Ezra 7:21-27

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 7:11-26

We have here the commission which the Persian emperor granted to Ezra, giving him authority to act for the good of the Jews; and it is very ample and full, and beyond what could have been expected. The commission runs, we suppose, in the usual form: Artaxerxes, King of kings. This however is too high a title for any mortal man to assume; he was indeed king of some kings, but to speak as if he were king of all kings was to usurp his prerogative who hath all power both in heaven and in earth. He... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 7:27-28

Ezra cannot proceed in his story without inserting his thankful acknowledgement of the goodness of God to him and his people in this matter. As soon as he has concluded the king's commission, instead of subjoining, God save the king (though that would have been proper enough), he adds, Blessed be the Lord; for we must in every thing give thanks, and, whatever occurrences please us, we must own God's hand in them, and praise his name. Two things Ezra blessed God for:?1. For his commission. We... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 7:21

And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river ,.... The receivers of his tribute, tax, and custom, beyond the river Euphrates, on the side towards the land of Israel: that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven ; see Ezra 7:12 , shall require of you, it be done speedily ; which seems at first a grant at large for whatsoever he should want or demand, but is limited and restrained by what follows. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 7:22

Unto one hundred talents of silver ,.... Which amounted to 35,300 pounds sterling; these, according to Jarchi, were to buy the offerings or sacrifices with: and an hundred measures of wheat ; or corn, the same measure with the homer, each of which held ten ephahs, or seventy five wine gallons, five pints, and upwards; these, according to the same writer, were for meat offerings, made of fine flour, or rather bread offerings, as they may be called: and to an hundred baths of wine ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 7:23

Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven ,.... In the law given by Moses to the people of Israel: let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven ; for the service of it, particularly sacrifices: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons ? through the neglect of the service of God in the temple, and by reason of the default of the king's treasurers. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 7:24

Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God ,.... The king had a right and perfect knowledge of the distinct offices and services of those persons, see Ezra 7:7 , it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them ; that they might be the less encumbered with the affairs of life, and be more at leisure to attend divine service, and do it the more readily and freely; it was usual with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 7:25

And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand ,.... Which he had a large share of from the Lord, and could readily make use of to good purpose; and this may be meant of the law of God made with the highest wisdom, and to know and observe which is an instance of wisdom in men, Deuteronomy 4:6 , set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God ; such as God, in his great wisdom, directed to in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 7:26

And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king ,.... Either the judge who delays judgment, or does not execute it according to the law of God, and of the king; or the people, that do not obey the law of God in matters of religion, and the law of the king in civil things, Judea being now a province of the Persian empire; though some think the law of the king only refers to this law or decree of the king, which gave the Jews power to execute their own laws: let... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 7:27

Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers ,.... This is Ezra's thanksgiving to God for the above decree: which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart ; which he rightly took to be of God, who wrought in him to will and to do: to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem ; to provide for the ornamenting of it, for vessels in it, as well as for sacrifices; for as for the building of it, that was finished. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 7:22

A hundred talents of silver - The talent of silver was 450£. A hundred measures of wheat - A hundred cors; each cor was a little more than seventy-five gallons, one quart, and a pint, wine measure. A hundred baths of wine - Each bath was seven gallons and five pints. read more

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