Ezra 7:9-19

9 For upon the first [day] of the first month he began to go from Babylon, and on the first [day] of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.

10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do [it], and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

11 Now this [is] the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, [even] a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.

12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect [peace], and at such a time.

13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and [of] his priests and Levites, in my realm, who are disposed of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with thee.

14 Forasmuch as thou art sent by the king, and by his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which [is] in thy hand;

15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose habitation [is] in Jerusalem,

16 And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the free-will-offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which [is] in Jerusalem:

17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat-offerings and their drink-offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which [is] in Jerusalem.

18 And whatever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and gold, that do after the will of your God.

19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, [those] deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.

Ezra 7:9-19 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