bis zu hundert Talenten, an Weizen bis zu hundert Malter, an Wein bis zu hundert Maß, an Öl bis zu hundert Maß und an Salz unbeschränkt.
The most that you should give to him is (7,500 pounds/3,400 kg.) of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, and 550 gallons of [olive] oil, but give to him all the salt that they need.
23 Alles, was nach dem Befehl des Himmelsgottes ist, werde genau für das Haus des Himmelsgottes geleistet, auf daß kein Zorn über das Reich des Königs und seiner Söhne komme!
Be sure that you provide whatever their God requires for his temple, because we certainly do not [RHQ] want him to be angry with me or with my descendants who will later be kings.
24 Ferner sei euch kundgetan: Nicht erlaubt ist es, irgendeinem der Priester, Leviten, Sänger, Torhüter, Tempelsklaven und Knechte dieses Gotteshauses Steuer, Abgabe oder Zoll aufzulegen.
We are also commanding that none of the priests, descendants of Levi, musicians, temple guards, or other men who work in the temple, will be required to pay any kind of taxes.'
25 Du aber, Esdras, setze nach deiner Gottesgelehrtheit, die du hast, Richter und Gerichtsvollzieher ein, die alles Volk in Syrien richten sollen, und solche, die deines Gottes Gesetze kennen! Wer sie nicht kennt, den sollt ihr belehren!
“Ezra, your God has enabled you to become very wise. Using that wisdom, appoint men in the province west of the [Euphrates] River who will judge cases involving the people, and men who will judge cases involving the government. You must appoint men who know the laws of your God. All of you must teach God’s laws to others who do not know them.
26 Jeden aber, der deines Gottes Gesetze und das Gesetz des Königs nicht befolgt, den treffe strenge gerichtliche Strafe, entweder Tod oder Verbannung oder Geldstrafe oder Haft!"
Everyone who does not obey God’s laws or the laws of my government must be punished severely. Some of them will be executed, some will be put in prison, some will be sent out of the country or have all their property taken away from them.”
27 Gepriesen sei der Herr, der Gott unserer Väter, der dies dem König ins Herz gegeben, um das Haus des Herrn in Jerusalem zu verherrlichen,
[Because King Artaxerxes was very kind like that, I said], “Praise Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped/belonged to]! He has caused the king to want to honor the temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem.
28 und der mir die Huld des Königs, seiner Räte und all der mächtigen Beamten zugewandt hat! So faßte ich Mut unter dem Schutze des Herrn, meines Gottes, und sammelte aus Israel eine Anzahl Familienhäupter, mit mir zu ziehen.
Because God was very kind to me, the king and all his advisors and all his powerful officials have also been kind to me. So, because God has helped me, I have become encouraged, and I have [been able to] persuade some of the Israeli leaders to go up to Jerusalem with me.”
