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Ezra Chapter
Seven
New King James Version (NKJV)
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,
YLT And after these things, in the reign of
Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,
Now after these things
The finishing of the temple,
Ezra 7:2 the
son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
YLT son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,
Ezra 7:3 the
son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
YLT son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of
Meraioth,
Ezra 7:4 the
son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
YLT son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,
Ezra 7:5 the
son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the
chief priest—
YLT son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of
Eleazar, son of Aaron the head priest;
Ezra 7:6 this
Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was a skilled scribe in the Law of
Moses, which the Lord
God of Israel had given. The king granted him all his request, according to the
hand of the Lord
his God upon him.
YLT Ezra himself hath come
up from Babylon, and he [is] a scribe ready in the law of Moses, that Jehovah
God of Israel gave, and the king giveth to him -- according to the hand of
Jehovah his God upon him -- all his request.
This Ezra went up from Babylon
A second time; for that he went up with Zerubbabel is clear from ( Nehemiah 12:1 ) , and is plainly intimated, ( Ezra
5:4 ) ,
and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God
of Israel had given;
the meaning is, not that he had a quick hand in writing out copies of it, but
was well versed in the knowledge of it; had studied it thoroughly, well
instructed in it, and was abundantly qualified to teach it others; he was an
eminent doctor of the law; so scribes, in the New Testament, who are the same
with the lawyers, were such as were teachers of the law; the word here used in
the Arabic language signifies to be expert, as Jarchi F15 learned from one of their doctors:
and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of
the Lord his God upon him;
either upon Ezra, giving him favour with the king, and so success and
prosperity; or it may denote the divine influence of the God of Ezra upon the
heart of the king, moving him to grant what he asked of him, even everything he
desired: he seems to have been sent upon an embassy to the king from the chief
men at Jerusalem; perhaps the governors of Syria had not so fully made the
disbursements the king in his decree had required them to make, since the
following commission chiefly respects such things; and he was sent on that
errand to acquaint the king with it, as well as to persuade those that remained
to return, and to obtain leave for it.
FOOTNOTES:
F15 Comment. in Psal. xlv. 1. "acutus ingenio et solers fuit",
Golius, col. 2272. "in re exercitatus fuit et excultus", Castel. col.
2008. Ethiop. "docuit, erudivit", ib. col. 2007.
Ezra 7:7 Some of the children of
Israel, the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the
Nethinim came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.
YLT And there go up of the
sons of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the
gatekeepers, and the Nethinim, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of
Artaxerxes the king.
And there went up some of the children of Israel
Perhaps some of the ten tribes, as well as others of the tribes of Judah and
Benjamin; who, notwithstanding the edict of Cyrus, chose to remain in Babylon,
and in the countries of it, until they saw how things would go in Judea; and
hearing that the temple was finished, and that those that had returned had
built them houses in their several cities, and prospered, thought fit to return
also:
and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the
porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem;
to take their places, and execute their offices in the temple now built; for of
the Levites especially, some of which were singers, and others porters, and of
the Nethinims, there were but few that went up with Zerubbabel: now this
journey of theirs was taken
in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king;
that is, of Darius Artaxerxes, and this was the year after the temple was
finished: though it is thought by many learned men, and not without some show
of reason, that Artaxerxes Longimanus is meant.
Ezra 7:8 And
Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year
of the king.
YLT And he cometh in to
Jerusalem in the fifth month, that [is in] the seventh year of the king,
And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month
With the above company; this was the month Abib, answering to part of July and
part of August: which was in the seventh year of the king; as in the preceding
verse.
Ezra 7:9 On
the first day of the first month he began his journey from
Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem,
according to the good hand of his God upon him.
YLT for on the first of the month he hath founded
the ascent from Babylon, and on the first of the fifth month he hath come in
unto Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him,
For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from
Babylon
The month Nisan, answering to part of March and part of April; this was New
Year's day:
and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem;
the first of the month Ab, as in the preceding verse; so that he was just four
months on his journey:
according to the good hand of his God upon him;
his power and providence, which gave him and his company health and strength,
supplied them with everything necessary, directed, protected, and defended
them, and brought them in safety to their journey's end.
Ezra 7:10 For
Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it,
and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.
YLT for Ezra hath prepared his heart to seek the
law of Jehovah, and to do, and to teach in Israel statute and judgment.
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord,
To attain to the knowledge of it, that he might be master of it, and expert in
it, and know what was not to be done, and what to be done; he had set his heart
upon this, bent his studies this way, and taken a great deal of pains in
searching into it, in reading of it, and meditating on it;
and to do it;
he was not only concerned to get the theory of it, but to put it in practice,
to exercise himself in it, that it might be habitual to him; and the rather, as
his view and intentions were not merely for the sake of himself, but
to teach in Israel statutes and judgments:
and therefore it was not only necessary that he should have a large and
competent knowledge of the laws, moral, ceremonial, and civil, but that he
should act according to them himself, that so by his example, as well as by his
instructions, he might teach the people.
Ezra 7:11 This is
a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest, the scribe,
expert in the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of His
statutes to Israel:
YLT And this [is] a copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave
to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a scribe of the words of the commands of
Jehovah, and of His statutes on Israel:
Now this is the copy of the letter that the King Artaxerxes gave
unto Ezra the priest
This title relating to his office is justly given him, since he was the son of
an high priest, and lineally descended from Aaron, as the above account of his
pedigree shows:
the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the
Lord, and of his statutes to Israel;
the doubling of the word "scribe" shows that he was very wise and
learned in the law, in the commandments and statutes of it the Lord gave to
Israel; not only in the language of it in which it was written, but in the
matter and substance of it, in the things contained in it; for (yrbd) "dibre",
signfiies "things" as well as words.
Ezra
7:12 Artaxerxes,[a] king of
kings, To Ezra the
priest, a scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Perfect peace, and
so forth.[b]
YLT `Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe
of the law of the God of heaven, and at such a time:
Artaxerxes, king of kings
Having many kings and kingdoms subject and tributary to him; for this was not
merely a proud haughty title which the eastern kings F16 assumed, particularly the Persians;
for after Cyrus they were so in fact, who took this title also, and had it put
on his sepulchral monument, ``Here I lie, Cyrus, king of kings F17;''
this title was
given to Grecian kings, particularly Agamemnon is called king of kings F18, he being general at the siege of
Troy, under whom the rest of the kings fought; if this was Darius Hystaspis, of
him Cyrus dreamed that he had wings on his shoulders, with one he covered Asia,
and with the other Europe F19:
unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven;
of which titles see ( Ezra 7:11 ) :
perfect [peace], and at such a time;
the word "perfect" belongs to Ezra's title as a scribe, signifying
that he was a most learned and complete scribe or teacher of the law of God;
"peace" is not in the text, and the phrase "at such a time"
respects the date of the letter, though not expressed, or is only an "et
cetera", (See Gill on Ezra 4:10).
FOOTNOTES:
F16 See the Universal History, vol. 5. p. 16, 137. & vol. 11. p. 7, 8. margin,
& p. 66.
F17 Strabo, Geograph. l. 15. p. 502.
F18 Vell. Patercul. Hist. Roman. l. 1. in initio.
F19 Herodot. Clio, sive, l. 1. c. 209.
Ezra
7:13 I
issue a decree that all those of the people of Israel and the priests and
Levites in my realm, who volunteer to go up to Jerusalem, may go with you.
YLT By me hath been made a decree that every one who is willing, in my
kingdom, of the people of Israel and of its priests and Levites, to go to
Jerusalem with thee, doth go;
I make a decree
Which, according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, when signed, might not
be changed, ( Daniel 6:8 ) ,
that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and
Levites, in my realm;
who remained there, and took not the benefit of the edict of Cyrus, which gave
them leave to go; but neglecting the opportunity, it seems as if they could not
now go out of the realm without a fresh grant, which is hereby given:
which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go
with thee;
this decree did not oblige them to go whether they would or not; for they
might, notwithstanding this, continue if they pleased; it only gave them leave
to make use of the present opportunity of going along with Ezra, if they chose
it.
Ezra
7:14 And
whereas you are being sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire
concerning Judah and Jerusalem, with regard to the Law of your God which is
in your hand;
YLT because that from the king and his seven counsellors thou art
sent, to inquire concerning Judah and concerning Jerusalem, with the law of God
that [is] in thy hand,
Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven
counsellors
Such a number the kings of Persia used to have from the times of Darius Hystaspis,
who was chosen out of seven nobles to be king, and ever after the Persian kings
had seven counsellors privileged, as those nobles were, ( Esther
1:14 ) , and Ezra had the honour to be sent with a commission from
this king and his seven counsellors,
to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem;
the inhabitants thereof, whether they had knowledge of and behaved
according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;
a copy of which he had with him, and was very expert in and conversant with,
and could readily and at once pass judgment whether they acted according to it
or not.
Ezra
7:15 and
whereas you are to carry the silver and gold which the king and his
counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is
in Jerusalem;
YLT and to carry silver and gold that the king and his counsellors
willingly offered to the God of Israel, whose tabernacle [is] in Jerusalem,
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.
] In the temple built there; for the service of which, either for purchasing
and procuring vessels that were wanting in it, or for sacrifices to be offered
in it, the king and his nobles had made a voluntary contribution, and intrusted
and sent Ezra with it.
Ezra
7:16 and
whereas all the silver and gold that you may find in all the province of
Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and the priests, are
to be freely offered for the house of their God in Jerusalem—
YLT and all the silver and gold that thou findest in all the province
of Babylon, with the free-will offerings of the people, and of the priests,
offering willingly, for the house of their God that [is] in Jerusalem,
And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the
province of Babylon
Not that he might take it wherever he found it, whether the owners of it were
willing he should have it or not; but whatever was freely offered by them, as
Jarchi, that he was allowed to take, whatever he could get in that way:
with the freewill offering of the people;
of the people of the Jews, who thought fit to continue in the province:
and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God
which is in Jerusalem;
those freewill offerings, whether of the natives of Babylon, or of any of the
Jewish nation, for the service of the temple at Jerusalem, he had leave and a
commission to carry with him.
Ezra
7:17 now
therefore, be careful to buy with this money bulls, rams, and lambs, with their
grain offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the
house of your God in Jerusalem.
YLT therefore thou dost speedily buy with this money, bullocks, rams,
lambs, and their presents, and their libations, and dost bring them near to the
altar of the house of your God that [is] in Jerusalem,
That thou mayest buy speedily with this money
Thus freely contributed by one and another:
bullocks, rams, lambs;
which were for burnt offerings:
with their meat offerings, and their drink offerings;
which always went along with the burnt offerings, according to the law of
Moses; and which the king seemed to have a right knowledge of, being, no doubt,
instructed by Ezra, or some other Jew in his court:
and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in
Jerusalem;
the altar of burnt offering in the temple there.
Ezra
7:18 And
whatever seems good to you and your brethren to do with the rest of the silver
and the gold, do it according to the will of your God.
YLT and that which to thee and to thy brethren is good to do with the
rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God ye do.'
And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren,
The priests, that he should think fit to take in to his assistance in this
work:
to do with the rest of the silver and gold;
which should be left after the sacrifices were offered up:
that do after the will of your God;
as they should be directed by him, or was prescribed by him in the law.
Ezra
7:19 Also
the articles that are given to you for the service of the house of your God,
deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem.
YLT `And the vessels that are given to thee, for the service of the
house of thy God, make perfect before the God of Jerusalem;
The vessels also that were given thee for the service of the house
of thy God
These were vessels of silver, basins of gold, and vessels of fine copper; not
what formerly belonged to the temple, they were delivered by Cyrus to Sheshbazzar;
but what the present king and his counsellors freely offered at this time, see
( Ezra 8:25 Ezra
8:26 ) , those
deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem;
perfect and complete, the full number of them, as the word signifies F20; meaning not to be delivered before
him, or in his presence, as a witness thereof, but that they should be
dedicated and devoted to his service, who was worshipped in the temple at
Jerusalem, and by the inhabitants of it; he seems as if he thought him a
topical deity, the God of that particular place, which was the notion of the
Heathens, see ( 1 Kings 20:23 ) , though he also speaks of him
as the God of heaven.
FOOTNOTES:
F20 (Mlvh) "integra et
pleno numero redde", Michaelis.
Ezra
7:20 And
whatever more may be needed for the house of your God, which you may have
occasion to provide, pay for it from the king’s treasury.
YLT and the rest of the needful things of the house of thy God, that
it falleth to thee to give, thou dost give from the treasure-house of the king.
And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God,
which thou shall have occasion to bestow
For the beautifying and ornamenting the temple, ( Ezra
7:27 ) ,
bestow it out of the king's treasure house;
where the money collected by tribute, tax, and custom, was deposited; his
exchequer, as it may be called, see ( Ezra
6:8 ) .
Ezra
7:21 And
I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, issue a decree to all the treasurers who
are in the region beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the
scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, let it be done
diligently,
YLT And by me -- I Artaxerxes the king -- is made a decree to all
treasurers who [are] beyond the river, that all that Ezra the priest, scribe of
the law of the God of heaven, doth ask of you, be done speedily:
And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers
which are beyond the river
The receivers of his tribute, tax, and custom, beyond the river Euphrates, on
the side towards the land of Israel:
that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God
of heaven;
see ( Ezra 7:12 ) ,
shall require of you, it be done speedily;
which seems at first a grant at large for whatsoever he should want or demand,
but is limited and restrained by what follows.
Ezra
7:22 up to one
hundred talents of silver, one hundred kors of wheat, one hundred baths of
wine, one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribed limit.
YLT Unto silver a hundred talents, and unto wheat a hundred cors, and
unto wine a hundred baths, and unto oil a hundred baths, and salt without
reckoning;
Unto one hundred talents of silver
Which amounted to 35,300 pounds sterling; these, according to Jarchi, were to
buy the offerings or sacrifices with:
and an hundred measures of wheat;
or corn, the same measure with the homer, each of which held ten ephahs, or
seventy five wine gallons, five pints, and upwards; these, according to the
same writer, were for meat offerings, made of fine flour, or rather bread
offerings, as they may be called:
and to an hundred baths of wine;
which was the same measure in liquids as the ephah in things dry, a tenth part
of the cor or homer, and held seven wine gallons, five pints, and upwards F21; these were for the drink offerings:
and to an hundred baths of oil;
the same measure as before; these were to mix in the meat offerings:
and salt without prescribing how much;
because it was used in all offerings, and was cheap, and therefore no measure
is fixed, but as much as was wanting was to be given, see ( Leviticus 2:1-13 ) .
FOOTNOTES:
F21 See Cumberland's Scripture Weights and Measures, ch. 4. p. 137.
Ezra
7:23 Whatever is
commanded by the God of heaven, let it diligently be done for the house of the
God of heaven. For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and
his sons?
YLT all that [is] by the decree of the God of heaven, let be done
diligently for the house of the God of heaven; for why is there wrath against
the kingdom of the king and his sons?
Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven
In the law given by Moses to the people of Israel:
let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven;
for the service of it, particularly sacrifices:
for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and
his sons?
through the neglect of the service of God in the temple, and by reason of the
default of the king's treasurers.
Ezra
7:24 Also we inform
you that it shall not be lawful to impose tax, tribute, or custom on any of the
priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, or servants of this house of
God.
YLT `And to you we are making known, that upon any of the priests and
Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, and servants of the house of God,
tribute and custom there is no authority to lift up.
Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites,
singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God
The king had a right and perfect knowledge of the distinct offices and services
of those persons, see ( Ezra 7:7 ) ,
it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them;
that they might be the less encumbered with the affairs of life, and be more at
leisure to attend divine service, and do it the more readily and freely; it was
usual with the Heathens to except ecclesiastics from taxes, tributes, and
imposts; so the priests in Egypt F23, and the Druids here in Britain F24.
FOOTNOTES:
F23 Diodor. Sicul. l. 1. p. 66.
F24 Caesar. Comment. de Bello Gall. l. 6. c. 13.
Ezra
7:25 And you, Ezra,
according to your God-given wisdom, set magistrates and judges who may judge
all the people who are in the region beyond the River, all such as know
the laws of your God; and teach those who do not know them.
YLT `And thou, Ezra, according to the wisdom of thy God, that [is] in
thy hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may be judges to all the people
who are beyond the river, to all knowing the law of thy God, and he who hath
not known ye cause to know;
And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand
Which he had a large share of from the Lord, and could readily make use of to
good purpose; and this may be meant of the law of God made with the highest
wisdom, and to know and observe which is an instance of wisdom in men, ( Deuteronomy 4:6 ) ,
set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that
are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God;
such as God, in his great wisdom, directed to in his wise law to be appointed
over the people, to judge righteous judgment; to inform them in all matters of
controversy that might arise among them, and decide them according to it; and
lead them into a greater and better knowledge of it, ( Deuteronomy 16:18 ) ( 17:9 ) . Jarchi takes the word for
"set" to be a comparative, and the sense to be, that the wisdom of
Ezra was greater than the judges that judged the people, than them that knew
the law:
and teach ye them that know them not;
such people that were ignorant thereof; though the above writer interprets this
of ignorant judges,
``the judge
that knows not to judge, make him know judgment to do it.''
Ezra
7:26 Whoever will
not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be
executed speedily on him, whether it be death, or banishment, or
confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.
YLT and any who doth not do the law of thy God, and the law of the
king, speedily is judgment done upon him, whether to death, or to banishment,
or to confiscation of riches, and to bonds.'
And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the
king
Either the judge who delays judgment, or does not execute it according to the
law of God, and of the king; or the people, that do not obey the law of God in
matters of religion, and the law of the king in civil things, Judea being now a
province of the Persian empire; though some think the law of the king only
refers to this law or decree of the king, which gave the Jews power to execute
their own laws:
let judgment be executed speedily upon him;
immediately, without delay, according to the nature of his crime:
whether it be unto death;
if guilty of a capital crime, deserving death, let him be put to death:
or to banishment;
from his native country to a foreign distant land;
or to rooting out
F25,
as the word signifies; an utter extirpation of him and his family, a destroying
him root and branch; or, as Jarchi expresses it, a rooting him out of the
world, his seed and family:
or to confiscation of goods;
to payment of mulcts and fines:
or to imprisonment;
for such a term of time; all according to the breach of what law he may be
guilty of; thus far the king's decree.
FOOTNOTES:
F25 (wvrvl) "ad
eradicationem ejus", Pagninus, Montanus; "ad eradicationem",
Tigurine version, Vatablus, De Dieu, Michaelis.
Ezra
7:27 Blessed
be the Lord
God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s
heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in
Jerusalem,
YLT
Blessed [is] Jehovah, God of our fathers, who hath given such a
thing as this in the heart of the king, to beautify the house of Jehovah that
[is] in Jerusalem,
Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers
This is Ezra's thanksgiving to God for the above decree:
which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart;
which he rightly took to be of God, who wrought in him to will and to do:
to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem;
to provide for the ornamenting of it, for vessels in it, as well as for
sacrifices; for as for the building of it, that was finished.
Ezra
7:28 and has
extended mercy to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s
mighty princes. So I was encouraged, as the hand of the Lord my God was
upon me; and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me.
YLT and unto me hath stretched out kindness before the king and his
counsellors, and before all the mighty heads of the king: and I have
strengthened myself as the hand of Jehovah my God [is] upon me, and I gather
out of Israel heads to go up with me.
And hath extended mercy unto me, before the king and his
counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes
Before Artaxerxes, his seven counsellors, ( Ezra
7:14 ) and the nobles of his realm, in being appointed by them to
carry their freewill offerings to Jerusalem, and the king's commands to his
treasurers, with leave to take as many of the Jews with him as were willing to
go:
and I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me;
animated to undertake this work, and execute this commission, being under the
influence of divine favour and protection:
and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me;
he went about in the several parts where Israelites dwelt, and persuaded some
of the principal men among them to go along with him to Jerusalem, showing them
the king's decree, which gave them leave; and their names and numbers are
described in the next chapter.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
NJKV Footnotes:
a.
Ezra 7:12 The
original language of Ezra 7:12–26 is Aramaic.
b.
Ezra 7:12
Literally and now