26 (A)Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for [a]banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.”

The King’s Kindness

27 Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, (B)who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to adorn the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem, 28 and (C)has extended lovingkindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king’s mighty princes. Thus I was strengthened according to (D)the hand of the Lord my God upon me, and I gathered [b]leading men from Israel to go up with me.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezra 7:26 Lit rooting out
  2. Ezra 7:28 Lit heads

26 Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.[a](A)

27 Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart(B) to bring honor(C) to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way 28 and who has extended his good favor(D) to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me,(E) I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezra 7:26 The text of 7:12-26 is in Aramaic.