Ezra 7: Ezra goes up, and the king's letter
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What happens?
The chapter opens with Ezra's family line back to Aaron the chief priest. Ezra, a skilled scribe in the law of Moses, goes up from Babylon to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, and the text says the king granted him all his request. King Artaxerxes's letter (verses 12 to 26, written in Aramaic) lets any of Israel's people, priests and Levites go with him, sends silver and gold for the house of God, says what the treasurers must give, bars tribute on the priests, Levites and others who serve the house, tells Ezra to appoint judges, and sets penalties for anyone who will not do the law. Ezra then blesses Yahweh and gathers chief men to go up with him.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. Verses 1 to 11 are the narrator's words about Ezra ("he"). Verses 12 to 26 are the words of King Artaxerxes's letter, written in Aramaic: they are the king's words, and where he speaks of "the God of heaven" he is not quoting God. From verse 27 Ezra speaks in his own voice: he blesses Yahweh, and from verse 28 he says "me" and "I" as he tells what Yahweh has done for him. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
In plain English: After these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, there was Ezra, the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
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2the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
In plain English: the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
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3the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
In plain English: the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
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4the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
In plain English: the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
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5the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—
In plain English: the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest.
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6this Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a skilled scribe in the law of Moses, which Yahweh, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to Yahweh his God’s hand on him.
In plain English: This Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a skilled scribe in the law of Moses, which Yahweh, the God of Israel, had given. The king granted him everything he asked for, as the hand of Yahweh his God was on him.
The Hebrew word: "Scribe" is sopher, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe, and also to enumerate". The word is in 3 verses of Ezra, and the WEB says "scribe" in 2 of them. In the third, , the WEB has "counted" (Cyrus "counted them out to Sheshbazzar").
The Hebrew word: "Hand" is yad. The dictionary gives "a hand" and says it is used to indicate "power, means, direction, etc.". The word is in 17 verses of Ezra, and the WEB says "hand" in 12 of them.
Good to know: "The hand of Yahweh (or: our God, his God) on him" is said in this verse, in ("the good hand of his God on him"), in ("Yahweh my God's hand on me"), in ("the good hand of our God on us"), in ("The hand of our God is on all those who seek him, for good") and in ("The hand of our God was on us"). The text does not say in what way the hand was on him.
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7Some of the children of Israel, including some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
In plain English: Some of the children of Israel went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. They included some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants.
The Hebrew words: "Temple servants" is nathin, which the dictionary gives as "the Nethinim, or Temple-servants (as given to that duty)"; it is also used as a name, the Nethinim. The WEB says "temple servants" in all 6 verses of Ezra that have the word (, , , here, and ). "Gatekeepers" is shoer, which the dictionary gives as "a janitor". The WEB says "gatekeepers" in all 4 verses of Ezra that have it (, , here and ).
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8He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
In plain English: He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, in the seventh year of the king.
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9For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on him.
In plain English: On the first day of the first month he began the going up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, as the good hand of his God was on him.
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10For Ezra had set his heart to seek Yahweh’s law, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.
In plain English: For Ezra had set his heart to seek (or: search out) Yahweh's law, to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances (or: judgments) in Israel.
The Hebrew words: "Set" is kun, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up". The WEB says "set" in both verses of Ezra that have it, here and ("they set the altar on its base"). "Seek" is darash, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or ask; specifically to worship". The WEB says "seek" in 4 of the 5 verses of Ezra that have it.
What changes: The verse says Ezra set his heart to seek Yahweh's law, to do it and to teach it. With the dictionary's "search" the verse reads that he set his heart to search out the law. The three aims, seeking, doing and teaching, are the same in both.
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11Now this is the copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of Yahweh’s commandments, and of his statutes to Israel:
In plain English: This is the copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, the scribe of the words of Yahweh's commandments and of his statutes for Israel:
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12Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the perfect God of heaven. Now
In plain English: Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect (or: complete, finished; see the note). And now:
The Aramaic word: "Perfect" is gemar, which the dictionary gives as "to end (in the sense of completion or failure)". It is in this verse only (a count of the Aramaic word). It comes just before the word the WEB translates "Now", keneth, which the dictionary gives as "thus (only in the formula 'and so forth')". That word is in 4 verses of Ezra, and the WEB says "now" in 1 of them.
How it is translated: The WEB puts "perfect" with "the God of heaven". The dictionary meaning "to end" also allows the word to close the greeting, as in "complete" or "finished". The next word, keneth, then begins the letter.
What changes: With the WEB, the verse calls the God of heaven perfect. With the other reading, the word ends the greeting and the letter begins with "And now". The text does not say which is meant.
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13I make a decree that all those of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my realm, who intend of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with you.
In plain English: I make a decree that anyone in my kingdom from the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites, who is willing of his own free will to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
The Aramaic word: "Of their own free will" is nedab, which the dictionary gives as "be (or give) liberal(-ly)". It is in 3 verses of Ezra (here, and ; a count of the Aramaic word).
How it is translated: The WEB uses "free" or "freely" in all 3: "of their own free will", "freely offered" and "the free will offering".
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14Because you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your hand,
In plain English: Because you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God, which is in your hand,
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15and 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,
In plain English: and to carry the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
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16and all the silver and gold that you will 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.
In plain English: and all the silver and gold that you find in the whole province of Babylon, with the free will offering of the people and of the priests, who are offering willingly for the house of their God in Jerusalem.
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17Therefore you shall with all diligence buy with this money bulls, rams, and 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 Jerusalem.
In plain English: So with this money you are to buy, with all diligence, bulls, rams and lambs, with their meal offerings (or: grain offerings) and their drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem.
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18Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do that according to the will of your God.
In plain English: Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do that according to the will of your God.
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19The vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver before the God of Jerusalem.
In plain English: The vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver (or: hand over in full) before the God of Jerusalem.
Good to know: In this letter the king names God in several ways: "the God of heaven" (, and ), "your God" (many times), "the God of Israel" () and, here, "the God of Jerusalem".
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20Whatever more will be needed for the house of your God, which you may have occasion to give, give it out of the king’s treasure house.
In plain English: Whatever more is needed for the house of your God, which you may have occasion to give, give it out of the king's treasure house.
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21I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, it shall be done with all diligence,
In plain English: I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers beyond the River: whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, asks of you is to be done with all diligence,
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22up to one hundred talents of silver, and to one hundred cors of wheat, and to one hundred baths of wine, and to one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
In plain English: up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred cors of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and salt without saying how much.
The Aramaic words: The three measures here are the talent (the dictionary: "a talent"), the cor ("properly, a deep round vessel, i.e. (specifically) a cor or measure for things dry") and the bath ("a bath or Hebrew measure ... of liquids"). Each is in this verse only in Ezra (a count of the Aramaic words).
Good to know: The text gives each as one hundred, for silver, wheat, wine and oil, and gives no limit for the salt. The text gives no modern amounts and none are added here.
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23Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
In plain English: Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven is to be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven. For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
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24Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, or laborers of this house of God.
In plain English: We also inform you that no one may lay tribute, custom or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants or laborers (or: servants) of this house of God.
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25You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, who all know the laws of your God; and teach him who doesn’t know them.
In plain English: And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people beyond the River, all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach anyone who does not know them.
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26Whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with all diligence, whether it is to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
In plain English: Whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king is to have judgment carried out on him with all diligence, whether it is death, banishment (or: being rooted out), confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.
The Aramaic word: "Banishment" is sheroshu, which the dictionary gives as "eradication, i.e. (figuratively) exile". It is in this verse only (a count of the Aramaic word). The letter lists four penalties: death, banishment, confiscation of goods and imprisonment. It does not say which penalty goes with which offense.
How it is translated: The WEB says "banishment". The dictionary's first meaning is "eradication", which is also a reading of being rooted out.
What changes: With "banishment" the person is sent away. With "being rooted out" the word keeps the picture of pulling up by the roots, which the dictionary then takes as exile. The text does not say more.
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27Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify Yahweh’s house which is in Jerusalem;
In plain English: Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify Yahweh's house in Jerusalem,
Good to know: The letter ends at verse 26, and the text goes back to Hebrew. From here Ezra is the speaker. Verse 27 says "our fathers", and verse 28 says "to me", "I was strengthened" and "I gathered". Verses 1 to 11 speak of Ezra as "he".
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28and has extended loving kindness to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. I was strengthened according to Yahweh my God’s hand on me, and I gathered together chief men out of Israel to go up with me.
In plain English: and who has extended loving kindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king's mighty princes. I was strengthened as the hand of Yahweh my God was on me, and I gathered chief men out of Israel to go up with me.
The Hebrew word: "Loving kindness" is chesed, which the dictionary gives as "kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty". The word is in 3 verses of Ezra, and the WEB says "loving kindness" in all 3.
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