Ezra 7:1-10

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 7:1-10

Here is, I. Ezra's pedigree. He was one of the sons of Aaron, a priest. Him God chose to be an instrument of good to Israel, that he might put honour upon the priesthood, the glory of which had been much eclipsed by the captivity. He is said to be the son of Seraiah, that Seraiah, as is supposed, whom the king of Babylon put to death when he sacked Jerusalem, 2 Kgs. 25:18, 21. If we take the shortest computation, it was seventy-five years since Seraiah died; many reckon it much longer, and,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 7:1-5

Now after these things ,.... The finishing of the temple, and the dedication of it, and keeping the passover: in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia ; in the seventh year of his reign, Ezra 7:7 , who is the same with Darius in the preceding chapter; so Jarchi and Aben Ezra; See Gill on Ezra 6:14 . Ezra the son of Seraiah ; the high priest slain by Nebuchadnezzar Jeremiah 52:24 , this Ezra was a younger son of his, brother to Josedech, and uncle to Joshua, who were high... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 7:6

This Ezra went up from Babylon ,.... A second time; for that he went up with Zerubbabel is clear from Nehemiah 12:1 , and is plainly intimated, Ezra 5:4 , and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given ; the meaning is, not that he had a quick hand in writing out copies of it, but was well versed in the knowledge of it; had studied it thoroughly, well instructed in it, and was abundantly qualified to teach it others; he was an eminent doctor of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 7:7

And there went up some of the children of Israel ,.... Perhaps some of the ten tribes, as well as others of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin; who, notwithstanding the edict of Cyrus, chose to remain in Babylon, and in the countries of it, until they saw how things would go in Judea; and hearing that the temple was finished, and that those that had returned had built them houses in their several cities, and prospered, thought fit to return also: and of the priests, and the Levites, and the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 7:8

And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month ,.... With the above company; this was the month Abib, answering to part of July and part of August: which was in the seventh year of the king; as in the preceding verse. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 7:9

For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon ,.... The month Nisan, answering to part of March and part of April; this was New Year's day: and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem ; the first of the month Ab, as in the preceding verse; so that he was just four months on his journey: according to the good hand of his God upon him ; his power and providence, which gave him and his company health and strength, supplied them with everything... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 7:10

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord ,.... To attain to the knowledge of it, that he might be master of it, and expert in it, and know what was not to be done, and what to be done; he had set his heart upon this, bent his studies this way, and taken a great deal of pains in searching into it, in reading of it, and meditating on it: and to do it ; he was not only concerned to get the theory of it, but to put it in practice, to exercise himself in it, that it might... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 7:1

In the reign of Artaxerxes - This was Artaxerxes Longimanus, the seventh of whose reign chronologers place A.M. 3547, sixty-eight years after Cyrus had sent back Zerubbabel. - Calmet. See the introduction. Son of Seraiah - Either this could not have been Seraiah the high priest, who had been put to death by Nebuchadnezzar one hundred and twenty-one years before this time, or the term son here must signify only his descendants, or one of his descendants. Were it otherwise,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 7:6

A ready scribe - מחיר סופר sopher machir does not merely signify a speedy writer or an excellent penman, but one who was eminently skillful in expounding the law. In this sense the word γραμματευς , scribe, is repeatedly used in the New Testament, and we find that both in the Old and New Testament it had the same signification. The Syriac gives the sense of the word by translating sophro chocimo , a wise scribe, or expounder. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 7:8

He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month - From the following verse we learn that Ezra and his company set off from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and thus we find they were upwards of four months on their journey. They could not travel fast, as they were a great company, composed in part of the aged and infirm, besides multitudes of women and children. They appear also to have taken a circuitous route. See on Ezra 8:24-32 ; (note). read more

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