11 Now this is the copy H6572 of the letter H5406 that the king H4428 Artaxerxes H783 gave H5414 unto Ezra H5830 the priest, H3548 the scribe, H5608 even a scribe H5608 of the words H1697 of the commandments H4687 of the LORD, H3068 and of his statutes H2706 to Israel. H3478
This H1836 is the copy H6573 of the letter H104 that H1768 they sent H7972 unto him, H5922 even unto Artaxerxes H783 the king; H4430 Thy servants H5649 the men H606 on this side H5675 the river, H5103 and at such a time. H3706
The copy H6573 of the letter H104 that Tatnai, H8674 governor H6347 on this side H5675 the river, H5103 and Shetharboznai, H8370 and his companions H3675 the Apharsachites, H671 which were on this side H5675 the river, H5103 sent H7972 unto H5922 Darius H1868 the king: H4430
This Ezra H5830 went up H5927 from Babylon; H894 and he was a ready H4106 scribe H5608 in the law H8451 of Moses, H4872 which the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 had given: H5414 and the king H4428 granted H5414 him all his request, H1246 according to the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 his God H430 upon him.
Saying, G3004 The scribes G1122 and G2532 the Pharisees G5330 sit G2523 in G1909 Moses' G3475 seat: G2515
But G1161 woe G3759 unto you, G5213 scribes G1122 and G2532 Pharisees, G5330 hypocrites! G5273 for G3754 ye shut up G2808 the kingdom G932 of heaven G3772 against G1715 men: G444 for G1063 ye G5210 neither G3761 go in G1525 yourselves, neither G3756 suffer ye G863 them that are entering G1525 to go in. G1525
Then G2532 came together G4863 unto G4314 him G846 the Pharisees, G5330 and G2532 certain G5100 of the scribes, G1122 which came G2064 from G575 Jerusalem. G2414 And G2532 when they saw G1492 some G5100 of his G846 disciples G3101 eat G2068 bread G740 with defiled, G2839 that is to say, G5123 with unwashen, G449 hands, G5495 they found fault. G3201 For G1063 the Pharisees, G5330 and G2532 all G3956 the Jews, G2453 except G3362 they wash G3538 their hands G5495 oft, G4435 eat G2068 not, G3756 holding G2902 the tradition G3862 of the elders. G4245 And G2532 when they come from G575 the market, G58 except G3362 they wash, G907 they eat G2068 not. G3756 And G2532 many G4183 other things G243 there be, G2076 which G3739 they have received G3880 to hold, G2902 as the washing G909 of cups, G4221 and G2532 pots, G3582 G2532 brasen vessels, G5473 and G2532 of tables. G2825 Then G1899 the Pharisees G5330 and G2532 scribes G1122 asked G1905 him, G846 Why G1302 walk G4043 not G3756 thy G4675 disciples G3101 according G2596 to the tradition G3862 of the elders, G4245 but G235 eat G2068 bread G740 with unwashen G449 hands? G5495 He answered G611 and G1161 said G2036 unto them, G846 G3754 Well G2573 hath Esaias G2268 prophesied G4395 of G4012 you G5216 hypocrites, G5273 as G5613 it is written, G1125 This G3778 people G2992 honoureth G5091 me G3165 with their lips, G5491 but G1161 their G846 heart G2588 is G568 far G4206 from G575 me. G1700 Howbeit G1161 in vain G3155 do they worship G4576 me, G3165 teaching G1321 for doctrines G1319 the commandments G1778 of men. G444 For G1063 laying aside G863 the commandment G1785 of God, G2316 ye hold G2902 the tradition G3862 of men, G444 as the washing G909 of pots G3582 and G2532 cups: G4221 and G2532 many G4183 other G243 such G5108 like things G3946 ye do. G4160 And G2532 he said G3004 unto them, G846 Full well G2573 ye reject G114 the commandment G1785 of God, G2316 that G2443 ye may keep G5083 your own G5216 tradition. G3862 For G1063 Moses G3475 said, G2036 Honour G5091 thy G4675 father G3962 and G2532 thy G4675 mother; G3384 and, G2532 Whoso curseth G2551 father G3962 or G2228 mother, G3384 let him die G5053 the death: G2288 But G1161 ye G5210 say, G3004 If G1437 a man G444 shall say G2036 to his father G3962 or G2228 mother, G3384 It is Corban, G2878 that is to say, G3603 a gift, G1435 by G1537 whatsoever G3739 G1437 thou mightest be profited by G5623 me; G1700 he shall be free. And G2532 ye suffer G863 him G846 no more G3765 to do G4160 ought G3762 for his G846 father G3962 or G2228 his G846 mother; G3384 Making G208 the word G3056 of God G2316 of none effect G208 through your G5216 tradition, G3862 which G3739 ye have delivered: G3860 and G2532 many G4183 such G5108 like things G3946 do ye. G4160
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezra 7
Commentary on Ezra 7 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 7
Ezr 7:1-10. Ezra Goes Up to Jerusalem.
1, 2. in the reign of Artaxerxes—the Ahasuerus of Esther.
Ezra the son of Seraiah—that is, grandson or great-grandson. Seraiah was the high priest put to death by Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah (2Ki 25:18). A period of one hundred thirty years had elapsed between that catastrophe and the journey of Ezra to Jerusalem. As a grandson of Seraiah, namely, Jeshua, who held the office of high priest, had accompanied Zerubbabel in the first caravan of returning exiles, Ezra must have been in all probability a grandson, descended, too, from a younger son, the older branch being in possession of the pontificate.
6. This Ezra … was a ready scribe in the law of Moses—The term "scribe" does not mean merely a penman, nor even an attorney well versed in forms of law and skilled in the method of preparing public or private deeds. He was a rabbi, or doctor, learned in the Mosaic law, and in all that related to the civil and ecclesiastical polity and customs of the Hebrew people. Scribes of this description possessed great authority and influence (compare Mt 23:25; Mr 12:28).
the king granted him all his request—left Babylon entrusted with an important commission to be executed in Jerusalem. The manner in which he obtained this office is minutely related in a subsequent passage. Here it is noticed, but with a pious acknowledgment of the divine grace and goodness which disposed the royal mind in favor of Ezra's patriotic objects. The Levites, &c., did not go at that time, but are mentioned here by anticipation.
8. he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month—that is, corresponding to the end of our July or beginning of our August. As he left Babylon on the Jewish New Year's Day (Ezr 7:9), the journey must have occupied not less than four months (a long period), but it was necessary to move at a slow pace and by short, easy stages, as he had to conduct a large caravan of poor people, including women, children, and all their household gear (see on Ezr 8:24).
10. Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, &c.—His reigning desire had been to study the divine law—its principles, institutions, privileges, and requirements; and now from love and zeal, he devoted himself, as the business of his life, to the work of instructing, reforming, and edifying others.
Ezr 7:11-26. Gracious Commission of Artaxerxes.
11. this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave—The measure which this document authorized, and the remarkable interest in the Jews displayed in it, were most probably owing to the influence of Esther, who is thought to have been raised to the high position of queen a few months previous to the departure of Ezra [Hales]. According to others, who adopt a different chronology, it was more probably pressed upon the attention of the Persian court by Ezra, who, like Daniel, showed the prophecies to the king; or by some leading Jews on his accession, who, seeing the unsettled and disordered state of the colony after the deaths of Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Haggai, and Zechariah, recommended the appointment of a commission to reform abuses, suppress disorder, and enforce the observance of the law.
12. Artaxerxes, king of kings—That title might have been assumed as, with literal truth, applicable to him, since many of the tributary princes of his empire still retained the name and authority of kings. But it was a probably a mere Orientalism, denoting a great and powerful prince, as the heaven of heavens signified the highest heaven, and vanity of vanities, the greatest vanity. This vainglorious title was assumed by the kings of Assyria, from whom it passed to the sovereigns of Persia.
unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven—The appointment of Ezra to this influential mission was of the highest importance to the Hebrew people, as a large proportion of them were become, in a great measure, strangers both to the language and the institutions of their forefathers.
14. sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors—This was the fixed number of the privy council of the kings of Persia (Es 1:10, 14). The document describes, with great clearness and precision, the nature of Ezra's commission and the extent of power and prerogatives with which he was invested. It gave him authority, in the first place, to organize the colony in Judea and institute a regular government, according to the laws of the Hebrew people, and by magistrates and rulers of their own nation (Ezr 7:25, 26), with power to punish offenders by fines, imprisonment, exile, or death, according to the degree of their criminality. Secondly, he was empowered to carry a large donation in money, partly from the royal treasury and partly raised by voluntary contributions among his countrymen, to create a fund out of which to make suitable provision for maintaining the regular worship of God in Jerusalem (Ezr 7:16, 17). Thirdly, the Persian officers in Syria were commanded to afford him every assistance by gifts of money within a certain specified limit, in carrying out the objects of his patriotic mission (Ezr 7:21).
22-24. an hundred talents of silver—£22,000 according to the rate of the silver talent of Babylon. Fourthly, Artaxerxes gave his royal sanction in the establishment of the divine law, which exempted priests and Levites from taxation or tribute and confirmed to them the exclusive right to officiate in the sacred services of the sanctuary. And, finally, in the expression of the king's desire for the divine blessing upon the king and his government (Ezr 7:23), we see the strong persuasion which pervaded the Persian court, and had been produced by the captivity of the Hebrew people, as to the being and directing providence of the God they worshipped. It will be observed, however, that the commission related exclusively to the rebuilding of the temple—not of the walls. The Samaritans (Ezr 4:20-22) had succeeded in alarming the Persian court by their representations of the danger to the empire of fortifying a city notorious for the turbulent character of its inhabitants and the prowess of its kings.
Ezr 7:27, 28. Ezra Blesses God for This Favor.
27. Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers—This devout thanksgiving is in unison with the whole character of Ezra, who discerns the hand of God in every event, and is always ready to express a pious acknowledgment for the divine goodness.