10 For Ezra H5830 had prepared H3559 his heart H3824 to seek H1875 the law H8451 of the LORD, H3068 and to do H6213 it, and to teach H3925 in Israel H3478 statutes H2706 and judgments. H4941
And thou, H607 Ezra, H5831 after the wisdom H2452 of thy God, H426 that is in thine hand, H3028 set H4483 magistrates H8200 and judges, H1782 which may judge H1934 H1778 all H3606 the people H5972 that are beyond H5675 the river, H5103 all H3606 such as know H3046 the laws H1882 of thy God; H426 and teach H3046 ye them that know H3046 them not. H3809
Therefore G3767 whosoever G3956 G3748 heareth G191 these G5128 sayings G3056 of mine, G3450 and G2532 doeth G4160 them, G846 I will liken G3666 him G846 unto a wise G5429 man, G435 which G3748 built G3618 his G846 house G3614 upon G1909 a rock: G4073
For the priest's H3548 lips H8193 should keep H8104 knowledge, H1847 and they should seek H1245 the law H8451 at his mouth: H6310 for he is the messenger H4397 of the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635
I have seen H7200 an end H7093 of all perfection: H8502 but thy commandment H4687 is exceeding H3966 broad. H7342 MEM. O how love I H157 thy law! H8451 it is my meditation H7881 all the day. H3117 Thou through thy commandments H4687 hast made me wiser H2449 than mine enemies: H341 for they are ever H5769 with me. I have more understanding H7919 than all my teachers: H3925 for thy testimonies H5715 are my meditation. H7881 I understand H995 more than the ancients, H2205 because I keep H5341 thy precepts. H6490
But his delight H2656 is in the law H8451 of the LORD; H3068 and in his law H8451 doth he meditate H1897 day H3119 and night. H3915
And Hezekiah H3169 spake H1696 comfortably H3820 unto all the Levites H3881 that taught H7919 the good H2896 knowledge H7922 of the LORD: H3068 and they did eat H398 throughout the feast H4150 seven H7651 days, H3117 offering H2076 peace H8002 offerings, H2077 and making confession H3034 to the LORD H3068 God H430 of their fathers. H1
O LORD H3068 God H430 of Abraham, H85 Isaac, H3327 and of Israel, H3478 our fathers, H1 keep H8104 this for ever H5769 in the imagination H3336 of the thoughts H4284 of the heart H3824 of thy people, H5971 and prepare H3559 their heart H3824 unto thee:
A bishop G1985 then G3767 must G1163 be G1511 blameless, G423 the husband G435 of one G3391 wife, G1135 vigilant, G3524 sober, G4998 of good behaviour, G2887 given to hospitality, G5382 apt to teach; G1317
The former G3303 G4413 treatise G3056 have I made, G4160 O G5599 Theophilus, G2321 of G4012 all G3956 that G3739 Jesus G2424 began G756 both G5037 to do G4160 and G2532 teach, G1321
Whosoever G3739 G1437 therefore G3767 shall break G3089 one G3391 of these G5130 least G1646 commandments, G1785 and G2532 shall teach G1321 men G444 so, G3779 he shall be called G2564 the least G1646 in G1722 the kingdom G932 of heaven: G3772 but G1161 whosoever G3739 G302 shall do G4160 and G2532 teach G1321 them, the same G3778 shall be called G2564 great G3173 in G1722 the kingdom G932 of heaven. G3772
And I will walk H1980 at liberty: H7342 for I seek H1875 thy precepts. H6490
And all the people H5971 gathered themselves together H622 as one H259 man H376 into the street H7339 that was before H6440 the water H4325 gate; H8179 and they spake H559 unto Ezra H5830 the scribe H5608 to bring H935 the book H5612 of the law H8451 of Moses, H4872 which the LORD H3068 had commanded H6680 to Israel. H3478 And Ezra H5830 the priest H3548 brought H935 the law H8451 before H6440 the congregation H6951 both of men H376 and women, H802 and all that could hear H8085 with understanding, H995 upon the first H259 day H3117 of the seventh H7637 month. H2320 And he read H7121 therein before H6440 the street H7339 that was before H6440 the water H4325 gate H8179 from the morning H216 until midday, H4276 H3117 before the men H582 and the women, H802 and those that could understand; H995 and the ears H241 of all the people H5971 were attentive unto the book H5612 of the law. H8451 And Ezra H5830 the scribe H5608 stood H5975 upon a pulpit H4026 of wood, H6086 which they had made H6213 for the purpose; H1697 and beside H681 him stood H5975 Mattithiah, H4993 and Shema, H8087 and Anaiah, H6043 and Urijah, H223 and Hilkiah, H2518 and Maaseiah, H4641 on his right hand; H3225 and on his left hand, H8040 Pedaiah, H6305 and Mishael, H4332 and Malchiah, H4441 and Hashum, H2828 and Hashbadana, H2806 Zechariah, H2148 and Meshullam. H4918 And Ezra H5830 opened H6605 the book H5612 in the sight H5869 of all the people; H5971 (for he was above all the people;) H5971 and when he opened H6605 it, all the people H5971 stood up: H5975 And Ezra H5830 blessed H1288 the LORD, H3068 the great H1419 God. H430 And all the people H5971 answered, H6030 Amen, H543 Amen, H543 with lifting up H4607 their hands: H3027 and they bowed H6915 their heads, and worshipped H7812 the LORD H3068 with their faces H639 to the ground. H776 Also Jeshua, H3442 and Bani, H1137 and Sherebiah, H8274 Jamin, H3226 Akkub, H6126 Shabbethai, H7678 Hodijah, H1941 Maaseiah, H4641 Kelita, H7042 Azariah, H5838 Jozabad, H3107 Hanan, H2605 Pelaiah, H6411 and the Levites, H3881 caused the people H5971 to understand H995 the law: H8451 and the people H5971 stood in their place. H5977 So they read H7121 in the book H5612 in the law H8451 of God H430 distinctly, H6567 and gave H7760 the sense, H7922 and caused them to understand H995 the reading. H4744 And Nehemiah, H5166 which is the Tirshatha, H8660 and Ezra H5830 the priest H3548 the scribe, H5608 and the Levites H3881 that taught H995 the people, H5971 said H559 unto all the people, H5971 This day H3117 is holy H6918 unto the LORD H3068 your God; H430 mourn H56 not, nor weep. H1058 For all the people H5971 wept, H1058 when they heard H8085 the words H1697 of the law. H8451
This Ezra H5830 went up H5927 from Babylon; H894 and he was a ready H4106 scribe H5608 in the law H8451 of Moses, H4872 which the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 had given: H5414 and the king H4428 granted H5414 him all his request, H1246 according to the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 his God H430 upon him.
And with them he sent Levites, H3881 even Shemaiah, H8098 and Nethaniah, H5418 and Zebadiah, H2069 and Asahel, H6214 and Shemiramoth, H8070 and Jehonathan, H3083 and Adonijah, H138 and Tobijah, H2900 and Tobadonijah, H2899 Levites; H3881 and with them Elishama H476 and Jehoram, H3088 priests. H3548 And they taught H3925 in Judah, H3063 and had the book H5612 of the law H8451 of the LORD H3068 with them, and went about H5437 throughout all the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 and taught H3925 the people. H5971
And Samuel H8050 spake H559 unto all the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 If ye do return H7725 unto the LORD H3068 with all your hearts, H3824 then put away H5493 the strange H5236 gods H430 and Ashtaroth H6252 from among H8432 you, and prepare H3559 your hearts H3824 unto the LORD, H3068 and serve H5647 him only: and he will deliver H5337 you out of the hand H3027 of the Philistines. H6430
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ezra 7
Commentary on Ezra 7 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 7
Ezra's precious name saluted us, at first, in the title of the book, but in the history we have not met with it till this chapter introduces him into public action in another reign, that of Artaxerxes. Zerubbabel and Jeshua we will suppose, by this time, to have grown old, if not gone off; nor do we hear any more of Haggai and Zechariah; they have finished their testimony. What shall become of the cause of God and Israel when these useful instruments are laid aside? Trust God, who has the residue of the Spirit, to raise up others in their room. Ezra here, and Nehemiah in the next book, are as serviceable in their days as those were in theirs. Here is,
The next chapter will give us a more particular narrative of his associates, his journey, and his arrival at Jerusalem.
Ezr 7:1-10
Here is,
Ezr 7:11-26
We have here the commission which the Persian emperor granted to Ezra, giving him authority to act for the good of the Jews; and it is very ample and full, and beyond what could have been expected. The commission runs, we suppose, in the usual form: Artaxerxes, King of kings. This however is too high a title for any mortal man to assume; he was indeed king of some kings, but to speak as if he were king of all kings was to usurp his prerogative who hath all power both in heaven and in earth. He sends greeting to his trusty and well-beloved Ezra, whom he calls a scribe of the law of the God of heaven (v. 12), a title which (it seems by this) Ezra valued himself by, and desired no other, no, not when he was advanced to the proconsular dignity. He reckoned it more his honour to be a scribe of God's law than to be a peer or prince of the empire. Let us observe the articles of this commission.
Ezr 7:27-28
Ezra cannot proceed in his story without inserting his thankful acknowledgement of the goodness of God to him and his people in this matter. As soon as he has concluded the king's commission, instead of subjoining, God save the king (though that would have been proper enough), he adds, Blessed be the Lord; for we must in every thing give thanks, and, whatever occurrences please us, we must own God's hand in them, and praise his name. Two things Ezra blessed God for:-