Ezra 7:14

Ezr 7:14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which [is] in thine hand;

Ver. 14. And of his seven counsellors] Without whom the king did nothing of moment. This king was better affected to his council than his father Xerxes had been, of whom it is storied, that in his expedition against Greece he called his princes together, as if he would have been advised by them, but spoke to them to this purpose: Lest, saith he, I should seem to follow mine own counsel, I have assembled you. And now do you remember, that it becomes you rather to obey than advise. {Valerius Maximus, l. 9. c. 5. ext. 2. 2:339}

To inquire concerniny Judah] So St Paul sent to inquire what was yet lacking in the faith of the Churches.

According to the law of thy God] Which is not only recta, but regula, the rule and rudder. Those that walked by this rule Ezra was to cherish, and to punish such as did otherwise, being custos utriusque tabulae

Which is in thine hand] Which thou art singularly skilled in, and much exercised about it; that thou mayest both observe it thyself, and also preserve it from other men’s violations.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ezr 7:14. And of his seven counsellors — His chief nobles and officers of state; of whom see Est 1:10; Est 1:14. This decree, being made by their advice, had the greater authority. To inquire concerning Judah according to the law of thy God — To make inquiry into all abuses and deviations from your law, and to redress them. Which is in thy hand — With which thou art very conversant, and in which thou art well skilled. It may seem strange that the edict should be drawn up in this manner, as it is more in the style of a Jewish supreme governor than of a heathen king; but it is not improbable that Ezra, being in such favour in the Persian court, might get the edict drawn up in the manner and words which he thought would be most proper for the purposes for which he had obtained it.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7:14 I and my council of seven: The Greek historian Xenophon knew of this council (Xenophon, Anabasis 1.6.4-5), and Esth 1:14 lists the names of the seven princes of Xerxes, Artaxerxes’ father. • your God’s law: The word translated law in this verse is the Aramaic word dath rather than the Hebrew torah (7:10), suggesting that a Persian wrote this letter (7:11-26).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Whereof thou art expert.

To examine who lived according to the Law.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors--This was the fixed number of the privy council of the kings of Persia (Est 1:10, Est 1:14). The document describes, with great clearness and precision, the nature of Ezra's commission and the extent of power and prerogatives with which he was invested. It gave him authority, in the first place, to organize the colony in Judea and institute a regular government, according to the laws of the Hebrew people, and by magistrates and rulers of their own nation (Ezr 7:25-26), with power to punish offenders by fines, imprisonment, exile, or death, according to the degree of their criminality. Secondly, he was empowered to carry a large donation in money, partly from the royal treasury and partly raised by voluntary contributions among his countrymen, to create a fund out of which to make suitable provision for maintaining the regular worship of God in Jerusalem (Ezr 7:16-17). Thirdly, the Persian officers in Syria were commanded to afford him every assistance by gifts of money within a certain specified limit, in carrying out the objects of his patriotic mission (Ezr 7:21).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 14. His seven counsellors] It is very likely that the privy counsel of the king consisted of seven persons simply. The names of these seven counsellors or chamberlains may be found in the book of Esther, Es 1:10.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(14) Seven counsellors.—These are mentioned in Est_1:14, and were probably the heads of those families who aided Darius Hystaspis against the pseudo-Smerdis, as mentioned by Herodotus.

According to the law of thy God.—Ezra’s commission was first to enquire into the condition of the city and province, with regard to the relation of both to the Divine law.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. Object of the commission: (a) to investigate.

of the king, and of his seven counsellers] R.V. marg. Aram. ‘from before the king’.

‘The counsellers’ are mentioned again Ezr_7:15; Ezr_7:28. ‘The seven’ here spoken of should be compared with ‘the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom’ (Est_1:14).

to enquire] R.V. to inquire. Same word in the original as ‘to make search’ in Ezr_4:15. The object of the enquiry is not defined except by the clause ‘according to the law of thy God’; from which we must conclude that the moral and religious condition of the Jews at Jerusalem having occasioned anxiety to the Jews at Babylon, Ezra, who in some way enjoyed the favour of the court, obtained permission to enquire generally into the position.

Judah and Jerusalem] Cf. Ezr_5:1.

according to the law] Literally ‘with, or, through the law’.

which is in thine hand] Not a book in Ezra’s private possession, but the law of the Israelite people, in which Ezra was reputed to be the best instructed of his day.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem. In the temple built there; for the service of which, either for purchasing and procuring vessels that were wanting in it, or for sacrifices to be offered in it, the king and his nobles had made a voluntary contribution, and intrusted and sent Ezra with it.

And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem. In the temple built there; for the service of which, either for purchasing and procuring vessels that were wanting in it, or for sacrifices to be offered in it, the king and his nobles had made a voluntary contribution, and intrusted and sent Ezra with it.

Ezra 7:16

ezr 7:16

ezr 7:16

ezr 7:16And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon,.... Not that he might take it wherever he found it, whether the owners of it were willing he should have it or not; but whatever was freely offered by them, as Jarchi, that he was allowed to take, whatever he could get in that way:

with the freewill offering of the people; of the people of the Jews, who thought fit to continue in the province:

and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem; those freewill offerings, whether of the natives of Babylon, or of any of the Jewish nation, for the service of the temple at Jerusalem, he had leave and a commission to carry with him.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Seven counselors - Herodotus relates that there were seven families pre-eminent in Persia, those of the seven conspirators against the Pseudo-Smerdis (Ezr 4:7 note); and it is reasonable to suppose that the heads of these families formed the special council of the king; the “Achaemenidae,” or royal family, being represented by the head of the branch next in succession to that of the reigning monarch (see the marginal reference).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Counsellors. Interpreters of the laws. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] xi. 6.) --- The number seems to have been established at the courts of the Assyrian and Chaldean monarchs, Tobias xii. 15. We find their names, Esther i. 10, 14. The history of this queen happened in the reign of Darius Hystaspes. (Calmet) --- Hand. By this he was to pass sentence, ver. 25. (Haydock) --- The Jews were authorized to follow their own laws (Calmet) under the Persian dominion, ver. 26. (Tirinus)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

His seven counsellors; his chief nobles and officers of state, of whom see also Est 1:10,14.

To inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, i.e. to make inquiry into all abuses and deviations from your law, and to redress them.

Which is in thine hand; which is now and always in thy hand, being the matter of thy daily study and exercise; which thou now carriest along with thee, the interpretation whereof belongeth unto thee.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

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. Est_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 Ezr_7:25, where the wisdom of God is spoken of as in the hand of Ezra.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ezra received his commission from the king, and from his seven counsellors, who thus seem to occupy an important position in the Persian state. They are commonly identified with the "seven princes of Persia and Media," mentioned in Esther, (Est_1:14) "which saw the king"s face," and "sate first in the kingdom." A conjecture, which, though not unreasonable, cannot be said to be substantiated, connects the "seven counsellors" with the seven great Persian septs, or families, which had privileges beyond the rest, and among them the right of unrestricted access to the royal presence ("Herod.," 3:84). The commission which Ezra received is described in this verse as one to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem; but the subject-matter of the inquiry is not mentioned. He can scarcely have been sent to make inquiry whether the law of Moses was observed or no, since that was certainly not a matter with which the Persian government would concern itself. Probably he was to inquire generally into the material prosperity of the province, and to report thereon.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

According, &c. - To make inquiry into all abuses and deviations from your law, and to redress them. Which - Which is now and always in thine hand, being the matter of thy daily study.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Connecting Statement:

This continues the decree that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra.

I, the king, and my seven counselors

The word "I" and the phrase "the king" refer to the same person. The king is reminding the people who hear this letter that he is the author of this letter.

to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to God's law

What they were to inquire about can be stated more clearly. AT: "to investigate the situation in Judah and Jerusalem, in order to learn whether or not they are obeying God's law" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

You are to bring the silver and gold

Where they were to bring it can be stated clearly. AT: "You are to bring to Jerusalem the silver and gold" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

the silver and gold that they have freely offered

"Freely" means that they were not forced to offer the money. They gave it because they wanted to. AT: "the silver and gold that they have willingly offered"

what is freely offered by the people and the priests

This can be expressed active form. AT: "what the people and the priests have freely offered" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

advice

inquire

Judah

Jerusalem

silver

gold

Babylon

people group

priest

house of God

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

Because of this Because of this, you are sent from the king and his seven advisors who saw the king’s face.

and his seven advisors and his seven advisors; they are the seven who see the king’s face.

to search out Judea An order to seek and to search out the Jews who are in Jerusalem, to see whether they are engaged in the Torah of the Holy One, blessed be He, which is in your hand.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.