First light on a flat mud-brick roof in Babylon: Ezra the scribe, seen from behind, stands at the low parapet with a rolled scroll held to his chest, looking west over palm tops, plain houses and a canal catching the dawn, under a wide, calm, pale sky.

The Book of

Ezra 7

Fifty-eight years after the temple was finished, a scribe sets his heart on the Word of God and goes up to Jerusalem.

28 verses≈ 6 min2 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

1–2The returnCyrus lets them go up
3The altarFoundations laid
4OppositionThe work stopped
5–6The templeFinished and dedicated
7–8Ezra comesThe good hand of GodChapter 7
9–10RepentanceFaithless marriages confessed

Ezra Arrives in Jerusalem

Family line

Ezra, back to Aaron

The scribe
Many years later, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
ShallumZadokAhitub
the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
AmariahAzariahMeraioth
the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
ZerahiahUzziBukki
the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
AbishuaPhinehasEleazarAaron
Aaron the chief priest
the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

A tall columned hall of a Persian palace in soft light: far off on a raised dais the king sits small on a high-backed throne under a canopy, while nearer, Ezra the scribe stands before the steps, head slightly bowed, as a Persian court official holds out to him a rolled scroll sealed with clay.

this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted Ezra all his requests, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.

the hand of the LORD his God was upon him

Ezra 7:6

Ezra 7:10

Reflect

In that order

Ezra “had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes.” Study, then practice, then teach. Which of the three comes easiest to you, and which is the one you skip? Write down one passage you will read this week, and one way you will do what it says.

Study, practice, teach

Whiteboard

Ezra’s order matters. He learned the Law before he lived it, and lived it before he taught it. The Word was not only on his desk but in his life, and only then on his lips.

Artaxerxes’ Letter for Ezra

This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in the commandments and statutes of the LORD to Israel:

From ArtaxerxesTo Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven

Artaxerxes, king of kings. To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.

I hereby decree that any volunteers among the Israelites in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may go up with you to Jerusalem. You are sent by the king and his seven counselors to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.

Ezra 7:12–14

A lamplit storeroom of a Persian palace: Persian treasury officials set out silver and gold vessels and leather bags of silver on a long low table beside a bronze balance, as Ezra the scribe and two priests in white linen receive the king's gift for the God of Israel.

From ArtaxerxesTo Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven

Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, together with all the silver and gold you may find in all the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem. With this money, therefore, you are to buy as many bulls, rams, and lambs as needed, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem. You and your brothers may do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God.

You must deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God. And if anything else is needed for the house of your God that you may have occasion to supply, you may pay for it from the royal treasury.

Ezra 7:15–20

A provincial storehouse west of the Euphrates in morning light: tall clay jars of wine and olive oil, heaped sacks of wheat and a white mound of salt, while a Persian treasurer weighs leather bags of silver on a bronze balance and Judean men load donkeys at the wide door.

From ArtaxerxesTo all the treasurers west of the Euphrates

I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers west of the Euphrates: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it must be provided promptly, up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit. Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for His house. For why should wrath fall on the realm of the king and his sons? And be advised that you have no authority to impose tribute, duty, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

Ezra 7:21–24

Late afternoon in the plain stone gateway of a small town in Judah: Ezra the scribe sits on a stone bench with a rolled scroll on his knees, teaching a half-circle of older Judean men, one leaning forward to listen; a donkey and a water jar by the gate.

From ArtaxerxesTo Ezra

And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God, which you possess, are to appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people west of the Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach these laws to anyone who does not know them. If anyone does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let a strict judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.

Ezra 7:25–26

Question

Quick question

Ezra and his company walked from Babylon to Jerusalem with the king’s letter in hand.

How long did Ezra’s journey from Babylon to Jerusalem take?

Ezra Blesses God

Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put into the heart of the king to so honor the house of the LORD in Jerusalem,

and who has shown me favor before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officials.

Evening in a walled mud-brick courtyard in Babylon: Ezra stands with one hand raised, speaking to the heads of Israel's families gathered close around him, seen from behind the men, lamps being lit along the wall under a calm evening sky.

And because the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, I took courage and gathered the leaders of Israel to return with me.

0:13

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Pray

Into the heart of the king

Bless the LORD, who “put into the heart of the king to so honor the house of the LORD.” Thank Him that He still turns the hearts of the powerful to serve His purposes. Ask Him for a heart set, like Ezra’s, “to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach” it. And where you see His hand on you, ask for the courage Ezra found: “I took courage.”

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Ezra 7

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A verse to carry with you

For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Ezra 7:10

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