Ezra 7:11

Artaxerxes’ Letter for Ezra

11 This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in the commandments and statutes of the LORD to Israel: ^[a]

Ezra 7:11 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 7:11

Now this is the copy of the letter that the King Artaxerxes
gave unto Ezra the priest
This title relating to his office is justly given him, since he was the son of an high priest, and lineally descended from Aaron, as the above account of his pedigree shows:

the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord,
and of his statutes to Israel;
the doubling of the word "scribe" shows that he was very wise and learned in the law, in the commandments and statutes of it the Lord gave to Israel; not only in the language of it in which it was written, but in the matter and substance of it, in the things contained in it; for (yrbd) "dibre", signfiies "things" as well as words.

Ezra 7:11 In-Context

9 He had begun the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him.

10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.

11 This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in the commandments and statutes of the LORD to Israel:

12 Artaxerxes, king of kings. To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.

13 I hereby decree that any volunteers among the Israelites in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may go up with you to Jerusalem.

Footnotes

• [a]. The original text of Ezra 7:12–26 is in Aramaic.