I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.
I am making an official order that anyone from the people of Israel, including the priests and Levites in my kingdom, who willingly wants to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
King Artaxerxes is giving permission for any Israelite in his kingdom who wants to return to Jerusalem to go with Ezra.
📚 Historical Context
This decree was issued by Persian King Artaxerxes I around 458 BC, allowing Ezra the scribe to lead a second group of Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem. The Persians had a policy of allowing conquered peoples to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples. This was part of the broader restoration of Jerusalem following the Babylonian exile that had ended decades earlier.
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