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Ezra 7

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Ezra 7

New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 734, 735

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7Ezra 7

Ezra Arrives in Jerusalem

17 Many years later, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia,* there was a man named Ezra. He was the son* of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son* of Meraioth, 4son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the high priest.* 6This Ezra was a scribe who was well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Logo, the God of Israel, had given to the people of Israel. He came up to Jerusalem from Babylon, and the king gave him everything he asked for, because the gracious hand of the LORD his God was on him. 7Some of the people of Israel, as well as some of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants, traveled up to Jerusalern with him in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes’ reign. 8Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in August* of that year. 9He had arranged to leave Babylon on April 8, the first day of the new year,* and he arrived at Jerusalem on August 4,* for the gracious hand of his God was on him. 10This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the LORD and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel.

Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra

1111King Artaxerxes had given a copy of the following letter to Ezra, the priest and scribe who studied and taught the commands and decrees of the LORD to Israel: 12*“Erom Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the teacher of the law of the God of heaven. 13“I decree that any of the people of Israel in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may volunteer to return to Jerusalem with you. 14I and my council of seven hereby instruct you to conduct an inquiry into the situation in Judah and Jerusalem, based on your God’s law, which is in your hand. 8We also commission you to take with you silver and gold, which we are freely presenting as an offering to the God of Israel who lives in Jerusalem. 16“Furthermore, you are to take any silver and gold that you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the voluntary offerings of the people and the priests that are presented for the Temple of their God in Jerusalem. 17These donations are to be used specifically for the purchase of bulls, rams, male lambs, and the appropriate grain offerings and liquid offerings, all of which will be offered on the altar of the Temple of your God in Jerusalem. 18Any silver and gold that is left over may be used in whatever way you and your colleagues feel is the will of your God. 19“But as for the cups we are entrusting to you for the service of the Temple of your God, deliver them all to the God of Jerusalem. 20If you need anything else for your God’s Temple or for any similar needs, you may take it from the royal treasury. 21", Artaxerxes the king, hereby send this decree to all the treasurers in the province west of the Euphrates River*: ‘You are to give Ezra, the priest and teacher of the law of the God of heaven, whatever he requests of you. 22You are to give him up to 7,500 pounds* of silver, 500 bushels* of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, 550 gallons of olive oil,* and an unlimited supply of salt. 23Be careful to provide whatever the God of heaven demands for his Temple, for why should we risk bringing God’s anger against the realm of the king and his sons? 24I also decree that no priest, Levite, singer, gatekeeper, Temple servant, or other worker in this Temple of God will be required to pay tribute, customs, or tolls of any kind.’ 25“And you, Ezra, are to use the wisdom your God has given you to appoint magistrates and judges who know your God’s laws to govern all the people in the province west of the Euphrates River. Teach the law to anyone who does not know it. 26Anyone who refuses to obey the law of your God and the law of the king will be punished immediately, either by death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.”

Ezra Praises the LORD

2727Praise the LORD, the God of our ancestors, who made the king want to beautify the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalern! 28And praise him for demonstrating such unfailing love to me by honoring me before the king, his council, and ail his mighty nobles! I felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the LORD my God was on me. And I gathered some of the leaders of Israel to return with me to Jerusalem.

Textual footnotes

  1. within the months of August and September 458 B.c.
  2. Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was April 8, 458 8.c.; also see note on 6:15. _7:9b Hebrew on the first day of the
  3. fifth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was August 4, 458 8.c.; also see note on 6:15. 7:12 The
  4. original text of 7:12-26 is in Aramaic.
  5. 7:1a Artaxerxes reigned 465-424 B.c.
  6. 7:1b Or descendant; see 1 Chr 6:14.
  7. 7:3 Or descendant; see 1 Chr 6:6-10.
  8. 7:5 Or the first priest.
  9. 7:8 Hebrew in the fifth month. This month in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred
  10. 7:9a Hebrew on the first day of the first month, of the ancient
  11. 7:21 Aramaic the province beyond the river; also in 7:25.
  12. 7:22a Aramaic 100 talents [3,400 kilograms].
  13. 7:22b Aramaic 100 cors [18.2 kiloliters}. 7:22¢ Aramaic 100 baths [2.1 kiloliters] of wine, 100 baths of olive olf.

Life Application Notes 9 notes

7:1There is a gap of almost 60 years between the events of chapters 6 and 7. The story in the book of Esther occurred during this time, in the reign of Xerxes, who ruled from 486-465 B.C. Artaxerxes, his son, became king in 465, and Ezra returned to Jerusalem in 458.

7:6Eighty years after the first exiles returned to Jerusalem (2:1), Ezra himself returned. This was his first trip, and it took four months. The Temple had been standing for about 58 years. Up to this point in the narrative, Ezra had remained in Babylon, probably compiting a record of the events that had taken place. Why did he have to ask the king if he could return? Ezra wanted to lead many Jews back to Jerusalem, and he needed a decree from the king stating that any Jew who wanted to return could do so. This decree would be like a passport in case they ran into opposition along the way. The king’s generous decree showed that God was blessing Ezra (7:6, 28). It also indicated that Ezra was probably a prominent man in Artaxerxes’ kingdom. He was willing to give up this position in order to return to his homeland and teach the Israelites God’s laws.

7:6-10Ezra demonstrates how a gifted Bible teacher can move God’s people forward. He was effective because he was a wellversed student of the law of the LORD and because he was determined to obey those laws. He taught through both his speaking and his example. Like Ezra, we should determine both to study and to obey God’s Word.

7:14The council of seven was Artaxerxes’ supreme court (see Esther 1:14).

7:14When Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the Temple, he took a vast amount of plunder that may have included a copy of the Book of the Law (2 Chronicles 36:18). It is also possible that this book was brought by the Jews into exile and was confiscated ant read by their conquerors. Foreign leaders who worshiped many gods liked to have records of the gods of other nations for military and political reasons.

7:24Why did Artaxerxes exempt Temple workers from paying taxes? He recognized that the priests and Levites filled an important role in society as spiritual leaders, so he freed them of tax burdens. While the Bible does not teach tax exemption for religious employees, Artaxerxes, a pagan king, recognized and supported the principle. Today, churches have the responsibility to keep worldly burdens off the shoulders of spiritual workers.

7:27In Ezra’s doxology, he acknowledges that God “made the king want to beautify the Temple.” God can change a king’s heart (see Proverbs 21:1). When we face life’s challenges, we often must work diligently and with extraordinary effort, realizing that God oversees all our work. Recognize his hand in your success, and remember to praise him for his help and protection.

7:27,28Ezra praised God for all that God had done for him and through him. Ezra had honored God throughout his life, and God chose to honor him. Ezra could have assumed that his own greatness and charisma had won over the king and his princes, but he gave the credit to God. We, too, should be grateful to God for our success and not think that we did it in our own power.

7:28The speaker here is Ezra. He writes in the first person for the remainder of the book. he Ree es I ee as = EZRA'S JOURNEY Ezra led a second group of exiles back to Judah and Jerusalem about 80 years after the first group. He traveled the dangerous route without military escort (8:22), but the people prayed and, under Ezra’s godly leadership, arrived safely in Jerusalem after several months.

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Mediterranean f, s Sea 4 Southern boundary of the empire

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