Text -- Ezra 7:13 (NET)

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.

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Clarke: Ezr 7:13

Their own free-will - None shall be forced either to go or to stay. He who loves his God will avail himself of this favorable opportunity.

TSK: Ezr 7:13

I make : Ezr 5:13, Ezr 6:1; 2Ch 30:5; Est 3:15, Est 9:14; Psa 148:6

minded : Ezr 1:3; Psa 110:3; Phi 2:13; Rev 22:17

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Gill: Ezr 7:13

I make a decree,.... Which, according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, when signed, might not be changed, Dan 6:8,

that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm; who remained there, and took not the benefit of the edict of Cyrus, which gave them leave to go; but neglecting the opportunity, it seems as if they could not now go out of the realm without a fresh grant, which is hereby given:

which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee; this decree did not oblige them to go whether they would or not; for they might, notwithstanding this, continue if they pleased; it only gave them leave to make use of the present opportunity of going along with Ezra, if they chose it.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Ezr 7:13

¹ tn Heb “from me is placed a decree.” So also in v. 21.

² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

Geneva Bible: Ezr 7:13

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 ^{( g )} to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.

^{( g )} Who still remained in Babylon and had not returned with Zerubbabel.

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Ezr 7:1-28

1 Ezra goes up to Jerusalem.

11 The gracious commission of Artaxerxes to Ezra.

27 Ezra blesses God for this favour.

MHCC: Ezr 7:11-26

The liberality of heathen kings to support the worship of God, reproached the conduct of many kings of Judah, and will rise up in judgment against the covetousness of wealthy professed Christians, who will not promote the cause of God. But the weapons of Christian ministers are not carnal. Faithful preaching, holy lives, fervent prayers, and patient suffering when called to it, are the means to bring men into obedience to Christ.

Matthew Henry: Ezr 7:11-26

We have here the commission which the Persian emperor granted to Ezra, giving him authority to act for the good of the Jews; and it is very ample and full, and beyond what could have been expected. The commission runs, we suppose, in the usual form: Artaxerxes, King of kings. This however is too high a title for any mortal man to assume; he was indeed king of some kings, but to speak as if he were king of all kings was to usurp his prerogative who hath all power both in heaven and in earth. He sends greeting to his trusty and well-beloved Ezra, whom he calls a scribe of the law of the God of heaven (Ezr 7:12), a title which (it seems by this) Ezra valued himself by, and desired no other, no, not when he was advanced to the proconsular dignity. He reckoned it more his honour to be a scribe of God's law than to be a peer or prince of the empire. Let us observe the articles of this commission.

I. He gives Ezra leave to go up to Jerusalem, and as many of his countrymen as pleased to go up with him, Ezr 7:13. He and they were captives, and therefore they would not quit his dominions without his royal license.

II. He gives him authority to enquire into the affairs of Judah and Jerusalem, Ezr 7:14. The rule of his enquiry was to be the law of his God, which was in his hand. He must enquire whether the Jews, in their religion, had and did according to that law - whether the temple was built, the priesthood was settled, and the sacrifices were offered conformably to the divine appointment. If, upon enquiry, he found any thing amiss, he must see to get it amended, and, like Titus in Crete, must set in order the things that were wanting, Tit 1:5. Thus is God's law magnified and made honourable, and thus are the Jews restored to their ancient privilege of governing themselves by that law, and are no longer under the statutes that were not good, the statutes of their oppressors, Eze 20:25.

III. He entrusts him with the money that was freely given by the king himself and his counsellors, and collected among his subjects, for the service of the house of God, Ezr 7:15, Ezr 7:16.

1. Let this be taken notice of, (1.) To the honour of God, as the one only living and true God;' for even those that worshipped other gods were so convinced of the sovereignty of the God of Israel that they were willing to incur expenses in order to recommend themselves to his favour. See Psa 45:12; Psa 68:26. (2.) To the praise of this heathen king, that he honoured the God of Israel though his worshippers were a despicable handful of poor men, who were not able to bear the charges of their own religion and were now his vassals, and that, though he was not wrought upon to quit his own superstitions, yet he protected and encouraged the Jews in their religion, and did not only say, Be you warmed, and be you filled, but gave them such things as they needed. (3.) To the reproach of the memory of the wicked kings of Judah. Those that had been trained up in the knowledge and worship of the God of Israel, and had his law and his prophets, often plundered and impoverished the temple; but here a heathen prince enriched it. Thus afterwards the gospel was rejected by the Jews, but welcomed by the Gentiles. See Rom 11:11, Through their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles. Act 13:46.

2. We are here told that Ezra was entrusted, (1.) To receive this money and to carry it to Jerusalem; for he was a man of known integrity, whom they could confide in, that he would not convert to his own use the least part of that which was given to the public. We find Paul going to Jerusalem upon such an errand, to bring alms to his nation and offerings, Act 24:17. (2.) To lay out this money in the best manner, in sacrifices to be offered upon the altar of God (Ezr 7:17), and in whatever else he or his brethren thought fit (Ezr 7:18), with this limitation only that it should be after the will of their God, which they were better acquainted with than the king was. Let the will of our God be always our rule in our expenses, and particularly in what we lay out for his service. God's work must always be done according to his will. Besides money, he had vessels also given him for the service of the temple, Ezr 7:19. Cyrus restored what of right belonged to the temple, but these were given over and above: thus it receiveth its own with usury. These he must deliver before the God of Jerusalem, as intended for his honour, there where he had put his name.

IV. He draws him a bill, or warrant rather, upon the treasurers on that side the river, requiring them to furnish him with what he had occasion for out of the king's revenues, and to place it to the king's account, Ezr 7:20, Ezr 7:22. This was considerately done; for Ezra, having yet to enquire into the sate of things, knew not what he should have occasion for and was modest in his demand. It was also kindly done, and evinced a great affection to the temple and a great confidence in Ezra. It is the interest of princes and great men to use their wealth and power for the support and encouragement of religion. What else are great revenues good for but that they enable men to do much good of this kind if they have but hearts to do it?

V. He charges him to let nothing be wanting that was requisite to be done in or about the temple for the honour of the God of Israel. Observe, in this charge (Ezr 7:23), 1. How honourably he speaks of God. He had called him before the God of Jerusalem; but here, lest it should be thought that he looked upon him as a local deity, he calls him twice, with great veneration, the God of heaven. 2. How strictly he eyes the word and law of God, which, it is likely, he had read and admired: "Whatsoever is commanded by your God "(whose institutions, though he wrote himself King of kings, he would not presume in the least iota or tittle to alter or add to) "let it be done, let it be diligently done, with care and speed."And, 3. How solicitously he deprecates the wrath of God: Why should there be wrath against the realm? The neglect and contempt of religion bring the judgments of God upon kings and kingdoms; and the likeliest expedient to turn away his wrath, when it is ready to break out against a people, is to support and encourage religion. Would we secure our peace and prosperity? Let us take care that the cause of God be not starved.

VI. He exempts all the ministers of the temple from paying taxes to the government. From the greatest of the priests to the least of the Nethinim, it shall not be lawful for the king's officers to impose that toll, tribute, or custom upon them, which the rest of the king's subjects paid, Ezr 7:24. This put a great honour upon them as free denizens of the empire, and would gain them respect as favourites of the crown; and it gave them liberty to attend their ministry with more cheerfulness and freedom. We suppose it was only what they needed for themselves and their families, and the maintenance of their ministry, that was hereby allowed to come to them custom-free. If any of them should take occasion from this privilege to meddle in trade and merchandise, they justly lost the benefit of it.

VII. He empowers Ezra to nominate and appoint judges and magistrates for all the Jews on that side the river, Ezr 7:25, Ezr 7:26. It was a great favour to the Jews to have such nobles of themselves, and especially to have them of Ezra's nomination. 1. All that knew the laws of Ezra's God (that is, all that professed the Jewish religion) were to be under the jurisdiction of these judges, which intimates that they were exempted from the jurisdiction of the heathen magistrates. 2. These judges were allowed and encouraged to make proselytes: Let them teach the laws of God to those that do not know them. Though he would not turn Jew himself, he cared not how many of his subjects did. 3. They were authorized to enforce the judgments they gave, and the orders they made, conformable to the law of God (which was hereby made the law of the king ), with severe penalties - imprisonment, banishment, fine, or death, according as their law directed. They were not allowed to make new laws, but must see the laws of God duly executed; and they were entrusted with the sword in order that they might be a terror to evil doers. What could Jehoshaphat, or Hezekiah, or David himself, as king, have done more for the honour of God and the furtherance of religion?

Keil-Delitzsch: Ezr 7:11-28

The commission given by Artachshasta to Ezra (Ezr 7:11) , with a shortpostscript by Ezra (Ezr 7:27 and Ezr 7:28). - Ezr 7:11 The introductory title, "This isthe copy of the letter,"On פּרשׁגן , comp. Ezr 4:11, and on נשׁתּון , Ezr 4:7. Ezra is here, as also in the letter itself, Ezr 7:12, Ezr 7:21,and in Neh 8:9; Neh 12:26, called only הסּופר הכּהן , thepriest, the scribe; in other places we find merely one title or the other:either the priest, Neh 10:10, Neh 10:16, Neh 8:2; or the scribe, Neh 8:4, Neh 8:13; Neh 12:36. Todesignate him according to his rank, as the priest, seems to havesubsequently become more customary; hence in the first book of Esdras heis constantly called ὁ Ἱιερεύς . הסּופר is explainedby the addition וגו דּברי ספר , scribe of the words ofthe law of Jahve and of His statutes to Israel, i.e., the scribe, whoseinvestigations referred to the law of God. More briefly in Ezr 7:12 and Ezr 7:21 :scribe of the law.

Ezr 7:12-13

The letter containing the royal commission is given in theChaldee original. It is questionable what explanation must be given to גּמיר in the title. If it were the adjective belonging to דּתא ספר , we should expect the emphatic state גּמירא . HenceBertheau combines it with the following וּכענת as anabbreviation, "completeness, etc.,"which would signify that in the royalcommission itself this introductory formula would be found fully given,and that all the words here missing are represented by וּכענת . This would be, at all events, an extremely strange expression. We incline toregard גּמיר as an adverb used adjectively: To the scribe in the lawof God perfectly, for the perfect scribe, etc., corresponding with thetranslation of the Vulgate, doctissimo . The commission begins with anorder that those Israelites who desire to go to Jerusalem should departwith Ezra, because the king and his seven counsellors send him to ordermatters in Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of God, and to carrythither presents and free-will offerings as a contribution towards thesacrifices, and other matters necessary for the worship of God, Ezr 7:13. "By me is commandment given,"as in Ezr 6:8. למהך ... כּל־מתנדּב : Every one of the people of Israel in my kingdom, who showshimself willing to go up to Jerusalem, let him go up with thee. On יהך and the infin. מהך , comp. Ezr 5:5.

Ezr 7:14

"Forasmuch as thou (art) sent by the king and his sevencounsellors to inquire (to institute an inquiry) concerning Judah andJerusalem, according to the law of thy God, which is in thy hand,"i.e.,which thou handlest or possessest and understandest. The sevencounsellors of the king formed the supreme court of the realm; see remarkson Est 1:14. It is obvious from the context that שׁליח must becompleted by אנתּ , for it is evidently Ezra who is addressed bothin what precedes and follows. על בּקּרה , to inquireconcerning (the condition of) Judah, i.e., concerning the religious and civilrelations of the Jewish community, to arrange them in conformity with thedivine law.

Ezr 7:15-16

"To carry the silver and gold which the king and hiscounsellors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose habitation is atJerusalem, and all the silver and gold which thou shalt obtain in all theprovince of Babylon, with the free-will offering of the people and thepriests, willingly offering for the house of their God at Jerusalem."Threekinds of offerings for the temple are here spoken of: 1 st , the gifts of theking and his counsellors for the service of the God of Israel; 2 nd , the goldand the silver that Ezra should obtain in the province of Babylon, i.e., bythe collection which he was consequently empowered to make among thenon-Israelite population of Babylon; 3 rd , the free-will offerings of hisfellow-countrymen. התנדּבוּת is an abstract formed from theinfin. Hithpael: the freely given. The participle מתנדּבין (not inthe stat. emph . i.e., without an article) is but slightly connected, in thesense of, if they, or what they, may freely offer.

Ezr 7:17-18

The application of these contributions. דּנה כּל־קבל , forthis very reason, sc. because furnished by the king and his counsellors, andby the heathen and Israelite inhabitants of Babylon, thou shalt diligentlybuy with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat-offerings andtheir drink-offerings (the meat and drink offerings pertaining by the law,Num 15:1, etc., to the sacrifices), and offer them upon the altar ... The Pael תּקרב instead of the Aphel, Ezr 6:10, Ezr 6:17. The distribution andcollection were thus chiefly destined for the support of public worship,but were larger and more abundant than was necessary for this purpose. Hence the further injunction, Ezr 7:18 : "And whatsoever shall seem good tothee and to thy brethren to do with the rest of the gold and the silver, thatdo after the will of your God,"i.e., according to the precept of the law inwhich the will of God is expressed. "Thy brethren"are the priests, towhom was committed the care of the temple and its worship.

Ezr 7:19

The gold and silver vessels, moreover, which, according to Ezr 8:25-27, the king and his counsellors, and the princes and all Israel,presented for the service of the house of God, he is to deliver before theGod at Jerusalem (an abbreviated expression for the God whose dwellingis at Jerusalem). The noun פּלחן , only here and in theTargums, in the Syriac פּוּלחן , the service, corresponds with theHebrew עבורה . שׁלם in the Aphel, to complete, to make full,then to deliver entirely, to consign.

Ezr 7:20-21

Ezra is to defray the expenses of all other things necessaryfor the temple from the royal treasury, on which account a royal order isdespatched to the treasurer on this side the river. "And whatsoever moreshall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasionto give"(i.e., whatever necessary expenses shall be incurred which cannotbe determined beforehand), and for which the gifts and contributionsalready furnished to Ezra shall not suffice, he is to give, i.e., to defray, outof the house of the king's treasures, i.e., the royal treasury. For thispurpose Artaxerxes commands all the treasures on this side the river, thatwhatsoever Ezra shall require of them shall be immediately done. אנה is an emphatic repetition of the pronoun, as in Dan 7:15, andfrequently in Hebrew.

Ezr 7:22-23

Unto one hundred talents of silver, one hundred cors ofwheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and saltwithout prescription, i.e., as much as is needed. Cor had already become,even in Hebrew, the later word for chomer, e.g., 1Ki 5:2; Eze 45:14. It was equal to ten ephahs or baths, almost two sheffels; see by bibl. Archäol . ii. §126. The command closes with the injunction, Ezr 7:23 :Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, i.e., whatever is needfulaccording to the law for the service of God, let it be completely done forthe house of the God of heaven; for why should the wrath of heaven comeupon the realm of the king and of his sons? The ἁπ. λεγ. אדרזדּא is derived from the Aryan, but is not to be regarded (as by Hitzig andBertheau) as compounded of אדר and אזדּא ; but probably(as by Haug in Ewald's bibl. Jahrb . v. p. 152) as formed of the Persian drsh , dorest , with א prosthetic, from the Zend root doreç , to grow,to flourish, to become firm, in the meaning of perfect in all parts, exact. The motive of the royal order, that the priests may offer acceptableofferings to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of hissons, recalls Ezr 6:10. On the formula למה דּי , for whyshould wrath come, comp. Ezr 4:22.

Ezr 7:24

The priests, the Levites, and all the servants of the temple, arealso to be free from all customs and taxes. מהודעין וּלכם , we also make known to you (it is made known to you). Thesewords also are addressed to the treasures, as levyers of taxes on this sidethe river. That, with regard to all priests, ... and (other) ministers of thishouse of God, it shall not be lawful to impose upon them toll, tribute, orcustom. The אלהא בּית פּלחי are notworshippers in the house of God, but they who do service in the house ofGod. The expression comprises any servants of the temple who mighthave been omitted in the classes enumerated. On וגו בּלו מנדּה , comp. Ezr 4:13. שׁלּיט לא , (any one)has no right, with an infinitive following: it is allowed to no one to do. מרמא from רמא , Targ. for שׂים . On this matter,compare Josephus, Ant . xii. 3. 3, according to which Antiochus the Greatfreed the priests and Levites from taxation.

Ezr 7:25

Finally, Ezra is empowered to appoint over his whole people(all the Jews) on this side the river, judges who know the law of God, andto inflict severe penalties upon those who transgress it.

"Thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God which is in thy hand( בידך דּי like Ezr 7:14), set magistrates and judges, whichmay judge all the people that are on this side the river, namely all such asknow the laws of thy God, and teach ye them that know them not."Theform מנּי is imper. Pael for מנּי , the A sound probablypassing in rapid speech into the flatter E sound. " All the people on thisside the river"is limited to Israelites or Jews by the further particulars,"who know the law of thy God,"etc. These are to receive from Ezrajudges, viz., such as are acquainted with the law, i.e., Israelite judges, andthus to be placed under the jurisdiction established at Jerusalem. Thesentence, "and they who know it (the law) not, them teach ye, make themacquainted with it,"does not refer to the heathen, but to born Israelites orJews, who, living among the heathen, had not hitherto made the Mosaiclaw the rule of their lives. Such were the judges to constrain to theobservance and obedience of the law.

Ezr 7:26

But whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law ofthe king, let a court be speedily ( מנּהּ ) held on his account (i.e.,let him be brought to justice, and punished). This, too, applies chiefly tosuch as were Israelites born. The law of the king is the present edict, thecommission therein entrusted to Ezra: whoever opposes, neglects, ortransgresses it, shall be condemned, whether to death, or to banishment, orto confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. הן ... הן =the Hebrew אם ... אם = sive ... sive . שׁרשׁוּ (Keri שׁרשׁי ), rooting our (from שׁרשׁ , to root out), i.e.,banishment, exilium (Vulg.), not παιδεία (lxx).

Ezr 7:27-28

This royal commission granted to the Jews all they couldpossibly desire from the heathen governors of the country, for theestablishment and furtherance of their civil and religious polity. Bygranting these privileges, Artaxerxes was not only treading in the footstepsof Cyrus and Darius Hystaspes, but even going beyond these princes ingranting to the Jews a jurisdiction of their own. Without a magistrate whowas one of themselves, the Jewish community could not well prosper intheir own land; for the social and religious life of Israel were so closelyconnected, that heathen magistrates, however well-intentioned, wereincapable of exercising a beneficial influence upon the welfare of the Jews. Hence Ezra, having thus reported the royal commission, adds athanksgiving to God for having put such a thing into the king's heart,namely, to beautify the house of the Lord, and for having granted himfavour before the king and his counsellors. The sentence הטּה ועלי הטּה e is a continuation of the preceding infinitive sentence in the tempus finit . ל before כּל־שׂרי is the ל comprehensive. Ezra names thebeautifying of the house of God as the occasion of his thanksgiving, notonly because this formed the chief matter of the royal favour, but alsobecause the re-establishment of divine worship was the re-establishmentof the moral and religious life of the community. "And I felt myselfstrengthened, and gathered together (so that I gathered together) the headsof Israel to go up with me (to Jerusalem)."Ezra assembled the heads, i.e.,of houses, as fellow-travellers, because their decision would be a rule forthe families at the head of which they stood. With their heads, the severalraces and families determined to return to the land of their fathers.

Constable: Ezr 7:1--10:44

II. THE SECOND RETURN UNDER EZRA chs. 7--10

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.) became a very capable ruler who united the vast reaches of the Persian Empire under his control. He organized the empire effectively into 20 satrapies each of which functioned under a satrap appointed by the king. The satraps, who were usually from the Persian noble families, were virtual kings over their satrapies. They levied taxes and provided troops for the emperor.¹⁰⁰ Darius also built a huge palace at Persepolis, a canal that connected the Nile River with the Red Sea, and a system of roads that greatly facilitated travel and communication within the empire.¹⁰¹

". . . under Darius, Persia reached her zenith."¹⁰²

Darius' son, Xerxes I (486-464 B.C., known as Ahasuerus in Ezra 4:6 and the Book of Esther), succeeded this great king. He was not as successful as his father militarily. He was, however, able to subdue rebellions in Egypt and Babylon but lost a third of the Persian fleet to the Greeks and eventually had to withdraw Persian troops from Europe. He died at the hand of an assassin.

The next Persian king was Artaxerxes I (Longimanus; 464-424 B.C.), the younger son of Xerxes who killed his older brother to obtain the throne. During his reign the empire continued to decline in strength. The Greeks attacked Cyprus, Egypt rebelled, and parts of Asia Minor attained independence.

In Judah, the Persian providence of Yehud that was part of the larger satrapy of Eber Nari (lit. "beyond [i.e., west of] the [Euphrates] river"),¹⁰³ the Jews did not continue to fortify Jerusalem. They were content simply to worship at the temple. Their earlier zeal to return to the Mosaic ordinances that included separation from non-Jews waned. Over this 58-year period some of them intermarried with unbelieving Gentiles (9:1-2). Evidently the Levites neglected the teaching of the law (7:25; cf. Neh. 8:1-12), and temple worship became formal rather than sincere (7:23).

Constable: Ezr 7:1--8:36

A. The Return to Jerusalem CHS. 7-8

In 458 B.C. God moved Ezra, a Jewish priest and scribe who was living in Babylon, to lead another group of exiles back to Judah. In Jerusalem Ezra's ministry consisted primarily of leading the people to return to observance of their law. Since his time the Jews have regarded Ezra as a second Moses because he re-established Israel on the Mosaic Law.

"The emphasis in these chapters is on the character of Ezra, which sets the scene for chapters 9 and 10 where sin is uncovered in the postexilic community. Ezra is presented as a man who was strongly motivated by the Law of God."¹⁰⁴

Constable: Ezr 7:11-26

Artaxerxes' decree 7:11-26

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 position in the Persian court equivalent to Secretary of State for Jewish Affairs.¹¹¹ This decree encouraged any Jews in exile to return to their land (vv. 12-13).

"The Persians had respect for the laws of other nations as long as they did not conflict with their own.

"We know from the Elephantine papyri that a whole colony of Jews lived in the south of Egypt. The greatest concentration of Jews, however, was in Babylon and vicinity."¹¹²

Moreover Artaxerxes' decree promised provisions for the temple worship (vv. 14-20), authorized Ezra to withdraw funds from the provincial treasury (vv. 21-23; cf. 4:12), and permitted him to establish judicial and educational systems in Judah (vv. 24-26). The reason Artaxerxes permitted all this was evidently so there would be peace and good will among his Jewish subjects and so he might appease Yahweh's wrath (v. 23).

"In 460 B.C. the confederation of Greek cities under Athenian leadership known as the Attic-Delic League sent a fleet of 200 war galleys against Persia in the Cypriot seas. This fleet sailed to Egypt, gained a great victory over the Persian army there and captured Memphis in the autumn of 459. This placed the coast of Palestine and Phoenecia into Greek hands as the only possible route from Ionia to Egypt.

"It was in 458, immediately after the fall of Memphis to the Greeks, that Ezra the Judean courtier was sent to Judea to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem' (7, 14) and to reorganize and strengthen this traditional enemy of the Philistines. From the point of view of the Persian king a strong pro-Persian Judea was a major threat to the Greek coastal lifeline, and as long as the Greeks dominated the coast and Egypt he supported a strong Judean province headed by a Judean-Persian official and peopled by a pro-Persian population, most of whose families were hostages in Babylon and Persia. The war in Phoenicia continued with battles in Cyprus and Egypt until the peace of Callias in 448 B.C. which put an end to the war between Persia and Greece."¹¹³

The "utensils" (v. 19) for the temple may have been some that Cyrus had overlooked (6:5), or perhaps they were gifts from Artaxerxes. Probably Artaxerxes granted provisions for the exiles as they returned to Jerusalem, not just for them after they had returned (vv. 21-22).¹¹⁴ Jewish temple employees received special tax exemption (v. 24; cf. 2:43). Ezra was officially responsible to teach the Jews God's law (v. 25), and the king paid him to do so.

"Thus Ezra comes to Jerusalem as the real implementation of the Cyrus decree and his function is to establish an acceptable means of worship whereby Yahweh's lordship over Judah and the whole world (in terms of the extravagance of the Cyrus decree) may be realized and the kingship of God reasserted."¹¹⁵

Guzik: Ezr 7:1-28

Ezra 7 - Ezra's Return from Babylon

"At Jerusalem, Malachi may well have prophesied shortly before the coming of Ezra, giving us, if so, a sharp taste of the mood and temper of the times which occupy our chapters 7-10." (Kidner)

A. An overview of Ezra's return.

1. (1-5) The genealogy of Ezra the Scribe.

Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest;

a. Now after these things: Some 60 largely uneventful years passed between Ezra 6 and Ezra 7. The ruler of Persia at the end of that period was Artaxerxes, who is also known to history as Artaxerxes Longimanus, the successor to Xerxes, the king who married Esther. the events of the Book of Esther took place between Ezra 6 and 7.

i. "There can be no reasonable doubt that his reference is to the son and successor of Xerxes - known by the Greeks as 'Macrocheir,' and by the Romans as 'Longimanus' - Artaxerxes 'of the long hand,' for this Artaxerxes alone enjoyed a sufficiently extended reign to include both the commencement of Ezra's public work and the later scenes in the life of Nehemiah which the chronicler associates with the same king." (Adeney)

ii. "If this was Artaxerxes I as the traditional view maintains, which we believe is correct, Ezra arrived in Palestine in 458 (457). . . . The traditional view assumes a gap of almost sixty years between the events of chapter 6 and chapter 7." (Yamauchi)

b. Son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah . . . the son of Aaron the chief priest: This list is not all inclusive (there are some generations left out). Nevertheless, it shows that Ezra was a descendant both of Aaron and also of Seraiah, who was the last High Priest before the captivity.

i. " 'Zadok' was a priest under David whom Solomon appointed chief priest in place of Abiathar, who supported the rebel Adonijah (1 Kings 1:7-8; 2:35). Ezekiel regarded the Zadokites as free from idolatry (Ezekiel 44:15-16). Zadokites held the office of high priest till 171 B.C. The Sadducees were named after Zadok, and the Qumran community looked for the restoration of the Zadokite priesthood." (Yamauchi)

2. (6) Ezra, a skilled scribe.

This Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given. The king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.

a. This Ezra came up from Babylon: Ezra was one of the later Jews who returned from the captivity to Judea and Jerusalem. Though there was a first great return (described in Ezra 1-2), there were also many others who returned in the years following.

i. "His name stands very high in Jewish tradition, where he came to be regarded as a second Moses, and indeed it was he, more than any other man, who stamped Israel with its lasting character as the people of a book." (Kidner)

b. A skilled scribe in the Law of Moses: To us a scribe sounds like a glorified secretary, someone who simply writes. That is not the idea of this description of Ezra. For the Jewish culture of that day, a skilled scribe was an expert in the Law of Moses, someone who was like a highly trained lawyer in the word of God.

i. "In his case it is emphasized by the word skilled, or literally 'rapid' (cf. Psalm 45:1) - suggesting a quickness of grasp and ease of movement amid this complex material which was the fruit of the devoted study described in verse 10." (Kidner)

ii. Scribes were important and influential, and one might say that they had three main duties: to preserve the Word of God, to teach the Word of God, and to administrate the Word of God (in the sense of interpreting and applying it).

iii. By the time of Jesus there were many scribes and they were respected as lawyers of the law of God among most of the Jews of that time. However, they had degenerated greatly from the ideal originally established by Ezra, so much so that they were active opponents of Jesus and His ministry and targets of His rebukes (Matthew 7:29; Matthew 23).

iv. "As messengers of the will of God, they took the place of the prophets, with this difference: instead of receiving new revelations, they explained and applied the old. Of this new order, Ezra was at once the founder and type." (Morgan)

v. With critical theories in fashion since the enlightenment it became popular to say that Ezra, or others in his day, actually first compiled the Pentateuch (or more) from various written and oral traditions they gathered. Yet this verse alone (which the LORD God of Israel had given) shows this is wrong. As Derek Kidner observed, "Incidentally the present verse shares none of the doubts of some modern criticism over the antiquity (Moses) or the authority (the Lord) of the law, nor does it see Ezra as a reviser or compiler. He is concerned with it as something given."

c. The king granted him all his request: Again, the favor of God towards Jerusalem and the Jewish people is again evident. The great generosity of the king was because the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.

3. (7-10) Ezra's arrival to Jerusalem and his mission.

Some of the children of Israel, the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.

a. And Ezra came to Jerusalem: Ezra came to a city that had been repopulated by the Jewish people from their exile for about 20 years.

i. "Though the direct distance between Babylon and Jerusalem is about five hundred miles, the travelers would have had to traverse nine hundred miles, going northwest along the Euphrates River and then south." (Yamauchi)

ii. Some of the children of Israel: "And but some; for many chose rather to continue in the land of their captivity, though God by his prophets, and the king by his proclamation, had cried out, 'Ho, ho, come forth' [and so forth]. 'Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon,' Zechariah 2:6-7." (Trapp)

b. According to the good hand of his God upon him: Ezra credited his successful journey (lasting four months) to God's good hand of blessing on him.

i. "This little summary of the expedition gives no hint of the initial disappointment and delay, the fasting and prayer, and the dangers of such a journey, which will emerge in the full account." (Kidner)

c. Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach: We see here a threefold intention in Ezra. He came to seek, to do, and to teach God's word.

i. Had prepared his heart: "An instrument must be turned ere it can be played upon; sour wines need good sweetening." (Trapp)

ii. We may say that this threefold intention is essential in anyone who wants to make an impact on others with the word of God.

· First, to seek the Law of the LORD. This means that full impact with God's word is made by those who diligently seek after His word and fellowship with God in His word.

· Second, to do it. This means that full impact with God's word is made by those who are not only hearers of the word, but actual doers of the word. It has to be lived, not only known.

· Third, to teach. This means that full impact with God's word is made by those who actually teach it to others. What has been learned in the seeking and the doing must be put into effect through the teaching of God's word.

iii. "Here is a fine character of a minister of God: He prepares, he fixes, purposes, and determines, with his heart - with all his powers and affections, to seek the law of God, and to do it himself, that he may be properly qualified to teach its statutes and judgments to Israel." (Clarke)

iv. The Living Bible translates Ezra 7:10 as so: Ezra had determined to study and obey the laws of the Lord and to become a Bible teacher, teaching those laws to the people of Israel.

B. The letter of Artaxerxes.

1. (11-16) The king commissions helpers, a copy of the Law, and gifts for the temple to go with Ezra upon his return to Jerusalem.

This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest, the scribe, expert in the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of His statutes to Israel: Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Perfect peace, and so forth. I issue a decree that all those of the people of Israel and the priests and Levites in my realm, who volunteer to go up to Jerusalem, may go with you. And whereas you are being sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, with regard to the Law of your God which is in your hand; and whereas you are to carry the silver and gold which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem; and whereas all the silver and gold that you may find in all the province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and the priests, are to be freely offered for the house of their God in Jerusalem;

a. Ezra the priest, the scribe, the expert in the words of the commandments of the LORD: Ezra was indeed more than a glorified secretary or copyist. He was a well-trained expert in the Word of God.

b. Whereas you are being sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem: This tells us that not only did Ezra go to Jerusalem, he was actually sent by Artaxerxes to gather information for the king and his seven counselors.

c. Who volunteer to go up to Jerusalem: With this, Artaxerxes hoped to encourage others to go with Ezra to increase the chance of his success and to strengthen the province of Judah.

d. You are to carry the silver and gold: Artaxerxes also authorized the giving of many silver and gold gifts to the temple, along with the freewill offering of the people and the priests.

i. "The vessels may have been some which had been overlooked when the captured vessels were restored by Cyrus (1:7ff), but it is just as likely that they were a goodwill gift, newly presented." (Kidner)

2. (17-22) Providing for the temple and sacrificial expenses.

Now therefore, be careful to buy with this money bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem. And whatever seems good to you and your brethren to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do it according to the will of your God. Also the articles that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem. And whatever more may be needed for the house of your God, which you may have occasion to provide, pay for it from the king's treasury. And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the region beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, let it be done diligently, up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred kors of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribed limit.

a. Be careful to buy with this money: Ezra carried with him government money that was meant to advance the interests of Artaxerxes. This money was to be spent on sacrificial animals and the promotion of temple worship at the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem.

b. Whatever seems good to you: Ezra was commanded to be careful, but also given latitude to make his own decisions about how to best spend the money he came with.

c. Whatever more may be needed for the house of your God . . . pay for it from the king's treasury: Artaxerxes was very generous to Ezra and the work in Jerusalem, allowing him to draw on the king's treasury for whatever he needed.

i. "A 'talent' in the Babylonian sexagesimal system was 60 minas, with a mina being 60 shekels. A talent weighed about 75 pounds. A hundred talents was an enormous sum, about 3¾ tons of silver. This amount, together with a talent of gold, was the tribute that Pharaoh Neco imposed on Judah (2 Kings 23:33)." (Yamauchi)

3. (23) The motive of Artaxerxes.

Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it diligently be done for the house of the God of heaven. For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

a. Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it diligently be done: In all this, we see that Artaxerxes went to great lengths to promote the operations of the temple in Jerusalem.

i. "Without shucking and hucking, without delays and consults." (Trapp)

b. For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? This shows the motive of Artaxerxes. Like other monarchs of the Persian Empire, he wanted to placate the gods of the people and the territory that they had conquered. He believed it was good and safe policy for his kingdom to do this.

4. (24-26) Ezra is given legal power to enforce God's Law.

Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tax, tribute, or custom on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God. And you, Ezra, according to your God-given wisdom, set magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are in the region beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God; and teach those who do not know them. Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily on him, whether it be death, or banishment, or confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.

a. It shall not be lawful to impose tax: To promote the work of the temple in Jerusalem, Artaxerxes commanded that priests and other workers at the temple be given tax-exempt status.

i. "Darius had ordered a similar exemption for cult-servants of Apollo." (Kidner)

b. Set magistrates and judges: Artaxerxes gave Ezra significant authority in the civil administration of the province (the region beyond the River).

i. According to your God-given wisdom: "The wisdom of thy God that is in thine hand, i.e. which God hath put into thy heart, and which appears in the works of thy hand. Wisdom is sometimes ascribed to the hands, as Psalm 78:72."

c. Teach those who do not know: Artaxerxes gave Ezra authority to teach this generation of returned exiles. Yet he also gave authority - perhaps too much authority - to punish those who did not observe the law of your God and the law of the king.

i. "Later passages show that Ezra was primarily a priest and scholar rather than an administrator. Yet the assurance that God had called him and had opened the doors gave Ezra the courage and strength to undertake this great task." (Yamauchi)

5. (27-28) Ezra gives thanks.

Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, and has extended mercy to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty princes. So I was encouraged, as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me; and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me.

a. Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers: Ezra knew that such generous and broad support and authority could only be granted by God who put such a thing as this in the king's heart.

i. As God had moved the heart of Darius (Ezra 6:1-12), we see that God also moved the heart of Artaxerxes. Truly, The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. (Proverbs 21:1)

b. So I was encouraged, as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me: Ezra was certainly encouraged; not so by the king's support but more so because it was all clear evidence of God's support and blessing. Ezra found great encouragement in knowing that the hand of the LORD was upon him.

© 2006 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission

Introduction / Outline

JFB: Ezra (Book Introduction)

EZRA was, along with Nehemiah, reckoned one book by the ancient Jews, who called them the First and Second Books of Ezra, and they are still designated by Roman Catholic writers the First and Second Books of Esdras. This book naturally divides itself into two parts or sections, the one contained in the first six chapters, and which relates the circumstances connected with the return of the first detachment of Babylonish exiles under Zerubbabel with the consequent rebuilding of the temple and the re-establishment of the divine service. The other part, embraced in the four concluding chapters, narrates the journey of a second caravan of returning captives under the conduct of Ezra himself, who was invested with powers to restore, in all its splendor, the entire system of the Jewish ritual. The general opinion of the Church in every succeeding age has been that Ezra was the author of this book. The chief objection is founded on Ezr 5:4, where the words, "Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?" have occasioned a surmise that the first portion of the book was not written by Ezra, who did not go to Jerusalem for many years after. But a little attention will show the futility of this objection, as the words in question did not refer to the writer, but were used by Tatnai and his associates [Ezr 5:3]. The style and unity of object in the book clearly prove it to have been the production of but one author. The canonical authority of this book is well established; but another under the name of Ezra is rejected as apocryphal.

JFB: Ezra (Outline)

• PROCLAMATION OF CYRUS FOR BUILDING THE TEMPLE. (Ezr 1:1-6)
• CYRUS RESTORES THE VESSELS. (Ezr 1:7-11)
• NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE THAT TURNED. (Ezra 2:1-70)
• THE ALTAR SET UP. (Ezr 3:1-13)
• OFFERINGS RENEWED. (Ezr 3:4-7)
• THE FOUNDATION OF THE TEMPLE LAID. (Ezr 3:8-13)
• THE BUILDING HINDERED. (Ezr 4:1-6)
• LETTER TO ARTAXERXES. (Ezra 4:7-24)
• ZERUBBABEL AND JESHUA SET FORWARD THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE IN THE REIGN OF DARIUS. (Ezra 5:1-17)
• DARIUS' DECREE FOR ADVANCING THE BUILDING. (Ezr 6:1-12)
• THE TEMPLE FINISHED. (Ezr 6:13-15)
• FEASTS OF THE DEDICATION. (Ezr 6:16-18)
• AND OF THE PASSOVER. (Ezr 6:19-22)
• EZRA GOES UP TO JERUSALEM. (Ezr 7:1-10)
• GRACIOUS COMMISSION OF ARTAXERXES. (Ezra 7:11-26)
• EZRA BLESSES GOD FOR THIS FAVOR. (Ezr 7:27-28)
• EZRA'S COMPANIONS FROM BABYLON. (Ezr 8:1-14)
• HE SENDS TO IDDO FOR MINISTERS FOR THE TEMPLE SERVICE. (Ezr 8:15-20)
• A FAST PROCLAIMED. (Ezra 8:21-36)
• EZRA MOURNS FOR THE AFFINITY OF THE PEOPLE WITH STRANGERS. (Ezr 9:1-4)
• EZRA REFORMS THE STRANGE MARRIAGES. (Ezra 10:1-17)
• THOSE THAT HAD TAKEN STRANGE WIVES. (Ezra 10:18-44)

TSK: Ezra (Book Introduction)

This book details the events of a very interesting period of the Sacred History, when, according to the decree of Providence, the Jewish people were to be delivered from their captivity, at the expiration of seventy years, and restored to the land of their fathers. This book informs us how the Divine goodness accomplished this most gracious design, and the movers and agents He employed on the occasion. Ezra was undoubtedly the chief agent under God in effecting this arduous work; and his zeal, piety, knowledge, and discretion, appear here in a most conspicuous point of view, and claim our utmost admiration. Descended from Seraiah, in a direct line from Aaron, he seems to have united all the requisites of a profound statesmen with the functions of the sacerdotal character. He appears to have made the Sacred Scriptures, during the captivity, his peculiar study; and, perhaps assisted by Nehemiah and the great synagogue, he corrected the errors which had crept into the Sacred Writings, through the negligence or mistake of transcribers; he collected all the books of which the Sacred Scriptures then consisted, disposed them in their proper order, and settled the canon of Scriptures for his time; he occasionally added, under the dictation of the Holy Spirit, whatever appeared necessary for the purpose of illustrating, completing, or connecting them; he substituted the modern for the ancient names of some places, which had now become obsolete; and transcribed the whole of the Scriptures into the Chaldee character. He is said to have lived to the age of 120 years, and, according to Josephus, was buried in Jerusalem; but the Jews believe he died in Persia, in a second journey to Artaxerxes, where his tomb is shown in the city of Zamusa. Though not styled a prophet, he wrote under the Divine Spirit; and the canonical authority of his book has never been disputed. It is written with all the spirit and fidelity that could be displayed by a writer of contemporary times; and those parts which chiefly consist of letters, decrees, etc., are written in Chaldee, because it seemed more suitable to the fidelity of a sacred historian to give these official documents, as they may be termed, in the original language, especially as the people, recently returned from the captivity, were familiar, and perhaps more conversant with the Chaldee, than with the Hebrew.

TSK: Ezra 7 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

Ezr 7:1, Ezra goes up to Jerusalem; Ezr 7:11, The gracious commission of Artaxerxes to Ezra; Ezr 7:27, Ezra blesses God for this favour.

Poole: Ezra (Book Introduction)

THE ARGUMENT

THAT this book of EZRA is part of the canonical Scripture is evident, partly from the testimony of the Jewish church, to which were committed the oracles of God , Rom 3:2 , who also did carefully keep them, and faithfully transmit them to us, and are not once charged either by Christ or his apostles with breach of that trust; and partly by the unanimous consent of all, both Jews and Christians, at this day. And that Ezra was thee writer of this book, is also, and ever was, the opinion of the Jews, who had thee best means of knowing this, and is most agreeable to his quality, for he was the son, or grandson , (as the word is elsewhere used,) of Seraiah , Ezr 7:1 , who was the high priest, 2Ki 25:18 1Ch 6:14 ; and he was a ready scribe of the law of Moses , Ezr 7:6 , and endowed with a more than ordinary measure of God’ s Spirit, as is evident from this book; and was himself an eye-witness of these transactions. In his time also there lived divers other holy men of God, as Daniel, and Nehemiah, and Mordecai, and Zorobabel, and Joshua; which makes that probable which the Jews report, that these prophets and other holy and learned men did review thee canonical books of the Old Testament, and added here and there some few passages in the historical books, and digested them into that order in which now we have them in our Hebrew Bibles; this being a work most suitable to the prudence, and piety, and sacred function of these persons, and to the present estate of the Jewish nation, who had been long in captivity in Babylon, where it was to be feared that many of them were ignorant or corrupt in the principles of religion, and who were yet in a broken condition, and likely to be exposed to further calamities and dispersions; which also might be signified to some of them; and it was suitable also to that care which the wise and gracious God hath ever used for the guidance of his church, according to their several occasions and necessities.

Poole: Ezra 7 (Chapter Introduction)

CHAPTER 7

Ezra’ s genealogy, Ezr 7:1-5 . The priests, Levites, and Ezra go up to Jerusalem, Ezr 7:6-10 . The gracious commission of Artaxerxes to Ezra, Ezr 7:1-26 . Ezra blesseth God for his favour to his people, Ezr 7:27,28 .

MHCC: Ezra (Book Introduction)

The history of this book is the accomplishment of Jeremiah's prophecy concerning the return of the Jews out of Babylon. From its contents we especially learn, that every good work will meet with opposition from enemies, and be hurt by the misconduct of friends; but that God will make his cause to prevail, notwithstanding all obstacles and adversaries. The restoration of the Jews was an event of the highest consequence, tending to preserve religion in the world, and preparing the way for the appearance of the Great Deliverer, the Lord Jesus Christ.

MHCC: Ezra 7 (Chapter Introduction)

(Ezr 7:1-10) Ezra goes up to Jerusalem.

(v. 11-26) The commission to Ezra.

(Ezr 7:27, Ezr 7:28) Ezra blesses God for his favour.

Matthew Henry: Ezra (Book Introduction)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Book of Ezra

The Jewish church puts on quite another face in this book from what it had appeared with; its state much better, and more pleasant, than it was of late in Babylon, and yet far inferior to what it had been formerly. The dry bones here live again, but in the form of a servant; the yoke of their captivity is taken off, but the marks of it in their galled necks remain. Kings we hear no more of; the crown has fallen from their heads. Prophets they are blessed with, to direct them in their re-establishment, but, after a while, prophecy ceases among them, till the great prophet appears, and his fore-runner. The history of this book is the accomplishment of Jeremiah's prophecy concerning the return of the Jews out of Babylon at the end of seventy years, and a type of the accomplishment of the prophecies of the Apocalypse concerning the deliverance of the gospel church out of the New Testament Babylon. Ezra preserved the records of that great revolution and transmitted them to the church in this book. His name signifies a helper; and so he was to that people. A particular account concerning him we shall meet with, ch. 7, where he himself enters upon the stage of action. The book gives us an account, I. Of the Jews' return out of their captivity, Ezr 1:1-11, 2. II. Of the building of the temple, the opposition it met with, and yet the perfecting of it at last, ch. 3-6. III. Of Ezra's coming to Jerusalem, ch. 7, 8. IV. Of the good service he did there, in obliging those that had married strange wives to put them away, Ezr 9:1-15, 10. This beginning again of the Jewish nation was small, yet its latter end greatly increased.

Matthew Henry: Ezra 7 (Chapter Introduction)

Ezra's precious name saluted us, at first, in the title of the book, but in the history we have not met with it till this chapter introduces him into public action in another reign, that of Artaxerxes. Zerubbabel and Jeshua we will suppose, by this time, to have grown old, if not gone off; nor do we hear any more of Haggai and Zechariah; they have finished their testimony. What shall become of the cause of God and Israel when these useful instruments are laid aside? Trust God, who has the residue of the Spirit, to raise up others in their room. Ezra here, and Nehemiah in the next book, are as serviceable in their days as those were in theirs. Here is, I. An account, in general, of Ezra himself, and of his expedition to Jerusalem for the public good (Ezr 7:1-10). II. A copy of the commission which Artaxerxes gave him (v. 11-26). III. His thankfulness to God for it (Ezr 7:27, Ezr 7:28). The next chapter will give us a more particular narrative of his associates, his journey, and his arrival at Jerusalem.

Constable: Ezra (Book Introduction)

Introduction

Title

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." "Ezra" is a short form of Azariah, which means "Yahweh has helped." The Hebrew Bible has the same title.

Early Hebrew copyists placed Ezra together with Nehemiah because Nehemiah continues the history of Ezra.¹ Another reason they may have done this was to make the total number of canonical books agree with the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet.² Another view is that they were written originally as one book and than divided later.³ Even today the Hebrew Bible links Ezra and Nehemiah as did the Septuagint translators. However the repetition of Ezra 2 in Nehemiah 6:7-70 suggests that these two books were not originally one. Evidently Origen (third century A.D.) was the first to divide Ezra-Nehemiah into two books, and Jerome followed this precedent in his Latin (Vulgate) translation.⁴

Writer and Date

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.⁵ A passage in the Talmud credits Ezra with the authorship of Ezra-Nehemiah and Chronicles.⁶ Ezra speaks in the first person in Ezra 7:28-8:34 and in chapter 9. This may suggest that he drew from a source such as the so-called "Ezra Memoirs" that recorded Ezra's personal recollections in the first person.⁷

Another popular view is that Ezra and Nehemiah each wrote the books that bear their names.⁸ A third view is that the joint book was a compilation that a "chronicler" made long after the events recorded took place.⁹

As a scribe (7:21), Ezra had the qualifications needed to write this book. He was a general contemporary of Nehemiah (Neh. 8:1-9; 12:36). Another reference in the Talmud claimed that Ezra was a disciple of Baruch, Jeremiah's scribe.¹⁰

The last historical reference in the book is in 4:21-23. In view of other chronological references in the book this event must have occurred about 446 B.C. Therefore Ezra could have written the book about 446 B.C. or shortly after that.

"Regardless of one's view of the authorship of Ezra-Nehemiah and its relationship to Chronicles, the theological viewpoint of the whole collection is essentially the same. The message is addressed to the postexilic community of Jews who wonder if there is any hope of political and religious restoration. Its central thrust is that there indeed is hope but that hope must be incarnated in the rebuilding of the Temple, the cultus, and the priesthood. Only as the remnant people became the theocratic nation, founded on and faithful to the covenant Yahweh made with their fathers, could they revive the Davidic house and anticipate the resumption of their mediatorial role among the nations of the earth. Ezra and Nehemiah are therefore burdened to clarify (1) the Person and works of God, (2) Israel's own identity and function as a covenant people, and (3) the nature of that covenant in postexilic times."¹¹

Scope

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.¹² The latest historical reference was just prior to Nehemiah's first trip to Jerusalem (4:21-23; cf. Neh. 1:1-3), 446 B.C. Therefore this book spans a period of 92 years of history.¹³

However most of the events recorded took place in 538-515 B.C. (chapters 1-6) and 458 B.C. (chapters 7-10). Between these two separate series of events the Book of Ezra records nothing. The events in the Book of Esther transpired during those years (482-473 B.C.).

Message¹⁴

Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther have much in common. Among other things, they all deal with God's dealings with Israel following the captivity. Jeremiah had spoken of these years before the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem (Jer. 25:11-14; 29:10-14). Now 70 years had passed, Babylon had fallen, and Cyrus was on the throne of Medo-Persia. The books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther all reveal God overruling human failure. They show God remaking the vessel that had proven obstinate, Israel (cf. Jer. 18:1-6).

The Book of Ezra reveals four things about God's dealings with Israel that are of permanent value.

1. God's instruments are very diverse. In shaping Israel again God used instruments outside the nation as well as inside it.

His primary instruments outside were Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes. Each one issued a decree that God had inspired just as much as any message of Isaiah or any of the other prophets of Israel (e.g., 1:1-4). God turned the hearts of these kings in the direction He wanted them to go (cf. Prov. 21:1). God directed the marching of their armies as well as the praying of the captives to accomplish His will.

His primary instruments inside the nation of Israel were Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and Ezra. Zerubbabel was a descendant of King Jehoiachin, and Jeshua was a descendant of Aaron. Thus God raised up a member of the kingly family and a member of the priestly family to resume His dealings with the nation as formerly. They began to inspire other Israelites, and the movement to return was under way. The third Israelite instrument was Ezra who was a scribe. We begin here to read of the scribes who are prominent in the Gospels. A scribe was a student, interpreter, teacher, and expositor of the Word of God. God uses both people who do not know Him and people who do know Him to carry out His plans.

2. God's might is awesome, another clear revelation in this book. We see this not only in the way God uses the two kinds of people just differentiated. We see it in the way He qualifies His workers to accomplish their tasks, as I have noted. We also see it in God's gathering His people from all over the ancient world to bring them back into Palestine. Most of the exiles did not return. Ezra's revelation provided the original readers with hope for the future.

3. God's people are changeable, another significant revelation. God gathered people from all the tribes, not just Judah, back to the land (2:70; 6:16-17). In exile the Israelites had renounced idolatry. They had returned to the worship of the one true God. The Lord's severe punishment of them for idolatry, as well as their own observation of idolatry for 70 years, took away their appetite for it. God had purged out this dross and could now fashion the nation anew.

4. God's work is proceeding, another important revelation. Note what God did to the nation. When the people returned to Palestine they had lost their national influence. They could not demonstrate how glorious it is to live under God's government as they had formerly. They also lost their independence. However they gained a place for themselves as a nation again. Furthermore God had saved them from racial extinction and absorption. The Pharisees (lit. separated ones) came into existence during the captivity. They wanted to prevent the Jews from intermixing with others. That attitude was good then, but it became bad later. In all these respects we can see God's work of reshaping the nation.

The message of the book arises from these observations on its emphases. I could state it this way. God does not discard what He has chosen but remakes it when it fails.

With people if one fails, he is out. With God if a person fails, he gets other opportunities. This is how God dealt with Jonah. It is how He dealt with Israel. Moreover it is how He deals with us. This is a great testimony to the eternal security of the believer. When the vessel is unyielding, God crushes it and begins to fashion it into a useful vessel again. That is a greater evidence of God's sovereignty than if He discarded it as hopeless. God's reason for doing this is His loyal love, compassion, and pity.

This revelation brings hope to everyone who fails. It gives hope when our good causes fall to pieces. It gives hope when God's servants fail. It also gives hope when we make a mess. God is still on His throne (cf. Hag. 2:4-5). No matter how you may have failed in the past God will use you if you renounce your sin, re-commit yourself to Him, and return to His Word.

Constable: Ezra (Outline)

Outline

I. The first return under Sheshbazzar chs. 1-6

A. The return from Babylon chs. 1-2

1. The edict of Cyrus and its consequences ch. 1

2. The exiles who returned ch. 2

B. The rebuilding of the temple chs. 3-6

1. The beginning of construction ch. 3

2. The opposition to construction ch. 4

3. The delay of construction ch. 5

4. The completion of construction ch. 6

II. The second return under Ezra chs. 7-10

A. The return to Jerusalem ch. 7-8

1. The decree of Artaxerxes and its consequences ch. 7

2. The journey itself ch. 8

B. The restoration of the people chs. 9-10

1. The problem of mixed marriages ch. 9

2. The solution to the problem ch. 10

Constable: Ezra

Ezra

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Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: Ezra (Book Introduction)

THE FIRST BOOK OF ESDRAS.

INTRODUCTION.

This Book taketh its name from the writer, who was a holy priest and doctor of the law. He is called by the Hebrews Ezra, (Challoner) and was son, (Tirinus) or rather, unless he lived above 150 years, a descendant of Saraias, 4 Kings xxv. 18. It is thought that he returned first with Zorobabel; and again, at the head of other captives, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, with ample authority. Esdras spent the latter part of his life in exhorting the people, and in explaining to them the law of God. He appeared with great dignity at the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem, 2 Esdras xii. 26, 35. We have four books which bear his name. (Calmet) --- This and the following book of Nehemias, originally made but one in Hebrew, (St. Jerome, &c.) as the transactions of both those great men are recorded. The third and fourth are not in Hebrew nor received into the canon of the Holy Scriptures, though the Greek Church hold the third as canonical, and place it first; (Worthington) and Genebrard would assert that both ought to be received, as they were by several Fathers. But they contain many thing which appear to be erroneous, and have been rejected by others of great authority, and particularly by St. Jerome. The third book seems to have been written very early, by some Hellenist Jew, who was desirous of embellishing the history of Zorobabel; and the fourth was probably composed by some person of the same nation, who had been converted to Christianity, before the end of the second century; and who injudiciously attempted to convert his brethren, by assuming the name of a man who was so much respected. Many things have been falsely attributed to Esdras, on the same account. It is said that he invented the Masora; restored the Scriptures, which had been lost; fixed the canon of twenty-two books; substituted the Chaldaic characters instead of the ancient Hebrew, Samaritan, or Phœnician. But though Esdras might sanction the latter, now become common, the characters might vary insensibly, (Bianconi; Kennicott, Dis. ii.) as those of other languages have done, (Haydock) and the sacred books never perished wholly; nor could the canon be determined in the time of Esdras. (Calmet) --- As for the Masoretic observations and points, they are too modern an invention. (Elias Levita; Capel.; Houbigant, &c.) --- What we know more positively of Esdras, is, (Worthington) that he was empowered by Artaxerxes to bring back the Jews, and that he acted with great zeal. (Haydock) --- This book contains the transactions of 82 years, till the year of the world 3550. The letter of Reum, and the king's answer, (chap. iv. 7., till chap. vi. 19., and well as chap. vii. 12, 27.) are in Chaldean; the rest of the work is in Hebrew. (Calmet) --- We may discover various mysteries concealed under the literal sense of this and the following book. (St. Jerome, ep. ad Paulin.) (Worthington) --- Esdras is supposed by this holy doctor, as well as by some of the Rabbins, &c., to have been the same person with the prophet Malachy[Malachias]; (Button) and several reasons seems to support this conjecture, though it must still remain very uncertain. (Calmet) --- Some think that (Haydock) Esdras wrote only the four last chapters, and the author of Paralipomenon the six preceding ones. (Du Hamel) --- But it is most probable that he compiled both from authentic documents. (Haydock) --- Some few additions may have been inserted since, by divine authority, 2 Esdras xii. 11, 22. (Tirinus)

Gill: Ezra (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO EZRA

This book, in the Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions, is called the "First" Book of Ezra, Nehemiah being reckoned the "second"; but with the Jews both were accounted but one book ^a; in the Syriac version, it is called the Writing or Book of Ezra the Prophet; and this title is given him, both by Jews ^b and Christians ^c; in the Arabic version, it is called the First Book of Ezra the Priest, skilful in the Law; and that he was a priest is clear, since he was the son of Seraiah the high priest, who was slain by Nebuchadnezzar, and the younger brother of Josedech, who succeeded his father as high priest, and uncle to Joshua that succeeded him; and he was also a ready scribe in the law of Moses, see Ezr 7:1. That Ezra was the writer of this book is believed by the Jews ^d, and by the generality of Christians; only Huetius ^e thinks that the six first chapters were written by another hand, but his reasons are not satisfactory; and it has been universally received as canonical by all; it agrees with the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah, and serves to illustrate them; it is of use for the continuation of the sacred history, to point at the fulfilment of prophecies concerning the return of the Jews from captivity, and the rebuilding of the temple; and to give us an account of the state of the church in those times, the troubles and difficulties it met with, and what care was taken to keep the tribes and families distinct, that it might be known from whom the Messiah sprung; this book contains an history of seventy years, according to the calculation of Bishop Usher ^f, from A. M. 3468, to A. M. 3538.

Gill: Ezra 7 (Chapter Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 7

In this chapter we have the lineage and character of Ezra described, Ezr 7:1, his expedition to Jerusalem, and of many others with him, Ezr 7:7, a copy of the commission King Artaxerxes gave him to execute, Ezr 7:11, and his thankfulness, Ezr 7:27.