1 Now after H310 these things, H1697 in the reign H4438 of Artaxerxes H783 king H4428 of Persia, H6539 Ezra H5830 the son H1121 of Seraiah, H8304 the son H1121 of Azariah, H5838 the son H1121 of Hilkiah, H2518
And it came to pass in the month H2320 Nisan, H5212 in the twentieth H6242 year H8141 of Artaxerxes H783 the king, H4428 that wine H3196 was before H6440 him: and I took up H5375 the wine, H3196 and gave H5414 it unto the king. H4428 Now I had not been beforetime sad H7451 in his presence. H6440
Eleazar H499 begat H3205 Phinehas, H6372 Phinehas H6372 begat H3205 Abishua, H50 And Abishua H50 begat H3205 Bukki, H1231 and Bukki H1231 begat H3205 Uzzi, H5813 And Uzzi H5813 begat H3205 Zerahiah, H2228 and Zerahiah H2228 begat H3205 Meraioth, H4812 Meraioth H4812 begat H3205 Amariah, H568 and Amariah H568 begat H3205 Ahitub, H285 And Ahitub H285 begat H3205 Zadok, H6659 and Zadok H6659 begat H3205 Ahimaaz, H290 And Ahimaaz H290 begat H3205 Azariah, H5838 and Azariah H5838 begat H3205 Johanan, H3110 And Johanan H3110 begat H3205 Azariah, H5838 (he it is that executed the priest's office H3547 in the temple H1004 that Solomon H8010 built H1129 in Jerusalem:) H3389 And Azariah H5838 begat H3205 Amariah, H568 and Amariah H568 begat H3205 Ahitub, H285 And Ahitub H285 begat H3205 Zadok, H6659 and Zadok H6659 begat H3205 Shallum, H7967 And Shallum H7967 begat H3205 Hilkiah, H2518 and Hilkiah H2518 begat H3205 Azariah, H5838 And Azariah H5838 begat H3205 Seraiah, H8304 and Seraiah H8304 begat H3205 Jehozadak, H3087
And the elders H7868 of the Jews H3062 builded, H1124 and they prospered H6744 through the prophesying H5017 of Haggai H2292 the prophet H5029 and Zechariah H2148 the son H1247 of Iddo. H5714 And they builded, H1124 and finished H3635 it, according H4481 to the commandment H2941 of the God H426 of Israel, H3479 and according to the commandment H2942 of Cyrus, H3567 and Darius, H1868 and Artaxerxes H783 king H4430 of Persia. H6540
Artaxerxes, H783 king H4430 of kings, H4430 unto Ezra H5831 the priest, H3549 a scribe H5613 of the law H1882 of the God H426 of heaven, H8065 perfect H1585 peace, and at such a time. H3706
And I, H4481 even I H576 Artaxerxes H783 the king, H4430 do make H7761 a decree H2942 to all H3606 the treasurers H1490 which are beyond H5675 the river, H5103 that whatsoever Ezra H5831 the priest, H3549 the scribe H5613 of the law H1882 of the God H426 of heaven, H8065 shall require H7593 of you, it be done H5648 speedily, H629
And Hilkiah H2518 the high H1419 priest H3548 said H559 unto Shaphan H8227 the scribe, H5608 I have found H4672 the book H5612 of the law H8451 in the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068 And Hilkiah H2518 gave H5414 the book H5612 to Shaphan, H8227 and he read H7121 it.
And when they came H935 to Hilkiah H2518 the high H1419 priest, H3548 they delivered H5414 the money H3701 that was brought H935 into the house H1004 of God, H430 which the Levites H3881 that kept H8104 the doors H5592 had gathered H622 of the hand H3027 of Manasseh H4519 and Ephraim, H669 and of all the remnant H7611 of Israel, H3478 and of all Judah H3063 and Benjamin; H1144 and they returned H7725 H3427 to Jerusalem. H3389
These are now the chief H7218 of their fathers, H1 and this is the genealogy H3187 of them that went up H5927 with me from Babylon, H894 in the reign H4438 of Artaxerxes H783 the king. H4428 Of the sons H1121 of Phinehas; H6372 Gershom: H1647 of the sons H1121 of Ithamar; H385 Daniel: H1840 of the sons H1121 of David; H1732 Hattush. H2407 Of the sons H1121 of Shechaniah, H7935 of the sons H1121 of Pharosh; H6551 Zechariah: H2148 and with him were reckoned by genealogy H3187 of the males H2145 an hundred H3967 and fifty. H2572 Of the sons H1121 of Pahathmoab; H6355 Elihoenai H454 the son H1121 of Zerahiah, H2228 and with him two hundred H3967 males. H2145 Of the sons H1121 of Shechaniah; H7935 the son H1121 of Jahaziel, H3166 and with him three H7969 hundred H3967 males. H2145 Of the sons H1121 also of Adin; H5720 Ebed H5651 the son H1121 of Jonathan, H3129 and with him fifty H2572 males. H2145 And of the sons H1121 of Elam; H5867 Jeshaiah H3470 the son H1121 of Athaliah, H6271 and with him seventy H7657 males. H2145 And of the sons H1121 of Shephatiah; H8203 Zebadiah H2069 the son H1121 of Michael, H4317 and with him fourscore H8084 males. H2145 Of the sons H1121 of Joab; H3097 Obadiah H5662 the son H1121 of Jehiel, H3171 and with him two hundred H3967 and eighteen H8083 H6240 males. H2145 And of the sons H1121 of Shelomith; H8019 the son H1121 of Josiphiah, H3131 and with him an hundred H3967 and threescore H8346 males. H2145
And Ezra H5830 the priest H3548 brought H935 the law H8451 before H6440 the congregation H6951 both of men H376 and women, H802 and all that could hear H8085 with understanding, H995 upon the first H259 day H3117 of the seventh H7637 month. H2320 And he read H7121 therein before H6440 the street H7339 that was before H6440 the water H4325 gate H8179 from the morning H216 until midday, H4276 H3117 before the men H582 and the women, H802 and those that could understand; H995 and the ears H241 of all the people H5971 were attentive unto the book H5612 of the law. H8451 And Ezra H5830 the scribe H5608 stood H5975 upon a pulpit H4026 of wood, H6086 which they had made H6213 for the purpose; H1697 and beside H681 him stood H5975 Mattithiah, H4993 and Shema, H8087 and Anaiah, H6043 and Urijah, H223 and Hilkiah, H2518 and Maaseiah, H4641 on his right hand; H3225 and on his left hand, H8040 Pedaiah, H6305 and Mishael, H4332 and Malchiah, H4441 and Hashum, H2828 and Hashbadana, H2806 Zechariah, H2148 and Meshullam. H4918 And Ezra H5830 opened H6605 the book H5612 in the sight H5869 of all the people; H5971 (for he was above all the people;) H5971 and when he opened H6605 it, all the people H5971 stood up: H5975 And Ezra H5830 blessed H1288 the LORD, H3068 the great H1419 God. H430 And all the people H5971 answered, H6030 Amen, H543 Amen, H543 with lifting up H4607 their hands: H3027 and they bowed H6915 their heads, and worshipped H7812 the LORD H3068 with their faces H639 to the ground. H776 Also Jeshua, H3442 and Bani, H1137 and Sherebiah, H8274 Jamin, H3226 Akkub, H6126 Shabbethai, H7678 Hodijah, H1941 Maaseiah, H4641 Kelita, H7042 Azariah, H5838 Jozabad, H3107 Hanan, H2605 Pelaiah, H6411 and the Levites, H3881 caused the people H5971 to understand H995 the law: H8451 and the people H5971 stood in their place. H5977 So they read H7121 in the book H5612 in the law H8451 of God H430 distinctly, H6567 and gave H7760 the sense, H7922 and caused them to understand H995 the reading. H4744 And Nehemiah, H5166 which is the Tirshatha, H8660 and Ezra H5830 the priest H3548 the scribe, H5608 and the Levites H3881 that taught H995 the people, H5971 said H559 unto all the people, H5971 This day H3117 is holy H6918 unto the LORD H3068 your God; H430 mourn H56 not, nor weep. H1058 For all the people H5971 wept, H1058 when they heard H8085 the words H1697 of the law. H8451
And the captain H7227 of the guard H2876 took H3947 Seraiah H8304 the chief H7218 priest, H3548 and Zephaniah H6846 the second H4932 priest, H3548 and the three H7969 keepers H8104 of the door: H5592 He took H3947 also out of the city H5892 an H259 eunuch, H5631 which had the charge H6496 of the men H582 of war; H4421 and seven H7651 men H582 of them that were near H7200 the king's H4428 person, H6440 which were found H4672 in the city; H5892 and the principal H8269 scribe H5608 of the host, H6635 who mustered H6633 the people H5971 of the land; H776 and threescore H8346 men H376 of the people H5971 of the land, H776 that were found H4672 in the midst H8432 of the city. H5892 So Nebuzaradan H5018 the captain H7227 of the guard H2876 took H3947 them, and brought H3212 them to the king H4428 of Babylon H894 to Riblah. H7247 And the king H4428 of Babylon H894 smote H5221 them, and put them to death H4191 in Riblah H7247 in the land H127 of Hamath. H2574 Thus Judah H3063 was carried away captive H1540 out of his own land. H776
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.