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Ezra 7:12-26

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

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. 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. 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; 15. And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellers have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation [is] in Jerusalem, 16. 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: 17. 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. 18. 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. 19. The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, [those] deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. 20. 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. 21. 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, 22. 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]. 23. 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? 24. 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. 25. 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. 26. 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 7:12-26 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Ezra 7:12

Theological / Devotional

King of kings. The decree itself is quoted in vs. 12-26, written in Aramaic exactly as it issued from the Persian chancellery. It is closely related in form and content to the documents found in chs. 4 to 6, and is now, following the discovery of similar documents in Elephantine, recognized as genuine by even the most critical scholar. “Kings of kings” was a recognized title of the Persian monarchs, and is found in every Persian inscription of any considerable length. The title was first used by Assyrian kings, who thereby expressed the fact that they ruled over many vassal kings whom they retained on their respective thrones in conquered lands. The title was later taken over by the kings of Babylon (see Dan. 2:37), and then by the Persian kings when they became masters of the world. Ezra the priest. It is interesting to note that the decree does not make use of the ordinary Aramaic word kumra’, “priest,” but the loan word kahen, taken from the Heb. kohen. In Aramaic documents from Elephantine, writers also make a clear distinction between pagan priests, for whom they used the ordinary Aramaic word kumra’, and the true priests of God, whom they designated by the word, kahana’. The use of this word in the document of Ezra 7 therefore indicates that the decree, although approved and issued by the king and in his name, was composed by a Jew in the imperial chancellery. Other evidence found in this decree points in the same direction. A scribe of the law of the God of heaven. Aramaic, saphar datha’ di-’elah shemayya’. A correct explanation of this title was made in the 1930’s by H. H. Schaeder. On the basis of analogous titles he shows that it designates a high officer in the Persian chancellery in charge of affairs pertaining to “the law of the God of heaven.” Accordingly, Ezra was a reporter of Jewish religious affairs in the Persian government. Similarly we find in the later Parthian and Sassanide government the head of the Jewish population (resh galutha’, “head of the exiles”) occasionally ranking with the highest government officials. Neh. 11:24 also testifies to the existence of such an office in the time of Artaxerxes I. We are unable to say how Ezra received this appointment, but it is evident that appointment to this office would make him the most influential Jew in Babylon. That he used his influence in the interest of his people is proved by the contents of the decree. Perfect. The Aramaic has only the word gemir, meaning “completed,” and is considered by most scholars to be either an abbreviated formula indicating the end of a document or a word meaning “issued.” In the first case the word “peace” must be supplied, as the KJV has done, but the second interpretation considers the text complete as it stands. And at such a time. See on Ezra 4:17.

By SdaBc