New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Ezra 7
1
After all of those things had happened, Ezra came up to Jerusalem from Babylonia. It was during the rule of Artaxerxes. He was king of Persia. Ezra was the son of Seraiah. Seraiah was the son of Azariah. Azariah was the son of Hilkiah.
Reference
People
2
Hilkiah was the son of Shallum. Shallum was the son of Zadok. Zadok was the son of Ahitub.
3
Ahitub was the son of Amariah. Amariah was the son of Azariah. Azariah was the son of Meraioth.
4
Meraioth was the son of Zerahiah. Zerahiah was the son of Uzzi. Uzzi was the son of Bukki.
5
Bukki was the son of Abishua. Abishua was the son of Phinehas. Phinehas was the son of Eleazar. And Eleazar was the son of the chief priest Aaron.
6
So Ezra came up from Babylonia. He was a teacher. He knew the Law of Moses very well. The Lord had given Israel that law. He is the God of Israel. The king had given Ezra everything he asked for. That's because the powerful hand of the Lord his God helped him.
Reference
Kingdom
Ezra 7:28
Ezra 8:22
Nehemiah 2:18
Nehemiah 2:8
Ezra 7:21
Parallel theme
Matthew 28:20
References God
Ezra 8:31
Ezra 7:9
Ezra 8:18
7
Some of the people of Israel came up to Jerusalem too. They included priests, Levites and singers. They also included the temple servants and those who guarded the temple gates. It was in the seventh year that Artaxerxes was king.
8
Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king's rule.
9
Ezra had begun his journey from Babylonia on the first day of the first month. He arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month. That's because the gracious hand of his God helped him.
Reference
10
Ezra had committed himself to study and obey the Law of the Lord. He also wanted to teach the Lord's rules and laws in Israel.
Reference
Judgment
Ezra 7:25
Deuteronomy 33:10
Parallel theme
Matthew 7:24
John 13:17
References Lord
Psalm 10:17
1 Chronicles 29:18
Word
Malachi 2:7
2 Timothy 4:2
Psalm 1:2
Psalm 19:7
11
Ezra was a priest and teacher. He was an educated man. He knew the Lord's commands and rules for Israel very well. Here is a copy of a letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra. It said,
12
I, Artaxerxes, am writing this letter. I am the greatest king of all. I have given it to the priest Ezra. He is a teacher of the Law of the God of heaven. I give you my greetings.
Reference
13
Ezra, there are people from Israel in my kingdom. I am giving an order that any of them who want to go to Jerusalem with you can go. The order also allows priests and Levites to go with you.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezra 6:1
14
I and my seven advisers are sending you to see how things are going in Judah and Jerusalem. Find out whether the people there are obeying the Law of your God. You have a copy of that law with you.
Reference
Kingdom
Esther 1:14
15
I and my advisers have freely given some silver and gold to the God of Israel. He lives in Jerusalem. Take the silver and gold with you.
Reference
Kingdom
Ezra 6:12
Psalm 72:10
1 Chronicles 29:6
Parallel theme
2 Chronicles 6:2
Psalm 26:8
Psalm 9:11
Psalm 76:2
References God
Psalm 76:11
References Israel
2 Chronicles 6:6
References Jerusalem
Psalm 135:21
16
Also take any other silver and gold you can get from the land of Babylonia. And take the offerings the people and priests choose to give for the temple of their God in Jerusalem.
Reference
17
Make sure you use the money to buy bulls, rams and male lambs. Also buy their grain offerings and drink offerings. Then sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 2:14
18
You and the other Jews can do what you think is best with the rest of the silver and gold. Do what your God wants you to do.
19
Give to the God of Jerusalem all of the articles you are accountable for. Use them for worshiping your God in his temple.
20
You might need to supply some other things for the temple of your God. If you do, take them from among the royal treasures.
Reference
Kingdom
Ezra 6:4
21
I, King Artaxerxes, also give this order. It applies to all those who are in charge of the treasures west of the Euphrates River. Make sure you provide anything the priest Ezra might ask you to give. He is a teacher of the Law of the God of heaven.
Reference
22
Give Ezra up to three and three-fourths tons of silver. Give him up to 600 bushels of wheat. Give him up to 600 gallons of wine. Also give him up to 600 gallons of olive oil. And give him as much salt as he needs.
23
Work hard for the temple of the God of heaven. Do everything he has required. I don't want him to be angry with my kingdom and the kingdom of my sons.
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 119:4
24
I want you to know that you don't have any authority to collect taxes, gifts or fees from these people. You can't collect them from the priests, Levites, singers or those who guard the temple gates. And you can't collect them from the temple servants or other workers at the house of God in Jerusalem.
Reference
25
Ezra, appoint judges and other court officials. When you do it, use the wisdom your God gives you. Those you appoint should do what is right and fair when they judge people. They should do it for everyone who lives west of the Euphrates. They should do it for everyone who knows the laws of your God. And I want you to teach the people who don't know those laws.
Reference
26
Anyone who doesn't obey the law of your God must be punished. The same thing applies to anyone who doesn't obey my law. The people must be punished in keeping with the laws they have broken. Some of them must be put to death. Others must be forced to leave the places where they live. Others must have their property taken away from them. Still others must be put in prison.
Reference
Word
Ezra 6:11
27
People of Israel, give praise to the Lord. He is the God of our people who lived long ago. He has put it in the king's heart to bring honor to the Lord's temple in Jerusalem. The king has honored the Lord in his letter.
Reference
Kingdom
Ezra 6:22
Revelation 17:17
Nehemiah 2:8
Parallel theme
Isaiah 60:13
James 1:17
References God
Hebrews 8:10
Nehemiah 2:12
2 Corinthians 8:16
References Lord
Hebrews 10:16
28
The Lord has shown his good favor to me. He has caused the king and his advisers to show me their favor. In fact, all of the king's powerful officials have shown favor to me. The strong hand of the Lord my God helped me. That gave me new strength. So I gathered together leaders from Israel to go up to Jerusalem with me.
Reference
Summary of Ezra 7
Ezra Chapter 7 introduces Ezra and describes his mission to Jerusalem during the reign of Artaxerxes I of Persia. This chapter takes place several decades after the Second Temple had been completed. The first group of exiles had returned under Zerubbabel, the Temple had been rebuilt, and worship had been restored. However, the Jewish community still needed stronger religious teaching, organization, and commitment to God's Law. Ezra appears at this point as a priest and highly trained teacher of Scripture.
Ezra's genealogy traces his ancestry back through a long line of priests to Aaron, establishing his legitimate priestly background. More importantly, the chapter describes Ezra as a scribe who was deeply committed to the Law of Moses. His approach is presented in a powerful three-part pattern: he studied God's Law, practiced it, and taught it. His authority came not simply from possessing knowledge but from living according to what he taught.
In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra received permission to travel from Babylon to Jerusalem. He was accompanied by priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants. The journey took approximately four months, and Ezra repeatedly recognized that the good hand of God was upon him.
Artaxerxes gave Ezra an extensive official letter authorizing his mission. The king permitted other Israelites to accompany him and instructed Ezra to investigate the religious condition of Judah and Jerusalem. Ezra was also given considerable financial authority. The king, his counselors, and Jewish people in Babylon could provide silver and gold for the Temple, while Persian officials were instructed to supply additional resources when necessary. The decree even specified large quantities of silver, wheat, wine, olive oil, and salt.
The king also granted tax exemptions to priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Temple servants, and other Temple workers. Ezra was authorized to appoint judges and magistrates who understood God's Law and to teach those who did not understand it. He was therefore being entrusted with responsibilities that went far beyond Temple worship. His mission involved rebuilding the religious and legal foundation of the Jewish community.
Artaxerxes gave Ezra significant authority to enforce both God's Law and the king's law. Serious penalties could be imposed on those who deliberately refused to obey.
The chapter closes with Ezra praising God. Rather than taking personal credit for the king's favorable decision, he believed that God had moved Artaxerxes to support Jerusalem and its Temple. This response reveals one of the central themes of Ezra: God could use even foreign rulers and imperial resources to accomplish His purposes.
Ezra Chapter 7 therefore marks a new stage in the restoration. The Temple had been rebuilt physically, but now the community needed to be rebuilt spiritually and legally. Ezra's arrival begins this second phase. He would become a teacher, priest, administrator, and reformer whose central goal was to help the people understand God's Law and live according to it.
Ezra's genealogy traces his ancestry back through a long line of priests to Aaron, establishing his legitimate priestly background. More importantly, the chapter describes Ezra as a scribe who was deeply committed to the Law of Moses. His approach is presented in a powerful three-part pattern: he studied God's Law, practiced it, and taught it. His authority came not simply from possessing knowledge but from living according to what he taught.
In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra received permission to travel from Babylon to Jerusalem. He was accompanied by priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants. The journey took approximately four months, and Ezra repeatedly recognized that the good hand of God was upon him.
Artaxerxes gave Ezra an extensive official letter authorizing his mission. The king permitted other Israelites to accompany him and instructed Ezra to investigate the religious condition of Judah and Jerusalem. Ezra was also given considerable financial authority. The king, his counselors, and Jewish people in Babylon could provide silver and gold for the Temple, while Persian officials were instructed to supply additional resources when necessary. The decree even specified large quantities of silver, wheat, wine, olive oil, and salt.
The king also granted tax exemptions to priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Temple servants, and other Temple workers. Ezra was authorized to appoint judges and magistrates who understood God's Law and to teach those who did not understand it. He was therefore being entrusted with responsibilities that went far beyond Temple worship. His mission involved rebuilding the religious and legal foundation of the Jewish community.
Artaxerxes gave Ezra significant authority to enforce both God's Law and the king's law. Serious penalties could be imposed on those who deliberately refused to obey.
The chapter closes with Ezra praising God. Rather than taking personal credit for the king's favorable decision, he believed that God had moved Artaxerxes to support Jerusalem and its Temple. This response reveals one of the central themes of Ezra: God could use even foreign rulers and imperial resources to accomplish His purposes.
Ezra Chapter 7 therefore marks a new stage in the restoration. The Temple had been rebuilt physically, but now the community needed to be rebuilt spiritually and legally. Ezra's arrival begins this second phase. He would become a teacher, priest, administrator, and reformer whose central goal was to help the people understand God's Law and live according to it.