Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Ezra 7:5

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

7:1-8:36 RETURN UNDER EZRA

The temple was completed in 516 BC. Ezra’s return was in 458 BC, the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes I (see 7:1,7). There is therefore a gap of about sixty years between Chapters 6 and 7. By the time of Ezra, former leaders such as Zerubbabel, Joshua, Haggai and Zechariah had died. Without their leadership, Israel’s religious life became weak and its community life disordered. The only detailed information that the Bible gives of events during these years is found in the book of Esther.

Plans for reform (7:1-28)

Ezra was both a priest and a scribe. He had a thorough knowledge of the Jewish law and he was well respected in official circles in Persia. When he told the king of his plan to go to Jerusalem to reform the Jewish people, the king readily gave his approval (7:1-10).
In addition the king gave Ezra funds from the royal treasury to carry out his program (11-20), with the assurance of further funds from the Persian administration in Palestine should the need arise (21-24). He also gave Ezra the authority to appoint judges, set up courts and carry out punishments (25-26). The whole arrangement caused Ezra to praise God and gave him added confidence as he began his work (27-28).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

THE ABBREVIATED GENEALOGY OF EZRA

"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 Jehovah, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of Jehovah 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 Nethinim, 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 on 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 set his heart to seek the law of Jehovah, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances."

The events centered around the name of Ezra must be accounted among the most wonderful things that ever happened to God's people. The immense dimensions of Ezra's request of Artaxerxes stagger the imagination; and the authority given to Ezra by that monarch, making him, in fact, ruler of the entire province beyond the River, with the power of life and death to enforce his reforms appears to have been directly the result of Divine favor and intervention, as positively indicated by Ezra's thanksgiving at the end of the chapter. It seems quite unlikely that Ezra's `request' would have included all that the king gave, unless the request came following the king's decision to turn the government of the satrapy over to Ezra.

The purpose of this genealogy is to show the importance of Ezra as a direct descendant of the great High Priest Aaron. It is also significant that he had a copy of the Law of Moses (Ezra 7:14); and this, we may believe, was also true of many faithful descendants of Aaron through the long centuries between the Exodus and the return from Babylon, making it utterly impossible for any forged document such as the so-called P Code to have been fraudulently imposed upon Israel. That Ezra was in full possession of the Torah indicates the preservation of it through the ages.

"Priests, Levites, singers, porters, Nethinim," Oesterley wrote that, "That all these various classifications of Israelites should have been available to return with Ezra witnesses a considerable communal organization among the Jews during their captivity."Arthur S. Peake's Commentary, p. 329.

"On the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the frst day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem" All of this journey occurred in the seventh year of Artaxerxes I; and Whitcomb gave the date of this journey as being, "From March 27 to July 24, 457 B.C., a journey of exactly four months."

"The direct distance between Babylon and Jerusalem is about 520 miles; but the circuitous route usually followed by armies or other large groups was not direct, but went through Carchemish and the Orontes Valley, a distance of about 900 miles."F. C. Cook, Barnes' Commentary Series, op. cit., p. 448.

That Ezra and his company required 120 days to complete this journey, averaging only about eight miles a day was probably due to the dangers encountered and other difficulties associated with moving a large number of people.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 7

Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes ( Ezra 7:1 )

Who is Longimanus of the secular history.

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 of 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 7:6-10 ).

So Ezra was called a ready scribe. He had sought his heart to seek God. And Artaxerxes had given to him permission to come on back with another contingency of men, about 1,754 plus their little ones and their wives and all their substance. So this is now the second return. It's a small one under Ezra coming back to Jerusalem. A favorite phrase and, of course, now we get into chapter seven. We get into, this is eighty years approximately after the first people had come. So the people, of course, had been in the land. It was their first return. They have been now there for about eighty years when Ezra comes on the scene, and he evidently has favor with the king. He is granted permission to go back in order that he might teach and instruct the people in the ways of the law of God. A popular phrase with Ezra is "the good hand of God upon him."

Now Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest a decree, verse twelve.

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 you. Forasmuch as you are sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in your 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 you can 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 you may 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 your brothers, 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 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. 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, be it 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. 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? ( Ezra 7:12-23 )

Now why would he say that? Because he said... Ezra had gone to the king and said, "Now the hand of the Lord is upon all them for good who seek him. But if those forsake him, then you know the punishment and the wrath of God." So he said, "Why should God's wrath be upon me? Go ahead and do all these things." So he also made the decree that they could not tax the ministers, the priests and all of those who ministered in the house of God. There was not to be any taxes or tolls or customs imposed upon them.

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 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 7:25-26 ).

And Ezra said,

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 at Jerusalem: and hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And [he said, Ezra said] I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel the chief men to go up with me ( Ezra 7:27-28 ).

So Ezra, no doubt, had a very great favor in the eyes of Artaxerxes. And Artaxerxes gave this marvellous decree, giving unto Ezra money and also commanding that those on the other side give money. Also commanding that he could collect a freewill offering.

But it is interesting to me that so few really decided to go back with Ezra. Now as many as want can return, and only 1,754 wanted to. What had happened is that the Jews had become so prosperous. They started in businesses and all. Up until, of course, the time of captivity, they were most of them just farmers. But here they started getting into the businesses and they started getting so prosperous and so wealthy that they just really didn't want to go back to the hardships of the land. The land of Israel was still, offered just a lot of hardship, a lot of work. It was, everything was rebuilding. Here they were in Persia and this great and glorious empire and they were wealthy; they were getting along so well that they really didn't desire to go back.

And so though they all had the right, as many as want to of their own free will to return may do so at this time, only 1,754 chose to do so; the rest of them just settling down, comfortable, prosperous, not wanting to go through the rigors of trying to rebuild the land that had been desolated. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Ezra’s background 7:1-10

"These things" (Ezra 7:1) refers to the events of the first return that the writer described in chapters 1-6.

Ezra’s genealogy (Ezra 7:1-5) shows that he was a man of importance whom his fellow Jews would have respected. His name is a shortened form of "Azariah," meaning "Yahweh helps." He was a descendant of Aaron, the first high priest of Israel (Ezra 7:5). There are gaps in this genealogy (cf. 1 Chronicles 6:3-15). "Son of" occasionally means "descendant of," as elsewhere in the Old Testament. [Note: L. H. Brockington, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther, p. 70; Fensham, The Books . . ., p. 79; et al.] The purpose of this linear genealogy was not to record all of Ezra’s ancestors but to trace his lineage from Aaron.

A "scribe" (Ezra 7:6) was a person who functioned as a copier, writer, and communicator. Scribes fulfilled various roles before the exile. These included military officer (Judges 5:14; 2 Kings 25:19), messenger of the king (2 Kings 18:18), secretary to the king (2 Samuel 8:17; 2 Samuel 20:25), clerk, and writer (Jeremiah 36:26; Jeremiah 36:32). In the Gospels we have many references to scribes. In Jesus’ day they were primarily students and teachers of the Law. In Ezra’s time this specialized function of the scribe was developing. Ezra himself, as a scribe and priest, was able to teach the Law (cf. Leviticus 10:11; Nehemiah 8:1-9; Nehemiah 8:13). He also enjoyed special divine protection and enablement (Ezra 7:6; cf. Ezra 7:9; cf. Ezra 7:28; Ezra 8:18; Ezra 8:22; Ezra 8:31). [Note: Judah J. Slotki, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, p. 150.]

"The wise scribe followed an honored profession in which he might take pride (Sirach 38:24-34). His was the highest privilege and virtue: to study the law, to meditate on it and apply it to life (cf. Psalms 1; Psalms 19:7-14; Psalms 119)." [Note: Bright, pp. 424-25.]

Ezra and his companions left Babylon in the spring of 458 B.C. The Jewish month of Nisan corresponds to our late March and early April.

"It is emphasized that the date of departure from Babylon was carefully calculated to take place on the first day of the first month, though in the event they could leave only on the twelfth day due to the need to recruit Levites (Ezra 8:31). While the point is not made explicitly, this arrangement implies that the Ezra caravan, like the Israelites of old, marked their departure with the celebration of Passover (cf Exodus 12:1; Numbers 33:3), and that therefore this second episode in the restoration of the commonwealth begins in the same way that the first ends." [Note: Joseph Blenkinsopp, "A Theological Reading of Ezra-Nehemiah." Proceedings of the Irish Biblical Association 12 (1989):29.]

Ezra and his fellow travelers completed their 900-mile journey exactly four months later (Ezra 7:8-9) because of God’s enablement (Ezra 7:9). [Note: J. Stafford Wright, The Date of Ezra’s Coming to Jerusalem, pp. 17-28. Cf. K. Koch, "Ezra and the Origins of Judaism," Journal of Semitic Studies 19:2 (1974):173-97; and Frank M. Cross, "A Reconstruction of the Judean Restoration," Interpretation 29:2 (1975):194.]

Ezra’s personal resolve provides an excellent example for every believer (Ezra 7:10). He first purposed to study (lit. seek) the law (Heb. torah) of God, then to apply that teaching to his own life, and then to teach others the revealed will of God. This was the key to Ezra’s impact. "Torah" means "instruction," and it describes the Law of Moses, the Book of Deuteronomy, the Pentateuch, and the whole Old Testament in various places in Scripture. Here it probably refers to all the revealed will of God that Ezra had, all the scrolls of the Old Testament sacred writings to which he had access.

"The order is very significant, for you cannot effectively practice what you have not thoroughly learned, and you cannot convincingly teach what you have not practically applied." [Note: Laney, p. 52.]

"One called by God to teach must also study and obey." [Note: Breneman, p. 130. Cf. McConville, p. 47; Steven J. Lawson, "The Pattern of Biblical Preaching: An Expository Study of Ezra 7:10 and Nehemiah 8:1-18," Bibliotheca Sacra 158:632 (October-December 2001):451-66.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

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Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      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,   2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,   3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,   4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,   5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:   6 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.   7 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.   8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.   9 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.   10 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.

      Here is, I. Ezra's pedigree. He was one of the sons of Aaron, a priest. Him God chose to be an instrument of good to Israel, that he might put honour upon the priesthood, the glory of which had been much eclipsed by the captivity. He is said to be the son of Seraiah, that Seraiah, as is supposed, whom the king of Babylon put to death when he sacked Jerusalem, 2 Kings 25:18; 2 Kings 25:21. If we take the shortest computation, it was seventy-five years since Seraiah died; many reckon it much longer, and, because they suppose Ezra called out in the prime of his time to public service, do therefore think that Seraiah was not his immediate parent, but his grandfather or great-grandfather, but that he was the first eminent person that occurred in his genealogy upwards, which is carried up here as high as Aaron, yet leaving out many for brevity-sake, which may be supplied from 1 Chronicles 6:4-81, c. He was a younger brother, or his father was Jozadak, the father of Jeshua, so that he was not high priest, but nearly allied to the high priest.

      II. His character. Though of the younger house, his personal qualifications made him very eminent. 1. He was a man of great learning, a scribe, a ready scribe, in the law of Moses,Ezra 7:6; Ezra 7:6. He was very much conversant with the scriptures, especially the writings of Moses, had the words ready and was well acquainted with the sense and meaning of them. It is to be feared that learning ran low among the Jews in Babylon; but Ezra was instrumental to revive it. The Jews say that he collected and collated all the copies of the law he could find out, and published an accurate edition of it, with all the prophetical books, historical and poetical, that were given by divine inspiration, and so made up the canon of the Old Testament, with the addition of the prophecies and histories of his own time. If he was raised up of God, and qualified and inclined to do this, all generations have reason to call him blessed, and to bless God for him. God sent to the Jews prophets and scribes,Matthew 23:34. Ezra went under the latter denomination. Now that prophecy was about to cease it was time to promote scripture-knowledge, pursuant to the counsel of God by the last of the prophets, Malachi 4:4. Remember the law of Moses. Gospel ministers are called scribes instructed to the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 13:52), New-Testament scribes. It was a pity that such a worthy name as this should be worn, as it was in the degenerate ages of the Jewish church, by men who were professed enemies to Christ and his gospel (Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees), who were learned in the letter of the law, but strangers to the spirit of it. 2. He was a man of great piety and holy zeal (Ezra 7:10; Ezra 7:10): He had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, c. (1.) That which he chose for his study was the law of the Lord. The Chaldeans, among whom he was born and bred, were famed for literature, especially the study of the stars, to which, being a studious man, we may suppose that Ezra was tempted to apply himself. But he got over the temptation the law of his God was more to him than all the writings of their magicians and astrologers, which he knew enough of with good reason to despise them. (2.) He sought the law of the Lord, that is, he made it his business to enquire into it, searched the scriptures, and sought the knowledge of God, of his mind and will, in the scriptures, which is to be found there, but not without seeking. (3.) He made conscience of doing according to it; he set it before him as his rule, formed his sentiments and temper by it, and managed himself in his whole conversation according to it. This use we must make of our knowledge of the scriptures; for happy are we if we do what we know of the will of God. (4.) He set himself to teach Israel the statutes and judgments of that law. What he knew he was willing to communicate for the good of others; for the ministration of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. But observe the method: he first learned and then taught, sought the law of the Lord and so laid up a good treasure, and then instructed others and laid out what he had laid up. He also first did and then taught, practised the commandments himself and then directed others in the practice of them; thus his example confirmed his doctrine. (5.) He prepared his heart to do all this, or he fixed his heart. He took pains in his studies, and thoroughly furnished himself for what he designed, and then put on resolution to proceed and persevere in them, and thus he became a ready scribe. Moses in Egypt, Ezra in Babylon, and both in captivity, were wonderfully fitted for eminent services to the church.

      III. His expedition to Jerusalem for the good of his country: He went up from Babylon (Ezra 7:6; Ezra 7:6), and, in four months' time, came to Jerusalem, Ezra 7:8; Ezra 7:8. It was strange that such a man as he staid so long in Babylon after his brethren had gone up; but God sent him not thither till he had work for him to do there; and none went but those whose spirits God raised to go up. Some think that this Artaxerxes was the same with that Darius whose decree we had (Ezra 6:1-12; Ezra 6:1-12), and that Ezra came the very year after the temple was finished: that was the sixth year, this the seventh (Ezra 7:8; Ezra 7:8), so Dr. Lightfoot. My worthy and learned friend, lately deceased, Mr. Talents, in his chronological tables, places it about fifty-seven years after the finishing of the temple; others further on. I have only to observe, 1. How kind the king was to him. He granted him all his request, whatever he desired to put him into a capacity to serve his country. 2. How kind his people were to him. When he went many more went with him, because they desired not to stay in Babylon when he had gone thence, and because they would venture to dwell in Jerusalem when he had gone thither. 3. How kind his God was to him. He obtained this favour from his king and country by the good hand of the Lord that was upon him,Ezra 7:6; Ezra 7:9. Note, Every creature is that to us which God makes it to be, and from him our judgment proceeds. As we must see the events that shall occur in the hand of God, so we must see the hand of God in the events that do occur, and acknowledge him with thankfulness when we have reason to call it his good hand.