Ezra 7:14

14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the Melech, and of his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Yehudah and Yerushalayim, according to the law of thy G-d which is in thine hand;

Ezra 7:14 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 7:14

Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven
counsellors
Such a number the kings of Persia used to have from the times of Darius Hystaspis, who was chosen out of seven nobles to be king, and ever after the Persian kings had seven counsellors privileged, as those nobles were, ( Esther 1:14 ) , and Ezra had the honour to be sent with a commission from this king and his seven counsellors,

to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem;
the inhabitants thereof, whether they had knowledge of and behaved

according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;
a copy of which he had with him, and was very expert in and conversant with, and could readily and at once pass judgment whether they acted according to it or not.

Ezra 7:14 In-Context

12 Artachshasta, Melech Melachim, unto Ezra Kohen, Sofer of the law of Elohei Shomayim, Greetings! And now

13 I issued a decree, that all they of the Am Yisroel, and of Kohanim and Levi’im, in my kingdom, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Yerushalayim, go with thee.

14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the Melech, and of his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Yehudah and Yerushalayim, according to the law of thy G-d which is in thine hand;

15 And to carry the kesef and zahav, which the Melech and his counselors have freely offered unto the Elohei Yisroel, Whose habitation is in Yerushalayim,

16 And all the kesef and zahav that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the Kohanim, offering willingly for the Beis Eloheihem which is in Yerushalayim;