Ezra 7:14

14. His seven counsellors Seven seems to have been a favourite and sacred number among the Persians as among the Jews. “Besides the royal family itself or clan of the Achaemenidae there were six great houses which had a rank superior to that of all the other grandees. According to Herodotus these houses derived their special dignity from the accident that their heads had been fellow-conspirators with Darius Hystaspes, ( Herod., 3:84;) but there is reason to suspect that the rank of the families was precedent to the conspiracy in question, certain families conspiring because they were great, and not becoming great because they conspired. At any rate, from the time of Darius I., there seem to have been seven great families, including that of the Achaemenidae, whose chiefs had the privilege of free communication with the monarch, and from which he was legally bound to choose his legitimate wives. The chiefs appear to have been known as ‘the seven princes,’ or the ‘ seven counsellors,’ of the king. Esther 1:14. They sat next to him at public festivals; they were privileged to tender him their advice whenever they pleased, ( Herod., 3:84, 118;) they recommended important measures of state, and were, in part, responsible for them; they could demand admission to the monarch’s presence at any time, unless he were in the female apartments; they had precedence on all great occasions of ceremony, and enjoyed a rank altogether independent of office. Sometimes perhaps most commonly they held office; but they rather conferred a lustre on the position which they consented to fill, than derived any additional splendour from it.” RAWLINSON, Ancient Monarchies, vol. iii, p. 223.

To inquire concerning Judah It would seem that Ezra had received some intimation of irregularities among the Jews at Jerusalem, and of their ignorance and neglect of the law, and had asked authority from the king to go and inquire about the matter, and, if possible, rectify it.

In thine hand In thy possession. Compare Ezra 7:25, where the wisdom of God is spoken of as in the hand of Ezra.