“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 Hebrews write, that divers of the kings of Persia were called by this name, as Pharaoh was a common name to the kings of Egypt, and Caesar to the Emperors Roman.
“The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:”
Ezra deduceth his kindred, till he cometh to Aaron, to prove that he came of him.
“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.”
He showeth here what a Scribe is, who had charge to write the Law and to expound it, whom Mark calleth a Scribe, Mark 12:28 , Matthew and Luke called him a Lawyer or doctor of the Law, Matt. 22:35 ; Luke 10:25 .
“And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.”
That contained part of July, and part of August. Of king Darius.
“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. unto: or, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe of the law of the God of heaven, peace, etc”
Some take this for the name of a people, some for time or continuance, meaning that the king wished him long life.
“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.”
Which remained as yet in Babylon and had not returned with Zerubbabel.
“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; of the king: Chaldee, from before the king”
Whereof thou art expert. To examine who lived according to the Law.
“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.”
As ye know best may serve to God’s glory.
“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,”
Which was the river Euphrates, and they were beyond it in respect of Babylon.
“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. measures: Chaldee, cors”
Hebrew, Corim . Read 1 Kings 7:26 ; 2 Chron. 2:10 .
“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? Whatsoever: Chaldee, Whatsoever is of the decree”
This declareth that the fear of God’s judgments causeth him to use this liberality, and not the love that he bare to God’s glory: or affection to his people.
“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.”
He gave Ezra full authority to restore all things according to the word of God, and to punish them that resisted, and would not obey.
“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:”
Thus Ezra gave God thanks for that he gave him so good success in his affairs by reason of the king.