Ezra 7

II. THE SECOND RETURN UNDER EZRA CHS. 7-10

A period of 58 years separates Ezra 6 from Ezra 7 (515-458 B.C.). During this time the events in the Book of Esther took place in Persia and, in particular, Susa, one of the Persian capitals.

Darius I (Hystaspes; 521-486 B.C.) became a very capable ruler who united the vast reaches of the Persian Empire under his control. He organized the empire effectively into 20 satrapies, each of which functioned under a satrap appointed by the king. The satraps, who were usually from the Persian noble families, were virtual kings over their satrapies. They levied taxes and provided troops for the emperor. [Note: Breneman, p. 25.] Darius also built a huge palace at Persepolis, a canal that connected the Nile River with the Red Sea, and a system of roads that greatly facilitated travel and communication within the empire. [Note: See Merrill, Kingdom of . . ., pp. 488-91.]

". . . under Darius, Persia reached her zenith." [Note: Bright, p. 357.]

Darius’ son, Xerxes I (486-464 B.C., known as Ahasuerus in Ezra 4:6 and the Book of Esther), succeeded this great king. He was not as successful as his father militarily. He was, however, able to subdue rebellions in Egypt and Babylon, but lost a third of the Persian fleet to the Greeks, and eventually had to withdraw Persian troops from Europe. He died at the hand of an assassin.

The next Persian king was Artaxerxes I (Longimanus, lit. "long hand;" 464-424 B.C.), the younger son of Xerxes who killed his older brother to obtain the throne. During his reign the empire continued to decline in strength. The Greeks attacked Cyprus, Egypt rebelled, and parts of Asia Minor achieved independence.

The Persian province of Yehud (Judah) was part of the larger satrapy of Eber Nari (lit. "beyond [i.e., west of] the [Euphrates] river"). The larger satrapy included Syria, Phoenicia, Palestine to the border of Egypt, and Cyprus. Herodotus identified the satrapy "beyond the river" as Darius’ fifth satrapy. [Note: Brenemen, p. 25.]

In Judah, the Jews did not continue to fortify Jerusalem. They were content simply to worship at the temple. Their earlier zeal to return to the Mosaic ordinances that included separation from non-Jews waned. Over this 58-year period some of them intermarried with unbelieving Gentiles (Ezra 9:1-2). Evidently the Levites neglected the teaching of the law (Ezra 7:25; cf. Nehemiah 8:1-12), and temple worship became more formal than sincere (Ezra 7:23).

A. The Return to Jerusalem CHS. 7-8

In 458 B.C. God moved Ezra, a Jewish priest and scribe who was living in Babylon, to lead another group of exiles back to Judah. In Jerusalem, Ezra’s ministry consisted primarily of leading the people to return to observance of their Law. Since his time the Jews have regarded Ezra as a second Moses because he re-established Israel on the Mosaic Law.

"The emphasis in these chapters is on the character of Ezra, which sets the scene for chapters 9 and 10 where sin is uncovered in the postexilic community. Ezra is presented as a man who was strongly motivated by the Law of God." [Note: Martin, p. 665.]

1. The decree of Artaxerxes and its consequences ch. 7

After explaining Ezra’s background and his trip to Jeruselam, the writer documented Artaxerxes’ decree that permitted more Jews to return to the Promised Land. Then he related Ezra’s response of thanksgiving.