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Ezra 7

Ezra book home•Chapter 7 of 10•28 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Ezra 7 Overview

Ezra enters the story generations after the first return. A priest and skilled scribe in the law of Moses, he receives broad authorization from Artaxerxes to travel to Jerusalem, teach God’s law, appoint judges, and support temple worship. The chapter emphasizes both Ezra’s prepared heart and the good hand of God upon him.

EzraBook

7Chapter

28Verses

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Before you read Ezra 7

Coming from

Chapter 6 completed the temple-restoration account and ended with Passover during the reign of Darius.

In this chapter

Ezra is introduced, receives imperial authority and resources, and prepares to strengthen the restored community through the law of God.

Leads into

Chapter 8 records the families traveling with Ezra, the search for Levites, the fast at Ahava, and the protected journey to Jerusalem.

Key understandingExplore deeper

There is a major chronological jump between chapters 6 and 7. Ezra arrives under Artaxerxes I, traditionally dated to 458/457 BC. His priestly genealogy links him to Aaron, while his description as a ready scribe emphasizes learned competence in the Mosaic law.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Ezra’s pattern is unusually clear: he prepares his heart to seek the law of the LORD, to do it, and to teach it.

Truth 2

God’s providence can work through imperial authorization while the servant of God still understands success as the good hand of God.

Truth 3

Teaching Scripture carries responsibility for both understanding and faithful application.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Ezra 7:10 summarizes Ezra’s ministry and anticipates the public reading and explanation of the law in Nehemiah 8.

Connection 2

Deuteronomy 17:8-13 provides background for judicial application of God’s law within Israel.

Connection 3

Nehemiah 8 later shows Ezra publicly reading the law to the gathered people.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Artaxerxes’s generosity toward the temple does not by itself establish his personal conversion.

Keep this clear 2

Ezra’s civil authority to appoint judges belongs to this Persian-authorized, Mosaic-covenant setting; it is not a direct blueprint for church government.

Keep this clear 3

Seeking, doing, and teaching God’s law describe Ezra’s faithfulness, not conditions for receiving eternal life.

Read Ezra 7 watching for…

How Ezra’s ancestry and skill are described.

The three-part pattern in Ezra’s prepared heart.

What authority Artaxerxes gives Ezra.

What resources are supplied for temple worship.

How Ezra credits God’s hand while receiving imperial support.

Chapter outline3 sections

1-10Ezra’s priestly line is given, and he comes to Jerusalem with a heart prepared to seek and teach the law 11-26Artaxerxes gives Ezra authority, provision, and instructions for Jerusalem and the law of God 27-28Ezra blesses the LORD for the king’s favor and gathers leaders for the journey

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,

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 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.

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.

Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.

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 thee.

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;

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,

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:

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.

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.

The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou 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, it be 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 how much.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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 in Jerusalem:

And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellers, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.