Ezra 7:7

7:7 In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra brought ¹  up to Jerusalem ²  some of the Israelites and some of the priests, the Levites, the attendants, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants.

Ezra 7:11-14

Artaxerxes Gives Official Endorsement to Ezra’s Mission

7:11 What follows ³  is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priestly scribe. ⁴  Ezra was ⁵  a scribe in matters pertaining to the commandments of the Lord and his statutes over Israel:

7:12 ⁶ “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the perfect law of the God of heaven: 7:13 I have now issued a decree ⁷  that anyone in my kingdom from the people of Israel – even the priests and Levites – who wishes to do so may go up with you to Jerusalem. ⁸  7:14 You are authorized ⁹  by the king and his seven advisers to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your possession, ¹⁰ 

Ezra 7:23

7:23 Everything that the God of heaven has required should be precisely done for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should there be wrath ¹¹  against the empire of the king and his sons?

[7:7]  ¹ tc The translation reads the Hiphil singular וַיַּעֲל (vayya’al, “he [Ezra] brought up”) rather than the Qal plural וַיַּעַלוּ (vayya’alu, “they came up”) of the MT.

[7:7]  tn Heb “he brought”; the referent (Ezra) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:7]  ² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[7:11]  ³ tn Heb “this.”

[7:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “the priest, the scribe.” So also in v. 21.

[7:11]  ⁵ tn The words “Ezra was” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.

[7:12]  ⁶ sn Ezra 7:12-26 is written in Aramaic rather than Hebrew.

[7:13]  ⁷ tn Heb “from me is placed a decree.” So also in v. 21.

[7:13]  ⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[7:14]  ⁹ tn Aram “sent.”

[7:14]  ¹⁰ tn Aram “in your hand.”

[7:23]  ¹¹ tn The Aramaic word used here for “wrath” (קְצַף, qÿtsaf; cf. Heb קָצַף, qatsaf) is usually used in the Hebrew Bible for God’s anger as opposed to human anger (but contra Eccl 5:17 [MT 5:16]; Esth 1:18; 2 Kgs 3:27). The fact that this word is used in v. 23 may have theological significance, pointing to the possibility of divine judgment if the responsible parties should fail to make available these provisions for the temple.