Ezra 7:12–26

Two parts of this book are written in the Syriac or Aramean language — the language spoken in Babylon and Assyria. They are Ezra 4:8 to 6:18, and Ezra 7:12-26.

He refers to himself as "king of kings," for there were kings in the Persian empire who were subject to him (v. 12). But how much more fitting is this title when applied to the Lord Jesus! (Rev. 19:16). However, he addressed Ezra as "a scribe of the law of the God of heaven." It seems he realized that Israel's God was much higher than the idols of Persia.

God gave up apostate Judah to the Gentiles, as He had given up Israel before, and passed the sentence of Lo-ammi (not-my-people). He stopped acting as God of the earth, the Jehovah of His people. As "God of the heavens" He granted world-empire for a time to the four Gentile powers that followed one another. See Daniel 2.

But he takes up this work under the authority of the Persian power that had followed Babylon, made supreme by the God of the heavens. It was a strange thing for Israel, whose turning away from Jehovah had brought it about.

They had a certain fear of God, but no living faith. Like his grandfather Darius, Artaxerxes acknowledged the God of heaven... but in his decree Artaxerxes goes further: he acknowledges the God of Ezra (v. 14), the God of Israel (v. 15), and the God of Jerusalem (v. 19). He also acknowledges his responsibility toward this God whose wrath is to be feared (v. 23).

Though he was a Gentile, it would almost seem that he was in full fellowship with Ezra's object. And from his confession of Jehovah as the God of heaven (vv. 21, 23), it is not impossible that grace had visited his heart.

He became a priest by birth and consecration. But he became "a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the LORD, the God of Israel, had given" only by personal study of the Word. So inherited office, even among the Jews, could not give a man the qualifications for doing the work. Those could only come from personal time with God in the Scriptures.

The lesson lies on the surface. God is sovereign in the choice of His instruments. He does according to His will among the inhabitants of the earth as in the army of heaven, and none can stop His hand, or say to Him, "What are you doing?" Our chapter illustrates this. "Artaxerxes, king of kings," and "Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of God," are yoked together to carry out God's thoughts for His people and for His house in Jerusalem.

Notice again that the signs are everywhere: governmental power on earth has passed from the Jew to the Gentile. The date of Ezra's mission is "in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia," and the king sets out his commission for the work at length (vv. 11-26). This proves that God's people were at this time under the authority of the Gentiles. It also proves that God Himself always recognises the powers that have their source in His own sovereign appointment.

God puts it into the heart of Ezra, a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, to think of the remnant in Jerusalem. He puts it into his heart to seek the law of the LORD, to teach it and to see it obeyed. Here again it is still the Gentile king who sends him for this purpose to Jerusalem. All blessing is of God. But when it comes to authority, nothing comes directly from God — except prophecy, in which God was sovereign. He could not leave unrecognised the throne He had Himself set up among the Gentiles on the earth. And Israel was an earthly people.

As you read through these verses, you cannot help being struck by the wonderful work of God in the mind of a pagan king. That work led him to grant such powers, to order such help, and to express such a recognition of the claims and greatness of "the God of heaven". We also see the over-ruling wisdom of God controlling the king's mind. So the king gave God's servant liberty, and even commanded him to do what God proposed.

Cyrus, as seen in Ezra 1, had also granted the same privilege. Now, many years later, the Spirit of God works through the king once again to deliver His people. But there was to be no human force. If any man went up, it must be his own free choice, for God would have willing servants. If any pressure moved him, it must be only the pressure of the Holy Spirit.

In view of the magnificent decree and liberality of Artaxerxes, the company was very small. The majority preferred Babylon, and remained there. The faithful ones are known to God, and their names are here written forever in His Word. The Gentile king had given the decree, and the people had all the means they needed. Even so, the undertaking was one of faith. They came out of Babylon trusting the LORD; they marched on in faith.

Worded this way, the proclamation meant that those who responded would mostly be men of piety. Their hearts were alive to the glory of God and to the place of His Name. The more worldly-minded and selfish would rather stay in the comfortable homes they had built during the seventy years of captivity. They would leave the task to others who were ready to face the difficulties and hardships.

I think this work of God through Ezra's mission is a touching proof of His loving-kindness. It fitted the needs of the people exactly. It was not power. That had been removed to another place. It was the knowledge of the will and the ordinances of God — of the mind of God in the word.

We cannot help noticing that this Gentile ruler refers everything to the will of God. To put it more exactly, he directs that everything should be ordered in subjection to that will... From his confession of the LORD as the God of heaven (vv. 21, 23), it is not impossible that grace had visited his heart... The lesson lies on the surface. God is sovereign in the choice of His instruments. He does according to His will among the inhabitants of the earth as in the army of heaven. None can stop His hand or say to Him, "What are you doing?" We see an illustration of this in our chapter: "Artaxerxes, king of kings," and "Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of God," are yoked together for carrying out God's thoughts for His people and for His house in Jerusalem.

As one reads through these verses, one cannot help being struck by the wonderful work of God in the mind of a pagan king, which led him to grant such powers, to order such help to be given, and to express such recognition of the claims and greatness of "the God of heaven". We also see the over-ruling wisdom of God controlling the mind of the king, so that His servant was given liberty — and even commanded — to do what God intended.

He was not sent empty-handed to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem. The king and his seven counsellors offered gifts to the God of Israel of their own free will, because he was to inquire "according to the law of his God which was in his hand" — a remarkable testimony from such a source.

The decree of Artaxerxes... shows us the mental attitude of the rulers of Persia. They had a certain fear of God, but without living faith... Although he allowed, as history tells us, each people to keep their idols, he himself had none... Without doubt their religion disposed them to acknowledge the "God of the heavens". But in his decree Artaxerxes goes further. He acknowledges the God of Ezra (v. 14), the God of Israel (v. 15), and the God of Jerusalem (v. 19). He also owns that he is responsible to this God, and that His anger is to be feared (v. 23).

He prepared his heart to seek it first, and then to do it. He himself did not separate practice from knowledge. He was not like the teachers of the law in the days of Jesus. They laid on people "burdens hard to bear", and would not touch the burdens with one of their fingers. The precepts of the Word he fed on soaked into his daily life. Only after this did he set his heart "to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances."

In the book we are considering, king Artaxerxes is a picture of one who sets an open door before Ezra. Yes — but Ezra's heart was set to do the will of God. God works all outward circumstances. He opens the way when our heart is inwardly set to do the right thing in the sight of the Lord. We have no ground ever to complain of circumstances if only our heart is right with the Lord. The Lord can and will take care of everything else.

Ezra the priest went up from Babylon, and with him other Israelites of every rank. He went by the king's favour, with freewill offerings and with authority for everything he needed for the house of his God, and for instructing and judging the Jews. It was a witness both of God's mercy through the Gentile king, and of the abnormal position of Israel.

The king's letter of authorization empowered Ezra to act. It defined the aim of his mission. And through the king's treasurers beyond the river, it supplied the means to carry out his service in setting the house of Jehovah in order.

The king issued a decree to all the treasurers on Israel's side of the River Euphrates. They were to give Ezra whatever he might need. The only limits were 100 talents of silver, 100 cors of wheat, and 100 baths each of wine and oil — with no limit to the salt (vv. 21-22).

More than this, the king ruled that no one could lawfully impose tax, tribute or custom on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants or servants of the house of God (v. 24). Rehum and Shimshai had once urged an earlier Artaxerxes to stop the Jews from building, claiming that the Jews would not pay tax, tribute or custom (ch. 4:9-13). Now the king was ready to give up these payments for the heads of Israel, so that Judah would prosper.

We cannot fail to notice that this Gentile king refers everything to the will of God — or more precisely, that he directs everything to be ordered in subjection to that will. Gentile though he was, he almost seems to be in full fellowship with Ezra's aim. And from his confession of Jehovah as the God of heaven (vv. 21, 23), it is not impossible that grace had visited his heart.

They had a certain fear of God, but without living faith. Like his grandfather Darius, Artaxerxes acknowledged the God of heaven… but in his decree he goes further. He acknowledges the God of Ezra (v. 14), the God of Israel (v. 15), and the God of Jerusalem (v. 19). He also acknowledges his responsibility toward this God whose wrath is to be feared (v. 23).

God had prepared him beforehand, as a special gift, to be the leader of His people. But that was not enough to qualify him for his ministry: "Ezra had directed his heart to seek the law of Jehovah, and to do it" (v. 10). He prepared his heart to seek it first, and then to do it. For his own part, he did not separate practice from knowledge… The precepts of the Word he fed on soaked through his daily life. Only after this did he set his heart "to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances."

He traced everything up to God. He lost sight of himself, and to his soul God was all and in all. It was not his asking (v. 6) that moved the king to act; it was God who put the thing into the king's heart. It was not Ezra's influence that commended him to the king and his princes; it was God who extended mercy to him in their presence. It was not by his own power that he gathered the chief men to go up with him; it was God who strengthened him with His own hand upon him.

The silver and gold and other gifts out of the treasuries would doubtless increase the natural beauty of the house being built. But we venture to think that the teaching of the law, which Ezra planned to do, would produce a piety in the people, if they received it. And piety adorns any house more than any amount of silver and gold can.

The king instructed that the king's treasury would supply anything more the temple needed for its furnishing (v. 20). A decree backed this up. It went to all the treasurers on Israel's side of the River Euphrates, telling them to give Ezra whatever he might need. It limited only the silver, to 100 talents, the wheat to 100 cors, and the wine and oil to 100 baths each. There was no limit to the salt (vv. 21-22).

The king gave Ezra a letter of authorization. It empowered him to act. It defined the object of his mission. And through the king's treasurers beyond the river, it provided the means for carrying out his service in the ordering of the house of Jehovah.

The material mentioned was for the sacrifices and offerings. Young bulls, rams and lambs for the burnt offerings. Wheat, oil and salt for the meal offering, and wine for the drink offering. All these things were to be given to the priests without fail day by day.

Salt meant the very opposite of leaven. It was the symbol of what opposes corruption. So it was the type of what endures, and of the holiness that the "covenant of God" implies. A holy God can only go on with what is holy, and therefore salt is the "salt of His covenant." So it was never to be missing from any offering.

You cannot fail to notice that this Gentile king refers everything to the will of God. To say it more exactly, he directs that everything be ordered in subjection to that will. Gentile though he was, he almost seems to be in full fellowship with the aim of Ezra. And from the confession of Jehovah as the God of heaven (vv. 21, 23), it is not impossible that grace had visited his heart. … The lesson lies on the surface: God is sovereign in His choice of instruments, and none can stay His hand. In this chapter "Artaxerxes, king of kings" and "Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of God" are yoked together to carry out God's thoughts for His people and for His house in Jerusalem.

We cannot help being struck by the wonderful work of God in the mind of a pagan king, which led him to grant such powers.

So it was not his own asking (v. 6) that led the king to act. It was God who put the thing into the king's heart. It was not Ezra's influence that commended him to the king and his princes. It was God who extended mercy to him in their presence. It was not in his own power that he assembled the chief men to go up with him. It was God who strengthened him with His own hand upon him.

The rulers of Persia had a certain fear of God, but no living faith. Like his grandfather Darius, Artaxerxes acknowledged the God of heaven... but, in his decree, Artaxerxes goes further: he acknowledges the God of Ezra (v. 14), the God of Israel (v. 15), and the God of Jerusalem (v. 19). He also admits his own responsibility toward this God, whose wrath is something to fear (v. 23).

It may seem amazing that the King of Persia would decree, "Whatever is decreed by the God of heaven, let it be done in full for the house of the God of heaven" (v. 23). We might expect such words from a godly king of Israel; but God knows how to work in the hearts of others outside Israel too. Artaxerxes realized that the God of heaven was in such control that He might make Persia suffer His wrath if they did not encourage Israel to obey God.

You cannot miss it: this non-Jewish king refers everything to the will of God. To put it more exactly, he directs that everything be arranged in submission to that will... because he confesses the Lord as the God of heaven (vv. 21, 23), it may be that grace had visited his heart... The lesson lies on the surface: God is sovereign in the choice of His instruments... Our chapter shows it. "Artaxerxes, king of kings," and "Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of God," are joined together to carry out God's thoughts for His people and for His house in Jerusalem.

Here again it is still the Gentile king who sends him for this purpose to Jerusalem. All blessing is of God, but nothing... in the matter of authority comes directly from God. He could not ignore the throne that He Himself had set up among the nations on the earth. And Israel was an earthly people.

So it was not his own asking (v. 6) that moved the king to act. It was God who put the thing into the king's heart. It was not Ezra's influence that won him favour with the king and his princes. It was God who showed him mercy in front of them. It was not in his own power that he gathered the chief men to go up with him. It was God who strengthened him, with His own hand upon him.

In the book we are considering, king Artaxerxes is the figure of one that sets an open door before Ezra. Yes, but Ezra's heart was set to do the will of God. God works all outward circumstances. He opens the way when our heart within is set on doing what is right in the sight of the Lord. We have no ground ever to complain about circumstances, if only our heart is right with the Lord. The Lord can and will take care of all else.

The Nethinim were temple servants. The word means "given" or "devoted," that is, devoted to God. We find this name in only one other passage (1 Chron. 9:2). According to Ezra 8:20 this order originated with King David. Jewish tradition identifies them with the Gibeonites, whom Joshua appointed as helpers to the Levites (Josh. 9:3-27). Whatever their origin, they were devoted servants of God assigned to certain duties in the temple.

The words halak, τέλος, apparently allude to the duty paid on merchandise or produce, and should be distinguished from 'tribute.' Ezra 4:13, 20; Ezra 7:24; Matt. 17:25; Rom. 13:7.

exempted from every form of tax or exaction, and also given power to punish all evildoers, whether they broke the law of God or 'the law of the king'.

More than this, the king ordered that it would be unlawful to impose tax, tribute or custom on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim or servants of the house of God (v. 24). Rehum and Shimshai had urged a previous Artaxerxes to stop the Jews from building by claiming that the Jews would not pay tax, tribute or custom (ch. 4:9-13), but the king now was ready to forgo these things for heads of Israel, so that Judah would prosper.

The decree of Artaxerxes, like the letter of Darius (Ezra 6), shows us how the rulers of Persia thought. They had a certain fear of God, but no living faith. Like his grandfather Darius, Artaxerxes acknowledged the God of heaven. In his decree he goes further. He acknowledges the God of Ezra (v. 14), the God of Israel (v. 15), and the God of Jerusalem (v. 19). He also admits that he answers to this God, and that God's anger is something to fear (v. 23).

rightly realized that it would be beneficial to his entire empire if God were given His place in Israel.

Notice again that the signs of the transfer of governmental power on earth from the Jew to the Gentile are everywhere plain. So the date of Ezra's mission is given as "in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia," and his commission from the king is set out at length (vv. 11-26). This proves that God's people were at this time under the authority of the Gentiles, and that God Himself always recognises the powers which have their source in His own sovereign appointment.

Royal liberality, not without a certain fear of God, is owned with exemption in such things from tribute in verses 19-24... A soul less devout and submissive to God's will in the humbling of Israel would have chafed.

So it was not his asking (v. 6) that led the king to act. It was God who put the thing into the king's heart. It was not Ezra's influence that commended him to the king and his princes. It was God who showed him mercy in their presence. It was not in his own power that he gathered the chief men to go up with him. It was God who strengthened him with His own hand upon him.

You cannot help noticing that this non-Jewish king refers everything to the will of God. To put it more exactly, he directs that everything should be ordered in submission to that will. Though he was not an Israelite, he almost seems to be in full agreement with Ezra's aim... The lesson lies on the surface. God is sovereign in the choice of His instruments. He does according to His will among the people of the earth as in the army of heaven. None can stop His hand, or say to Him, What are you doing? Our chapter illustrates this. "Artaxerxes, king of kings," and "Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of God," stand yoked together to carry out God's thoughts for His people and for His house in Jerusalem.

He shows great confidence in Ezra, a man of God. He puts the appointing of magistrates and judges for the region beyond the river into Ezra's hand (v. 25). He knows very well that godly Ezra will not choose anyone who rebels against the royal authority. He wants this man to instruct the ignorant, and for him this is the guarantee of peace for his reign (v. 25).

The king credited Ezra too with God-given wisdom. Ezra was to appoint magistrates and judges in the region west of the River, men who knew the laws of God, so as to teach the people (v. 25). So the king recognised that the land of Israel had a special place in the eyes of the God of heaven and earth. He wanted that country to give God's honour its due. He rightly saw that his whole empire would benefit if Israel gave God His place.

The way God stepped in through Ezra's mission is, I think, a touching proof of His loving-kindness. It was exactly suited to the needs of the people. It was not power. That had been moved elsewhere. It was the knowledge of the will and the ordinances of God — of the mind of God in the word. The king himself recognised this (Ezra 7:25).

In him we find no miraculous gift and no prophetic gift, such as the prophets Haggai and Zechariah had. There is no extraordinary display of divine power. He has nothing that goes beyond the common measure and ordinary resources. But his heart is devoted to the honour of the lovely name of the Lord, and he cares about the prosperity of the people. Above all, his mark is his understanding of the law of Moses, of the written Word. The Word directs him in everything, and his faith rests on the Word. He insists on the principles the Word presents. He puts them into practice, and he lets no one depart from them. In this way he earns the confidence even of the king, and this is also the only source of his authority.

History tells us that Artaxerxes let each people keep their idols, yet he had none himself... but in his decree he goes further: he acknowledges the God of Ezra (v. 14), the God of Israel (v. 15), and the God of Jerusalem (v. 19). He also acknowledges that he is responsible to this God, whose anger is to be feared (v. 23)... Lastly, he orders severe measures against those who break the law of God and of the king, because in his mind these two laws are one and the same (v. 26).

Finally, he ordered that the law of God should be fully enforced. Anyone who would not keep it, and the law of the king (which he ranked below the law of God), would face judgment without delay. The case might call for death, banishment from Israel, loss of property or prison (v. 26). Where guilt was proved beyond question, this is good government. It is not like so many cases today, dragged out for months without reason.

The king is generous, and not without a certain fear of God... Ezra is given power, "according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand," to appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people, "all such as know the laws of your God," and to teach the one who did not know them. All this stands under the grave penalties of death, banishment, confiscation, or imprisonment (verses 25, 26).

He prepared his heart to seek the law first of all, and then to do it, for in his own case he did not separate practice from knowledge. He was not like those teachers of the law who, in the days of Jesus, loaded people with "burdens hard to bear," while they themselves did not touch "the burdens with one of [their] fingers" (Luke 11:46). The precepts of the Word he fed on soaked right through his daily life. And it was only after this that he set his heart "to teach in Israel statutes and the ordinance" (v. 10). In a word, his life and his conduct were in complete agreement with his teaching.

The king provides for the carrying out of Ezra's mission in every possible way, and at the same time he entrusted Ezra with the government of his people "according to the wisdom of God." Finally, he attached penalties to disobedience to the law of God and to the law of the king, rising even to death itself. The lesson lies on the surface: God is sovereign in the choice of His instruments... Our chapter shows it, in that "Artaxerxes, king of kings," and "Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of God," are yoked together to carry out God's thoughts for His people and for His house in Jerusalem.

The people were now under the Gentile's power. They owed the Gentile for permission to live in the land of their fathers, and to keep the laws and do the service of their God. They were subjects of the Persian, and their own ruler was only his deputy.