Bible Commentaries
Ezra 7

Verse 8

Verse Ezra 7:8. He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month — From the following verse we learn that Ezra and his company set off from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and thus we find they were upwards of four months on their journey. They could not travel fast, as they were a great company, composed in part of the aged and infirm, besides multitudes of women and children. They appear also to have taken a circuitous route. See on Ezra 8:24-32,

Verse 10

Verse Ezra 7:10. Ezra had prepared his heart — Here is a fine character of a minister of God: He prepares, הכין hechin, he fixes, purposes, and determines, לבבו lebabo, with his heart - with all his powers and affections, to seek the law of God, and to do it himself, that he may be properly qualified to teach its statutes and judgments to Israel.

Verse 12

Verse 12. Artaxerxes, king of kings — This letter, from the beginning of this verse to the end of Ezra 7:12-26, is in the Aramitic or Chaldee language.

This title of the king would, in Persian, run thus: [Persian] Ardsheer shahinshah, or [Persian] padshah, "Ardsheer, king of kings;" "great or supreme king, or emperor."

Verse 13

Verse 13. Their own free-will — None shall be forced either to go or to stay. He who loves his God will avail himself of this favourable opportunity.

Verse 14

Verse 14. His seven counsellors — It is very likely that the privy counsel of the king consisted of seven persons simply. The names of these seven counsellors or chamberlains may be found in the book of Esther, Esther 1:10.

Verse 16

Verse 16. And all the silver and gold — The king and his counsellors had already made a present to the house of the God of Israel; and Ezra is now empowered to receive any contribution which any of the inhabitants of the province of Babylon may think proper to give.

Verse 18

Verse 18. After the will of your God — He gave them the fullest liberty to order every thing according to their own institutions, binding them to no form or mode of worship.

Verse 22

Verse 22. A hundred talents of silver — The talent of silver was 450£.

A hundred measures of wheat — A hundred cors; each cor was a little more than seventy-five gallons, one quart, and a pint, wine measure.

A hundred baths of wine — Each bath was seven gallons and five pints.

Verse 23

Verse 23. Why should there be wrath — As he believed he was appointed by the Almighty to do this work, he therefore wished to do it heartily, knowing that if he did not, God would be displeased, and that the kingdom would be cut off from him or his posterity.

Verse 24

Verse 24. It shall not be lawful to impose toll — As these persons had no private revenues, it would have been unreasonable to have laid them under taxation.

Verse 26

Verse 26. Whether it be unto death — These include almost every species of punishment which should be inflicted on culprits in any civilized state. With this verse the Chaldee part of this chapter ends.

Verse 28

Verse Ezra 7:28. And I was strengthened — In what the king decreed he saw the hand of God; he therefore gave him the praise, and took courage. There is a most amiable spirit of piety in these reflections. Ezra simply states the case; shows what the king had determined, and tells what he said; and then points out the grand agent in the whole business-it was the Lord God of his fathers. Thus God had put it into the king's heart to beautify the house of Jehovah; and, as that house was built for the salvation of the souls of men, he gives God praise for putting it into the king's heart to repair it: he who loves God and man will rejoice in the establishment of the Divine worship, because this is the readiest way to promote the best interests of man.