6 This Ezra H5830 went up H5927 from Babylon; H894 and he was a ready H4106 scribe H5608 in the law H8451 of Moses, H4872 which the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 had given: H5414 and the king H4428 granted H5414 him all his request, H1246 according to the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 his God H430 upon him.
For I was ashamed H954 to require H7592 of the king H4428 a band of soldiers H2428 and horsemen H6571 to help H5826 us against the enemy H341 in the way: H1870 because we had spoken H559 unto the king, H4428 saying, H559 The hand H3027 of our God H430 is upon all them for good H2896 that seek H1245 him; but his power H5797 and his wrath H639 is against all them that forsake H5800 him.
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.
And his brethren, H251 Shemaiah, H8098 and Azarael, H5832 Milalai, H4450 Gilalai, H1562 Maai, H4597 Nethaneel, H5417 and Judah, H3063 Hanani, H2607 with the musical H7892 instruments H3627 of David H1732 the man H376 of God, H430 and Ezra H5830 the scribe H5608 before H6440 them.
Then I told H5046 them of the hand H3027 of my God H430 which was good H2896 upon me; as also the king's H4428 words H1697 that he had spoken H559 unto me. And they said, H559 Let us rise up H6965 and build. H1129 So they strengthened H2388 their hands H3027 for this good H2896 work.
And a letter H107 unto Asaph H623 the keeper H8104 of the king's H4428 forest, H6508 that he may give H5414 me timber H6086 to make beams H7136 for the gates H8179 of the palace H1002 which appertained to the house, H1004 and for the wall H2346 of the city, H5892 and for the house H1004 that I shall enter into. H935 And the king H4428 granted H5414 me, according to the good H2896 hand H3027 of my God H430 upon me.
Then we departed H5265 from the river H5104 of Ahava H163 on the twelfth H8147 H6240 day of the first H7223 month, H2320 to go H3212 unto Jerusalem: H3389 and the hand H3027 of our God H430 was upon us, and he delivered H5337 us from the hand H3709 of the enemy, H341 and of such as lay in wait H693 by the way. H1870
And by the good H2896 hand H3027 of our God H430 upon us they brought H935 us a man H376 of understanding, H7922 of the sons H1121 of Mahli, H4249 the son H1121 of Levi, H3878 the son H1121 of Israel; H3478 and Sherebiah, H8274 with his sons H1121 and his brethren, H251 eighteen; H8083 H6240
And I, H4481 even I H576 Artaxerxes H783 the king, H4430 do make H7761 a decree H2942 to all H3606 the treasurers H1490 which are beyond H5675 the river, H5103 that whatsoever Ezra H5831 the priest, H3549 the scribe H5613 of the law H1882 of the God H426 of heaven, H8065 shall require H7593 of you, it be done H5648 speedily, H629
Now this is the copy H6572 of the letter H5406 that the king H4428 Artaxerxes H783 gave H5414 unto Ezra H5830 the priest, H3548 the scribe, H5608 even a scribe H5608 of the words H1697 of the commandments H4687 of the LORD, H3068 and of his statutes H2706 to Israel. H3478 Artaxerxes, H783 king H4430 of kings, H4430 unto Ezra H5831 the priest, H3549 a scribe H5613 of the law H1882 of the God H426 of heaven, H8065 perfect H1585 peace, and at such a time. H3706
For upon the first H259 day of the first H7223 month H2320 began H3246 he to go up H4609 from Babylon, H894 and on the first H259 day of the fifth H2549 month H2320 came H935 he to Jerusalem, H3389 according to the good H2896 hand H3027 of his God H430 upon him.
How do ye say, H559 We are wise, H2450 and the law H8451 of the LORD H3068 is with us? Lo, certainly H403 in vain H8267 made H6213 he it; the pen H5842 of the scribes H5608 is in vain. H8267
Furthermore G3063 then G3767 we beseech G2065 you, G5209 brethren, G80 and G2532 exhort G3870 you by G1722 the Lord G2962 Jesus, G2424 that as G2531 ye have received G3880 of G3844 us G2257 how G4459 ye G5209 ought G1163 to walk G4043 and G2532 to please G700 God, G2316 so G2443 ye would abound G4052 more and more. G3123 For G1063 ye know G1492 what G5101 commandments G3852 we gave G1325 you G5213 by G1223 the Lord G2962 Jesus. G2424
Moreover, G1161 brethren, G80 I declare G1107 unto you G5213 the gospel G2098 which G3739 I preached G2097 unto you, G5213 which G3739 also G2532 ye have received, G3880 and G2532 wherein G1722 G3739 ye stand; G2476
Then G1161 said G2036 he unto them, G846 Therefore G1223 G5124 every G3956 scribe G1122 which is instructed G3100 unto G1519 the kingdom G932 of heaven G3772 is G2076 like G3664 unto a man G444 that is an householder, G3617 which G3748 bringeth forth G1544 out of G1537 his G846 treasure G2344 things new G2537 and G2532 old. G3820
Wherefore, when I came, H935 was there no man? H376 when I called, H7121 was there none to answer? H6030 Is my hand H3027 shortened H7114 at all, H7114 that it cannot redeem? H6304 or have I no power H3581 to deliver? H5337 behold, at my rebuke H1606 I dry up H2717 the sea, H3220 I make H7760 the rivers H5104 a wilderness: H4057 their fish H1710 stinketh, H887 because there is no water, H4325 and dieth H4191 for thirst. H6772
In all thy ways H1870 acknowledge H3045 him, and he shall direct H3474 thy paths. H734
[[To the chief Musician H5329 upon Shoshannim, H7799 for the sons H1121 of Korah, H7141 Maschil, H4905 A Song H7892 of loves.]] H3039 My heart H3820 is inditing H7370 a good H2896 matter: H1697 I speak H559 of the things which I have made H4639 touching the king: H4428 my tongue H3956 is the pen H5842 of a ready H4106 writer. H5608
These were in the days H3117 of Joiakim H3113 the son H1121 of Jeshua, H3442 the son H1121 of Jozadak, H3136 and in the days H3117 of Nehemiah H5166 the governor, H6346 and of Ezra H5830 the priest, H3548 the scribe. H5608
And on the second H8145 day H3117 were gathered together H622 the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of all the people, H5971 the priests, H3548 and the Levites, H3881 unto Ezra H5830 the scribe, H5608 even to understand H7919 the words H1697 of the law. H8451
And Nehemiah, H5166 which is the Tirshatha, H8660 and Ezra H5830 the priest H3548 the scribe, H5608 and the Levites H3881 that taught H995 the people, H5971 said H559 unto all the people, H5971 This day H3117 is holy H6918 unto the LORD H3068 your God; H430 mourn H56 not, nor weep. H1058 For all the people H5971 wept, H1058 when they heard H8085 the words H1697 of the law. H8451
And Ezra H5830 the scribe H5608 stood H5975 upon a pulpit H4026 of wood, H6086 which they had made H6213 for the purpose; H1697 and beside H681 him stood H5975 Mattithiah, H4993 and Shema, H8087 and Anaiah, H6043 and Urijah, H223 and Hilkiah, H2518 and Maaseiah, H4641 on his right hand; H3225 and on his left hand, H8040 Pedaiah, H6305 and Mishael, H4332 and Malchiah, H4441 and Hashum, H2828 and Hashbadana, H2806 Zechariah, H2148 and Meshullam. H4918
And it came to pass, when our enemies H341 heard H8085 that it was known H3045 unto us, and God H430 had brought H6565 their counsel H6098 to nought, H6565 that we returned H7725 all of us to the wall, H2346 every one H376 unto his work. H4399
And I arose H6965 in the night, H3915 I and some H4592 few H4592 men H582 with me; neither told H5046 I any man H120 what my God H430 had put H5414 in my heart H3820 to do H6213 at Jerusalem: H3389 neither was there any beast H929 with me, save the beast H929 that I rode upon. H7392
Now these are thy servants H5650 and thy people, H5971 whom thou hast redeemed H6299 by thy great H1419 power, H3581 and by thy strong H2389 hand. H3027 O Lord, H136 I beseech H577 thee, let now thine ear H241 be attentive H7183 to the prayer H8605 of thy servant, H5650 and to the prayer H8605 of thy servants, H5650 who desire H2655 to fear H3372 thy name: H8034 and prosper, H6743 I pray thee, thy servant H5650 this day, H3117 and grant H5414 him mercy H7356 in the sight H6440 of this man. H376 For I was the king's H4428 cupbearer. H8248
And kept H6213 the feast H2282 of unleavened bread H4682 seven H7651 days H3117 with joy: H8057 for the LORD H3068 had made them joyful, H8055 and turned H5437 the heart H3820 of the king H4428 of Assyria H804 unto them, to strengthen H2388 their hands H3027 in the work H4399 of the house H1004 of God, H430 the God H430 of Israel. H3478
But the eye H5870 of their God H426 was H1934 upon H5922 the elders H7868 of the Jews, H3062 that they could not H3809 cause H989 them H1994 to cease, H989 till H5705 the matter H2941 came H1946 to Darius: H1868 and then H116 they returned answer H8421 by letter H5407 concerning H5922 this H1836 matter.
And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken H8085 diligently H8085 unto the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 to observe H8104 and to do H6213 all his commandments H4687 which I command H6680 thee this day, H3117 that the LORD H3068 thy God H430 will set H5414 thee on high H5945 above all nations H1471 of the earth: H776
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:-