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Ezra 7

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The Whosoever Study Bible
Whosoever will, may come.
the book of ezra
Ezra · c. 440 BC
Chapter the Seventh
Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, 
The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, 
The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, 
The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, 
The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest: 
This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him. 
And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. 
And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 
For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. 
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. 
Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel. 
Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. 
I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. 
Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand; 
And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, 
And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem: 
That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 
And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God. 
The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. 
And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house. 
And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily, 
Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. 
Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? 
Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them. 
And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not. 
And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. 
Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem: 
And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me. 
HOW TO USE
PROVISIONIST · DISPENSATIONAL · PRE-TRIBULATIONAL
Chuck Smith · Sunday Nights, 1979 to 1985 (C2000)
Ezra 1-10
Tape C2079 · 1:22:28
Permission granted by The Word For Today
Chuck Smith · Sunday Nights, 1985 to 1999 (C3000)
Ezra 7-8
Tape C3147 · 48:33
Permission granted by The Word For Today
Raul Ries · Through the Bible
Ezra 7-8
1:01:30
Permission granted by Pastor Raul Ries

Chuck Smith on Ezra 7

Verse by verse, taught on Sunday nights: the C2000 series, 1979 to 1985, and the C3000 series, 1985 to 1999. Permission granted by The Word For Today.

Sunday Nights, 1979 to 1985 (C2000)

Verse 1

Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes (7:1)

Who is Longetimus(???) of the secular history.

Verses 6–10

Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all of his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him. And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments (7:6-10).

So Ezra was called a ready scribe. He had sought his heart to seek God. And Artaxerxes had given to him permission to come on back with another contingency of men, about 1,754 plus their little ones and their wives and all their substance. So this is now the second return. It's a small one under Ezra coming back to Jerusalem. A favorite phrase and, of course, now we get into chapter seven. We get into, this is eighty years approximately after the first people had come. So the people, of course, had been in the land. It was their first return. They have been now there for about eighty years when Ezra comes on the scene, and he evidently has favor with the king. He is granted permission to go back in order that he might teach and instruct the people in the ways of the law of God. A popular phrase with Ezra is "the good hand of God upon him."

Now Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest a decree, verse twelve.

Verses 12–23

Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with you. Forasmuch as you are sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in your hand; and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, and all the silver and gold that you can find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem: that you may buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to your brothers, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God. The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver before the God of Jerusalem. And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house. And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, be it done speedily, unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? (7:12-23)

Now why would he say that? Because he said... Ezra had gone to the king and said, "Now the hand of the Lord is upon all them for good who seek him. But if those forsake him, then you know the punishment and the wrath of God." So he said, "Why should God's wrath be upon me? Go ahead and do all these things." So he also made the decree that they could not tax the ministers, the priests and all of those who ministered in the house of God. There was not to be any taxes or tolls or customs imposed upon them.

Verses 25–26

And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach them that know them not. And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment (7:25-26).

Verses 27–28

And Ezra said,

Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is at Jerusalem: and hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And [he said, Ezra said] I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel the chief men to go up with me (7:27-28).

So Ezra, no doubt, had a very great favor in the eyes of Artaxerxes. And Artaxerxes gave this marvellous decree, giving unto Ezra money and also commanding that those on the other side give money. Also commanding that he could collect a freewill offering.

But it is interesting to me that so few really decided to go back with Ezra. Now as many as want can return, and only 1,754 wanted to. What had happened is that the Jews had become so prosperous. They started in businesses and all. Up until, of course, the time of captivity, they were most of them just farmers. But here they started getting into the businesses and they started getting so prosperous and so wealthy that they just really didn't want to go back to the hardships of the land. The land of Israel was still, offered just a lot of hardship, a lot of work. It was, everything was rebuilding. Here they were in Persia and this great and glorious empire and they were wealthy; they were getting along so well that they really didn't desire to go back.

And so though they all had the right, as many as want to of their own free will to return may do so at this time, only 1,754 chose to do so; the rest of them just settling down, comfortable, prosperous, not wanting to go through the rigors of trying to rebuild the land that had been desolated.

Sunday Nights, 1985 to 1999 (C3000)

Chapter introduction

Shall we turn now to Ezra chapter seven as we continue our journey through the Bible?

In the sixth chapter of the book of Ezra, we have the account of the completion of the rebuilding of the temple and the dedication and the celebration of the Passover. Chapter seven begins now after these things and in our English mindset we would think immediately after these things but between the end of chapter six and the beginning of chapter seven, you have a space gap of fifty-seven years. So it’s quite a while after these things; the dedication of the temple, fifty-seven years later.

Verse 1

Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, (7:1).

The first repatriation of the Israeli citizens back into the land took place under the reign of Cyrus king of Persia, who made the proclamation for the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. Now is another movement, this is under Artaxerxes. Artaxerxes is the Longitimus of secular history, if you are familiar with the Persian history.

Ezra the son of Seraiah, (7:1).

Now Ezra gives you his genealogy. In this particular time of history, their genealogy was extremely important. Coming back to the land, they wanted to prove that they were Jews. Some of them who came back in the earlier time where unable to prove that they were Jews, they had lost their genealogies. Thus they were not allowed to minister in the temple or to come into the men’s court of the temple to worship until they could verify that they were truly Jews. As you know, the Jews had sort of a degree of entering into the place of worship. They had the outer court, which was for everyone, the court of the Gentiles was what it was known as. There was a fence around the temple and the outer area of the court of the Gentiles, anybody could come there and worship the Lord. There were signs warning Gentiles not to enter any further in, on the threat of death.

The next court was the court of the ladies, where the Jewish ladies were allowed to enter in. Then the court of the men, inner court yet. On into the temple they had a place where only the priests could come into the Holy Place and then onto the Holy of Holy’s where only the high priests could come. As you move further in, there are more exclusions from those who could enter.

Through Jesus Christ, all the walls, all the barriers had been taken down so that we can enter boldly right into the presence of God. Coming to the throne of mercy to receive grace for ourselves. How thankful we are for Jesus Christ who has broken down every wall and every barrier that stood between man and God. We have this blessed privilege of coming right into the presence of God to worship him; no one excluded who has received Jesus Christ. He is our peace who has broken down every wall.

So Ezra is careful to give his genealogy here and it is interesting that he carries his genealogy back to Aaron, the brother of Moses. He’s got good records; he could carry his pedigree all the way back to Aaron. However, he does not come into the family of the high priest. About three generations back, he breaks away from the high priesthood, his great, great, great grandfather was not the oldest son, thus the priesthood monarchy passed on to the oldest. Though Ezra could date back to Aaron, he is not of the ruling high priest family.

Verse 6

This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him (7:6).

A scribe was one who was engaged in the copying of the scriptures and thus one who was always considered a student of the scriptures. “He was a ready scribe in the law of the Lord” (7:6); it was more than just a job to him, it was his life. He had favor with king Artaxerxes.

Verses 7–8

And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

The king over Persia about the year 457 BC.

Verses 8–9

And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him (7:8-9).

A four-month journey across this barren wilderness area from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Verse 10

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgements (7:10).

He had studied; he had prepared his heart. How do you prepare your heart to seek the law of the Lord? I think you prepare your heart through prayer, through meditation and through commitment. You make a commitment, “I’m going to seek the Lord. I’m gonna study the word of God. I’m gonna commit the word of God to my heart and learn what God has to say about himself”. I think it’s through commitment, through dedication, through prayer that a person prepares his heart.

Notice he was preparing his heart, first of all, to seek the law of the Lord. Then secondly, to do it. Paul the apostle said that the Jews were making a serious mistake in their day because they thought that just because they had the law of the Lord, they were justified. Paul said, “having the law of God doesn’t justify anybody. It is the keeping of the law that justifies a man”.

Now I think that sometimes we make the same mistake in thinking that “well I go to church, I partake of the sacraments of the church and therefore, I am saved, I’m all right”. Yet we are not really doing the things that the Lord commanded. Jesus said, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and yet you don’t do the things I command you to do?” It is really obedience unto him, the doing of the word of God that is so important to us. As James said, “Be ye doers of the word, not hearers only,” because if you’re just a hearer of the word you can deceive yourself. You start to think, “I know all about the Bible, I studied under Pastor Chuck, I’ve really gone through the Bible”. That won’t do it. Are you obeying the Bible? Are you obeying the precepts of the Bible?

We hear stories that grieve our hearts. Stories of those who say that they attend Calvary Chapel and yet are living in fornication or are living in adultery. Somehow they feel they intend Calvary as though attending Calvary is going to do anything for you. Some gal who won Miss Nude World a few years ago, in the interviews said, “Well I attend Calvary Chapel”. Well, that’s not going to help her. She better get some clothes on. I’m always reading about some far out person who says, “Well I attend Calvary Chapel”. As if that’s going to buy you anything. Not with God. It is doing the word that is important.

So Ezra set his heart to seek the word of God, to do the word of God and ultimately to teach the word God. Now in setting yourself to teach the word of God, you’re setting yourself in a position of awesome responsibility and great accountability. James warns about being quick to become a teacher for he said, “the teachers have the greater condemnation”. You see if you are teaching the word of God, then by virtue of the fact that you’re teaching it, it is presupposing that you know it. If you know it and don’t do it, then you are in a greater condemnation than those who don’t know. So a heavier obligation is placed upon those who are teaching the word of God; that we teach it correctly.

I am appalled at the belief and at the things that are said by some men who stand in pulpits. I read their comments in the newspapers on certain issues and I am amazed that a man would stand in a pulpit professing to be a minister of God and not believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. I can’t understand that. I can’t understand a man standing in the pulpit and not believing that Jesus was born of virgin. I wonder why they are even in the ministry if they don’t believe the Book that they are drawing their whole theology from. How important, when teaching the word of God, that we keep our own ideas in the background and that we are careful just to teach the word of God.

I got a letter this past week from a fellow here in the church that I had respected and admire and sort of rebuked me for some of remarks I make concerning financial investments, he said, “you stick to preaching”. Good advice, good advice. Stick to the word and you won’t go wrong.

So Ezra prepared his heart. He wanted to seek the word of God, he wanted to do the word of God, he wanted to teach the word of God. Teaching is often by doing. Paul the apostle, when he met with the elders at Ephesus said that, “ how that for the space of three years I taught and I showed”. By example, I lived it among you. Not only did I teach you what the Bible said; I lived among you the precepts. You could see by my life, I demonstrated. How important that our lives be a demonstration of what we preach. If we preach that we should love one another, then how important that we do love and that our lives demonstrate what we preach.

Now Ezra, in the next section of chapter seven, gives a copy of the decree that was made by Artaxerxes granting Ezra and his group the permission to go on back to Jerusalem.

Verse 11

Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel. Artaxerxes, king of kings, (7:11).

This guy doesn’t have a problem with pride does he? Hey man, I’m it.

Verses 12–13

unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee (7:12-13).

Here is a choice being given, to those who want, you can return. You can go with Ezra back to Jerusalem. No one is forced to go but no one will be hindered who wants to go. It is so like God to give man a totally free choice. You can serve God if you want you don’t have to if you don’t want to. You can commit your life to Jesus Christ, but you don’t have to commit your life to Jesus Christ. You can believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior or you don’t have to believe in Jesus. It is man’s choice; always a free choice of man. So the king is offering to these people the free choice; any one of their own freewill, if they want, they can return with Ezra to Jerusalem.

Verse 14

Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellers, (7:14).

Thou Artaxerxes was the king, there was also a ruling counsel with the king. They no doubt had this meeting and determined together that this decree should be made.

Verses 14–15

to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of they God which is in thine hand; And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellers have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation [house] is in Jerusalem, (7:14-15).

It isn’t that God lives in Jerusalem, but the house of God, the temple was built there in Jerusalem.

Verse 16

And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem: (7:16).

Take back the treasure that I give out of the treasure of Persia. Of course Persia was an extremely wealthy empire having conquered Babylon who controlled the wealth of the world; it now was an extremely wealthy empire. In the conquest of Alexander the Great, when he conquered Persia, he conquered the vast wealth of Persia. The history books that deal with Alexander the Great such as Ludwig's tell of the tremendous treasures of Persia that were captured by Alexander. Here are treasures that are being sent from the king plus the offerings that they gather from the freewill of the Jews throughout the province.

Verses 17–18

That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God (7:17-18).

In other words, the money was first of all to be used to by bullocks and all to offer sacrifices, but there was much more money than was just needed for sacrifices. So when you get there, what ever is left over, do with it, as it seems right, as you wait upon God and get direction so expend the rest of the money. Maybe in repairs, maybe in the beautifying of the temple, but you can use it for whatever purpose you desire.

Verse 19

The vessels also that are given to thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem (7:19).

He is sending also these vessels to be used in worship and in the service of the temple.

Verses 20–21

And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house. And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily, (7:20-21).

To those that were collecting the taxes from the various provinces that were under Persian control, to those treasures he says Ezra’s in charge, whatever he needs, give it to him speedily. Of course, he puts a limit.

Verse 22

Unto an hundred talents of silver and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much (7:22).

No limit to the salt.

Verse 23

Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? (7:23).

An interesting motivation here. Actually, at this point of history, Egypt had rebelled against Persia and also those of Athens had rebelled. Persia was beginning to experience some reverses. Now Ezra had told the king that the hand of the Lord was on those for good who would seek the Lord but the power and the wrath of God was against those who would forsake the Lord.

Artaxerxes, because of the reverses perhaps in Egypt and from the Athenians, decided to seek the Lord by making this decree in order that, possibly, they might change the course of events that was taking place. Interestedly enough, right after this, he sent the army against the Egyptians and they conquered over the Egyptians and brought them again under the reign of Persian, as also the Athenians were defeated right after this. If that was his motive, it worked because the kingdom was reestablished from the Egyptians and the Athenians who were rebelling at that time.

Verse 24

Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them (7:24).

In other words, the ministers were exempted from the taxes. Not a bad idea in a sense, in as much as our salary comes from the church and then the government taxes us. They are making the church, in a secondary sense, support the government. Let me say that the government needs a lot more support than the church. They’re hurting and until they start using some wisdom in the way they expend their money, they will continue to be hurt.

Verse 25

And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine, hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not (7:25).

Ezra was commissioned to set up judges and magistrates, those that knew the law of God. Those that didn’t know the law of God, Ezra was commanded to teach them the law of the Lord.

Verse 26

And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment (7:26).

He gave a lot of authority to Ezra; authority of government, authority to impose the law of God upon the people with the penalty of death, banishment, imprisonment and the confiscation of their goods. With this decree, Ezra thanked the Lord.

Verses 27–28

Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem: And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellers, and before all the king’s mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me (7:27-28).

We have the decree; we have, in chapter seven, sort of a synopses. Already he has told us it took him four months to make the journey. He has the decree and the authority of the Persian Empire. Now we go back and we get some of the details. We are not yet in Jerusalem in chapter eight, but we are going to fill in some of the details as they begin to make this journey, as they make the preparation for this journey.

Commentary on Ezra 7

Whosoever Will · The Whosoever Study Bible’s verse commentary

Ezra 7:10

The second wave of returnees comes under Ezra: a priest and scribe skilled in the law of Moses. His qualification is stated precisely: Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD and to do it and to teach in Israel statutes and rules. Three sequential acts: seek, do, teach. The order is not exchangeable. Seeking the law without doing it produces knowledge that condemns. Doing without seeking produces moralism without understanding. Teaching without doing produces hypocrisy. Ezra does them in order. Ezra arrives in Jerusalem and discovers a crisis: the returned community has intermarried with the surrounding peoples, including their priests and Levites. The boundary that was supposed to mark Israel as distinct from the nations has been systematically dissolved. Ezra tears his garments and his mantle, pulls hair from his head and beard, and sits in stunned silence until the evening offering. Then he prays: one of the most theologically honest prayers in the OT. He does not argue that the punishment was excessive. He does not claim extenuating circumstances. He says: our iniquities have risen higher than our heads; our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. Yet now for a brief moment the LORD our God has shown us favor: to leave us a remnant and give us a secure hold in his holy place. We are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery. Thread 4 is Ezra's own seeking-doing-teaching sequence, the genuine human preparation of the heart that authentic covenant life requires. Thread 1 is the gracious mention in the king's heart: the same sovereign pattern as Cyrus is repeated under Artaxerxes. Thread 5 is the covenant community's ongoing struggle to maintain the distinctiveness the Mosaic administration requires.
Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law and to do it and to teach it: the three sequential acts of genuine covenant faithfulness; and the king's heart stirred by God as Cyrus's spirit was stirred before him.
כִּי עֶזְרָא הֵכִין לְבָבוֹ לִדְרוֹשׁ אֶת תּוֹרַת יְהוָה וְלַעֲשֹׂת וּלְלַמֵּד (ki Ezra hekin levavo lidrosh et torat YHWH ve-la'asot u-lelammedh): for Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD and to do it and to teach it: hekin levavo (he established, fixed, prepared his heart, Hiphil of kun; the deliberate setting of the inner life toward a specific orientation; not casual or occasional but prepared, fixed, steady); the three sequential infinitives: lidrosh (to seek, study), la'asot (to do, to obey), ullammedh (to teach); the order is theologically exact, you cannot teach what you have not done, and you cannot do what you have not sought
threads t1 · t4 · t5 · see Deuteronomy 6:6-7 · Ezra 9:1-15 · Nehemiah 8:8
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