Ezra 7:1-28
“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, The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest: 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.
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. And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
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. 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.” (Ezra 7:1-10)
Seven years after Artaxerxes became king, Ezra, one of Aaron’s descendants led a group of priests, and temple workers to Jerusalem. He was well versed in the Jewish law, and equally important, was devoted to following it completely. His goal was to teach the people of Israel to do the same.
Ezra had earned the respect of Artaxerxes, who designated him to lead the group as a result of God’s blessing on his life. It took a full four months to make the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem with all the stuff they were taking with them. Ezra was given specific authorization and instruction as to what he was to do.
“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.
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. 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.” (Ezra 7:11-13)
Artaxerxes authorized any Jew who wished to go to accompany Ezra to Jerusalem. They were free to go but they did not have to go unless they wanted to.
“Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand; And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, And all the silver and gold that thou canst 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: That 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.
And 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. The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. And 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.” (Ezra 7:14-20)
Ezra was to report on the situation in Judah and Jerusalem. He was also to deliver donations from the king and other rulers as well as from the people who chose not to go to Jerusalem. He was authorized to use the donations to by sacrificial animals and supplies for worship in the temple and was to use his own discretion as to what was needed. He was also authorized to draw additional funds from the government if they were needed.
“And 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, Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. Whatsoever 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 wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
Also 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 toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.” (Ezra 7:21-24)
In the letter, Artaxerxes ordered the treasury department to honor Ezra’s requests up to about seven thousand five hundred pounds of silver, six hundred bushels of wheat, and six hundred gallons of olive oil or wine, as well as an unlimited amount of salt. They were to do their best to fulfill such requirements. The king did not want God’s opposition to his reign. They were not to impose taxes tolls or in anywise restrict the freedom of those who were involved in the ministry.
“And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates 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. And 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 banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.” (Ezra 7:24-26)
Ezra was further empowered to establish the necessary infrastructure for implementation and enforcement of God’s laws in the entire region. They were to enforce those laws to whatever extent was necessary.
Ezra was very appreciative of God’s blessing for having been authorized to do these things.
“Blessed 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: And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.” (Ezra 7:27-28)
God had caused Artaxerxes to support the rebuilding of Jerusalem. It is not hard to understand the concerns that led the other groups to write the letter described in Ezra 4 to try to stop Jewish expansion.
Ezra would spend the next twelve years teaching the Jews to serve God, but because of legal challenges and court orders, would be prevented from finishing construction of the city and temple until the Jews could prove their legal right to do so.
“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, The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest: 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.
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. And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
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. 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.” (Ezra 7:1-10)
Seven years after Artaxerxes became king, Ezra, one of Aaron’s descendants led a group of priests, and temple workers to Jerusalem. He was well versed in the Jewish law, and equally important, was devoted to following it completely. His goal was to teach the people of Israel to do the same.
Ezra had earned the respect of Artaxerxes, who designated him to lead the group as a result of God’s blessing on his life. It took a full four months to make the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem with all the stuff they were taking with them. Ezra was given specific authorization and instruction as to what he was to do.
“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.
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. 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.” (Ezra 7:11-13)
Artaxerxes authorized any Jew who wished to go to accompany Ezra to Jerusalem. They were free to go but they did not have to go unless they wanted to.
“Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand; And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, And all the silver and gold that thou canst 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: That 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.
And 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. The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. And 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.” (Ezra 7:14-20)
Ezra was to report on the situation in Judah and Jerusalem. He was also to deliver donations from the king and other rulers as well as from the people who chose not to go to Jerusalem. He was authorized to use the donations to by sacrificial animals and supplies for worship in the temple and was to use his own discretion as to what was needed. He was also authorized to draw additional funds from the government if they were needed.
“And 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, Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. Whatsoever 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 wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
Also 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 toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.” (Ezra 7:21-24)
In the letter, Artaxerxes ordered the treasury department to honor Ezra’s requests up to about seven thousand five hundred pounds of silver, six hundred bushels of wheat, and six hundred gallons of olive oil or wine, as well as an unlimited amount of salt. They were to do their best to fulfill such requirements. The king did not want God’s opposition to his reign. They were not to impose taxes tolls or in anywise restrict the freedom of those who were involved in the ministry.
“And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates 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. And 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 banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.” (Ezra 7:24-26)
Ezra was further empowered to establish the necessary infrastructure for implementation and enforcement of God’s laws in the entire region. They were to enforce those laws to whatever extent was necessary.
Ezra was very appreciative of God’s blessing for having been authorized to do these things.
“Blessed 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: And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.” (Ezra 7:27-28)
God had caused Artaxerxes to support the rebuilding of Jerusalem. It is not hard to understand the concerns that led the other groups to write the letter described in Ezra 4 to try to stop Jewish expansion.
Ezra would spend the next twelve years teaching the Jews to serve God, but because of legal challenges and court orders, would be prevented from finishing construction of the city and temple until the Jews could prove their legal right to do so.
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