Ezra 7:1-14

EZRA 7:1

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,

 

Now after these things would cover the period from 516-458 B.C. a total of approximately 58 years.  Artaxerxes would be the Darius in the previous chapter.  In the first five verses of this chapter we have the genealogy of Ezra proving his right to be in the position he is in.  Ezra was the son of Seraiah who was a high priest but Nebuchadnezzar had him killed.  Ezra was the grandson of Seraiah.  Azariah was a priest in Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem.  From Azariah to Hilkiah was six generations as recorded in 1 Chronicles 6.

 

EZRA 7:2

The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,

 

And Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Shallum, (1 Chronicles 6:12) 

 

EZRA 7:3

The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,

 

And Azariah begat Amariah, and Amariah begat Ahitub, (1 Chronicles 6:11) 

Meraioth begat Amariah, and Amariah begat Ahitub, (1 Chronicles 6:7)

 

EZRA 7:4

The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,

 

And Uzzi begat Zerahiah, and Zerahiah begat Meraioth, (1 Chronicles 6:6) 

Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, (1 Chronicles 6:51)

 

EZRA 7:5

The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:

 

And these are the sons of Aaron; Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, (1 Chronicles 6:50)  The lineage of Ezra goes all the way back to Aaron which would be approximately 900 years prior.

 

EZRA 7:6

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

 

Then Ezra had gone up from Babylon and is called a ready scribe in the law of Moses which means he was skillful in the law having very good knowledge of it.  The law of Moses did not stand alone as it was given by the LORD God of Israel and Moses was the vessel he used to bring it to the people. The LORD continued to work in the life of Artaxerxes as Ezra had made some type of request and the king granted it as he was directed by the LORD who was guiding both he and Ezra.

 

EZRA 7:7

And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

 

Then in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king, which would have been one year after the temple was completed, there was another exodus of people who went from Babylon to Jerusalem.  They apparently waited to see how the situation went in Jerusalem before they took the journey.  They probably were concerned because they most likely  heard about the opposition that Zerubbabel faced and the two year halt to the building of the temple but now everything seemed fine so they left Babylon.

 

EZRA 7:8

And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.

 

Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month which was Abib which corresponded to our July into August.  It was in the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes.  The same year in which many others went from Babylon to Jerusalem.

 

EZRA 7:9

For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.

 

Ezra had started out in the first month which was Nisan and the journey took four months arriving in Abib the fifth month.  His journey was guided by the LORD as he went to Jerusalem for the purpose of bringing understanding to the people of the law of God. 

 

EZRA 7:10

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

 

The people had been in captivity for seventy years and many had forgotten the law of God since in that time frame many children were probably born and had no instruction in the law of God.  Ezra being well-versed in the law of God had made preparation in his heart to seek the law of God, not only to learn it personally, but to obey its tenets and then to teach it to the people who returned from captivity.  He was planning on teaching the people obedience to and understanding of the law of God.  Just as a Bible teacher does in the body of Christ, to help the Christians understand the Bible better.

 

EZRA 7:11

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.

 

Then king Artaxerxes still favoring the return of the Jews to the land gave a copy of a letter to Ezra the priest which was a proper title since he was the son of a high priest.  Then Ezra was called a scribe in general terms but then more specifically a scribe of the words of the commandments of Israel and of the statutes which were the edicts and decrees written in the law of God.  He not only knew the words of the law but he also knew the core of its teachings.

 

EZRA 7:12

Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.

 

Here is the contents of the letter.  Artaxerxes calls himself “king of kings” which is a title no monarch could ever claim but maybe he meant it as being king over other kings and Governors in his kingdom. He addresses the letter to Ezra the priest whom he calls a scribe of the law of the God of Heaven.  He extends to him perfect peace at that particular time, letting him know that the letter is not of a hostile nature but of a friendly nature.

 

EZRA 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 to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.

 

The king makes a decree that any person of Israel which includes the priests and Levites which are still dwelling in his realm may go up with Ezra to Jerusalem freely and without any hindrance, either in the kingdom on this side of the river or the Governors on that side of the river which was the Euphrates.  Remember the decrees of the Medes and Persians cannot be changed so this decree was good even beyond the Ezra exodus for those who might wait just a little bit longer.

 

EZRA 7:14

Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellers, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;

 

Ezra’s commission was by the king and his seven counselors.  Since the time of Darius Hystaspis all the Persian kings had seven counselors.  They had made inquiry concerning the city of Jerusalem and Judah in general concerning any political uprisings or general behavior of the people in general.  Ezra had a copy of the law and he was able to report to the king whether the people had been in obedience to the law of God or not.

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