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Ezra 7

1 By the commandment of the King, Ezrá and his companions come to Jerusalém 27 He giveth thanks to God.
1.Now after these things, in the reign of aArtahsháshte King of Persia, was Ezrá the son of Seraiáh, the son of Azariáh, the son of Hilkiáh,
2.The son of Shallúm, the son of Zadók, the son of Ahitúb,
3.The son of Amariáh, the son of Azariáh, the son of Meraióth,
4.The son of Zeraiáh, ths son of Uzzí, the son of Bukkí,
5.The son of Abisshúa, the son of Phinehás, the son of Eleazár, the son of bAarón; the chief Priest.
6.This Ezrá came up from Babél, and was a cscribe prompt in the Law of Mosés, which the Lord God of Israél had given, and the King gave him all his request according to the hand of the Lord his God which was upon him.
7.And there went up certain of the children of Israél, and of the Priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethiníms unto Jerusalém, in the seventh year of King Artahsháshte.
8.And he came to Jerusalém in the dfifth month, which was in the seventh year eof the King.
9.For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babél, & on the first day of the first month came he to Jerusalém, according to the good hand of his God that was upon him.
10.For Ezrá had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach the precepts and judgements in Israél.
11.¶ And this is the copy of the letter that King Artahsháshte gave unto Ezrá the Priest and scribe, even a writer of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his statutes over Israél.
12.ARTAHSHASHTE King of Kings to Ezrá the Priest and perfect scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, and to fCheéneth.
13.I have given commandment, that every one, that is willing in my kingdom of the people of Israél, and of the Priests, and Levites gto go to Jerusalém with thee, shal go.
14.Therefore art thou sent of the King and his seven counsellors, to henquire in Judáh and Jerusalém, according to the Law of thy God, which is in ithine hand,
15.And to carry the silver and the gold, which the King and his counsellors willingly offer unto the God of Israél (whose habitation is in Jerusalém)
16.And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babél, with the free offering of the people, and that which the Priests offer willingly to the house of their God which is in Jerusalém,
17.That thou maiest buy speedily with this silver, bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings: and thou shalt offer them upon the altar of the house of your God, which is in Jerusalém.
18.And whatsoever it pleaseth thee and thy brethren to do with the rest of the silver, and gold, do ye it according to the wil of your kGod.
19.And the vessels that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before God in Jerusalém.
20.And the residue that shalbe needful for the house of thy God, which shalbe mete for thee to bestow, thou shalt bestow it out of the King’s treasure house,
21.And I King Artahsháshte have given commandment to all the treasurers which are beyond lthe River, that whatsoever Ezrá the Priest and scribe of the Law of the God of heaven shal require of you, that it be done incontinently,
22.Unto an hundreth talents of silver, unto an hundreth ^measures of wheat, and unto an hundreth baths of wine, and unto an hundreth mbaths of oil, and salt without writing.
23.Whatsoever is by the commandment of the God of heaven, let it be done speedily for the house of the God of heaven: for why should he be wrath nagainst the realm of the King, and his children?
24.And we certify you, that upon any of the Priests, Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers in this house of God, there shal no governor lay upon them toll, tribute nor custom.
25.And thou Ezrá (after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand) oset judges and arbiters, which may judge all the people that is beyond the River, even all that know the Law of thy God, and teach ye them that know it not.
26.And whosoever wil not do the Law of thy God, and the King’s law, let him have judgement without delay, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
27.pBlessed be the Lord God of our fathers, which so hath put in the King’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalém,
28.And hath inclined mercy toward me, before the King and his counsellors, and before all the King’s mighty princes: and I was comforted by the hand of the Lord my God which was upon me, and I gathered the chief of Israél to go up with me.

Notes

1-a.
The Ebrewes write, that divers of the Kings of Persia were called by this name as Pharaoh was a common name to the Kings of Egypt, and Caesar to the Emperors Romain.
5-b.
Ezra deduced his kindred, til he came to Aaron, to prove that he came of him.
6-c.
He shows here what a scribe is, who had charge to write the Law and to expound it, whom Mark calls a scribe, Mark 12.28, Mat. and Luke call him a lawyer, or doctor of the Law, Mat. 22.35, Luk. 10.25.
8-d.
That contained part of July and part of August.
8-e.
Of King Darius.
12-f.
Some take this for the name of a people, some for time or continuance meaning that the King wished him long life.
13-g.
Which remained as yet in Babylon, and had not returned with Zerubbabel.
14-I.
Whereof you are expert.
14-h.
To examine who lived according to the Law.
18-k.
As you know best may serve to God’s glory.
21-W.
hich was the River Euphrates, and they were beyond it in respect of Babylon.
22-^.
Ebr., Corim.
22-m.
Read 1 King 7.26, and 2 Chron. 2.10.
23-n.
This declares that the fear of God’s judgements caused him to use this liberality, and not the love that he bare to God’s glory or affection to his people.
25-o.
He gave Ezra full authority to restore all things according to the word of God, and to punish them that resisted and would not obey.
27-p.
Thus Ezra gave God thanks for that he gave him so good success in his affairs by reason of the King.