1Ezra's pedigree from Aaron; he goeth up to Jerusalem. 11The gracious commission of Artaxerxes to him. 27Ezra blesseth God for this favour.
1NOW after these things, in the reign of 1Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra 2the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
1 See Ezra 6 on verse 14.
2 Compare 1 Chron. 6:4, etc., where the progenitors of Ezra are specified in a greater number, some being here left out for brevity’s sake.
2The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
3The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
4The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
5The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the 3chief priest:
3 See 2 Kings 25 on verse 18.
6This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a 4ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, 5according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
4 Hebr. writer, whereby is meant one who is well versed in the Holy Scripture, and is a teacher or master of it, or so esteemed. The same word is also often used in the New Testament. See verses 11, 21; Jer. 8:8. Compare Psalm 45:1.
5 That is, while the Lord was with him, and blessed his design and purpose, ordering and governing things by His Divine Providence, according to his wish and desire. Compare verse 9.
7And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the 6Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the 7Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
6 This is said here in general by way of anticipation, but how the Levites met Ezra on the way and went up along with him, see thereof Ezra 8:15, etc.
7 See Ezra 2 on verse 43.
8And he came to Jerusalem in the 8fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
8 Called Ab, answering partly to July and partly to August.
9For upon the first day of the 9first month 10began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, 11according to the good hand of his God upon him.
9 Called Abib or Nisan.
10 Hebr. the laying of the ground work or foundation. Some take it for the consultation or advising.
11 Compare verse 6 with the annotation there, and verse 28.
10For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel 12statutes and judgments.
12 Hebr. institution and justice.
11¶Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.
12Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, 13perfect peace, and 14at such a time.
13 Other, the perfect scribe.
14 See Ezra 4 on verse 10.
13I 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 to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.
14Forasmucha as thou art sent of the king, and of his 15seven counsellors, 16to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God 17which is in thine hand;
a as, since, because, seeing that*
15 Compare Esther 1:14.
16 To inform whether the law of God is well kept or no, and to erect and repair again all that is decayed and fallen to ruin.
17 That is, which you have perpetually with you, or take along with you, with which you are familiar, and which you know to use readily upon any occasion whatsoever. Also verse 25.
15And to carry the silverb and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,
b Ezra 8:25.
16And all the silver and gold that thou 18canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:
18 That is, canst attain or acquire.
1719That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
19 Or, therefore, buy, etc.
18And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.
19The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.
20And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house.
21And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,
22Unto an hundred 20talentsc of silver, and to an hundred 21measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt 22without prescribing how much.
20 Of a talent see Exod. 25 on verse 39.
c in the Old Testament, generally a disk of a precious metal (gold, silver, etc.) weighing one talent – OT weight, standard (Heb. kikar): 3,000 shekels, 66 pounds or 30 kilograms*
21 Of these measures, kor and bath, see 1 Kings 4 on verse 22; 1 Kings 7 on verse 26.
22 That is, without prescribing the measure thereof, or, as much as they shall have need.
23Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be 23wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
23 Intimating, that he would surely bring God’s wrath and judgment upon himself, his kingdom and children, if he would do otherwise.
24Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose 24toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
24 See Ezra 4 on verse 13.
25And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom 25of thy God, that is in thine hand, set 26magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not.
25 That is, which thy God hath given thee or hath wrought in thee. Or understand the law of God wherein the wisdom of God is revealed, as verse 14.
26 Other, judges and examiners of matters.
26And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to 27banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
27 Chald. rooting out; because a man’s country or birthplace is like a field wherein he is planted and rooted, and the expelling or driven out from thence, is like a rooting out.
27 ¶ 28Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem:
28 These are now the words of Ezra. Or, Praise. Hebr. blessed.
28And hath extended 29mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was 30strengthened 31as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
29 Or, goodness, favor.
30 That is, I took courage.
31 Compare on verse 6.