Ezra 7

1 Many years later [after these things, fifty years], during the reign [royal power, kingdom] of Artaxerxes [Persian king] king of Persia [ancient country from India to Egypt], Ezra [priest and scribe, having God’s help] son of Seraiah [Jehovah is ruler], the son of Azariah [helped by God], the son of Hilkiah [my portion is God], word study 2 the son [descendant, offspring] of Shallum [a personal name, referring to an Israelite], the son [grandson, descendant] of Zadok [righteous, a high priest], the son [offspring, descendant] of Ahitub [my brother is good, a priest], word study 3 the son [descendant, offspring] of Amariah [a priestly name], the son [offspring, descendant] of Azariah [helper of God], the son [heir, descendant] of Meraioth [rebellious, contentious], word study 4 the son [descendant, offspring] of Zerahiah [Jehovah has risen], the son [grandson, heir] of Uzzi [strong, mighty], the son [child, descendant] of Bukki [a Levite, a priestly family], word study 5 the son [descendant, offspring] of Abishua [my father is rescue], the son of Phinehas [one who is face to face with God], the son of Eleazar [God has helped], the son of Aaron [exalted one, high priest] the chief priest [high priest, spiritual leader, head of the priesthood]— word study 6 this Ezra [the priest and scribe] came up from Babylon [the city of confusion]. He was a scribe [skilled writer and scholar] skilled in the Law [Torah, instruction] of Moses, which the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], the God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of Israel [the chosen people], had given. The king [the ruler, monarch] had granted Ezra all his requests [petitions, prayers], for the hand [power, direction] of the LORD [Yehovah, the guiding God] his God [Elohim, the personal God] was upon him [guiding, protecting]. word study 7 So in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes [the Persian monarch], he went up [ascended, traveled to a higher place] to Jerusalem [the city of peace, God’s dwelling place] with some of the Israelites [God’s chosen people, descendants of Jacob], including priests [spiritual leaders, mediators], Levites [assistants to the priests, from the tribe of Levi], singers [worship leaders, musicians], gatekeepers [porters, guardians of the temple], and temple servants [Nethinim, helpers in the sanctuary]. word study 8 Ezra arrived [came to, entered] in Jerusalem [the city of peace] in the fifth [the fifth month of the Jewish calendar] month of the seventh year [a year of completion, fulfillment] of the king [the ruler, monarch]. word study 9 He had begun [started, founded] the journey from Babylon [Babel, a city of confusion] on the first day [the beginning] of the first month [the new moon], and he arrived [came, went up] in Jerusalem [the city of peace] on the first day of the fifth month [a time of completion], for the gracious [good, pleasant] hand [power, direction] of his God [Elohim, the supreme God] was upon him [with him, supporting him]. word study 10 For Ezra [had prepared his heart, set his mind] had set his heart to study [to seek, to study diligently] the Law [instruction, teachings] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], to practice [to do, to obey] it, and to teach [to guide, to instruct] its statutes [decrees, laws] and ordinances [judgments, regulations] in Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, God’s chosen people]. word study 11 This is the text [copy, transcript] of the letter [written document, epistle] King Artaxerxes [the Persian monarch] had given [bestowed, granted] to Ezra the priest [spiritual leader, mediator] and scribe [recorder, secretary], an expert [learned, skilled] in the commandments [divine laws, precepts] and statutes [decrees, ordinances] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] to Israel [the chosen people, God’s nation]: word study 12 Artaxerxes [ruler of the empire], king of kings. To Ezra [a Levite, a key figure in Jerusalem’s post-exile reforms] the priest [a spiritual leader, mediator between God and man], the scribe [a writer, recorder of God’s law] of the Law [divine instruction, God’s commandments] of the God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of heaven [the sky, the spiritual realm]: Greetings [peace, blessing, farewell]. word study 13 I hereby decree [issue a command, make a proclamation] that any volunteers [those who are willing, minded of their own freewill] among the Israelites [people of Israel, descendants of Jacob] in my kingdom [realm, territory under my rule], including the priests [spiritual leaders, those who serve God] and Levites [members of the tribe of Levi, assistants to the priests], may go up [travel to, ascend to] with you to Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Judah]. word study 14 You are sent [as an ambassador, on a mission] by the king [a ruler or monarch] and his seven counselors [advisors, wise men] to evaluate [to enquire, examine, or investigate] Judah [the son of Israel and Leah, and the tribe that descended from him] and Jerusalem [the city of peace, teaching of peace] according to the Law [a law or decree, God’s commandments] of your God [the God of Israel, Elohim], which is in your hand [ability, or direction]. word study 15 Moreover, you are to take with you the silver [valuable metal] and gold [precious treasure] that the king [ruler, monarch] and his counselors [advisors, guides] have freely offered [given willingly, donated voluntarily] to the God [Elohim, the supreme deity] of Israel [the chosen nation, descendants of Jacob], whose dwelling [habitation, place of residence] is in Jerusalem [the city of peace, teaching of peace], word study 16 together with all [every part of] the silver and gold [a valuable metal] you may find [discover, come across] in all [the entirety of] the province [a region under authority] of Babylon [a city of confusion], as well as [in addition to] the freewill offerings [voluntary donations, gifts given willingly] of the people [a nation, community] and priests [spiritual leaders, mediators] to the house [a physical building, a temple] of their God [the supreme Being, Creator] in Jerusalem [the city of peace, teaching of peace]. word study 17 With this money [silver, a form of wealth], therefore, you are to buy [purchase, acquire] as many bulls [young oxen, for sacrifice], rams [male sheep, as offerings], and lambs [young sheep] as needed, together with their grain offerings [meal offerings, gifts to God] and drink offerings [libations, poured out to God], and offer them on the altar [a place of sacrifice, for worship] at the house [temple, a sacred building] of your God [Eloah, the one true Deity] in Jerusalem [the city of peace, a holy place]. word study 18 You and your brothers [companions, colleagues] may do whatever seems best [is good, pleasing] with the rest [remainder, what is left] of the silver [a valuable metal, form of money] and gold [a precious resource], according to the will [pleasure, desire] of your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator]. word study 19 You must deliver to the God [Elohim, the supreme deity] of Jerusalem all the articles [utensils, vessels] given to you for the service [worship, ministry] of the house [temple, dwelling place] of your God [the Almighty, Creator]. word study 20 And if anything else [whatsoever more] is needed [be needful, required] for the house [temple, physical building] of your God [Eloah, the one true deity] that you may have occasion [it falls to you, is necessary for you] to supply [bestow, give], you may pay [give, provide] for it from the royal [king’s] treasury [treasure house, storehouse]. word study 21 I, King Artaxerxes [the monarch, ruler], decree to all [every single one] the treasurers [managers of the king’s money, financial administrators] west of the Euphrates [beyond the great river]: Whatever Ezra [a Levite, skilled scribe] the priest [spiritual leader, mediator], the scribe [record-keeper, writer] of the Law [divine instructions, commandments] of the God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of heaven [the sky, the spiritual realm], may require [request, ask for] of you, it must be provided [given, supplied] promptly [without delay, speedily], word study 22 up to a hundred [one hundred, a multitude of] talents of silver [valuable metal, wealth], a hundred [a multitude of] cors [measures, containers] of wheat [grain, provision], a hundred baths [large quantities, vessels] of wine [fermented drink, joy], a hundred baths of olive oil [anointing oil, blessing], and salt [preserving agent] without limit [no restriction, freely given]. word study 23 Whatever [all that is necessary, everything required] is commanded [decreed, ordained] by the God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] of heaven [the sky, the abode of God] must be done [accomplished, fulfilled] diligently [with carefulness, speedily] for His house [the temple, the place of worship]. For why [what reason, on what account] should wrath [anger, indignation] fall [come, descend] on the realm [kingdom, domain] of the king [the ruler, the monarch] and his sons [children, descendants]? word study 24 And be advised [notified, informed] that you have no authority [ruling power, jurisdiction] to impose [lay upon, assess] tribute [tax, payment], duty [custom, toll], or toll [tax on goods] on any of the priests [spiritual leaders, ministers], Levites [assistants to the priests], singers [musicians, worship leaders], doorkeepers [gatekeepers, guardians], temple servants [Nethinim, attendants], or other servants [workers, ministers] of this house [temple, dwelling place] of God [the supreme deity, Almighty]. word study 25 And you, Ezra [a Levite, post-exile reformer], according to the wisdom [insight, discernment] of your God [the God of Israel] which you possess, are to appoint [set in place, establish] magistrates [judges, rulers] and judges [arbiters, authorities] to judge [vindicate, govern] all the people [nations, communities] west of the Euphrates [beyond the river, in a foreign land]—all who know [are aware of, understand] the laws [commandments, decrees] of your God. And you are to teach [instruct, guide] these laws to anyone who does not know [is unaware of, ignorant of] them. word study 26 If anyone [whoever, any person] does not keep [obey, follow] the law [decree, commandment] of your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] and the law [edict, rule] of the king, let a strict [severe, diligent] judgment [verdict, sentence] be executed [carried out, enforced] against him, whether [it be unto] death [the end of life, mortal termination], banishment [exile, removal from the land], confiscation [seizure, taking away] of property [goods, wealth], or imprisonment [bondage, confinement]. word study 27 Blessed [praised, worshiped] be the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], the God [Elohim, the supreme God] of our fathers [ancestors, forefathers], who has put [given, placed] into the heart [mind, will] of the king [ruler, monarch] to so honor [beautify, glorify] the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah] in Jerusalem [the city of peace], word study 28 and who has shown me favor [extended mercy, kindness] before the king [the ruler, monarch], his counselors [advisors, wise men], and all his powerful officials [mighty princes, high-ranking leaders]. And because the hand [power, guidance] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] my God [Elohim, the one true God] was upon me, I took courage [was strengthened, encouraged] and gathered [assembled, collected] the leaders [chief men, heads] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob] to return [go up, ascend] with me. word study