Ezra 7:25

25 But thou, Ezra, by the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, ordain judges and governors, that they deem [all] the people, that is beyond the flood, that is, to them that know the law of thy God, and the law of the king; but also teach ye freely unknowing men. (And thou, Ezra, by the wisdom of thy God, which thou hast been given, ordain judges and governors to judge all the people who be in the province west of the Euphrates River, that is, those who know the Law of thy God, and the law of the king; and also freely teach ye unknowing men.)

Ezra 7:25 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 7:25

And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine
hand
Which he had a large share of from the Lord, and could readily make use of to good purpose; and this may be meant of the law of God made with the highest wisdom, and to know and observe which is an instance of wisdom in men, ( Deuteronomy 4:6 ) ,

set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are
beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God;
such as God, in his great wisdom, directed to in his wise law to be appointed over the people, to judge righteous judgment; to inform them in all matters of controversy that might arise among them, and decide them according to it; and lead them into a greater and better knowledge of it, ( Deuteronomy 16:18 ) ( 17:9 ) . Jarchi takes the word for "set" to be a comparative, and the sense to be, that the wisdom of Ezra was greater than the judges that judged the people, than them that knew the law:

and teach ye them that know them not;
such people that were ignorant thereof; though the above writer interprets this of ignorant judges,

``the judge that knows not to judge, make him know judgment to do it.''

Ezra 7:25 In-Context

23 All thing that pertaineth to the custom, either religion, of (the) God of heaven, be given diligently in the house of (the) God of heaven, lest peradventure he be wroth against the realm of the king, and of his sons. (Yea, let all the things that be demanded by the God of heaven, be diligently given for the House of the God of heaven, lest peradventure he be angry against the kingdom of the king, and of his sons.)
24 Also we make known to you of all the priests, and deacons, singers, and porters, and Nethinims, and ministers of the house of this God, that ye have not power to put on them toll, and tribute, and other costs for keeping of the land. (And we also make known to you, that ye have no power, or authority, to put tolls, or tribute, or any other kind of taxes, for the upkeep of the land, on any of the priests, or the Levites, or the singers, or the guards, or the doorkeepers, or the Temple workers, or the ministers in the House of God.)
25 But thou, Ezra, by the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, ordain judges and governors, that they deem [all] the people, that is beyond the flood, that is, to them that know the law of thy God, and the law of the king; but also teach ye freely unknowing men. (And thou, Ezra, by the wisdom of thy God, which thou hast been given, ordain judges and governors to judge all the people who be in the province west of the Euphrates River, that is, those who know the Law of thy God, and the law of the king; and also freely teach ye unknowing men.)
26 And each man, that doeth not diligently the law of thy God, and the law of the king, this doom shall be of him, either into death, either into exiling, either into losing of his chattel, either certainly into prison. (And any person, who obeyeth not the Law of thy God, and the law of the king, this sentence shall be for him, either death, or exile, or the loss of his chattel, or of his possessions, or imprisonment.)
27 And Ezra, the writer, said, Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, that gave this thing in the heart of the king (who put this counsel in the king's heart), that he should glorify the house of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem,
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.