14 Forasmuch H1768 H6903 as H3606 thou art sent H7972 of H4481 H6925 the king, H4430 and of his seven H7655 counsellors, H3272 to enquire H1240 concerning H5922 Judah H3061 and Jerusalem, H3390 according to the law H1882 of thy God H426 which is in thine hand; H3028
And the next H7138 unto him was Carshena, H3771 Shethar, H8369 Admatha, H133 Tarshish, H8659 Meres, H4825 Marsena, H4826 and Memucan, H4462 the seven H7651 princes H8269 of Persia H6539 and Media, H4074 which saw H7200 the king's H4428 face, H6440 and which sat H3427 the first H7223 in the kingdom;) H4438
And it shall be, when he sitteth H3427 upon the throne H3678 of his kingdom, H4467 that he shall write H3789 him a copy H4932 of this law H8451 in a book H5612 out of that which is before H6440 the priests H3548 the Levites: H3881 And it shall be with him, and he shall read H7121 therein all the days H3117 of his life: H2416 that he may learn H3925 to fear H3372 the LORD H3068 his God, H430 to keep H8104 all the words H1697 of this law H8451 and these statutes, H2706 to do H6213 them:
Be it known H1934 H3046 unto the king, H4430 that we went H236 into the province H4083 of Judea, H3061 to the house H1005 of the great H7229 God, H426 which is builded H1124 with great H1560 stones, H69 and timber H636 is laid H7761 in the walls, H3797 and this H1791 work H5673 goeth H5648 fast H629 on, and prospereth H6744 in their hands. H3028
And the God H426 that hath caused his name H8036 to dwell H7932 there H8536 destroy H4049 all H3606 kings H4430 and people, H5972 that shall put H7972 to their hand H3028 to alter H8133 and to destroy H2255 this H1791 house H1005 of God H426 which is at Jerusalem. H3390 I H576 Darius H1868 have made H7761 a decree; H2942 let it be done H5648 with speed. H629
And thou, H607 Ezra, H5831 after the wisdom H2452 of thy God, H426 that is in thine hand, H3028 set H4483 magistrates H8200 and judges, H1782 which may judge H1934 H1778 all H3606 the people H5972 that are beyond H5675 the river, H5103 all H3606 such as know H3046 the laws H1882 of thy God; H426 and teach H3046 ye them that know H3046 them not. H3809 And whosoever H3606 will not H3809 do H1934 H5648 the law H1882 of thy God, H426 and the law H1882 of the king, H4430 let judgment H1780 be H1934 executed H5648 speedily H629 upon him, H4481 whether H2006 it be unto death, H4193 or H2006 to banishment, H8332 or H2006 to confiscation H6065 of goods, H5232 or to imprisonment. H613
And hath extended H5186 mercy H2617 unto me before H6440 the king, H4428 and his counsellors, H3289 and before all the king's H4428 mighty H1368 princes. H8269 And I was strengthened H2388 as the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 my God H430 was upon me, and I gathered together H6908 out of Israel H3478 chief men H7218 to go up H5927 with me.
To the law H8451 and to the testimony: H8584 if they speak H559 not according to this word, H1697 it is because there is no light H7837 in them.
The king H4430 answered H6032 unto Daniel, H1841 and said, H560 Of H4481 a truth H7187 it is, that H1768 your God H426 is a God H426 of gods, H426 and a Lord H4756 of kings, H4430 and a revealer H1541 of secrets, H7328 seeing thou couldest H3202 reveal H1541 this H1836 secret. H7328
And when he came H7127 to the den, H1358 he cried H2200 with a lamentable H6088 voice H7032 unto Daniel: H1841 and the king H4430 spake H6032 and said H560 to Daniel, H1841 O Daniel, H1841 servant H5649 of the living H2417 God, H426 is thy God, H426 whom thou servest H6399 continually, H8411 able H3202 to deliver H7804 thee from H4481 the lions? H744
I H4481 H6925 make H7761 a decree, H2942 That in every H3606 dominion H7985 of my kingdom H4437 men tremble H1934 H2112 and fear H1763 before H4481 H6925 the God H426 of Daniel: H1841 for he is the living H2417 God, H426 and stedfast H7011 for ever, H5957 and his kingdom H4437 that which shall not H3809 be destroyed, H2255 and his dominion H7985 shall be even unto H5705 the end. H5491
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ezra 7
Commentary on Ezra 7 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 7
Ezra's precious name saluted us, at first, in the title of the book, but in the history we have not met with it till this chapter introduces him into public action in another reign, that of Artaxerxes. Zerubbabel and Jeshua we will suppose, by this time, to have grown old, if not gone off; nor do we hear any more of Haggai and Zechariah; they have finished their testimony. What shall become of the cause of God and Israel when these useful instruments are laid aside? Trust God, who has the residue of the Spirit, to raise up others in their room. Ezra here, and Nehemiah in the next book, are as serviceable in their days as those were in theirs. Here is,
The next chapter will give us a more particular narrative of his associates, his journey, and his arrival at Jerusalem.
Ezr 7:1-10
Here is,
Ezr 7:11-26
We have here the commission which the Persian emperor granted to Ezra, giving him authority to act for the good of the Jews; and it is very ample and full, and beyond what could have been expected. The commission runs, we suppose, in the usual form: Artaxerxes, King of kings. This however is too high a title for any mortal man to assume; he was indeed king of some kings, but to speak as if he were king of all kings was to usurp his prerogative who hath all power both in heaven and in earth. He sends greeting to his trusty and well-beloved Ezra, whom he calls a scribe of the law of the God of heaven (v. 12), a title which (it seems by this) Ezra valued himself by, and desired no other, no, not when he was advanced to the proconsular dignity. He reckoned it more his honour to be a scribe of God's law than to be a peer or prince of the empire. Let us observe the articles of this commission.
Ezr 7:27-28
Ezra cannot proceed in his story without inserting his thankful acknowledgement of the goodness of God to him and his people in this matter. As soon as he has concluded the king's commission, instead of subjoining, God save the king (though that would have been proper enough), he adds, Blessed be the Lord; for we must in every thing give thanks, and, whatever occurrences please us, we must own God's hand in them, and praise his name. Two things Ezra blessed God for:-