Ezra 7:9

9 And in the first day of the first month Ezra began to go up from Babylon, and in the first day of the fifth month he came into Jerusalem, by the good hand, or help, of the God of him. (Yea, on the first day of the first month Ezra left Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came into Jerusalem, by the good hand, or the help, of his God.)

Ezra 7:9 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 7:9

For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up
from Babylon
The month Nisan, answering to part of March and part of April; this was New Year's day:

and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem;
the first of the month Ab, as in the preceding verse; so that he was just four months on his journey:

according to the good hand of his God upon him;
his power and providence, which gave him and his company health and strength, supplied them with everything necessary, directed, protected, and defended them, and brought them in safety to their journey's end.

Ezra 7:9 In-Context

7 And in the seventh year of Artaxerxes (the) king, there went up into Jerusalem men of the sons of Israel, and of the sons of priests, and of the sons of deacons, and of singers, and of porters, and of Nethinims. (And in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, some men of the Israelites, and of the sons of the priests, and of the sons of the Levites, and some of the singers, and the guards, or the doorkeepers, and the Temple workers, went up with Ezra to Jerusalem.)
8 And they came into Jerusalem in the fifth month; that is (in) the seventh year of the king('s) (reign).
9 And in the first day of the first month Ezra began to go up from Babylon, and in the first day of the fifth month he came into Jerusalem, by the good hand, or help, of the God of him. (Yea, on the first day of the first month Ezra left Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came into Jerusalem, by the good hand, or the help, of his God.)
10 And Ezra (had) made ready his heart to inquire (of) the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel the behest and doom of the Lord. (And Ezra had devoted his heart to inquire into the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach its rules and regulations in Israel/and to teach its rules and regulations to the Israelites.)
11 Soothly this is the exemplar of the epistle of the commandment, which the king Artaxerxes gave to Ezra, (the) priest, (a) writer learned in the words and commandments of the Lord, and in his ceremonies in Israel. (And this is the text of the letter of the decree, which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra, the priest, a writer learned in the Law of the Lord, and a teacher of its rules and regulations, to the people of Israel.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.