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Texts -- Ezra 7:12-28 (NET)

Context
7:12 “Artaxerxes , king of kings , to Ezra the priest , a scribe of the perfect law of the God of heaven : 7:13 I have now issued a decree that anyone in my kingdom from the people of Israel – even the priests and Levites – who wishes to do so may go up with you to Jerusalem . 7:14 You are authorized by the king and his seven advisers to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem , according to the law of your God which is in your possession , 7:15 and to bring silver and gold which the king and his advisers have freely contributed to the God of Israel , who resides in Jerusalem , 7:16 along with all the silver and gold that you may collect throughout all the province of Babylon and the contributions of the people and the priests for the temple of their God which is in Jerusalem . 7:17 With this money you should be sure to purchase bulls , rams , and lambs , along with the appropriate meal offerings and libations . You should bring them to the altar of the temple of your God which is in Jerusalem . 7:18 You may do whatever seems appropriate to you and your colleagues with the rest of the silver and the gold , in keeping with the will of your God . 7:19 Deliver to the God of Jerusalem the vessels that are given to you for the service of the temple of your God . 7:20 The rest of the needs for the temple of your God that you may have to supply , you may do so from the royal treasury . 7:21 “I , King Artaxerxes , hereby issue orders to all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates , that you precisely execute all that Ezra the priestly scribe of the law of the God of heaven may request of you– 7:22 up to 100 talents of silver , 100 cors of wheat , 100 baths of wine , 100 baths of olive oil , and unlimited salt . 7:23 Everything that the God of heaven has required should be precisely done for the temple of the God of heaven . Why should there be wrath against the empire of the king and his sons ? 7:24 Furthermore, be aware of the fact that you have no authority to impose tax , tribute , or toll on any of the priests , the Levites , the musicians , the doorkeepers , the temple servants , or the attendants at the temple of this God . 7:25 “Now you , Ezra , in keeping with the wisdom of your God which you possess , appoint judges and court officials who can arbitrate cases on behalf of all the people who are in Trans-Euphrates who know the laws of your God . Those who do not know this law should be taught . 7:26 Everyone who does not observe both the law of your God and the law of the king will be completely liable to the appropriate penalty , whether it is death or banishment or confiscation of property or detainment in prison .” 7:27 Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers , who so moved in the heart of the king to so honor the temple of the Lord which is in Jerusalem ! 7:28 He has also conferred his favor on me before the king , his advisers , and all the influential leaders of the king . I gained strength as the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

Pericope

NET
  • Ezr 7:11-28 -- Artaxerxes Gives Official Endorsement to Ezra's Mission

Bible Dictionary

  • Persia

    [smith] (pure, splended), Per?sians. Persia proper was a tract of no very large dimensions on the Persian Gulf, which is still known as Fars or Farsistan , a corruption of the ancient appellation. This tract was bounded on the west b...
    [nave] PERSIA An empire which extended from India to Ethiopia, comprising one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, Esth. 1:1; Dan. 6:1. Government of, restricted by constitutional limitations, Esth. 8:8; Dan. 6:8-12. Municipal gov...

  • Temple

    [nave] TEMPLE. Solomon's Called also Temple of the Lord, 2 Kin. 11:10; Holy Temple, Psa. 79:1; Holy House, 1 Chr. 29:3; House of God, 1 Chr. 29:2; 2 Chr. 23:9; House of the Lord, 2 Chr. 23:5, 12; Jer. 28:5; Father's House, John 2...

  • Zechariah

    [ebd] Jehovah is renowned or remembered. (1.) A prophet of Judah, the eleventh of the twelve minor prophets. Like Ezekiel, he was of priestly extraction. He describes himself (1:1) as "the son of Berechiah." In Ezra 5:1 and 6:14 h...

  • Artaxerxes

    [nave] ARTAXERXES 1. A Persian king, probably identical with Ahasuerus. Prohibits the rebuilding of Jerusalem, Ezra 4:7-24. 2. King of Persia. Decrees of, in behalf of the Jews, Ezra 7; Neh. 2; 5:14.

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Rulers

    [nave] RULERS Appointed and removed by God. See: Government, God in. Chastised, Dan. 4. See: Nation. Monarchical, See: Kings. Patriarchal, Gen. 27:29, 37. Instances of Nimrod, Gen. 10:8-10. Abraham, Gen. 14:13-24; 17:6; 21:2...

  • Liberality

    [nave] LIBERALITY. Ex. 22:29, 30 Ex. 13:2, 12. Ex. 23:15 Ex. 34:20. Ex. 25:1-8; Ex. 35:4-29; Ex. 36:3-6; Ex. 38:8; Lev. 19:5 Lev. 22:29; Num. 35:8. Deut. 12:11, 12, 17-19; Deut. 14:27-29; Deut. 15:7-18; Deut. 16:10, 17; Deut. 18:1...

  • BIBLE

    [smith] The Bible is the name given to the revelation of God to man contained in sixty-six books or pamphlets, bound together and forming one book and only one, for it has in reality one author and one purpose and plan, and is the de...

  • Chaldee language

    [ebd] employed by the sacred writers in certain portions of the Old Testament, viz., Dan. 2:4-7, 28; Ezra 4:8-6:18; 7:12-26; Gen. 31:46; Jer. 10:11. It is the Aramaic dialect, as it is sometimes called, as distinguished from the H...

  • Church

    [nave] CHURCH, place of worship. Called Courts, Psa. 65:4; 84:2, 10; 92:13; 96:8; 100:4; 116:19; Isa. 1:12; 62:9; Zech. 3:7; House of God, Gen. 28:17, 22; Josh. 9:23; Judg. 18:31; 20:18, 26; 21:2; 1 Chr. 9:11; 24:5; 2 Chr. 5:14; 22:...

  • Nethinim

    [ebd] the name given to the hereditary temple servants in all the post-Exilian books of Scripture. The word means given, i.e., "those set apart", viz., to the menial work of the sanctuary for the Levites. The name occurs seventeen...
    [isbe] NETHINIM - neth'-i-nim (nethinim, "given"; Natheineim; the King James Version Nethinims): 1. Meaning: A group of temple-servants (1 Ch 9:2 and 16 times in Ezra and Nehemiah). The word has always the article, and does not occ...
    [nave] NETHINIM Servants of the Levites, Ezra 8:20. Return from the captivity, 1 Chr. 9:2; Ezra 2:43, 58, 70; 7:7, 24; 8:17; Neh. 3:26, 31; 7:46, 60, 73; 10:28; 11:3, 21.

  • Magistrate

    [isbe] MAGISTRATE - maj'-is-trat (shephaT, corresponding to shaphaT, "to judge," "to pronounce sentence" (Jdg 18:7)): Among the ancients, the terms corresponding to our "magistrate" had a much wider signification. "Magistrates and ...
    [nave] MAGISTRATE An officer of civil law, Judg. 18:7; Ezra 7:25; Luke 12:11, 58; Acts 16:20, 22, 35, 38. Obedience to, enjoined, Tit. 3:1. See: Government; Rulers; Sheriff.

  • Minister

    [ebd] one who serves, as distinguished from the master. (1.) Heb. meshereth, applied to an attendant on one of superior rank, as to Joshua, the servant of Moses (Ex. 33:11), and to the servant of Elisha (2 Kings 4:43). This name i...
    [nave] MINISTER, a sacred teacher. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-topics; Call of; Character and Qualifications of; Charge Delivered to; Courage of; Duties of; Duties of the Church to; Emoluments of; Faithful, Instanc...

  • TOLL

    [ebd] one of the branches of the king of Persia's revenues (Ezra 4:13; 7:24), probably a tax levied from those who used the bridges and fords and highways.
    [isbe] TOLL - tol: (1) Aramaic middah, "toll" or "tribute" paid by a vassal nation to its conqueror (Ezr 4:20; 6:8; Neh 5:4); written also mindah (Ezr 4:13; 7:24). More accurately for halakh, "toll," or "way tax" (Ezr 4:13,10; 7:24...

  • Storehouses

    [nave] STOREHOUSES Of kings, 2 Kin. 20:13; 1 Chr. 27:25; 2 Chr. 32:27, 28; Ezra 1:7, 8; Esth. 3:9. Records preserved in, Ezra 5:17; 6:1. Treasurers in charge of, Ezra 7:20, 21. Heathen temples used for, Dan. 1:2. Tabernacle use...

  • Bath

    [isbe] BATH - (bath): A liquid measure equal to about 9 gallons, English measure. It seems to have been regarded as a standard for liquid measures (Ezek 45:10), as in the case of the molten sea and the lavers in Solomon's temple (1...
    [nave] BATH, a Hebrew measure for liquids, containing about eight gallons, three quarts, 1 Kin. 7:26, 38; Ezra 7:22; Isa. 5:10; Ezek. 45:10, 11, 14.

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Heart

    [nave] HEART, seat of the affections. Renewed Deut. 30:6; Psa. 51:10; Ezek. 11:19; 18:31; 36:26; Rom. 2:29; Eph. 4:23; Col. 3:10. Regenerated, John 3:3, 7. Graciously affected of God, 1 Sam. 10:26; 1 Chr. 29:18; Ezra 6:22; 7:27;...

  • Free-Will Offerings

    [nave] FREE-WILL OFFERINGS. Lev. 22:21, 23; 23:38; Num. 29:39; Deut. 12:6, 17; 2 Chr. 31:14; Ezra 3:5; 7:16; 8:28; Psa. 119:108. See: Beneficence; Gifts; Giving; Liberality; Offerings.

  • Cor

    [nave] COR A measure for liquids and solids, containing ten ephahs, or baths, and equal to the homer, Ezek. 45:14. Rendered measure in 1 Kin. 4:22; 5:11; 2 Chr. 2:10; 27:5; Ezra 7:22; Luke 16:7. See: Measures.
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • The title in the English text comes from the main character in the second part of the book (chapters 7-10). In the Septuagint translation this book also bore the name of Ezra or Esdras, the Greek transliteration of "Ezra.""Ez...
  • Due to the ancient tradition that the same writer composed both parts of the book (chapters 1-6 and 7-10), many scholars believe Ezra produced all of it.5A passage in the Talmud credits Ezra with the authorship of Ezra-Nehemi...
  • The earliest historical reference in Ezra is to the decree of Cyrus that he issued in his first year on the throne (1:1), 538 B.C.12The latest historical reference was just prior to Nehemiah's first trip to Jerusalem (4:21-23...
  • I. The first return under Sheshbazzar chs. 1-6A. The return from Babylon chs. 1-21. The edict of Cyrus and its consequences ch. 12. The exiles who returned ch. 2B. The rebuilding of the temple chs. 3-61. The beginning of cons...
  • The Assyrian government encouraged its residents to move to Israel and to settle there after the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 722 B.C. This was official government policy during the reigns of the Assyrian kings Esarhaddon ...
  • "When he [the writer] discussed the problems of the building of the temple in 4:1-5, it reminded him of later similar troubles with the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem, and so 4:6-23 has been inserted, almost parenthetica...
  • Artaxerxes was the successor of Ahasuerus (Xerxes) who ruled the Persian Empire from 464 to 424 B.C.73Clearly the incident reported in these verses took place long after the temple was complete. It really involved the attempt...
  • Several factors resulted in the completion of the temple that the writer brought together in verse 14. The reference to Artaxerxes (v. 14; cf. 4:7-23) does not mean that he had a part in completing the temple. As I pointed ou...
  • A period of 58 years separates Ezra 6 from Ezra 7 (515-458 B.C.). During this time the events in the Book of Esther took place in Persia and, in particular, Susa, one of the Persian capitals.Darius I (Hystaspes; 521-486 B.C.)...
  • "These things"(v. 1) refers to the events of the first return that the writer described in chapters 1-6.Ezra's genealogy (vv. 1-5) shows that he was a man of importance whom his fellow Jews would have respected. He was a desc...
  • This decree appears in Aramaic, the official language of the Persian Empire, in the Hebrew Bible.The king appointed Ezra as the person responsible to him for the affairs conducted in the Jewish community in Judah. He held a p...
  • Ezra recognized and acknowledged that God had moved Artaxerxes to do what he had done (cf. Prov. 21:1). "Lovingkindness"(v. 28) is more precisely "loyal love"(Heb. hesed). This Hebrew word has connections to the word translat...
  • The immigrants assembled on the banks of the Ahava waterway that flowed through the district of Babylon that bore the same name. The site is presently unknown.". . . Babylonia was crisscrossed by a network of irrigation canal...
  • Ezra first secured the cooperation of Israel's leaders (v. 5). The Eliashib of verse 6 was not the same Eliashib who was the high priest in Nehemiah's day (Neh. 3:1; 13:4, 48).140Ezra executed the power over the exiles that h...
  • The month Chislev (v. 1) corresponds to our late November and early December. The year in view was the twentieth year of Artaxerxes' reign (i.e., 445-444 B.C.). Susa (or Shushan, in Hebrew) was a winter capital of Artaxerxes ...
  • The Book of Nehemiah records the fortification of Jerusalem and the restoration of the Jews, two essential steps that were necessary to reestablish God's people in His will and in their land.Nehemiah continued the good work t...
  • The events of the Book of Esther took place during the Persian period of ancient history (539-331 B.C.) and during the reign of King Ahasuerus in particular (486-464 B.C.).Chronology of the Book of Esther483Ahasuerus' militar...
  • The events of this book took place between those recorded in Ezra 6 and 7. They have nothing to do with the people who returned from exile in Babylon. They deal with those who remained behind. Remember the dates of the three ...
  • The Persian kings castrated many of the men who served the king and his family (v. 10) so they could not have sexual relations with the female members of the royal court and start dynasties of their own."Vashti"("best,""the b...
  • This concluding exhortation contains a title for God unique in the Psalter. It highlights His sovereignty and was a favorite of the postexilic community (2 Chron. 36:23; Ezra 2:1; 5:11-12; 6:9-10; 7:12, 21, 23 [twice]; Neh. 1...
  • 5:29 Belshazzar kept his promise (v. 16) though Daniel's honors only lasted a few hours at most, typical of the honors of this world. The king's response is surprising. We might have expected him to execute Daniel for confron...
  • "In the concluding four verses of Daniel 9, one of the most important prophecies of the Old Testament is contained. The prophecy as a whole is presented in verse 24. The first sixty-nine sevens is described in verse 25. The e...
  • The sailors interrogated Jonah about his reasons for travelling on their ship, but it was his failure to live consistently with his convictions that amazed them.1:7 It appears to have been common among the heathen to cast lot...
  • Malachi was one of the three post-exilic writing prophets along with Haggai and Zechariah, and he was quite certainly the last one chronologically, even though we cannot be dogmatic about a date for his writing.The first grou...
  • Whereas the emphasis in Malachi's argument shifts at this point somewhat from the sins of the priests to their possible fate, there is a continuing emphasis on their sins. In the preceding section (1:6-14) the cultic activity...
  • On the one hand, the return of Jesus Christ to the earth is the climax of all that has preceded. On the other, it is the first of seven final things that John saw and recorded. These things were Christ's return, Satan's captu...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, saying, 2. Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, ...
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