After these events, during Artaxerxes' reign, Ezra the scribe came up from Babylon—a descendant of Aaron through Seraiah the high priest, learned in the law of Moses and granted all he requested because the hand of the Lord his God was upon him. Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel, and Artaxerxes' letter authorized him to lead any willing Jews to Jerusalem, take silver and gold from the king and his counselors as freewill offerings, purchase animals for sacrifice, and use any remainder according to God's will. The decree exempted all temple personnel from taxes and authorized Ezra to appoint magistrates and judges, teach those who did not know God's laws, and execute judgment including death, banishment, confiscation, or imprisonment on anyone not obeying God's law or the king's law; Ezra blessed the Lord who had put such intentions in the king's heart to honor the temple and extended steadfast love through the king and his counselors.
Read Ezra Chapter 7 Summary
Characters in This Chapter
Priest and scribe who led the second return and addressed intermarriage
Leader of the first return who oversaw temple rebuilding
Persian king who decreed the Jews could return and rebuild the temple
First High Priest
Prophet and Lawgiver
Son of Jacob, Ancestor of David and Christ
Places in This Chapter
Persia (modern Iran) was a major empire that conquered Babylon and allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem. King Cyrus issued the decree permitting the temple's reconstruction. The books of Esther and Daniel are set partly in the Persian court. Nehemiah served as cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes before returning to rebuild Jerusalem's walls.
Position in Book
Ezra commissioned by Artaxerxes, journey to Jerusalem with the second group of exiles.
Bible Bites
60 Years Between Ezra's Two Halves
Ezra is neatly divided into two halves: chapters 1-6 document the first wave of return under Zerubbabel, while chapters 7-10 describe events that occurred more than 60 years later with the second wave led by Ezra himself.
Ezra 7