I hereby decree that any volunteers among the Israelites in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may go up with you to Jerusalem. I hereby decreeThis phrase introduces a royal edict, underscoring the authority and power of the Persian king, Artaxerxes. In the historical context, decrees from kings were binding and carried significant weight. The Hebrew word for "decree" (טְעֵם, te‘em) reflects a command or decision that is not to be questioned, highlighting the sovereignty of the king. This decree is pivotal as it sets the stage for Ezra's mission to Jerusalem, emphasizing the divine orchestration behind political events. that any of the Israelites
This phrase refers to the Jewish people, descendants of Jacob, also known as Israel. Historically, the Israelites had been in exile in Babylon, and this decree marks a significant moment in their return to their homeland. The term "Israelites" connects them to their covenant identity as God's chosen people, reminding readers of the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. in my kingdom
Artaxerxes' kingdom was vast, stretching from India to Ethiopia, encompassing many peoples and cultures. The phrase highlights the inclusivity of the decree, allowing any Israelite within this expansive empire to return. It also reflects the historical reality of the Persian Empire's policy of religious tolerance and support for local customs and religions. who is willing to go to Jerusalem
This phrase emphasizes the voluntary nature of the return. The Hebrew root for "willing" (נָדַב, nadab) suggests a freewill offering or a voluntary decision, indicating that the return to Jerusalem was not coerced but a matter of personal conviction and desire. This reflects the spiritual renewal and commitment of those who chose to return to rebuild the temple and restore worship. may go with you
The phrase "may go with you" signifies the king's support for Ezra's leadership. Ezra, a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, was chosen to lead this group back to Jerusalem. The king's endorsement of Ezra underscores the divine favor and providence at work, as God uses a foreign king to fulfill His purposes for His people. This phrase also highlights the communal aspect of the journey, as it was not just an individual endeavor but a collective return to their spiritual roots. Persons / Places / Events 1. EzraA scribe and priest, Ezra was a leader among the Israelites returning from Babylonian exile. He was tasked with teaching the laws of God to the people in Jerusalem. 2. ArtaxerxesThe Persian king who issued the decree allowing the Israelites, including priests and Levites, to return to Jerusalem. His support was crucial for the restoration of the Jewish community and worship practices. 3. JerusalemThe city to which the Israelites were returning. It was the center of Jewish worship and the location of the Temple, which had been previously destroyed and was in the process of being rebuilt. 4. Priests and LevitesThese were the religious leaders and temple workers among the Israelites. Their return to Jerusalem was essential for the reestablishment of proper worship and religious practices. 5. The DecreeA royal edict from King Artaxerxes that permitted the Israelites to return to their homeland. This decree was a pivotal moment in the history of Israel, allowing for the restoration of their religious and cultural identity. Teaching Points Divine ProvidenceGod's sovereignty is evident in the actions of foreign kings like Artaxerxes, who unwittingly fulfill God's plans for His people. The Role of LeadershipEzra's leadership and dedication to God's law were instrumental in the spiritual renewal of the Israelites. Godly leadership is crucial for guiding communities in faith. The Importance of WorshipThe return of the priests and Levites underscores the centrality of worship and religious practices in the life of God's people. Worship should be prioritized in our lives. Obedience to God's CallThe willingness of the Israelites to return to Jerusalem reflects obedience to God's call. We should be ready to follow God's leading, even when it requires significant change. Community RestorationThe decree allowed for the rebuilding of the community in Jerusalem. Restoration and renewal are possible when we align ourselves with God's purposes. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the decree of Artaxerxes in Ezra 7:13 demonstrate God's control over historical events, and how can this understanding impact our trust in God's plan for our lives? 2. In what ways does Ezra's leadership serve as a model for spiritual leaders today, and how can we apply these principles in our own communities? 3. Why was the return of the priests and Levites significant for the Israelites, and what does this teach us about the role of worship in our personal and communal lives? 4. How can we discern and respond to God's call in our lives, especially when it involves stepping out in faith like the Israelites returning to Jerusalem? 5. What steps can we take to contribute to the restoration and renewal of our own communities, drawing inspiration from the rebuilding efforts in Jerusalem? Connections to Other Scriptures Ezra 1:1-4This passage describes the earlier decree by King Cyrus, which initiated the return of the exiles to Jerusalem. It sets a precedent for the decree by Artaxerxes in Ezra 7:13. Nehemiah 2:1-8Nehemiah also received permission from Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem, highlighting the king's continued support for the Jewish people. Isaiah 44:28This prophecy speaks of Cyrus as God's shepherd who will fulfill His purpose, paralleling the role of Artaxerxes in facilitating the return of the exiles. People Aaron, Abishua, Ahitub, Amariah, Artaxerxes, Azariah, Bukki, Eleazar, Ezra, Hilkiah, Israelites, Levites, Meraioth, Phinehas, Seraiah, Shallum, Uzzi, Zadok, ZerahiahPlaces Babylonia, Beyond the River, Jerusalem, PersiaTopics Decree, Desire, Disposed, Free, Freely, Freewill, Including, Israelites, Issued, Jerusalem, Kingdom, Levites, Minded, Offers, Order, Orders, Priests, Ready, Realm, Willing, WishDictionary of Bible Themes Ezra 7:13 5463 proclamations Ezra 7:1-21 7464 teachers of the law Ezra 7:11-17 7468 temple, rebuilding Ezra 7:12-18 4333 gold Ezra 7:12-20 7505 Jews, the Ezra 7:13-16 4363 silver Library Appendix. The Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament.
1. The Greek word Apocrypha, hidden, that is, hidden or secret books, was early applied by the fathers of the Christian church to anonymous or spurious books that falsely laid claim to be a part of the inspired word. By some, as Jerome, the term was extended to all the books incorporated by the Alexandrine Jews, in their Greek version, into the proper canon of the Old Testament, a few of which books, though not inspired, are undoubtedly genuine. Another designation of the books in question …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the BibleReading the Law with Tears and Joy
'And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. 2. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. 3. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate, from the morning until midday, before …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Rome and Ephesus
Corinth as portrayed in the Epistles of Paul gives us our simplest and least contaminated picture of the Hellenic Christianity which regarded itself as the cult of the Lord Jesus, who offered salvation--immortality--to those initiated in his mysteries. It had obvious weaknesses in the eyes of Jewish Christians, even when they were as Hellenised as Paul, since it offered little reason for a higher standard of conduct than heathenism, and its personal eschatology left no real place for the resurrection …
Kirsopp Lake—Landmarks in the History of Early Christianity Authorship of the Pentateuch.
The term Pentateuch is composed of the two Greek words, pente, five, and teuchos, which in later Alexandrine usage signified book. It denotes, therefore, the collection of five books; or, the five books of the law considered as a whole. 1. In our inquiries respecting the authorship of the Pentateuch, we begin with the undisputed fact that it existed in its present form in the days of Christ and his apostles, and had so existed from the time of Ezra. When the translators of the Greek version, …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Of Antichrist, and his Ruin: and of the Slaying the Witnesses.
BY JOHN BUNYAN PREFATORY REMARKS BY THE EDITOR This important treatise was prepared for the press, and left by the author, at his decease, to the care of his surviving friend for publication. It first appeared in a collection of his works in folio, 1692; and although a subject of universal interest; most admirably elucidated; no edition has been published in a separate form. Antichrist has agitated the Christian world from the earliest ages; and his craft has been to mislead the thoughtless, by …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Brave Encouragements
'In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, saying, 2. Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying, 3. Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? 4. Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture General Account of Jesus' Teaching.
^A Matt. IV. 17; ^B Mark I. 14, 15; ^C Luke IV. 14, 15. ^a 17 From that time Jesus began to preach [The time here indicated is that of John the Baptist's imprisonment and Jesus' return to Galilee. This time marked a new period in the public ministry of Jesus. Hitherto he had taught, but he now began to preach. When the voice of his messenger, John, was silenced, the King became his own herald. Paul quoted the Greeks as saying that preaching was "foolishness," but following the example here set by …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Section Chap. I. -iii.
The question which here above all engages our attention, and requires to be answered, is this: Whether that which is reported in these chapters did, or did not, actually and outwardly take place. The history of the inquiries connected with this question is found most fully in Marckius's "Diatribe de uxore fornicationum," Leyden, 1696, reprinted in the Commentary on the Minor Prophets by the same author. The various views may be divided into three classes. 1. It is maintained by very many interpreters, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Formation and History of the Hebrew Canon.
1. The Greek word canon (originally a straight rod or pole, measuring-rod, then rule) denotes that collection of books which the churches receive as given by inspiration of God, and therefore as constituting for them a divine rule of faith and practice. To the books included in it the term canonical is applied. The Canon of the Old Testament, considered in reference to its constituent parts, was formed gradually; formed under divine superintendence by a process of growth extending through …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Appendix v. Rabbinic Theology and Literature
1. The Traditional Law. - The brief account given in vol. i. p. 100, of the character and authority claimed for the traditional law may here be supplemented by a chronological arrangement of the Halakhoth in the order of their supposed introduction or promulgation. In the first class, or Halakhoth of Moses from Sinai,' tradition enumerates fifty-five, [6370] which may be thus designated: religio-agrarian, four; [6371] ritual, including questions about clean and unclean,' twenty-three; [6372] concerning …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah The Historical Books.
1. In the Pentateuch we have the establishment of the Theocracy, with the preparatory and accompanying history pertaining to it. The province of the historical books is to unfold its practiced working, and to show how, under the divine superintendence and guidance, it accomplished the end for which it was given. They contain, therefore, primarily, a history of God's dealings with the covenant people under the economy which he had imposed upon them. They look at the course of human events on the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Influences that Gave Rise to the Priestly Laws and Histories
[Sidenote: Influences in the exile that produced written ceremonial laws] The Babylonian exile gave a great opportunity and incentive to the further development of written law. While the temple stood, the ceremonial rites and customs received constant illustration, and were transmitted directly from father to son in the priestly families. Hence, there was little need of writing them down. But when most of the priests were carried captive to Babylonia, as in 597 B.C., and ten years later the temple …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament Ezra-Nehemiah
Some of the most complicated problems in Hebrew history as well as in the literary criticism of the Old Testament gather about the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Apart from these books, all that we know of the origin and early history of Judaism is inferential. They are our only historical sources for that period; and if in them we have, as we seem to have, authentic memoirs, fragmentary though they be, written by the two men who, more than any other, gave permanent shape and direction to Judaism, then …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Ezra 7:13 NIVEzra 7:13 NLTEzra 7:13 ESVEzra 7:13 NASBEzra 7:13 KJV
Ezra 7:13 Commentaries
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