Ezra 7:7-17

7 There went up some of the children of Yisra'el, and of the Kohanim, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the temple servants, to Yerushalayim, in the seventh year of Artachshasta the king.

8 He came to Yerushalayim in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.

9 For on the first [day] of the first month began he to go up from Bavel; and on the first [day] of the fifth month came he to Yerushalayim, according to the good hand of his God on him.

10 For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Yisra'el statutes and ordinances.

11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artachshasta gave to Ezra the Kohen, the Sofer, even the Sofer of the words of the mitzvot of the LORD, and of his statutes to Yisra'el:

12 Artachshasta, king of kings, to Ezra the Kohen, the Sofer of the law of the God of heaven, perfect and so forth.

13 I make a decree, that all those of the people of Yisra'el, and their Kohanim and the Levites, in my realm, who are minded of their own free will to go to Yerushalayim, go with you.

14 Because you are sent of the king and his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Yehudah and Yerushalayim, according to the law of your God which is in your hand,

15 and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Yisra'el, whose habitation is in Yerushalayim,

16 and all the silver and gold that you shall find in all the province of Bavel, with the freewill-offering of the people, and of the Kohanim, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Yerushalayim;

17 therefore you shall with all diligence buy with this money bulls, rams, lambs, with their meal-offerings and their drink-offerings, and shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Yerushalayim.

Ezra 7:7-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 7

In this chapter we have the lineage and character of Ezra described, Ezr 7:1-6, his expedition to Jerusalem, and of many others with him, Ezr 7:7-10, a copy of the commission King Artaxerxes gave him to execute, Ezr 7:11-26, and his thankfulness, Ezr 7:27,28.

and the dedication of it, and keeping the passover:

\\in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia\\; in the seventh year of his reign, Ezr 7:7,8, who is the same with Darius in the preceding chapter; so Jarchi and Aben Ezra; \\See Gill on "Ezr 6:14"\\.

\\Ezra the son of Seraiah\\; the high priest slain by Nebuchadnezzar Jer 52:24,27, this Ezra was a younger son of his, brother to Josedech, and uncle to Joshua, who were high priests in succession; his pedigree is carried in the ascending line up to Aaron, in this and the four following verses; only six generations, for brevity sake, are omitted, between Azariah and Meraioth, which may be supplied from 1Ch 6:7-10, \\See Gill on "1Ch 6:3\\. 20133-950205-1547-Ezr7.2