Ezra 7:14-16

Living Bible

¹⁴ I and my Council of Seven hereby instruct you to take a copy of God’s laws to Judah and Jerusalem and to send back a report of the religious progress being made there. ¹⁵ We also commission you to take with you to Jerusalem the silver and gold, which we are presenting as an offering to the God of Israel.

¹⁶ “Moreover, you are to collect voluntary Temple offerings of silver and gold from the Jews and their priests in all of the provinces of Babylon.