Bible Commentaries
Go deeper in Scripture
Browse trusted public-domain commentary alongside DiscipleDeck Bible study. References inside each commentary open Bible previews in place.
27,299 commentary entries
The Pulpit Commentary
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:1-10
The reformer. "After these things"—nearly sixty years "after," as usually understood—certain other things came to pass. Things so far similar that they may be recorded in the same connection; things so far different as…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:1-10
Ezra the type of as ideal minister. I. THAT HE IS GENERALLY A MAN OF GOOD MORAL ANCESTRY. "The son of Aaron the chief priest" (verse 5). Ezra was in the line of a renowned and religious ancestry; the past history of Isr…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:1
The writer makes a marked division between his first and second sections by means of the words, "Now after these things," which he uses in this place only. The actual interval seems to have been one of between fifty-sev…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:1-10
Ezra: his character and work. The study of human character and of human life is not only an essential part of human knowledge, but of spiritual culture. Biography is a means of grace. We do well to follow in thought the…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:1-10
The exodus under Ezra. "After these things," viz; the events which culminated in the dedication of the temple, and consequent ordering of the service of God. "In the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia," after an interva…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:2-4
This portion of the genealogy agrees exactly with that of Jehozadak in 1 Chronicles 6:3-15, excepting in the omission, which has been already noticed, of six names between Azariah and Meraioth. We may gather from 1 Chro…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:6
This Ezra went up. See comment on Ezra 2:1, where the same expression ― "went up"—is used. He was a ready scribe in the law of Moses. On the meaning of this phrase, and the new position occupied by "scribes" after the c…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:6-10
EZRA'S JOURNEY FROM BABYLON TO JERUSALEM, WITH DATES (Xerxes Ezra 7:6-10). In introducing himself, Ezra seems to regard it 25 of primary importance to state two things—
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:7
The same six classes are here mentioned as furnishing colonists under Ezra which, according to the earlier narrative (Ezra 2:70), had accompanied Zerubbabel. The order in which the classes are mentioned is nearly, but n…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:8
And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month. From the ninth verse it appears that the first day of the first month—the opening day of the year—was selected for the commencement of the journey. This was no doubt viewed a…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:9
According to the good hand of his God. For the meaning of this phrase, see comment on Ezra 7:6. The special favour of God here intended would seem to be deliverance from certain enemies who designed to attack the carava…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:10
For Ezra had prepared his heart, etc. God's favour towards Ezra, and the prosperous issue of his journey, were the consequences of his having set his heart on learning God's will, and doing it, and teaching it to others…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:11-26
Ezra's commission from Artaxerxes. After giving a general account of the exodus of Israel from Babylon under his leadership, Ezra transcribes the letter of the king of Persia containing his commission. In considering th…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:11-28
EXPOSITION THE DECREE OF ARTAXERXES WITH RESPECT TO EZRA (Ezra 7:11-26). The present decree was of the nature of a firman granted to an individual. It embodied, in the first place, a certain number of provisions which w…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:11
The copy of the letter that the king … gave to Ezra. This decree, as already observed, was a private firman, one copy of which only was made, which was presented to Ezra, and was his authority for doing certain things h…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:11-26
The reformer's commission. The insertion here of this decree of Artaxerxes at length, and in its original Chaldee form, is in more or less close keeping with the earlier parts of this book (Ezra 1:2-4; Ezra 4:11-16, Ezr…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:11
The royal and the religious. I. THE ESTEEM WHICH THE ROYAL HAD FOR THE RELIGIOUS. "Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace" (verse 12). Ezra had so conduc…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:11-26
Pagan piety. It is certainly a striking fact that a second Persian monarch should have shown so right a feeling toward the people and the cause of God. We have in this Artaxerxes another illustration of pagan piety. We…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:12
Artaxerxes, king of kings. "King of kings, kkshayathiya khshaya-thiyanam," an equivalent of the modern shahinshah, was a recognised title of the Persian monarchs, and is found in every Persian inscription of any conside…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:13
All they of the people of Israel. The decree of Artaxerxes is as wide in its terms as the proclamation of Cyrus (Ezra 1:3), and gives permission not to the Jews only, but to all Israelites of whatever tribe, to accompan…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:14
Ezra received his commission from the king, and from his seven counsellors, who thus seem to occupy an important position in the Persian state. They are commonly identified with the "seven princes of Persia and Media,"…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:15
And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered. Large sums in specie had in ancient times to be remitted from one country to another under escort. The roads were never safe from…
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:16
All the silver and gold that thou canst find. Rather, "that thou canst obtain"—"all that thou canst get my other subjects to give thee." Compare the proclamation of Cyrus (Ezra 1:4, Ezra 1:6).
The Pulpit Commentary on Ezra 7:17
That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, etc. The primary application of the money sent by Ezra was to be the maintenance of the Jewish ritual in its full splendour. The residue was, however, to be employ…