3. Ahitub was the son of Amariah. Amariah was the son of Azariah. Azariah was the son of Meraioth.
4. Meraioth was the son of Zerahiah. Zerahiah was the son of Uzzi. Uzzi was the son of Bukki.
5. Bukki was the son of Abishua. Abishua was the son of Phinehas. Phinehas was the son of Eleazar. And Eleazar was the son of the chief priest Aaron.
6. So Ezra came up from Babylonia. He was a teacher. He knew the Law of Moses very well. The Lord had given Israel that law. He is the God of Israel. The king had given Ezra everything he asked for. That's because the powerful hand of the Lord his God helped him.
7. Some of the people of Israel came up to Jerusalem too. They included priests, Levites and singers. They also included the temple servants and those who guarded the temple gates. It was in the seventh year that Artaxerxes was king.
8. Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king's rule.
9. Ezra had begun his journey from Babylonia on the first day of the first month. He arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month. That's because the gracious hand of his God helped him.
10. Ezra had committed himself to study and obey the Law of the Lord. He also wanted to teach the Lord's rules and laws in Israel.
11. Ezra was a priest and teacher. He was an educated man. He knew the Lord's commands and rules for Israel very well. Here is a copy of a letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra. It said,
12. I, Artaxerxes, am writing this letter. I am the greatest king of all. I have given it to the priest Ezra. He is a teacher of the Law of the God of heaven. I give you my greetings.
13. Ezra, there are people from Israel in my kingdom. I am giving an order that any of them who want to go to Jerusalem with you can go. The order also allows priests and Levites to go with you.
14. I and my seven advisers are sending you to see how things are going in Judah and Jerusalem. Find out whether the people there are obeying the Law of your God. You have a copy of that law with you.
15. I and my advisers have freely given some silver and gold to the God of Israel. He lives in Jerusalem. Take the silver and gold with you.
16. Also take any other silver and gold you can get from the land of Babylonia. And take the offerings the people and priests choose to give for the temple of their God in Jerusalem.
17. Make sure you use the money to buy bulls, rams and male lambs. Also buy their grain offerings and drink offerings. Then sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.