Ezra (Ezra 7:1–10; Ezra 7:11–12; Ezra 7:25–28; Ezra 8:15–23; Ezra 8:31–36; Ezra 9:1–6; Ezra 9:15; Ezra 10:1–6; Ezra 10:10–17; Ezra 10:44; Nehemiah 8:1–12; Nehemiah 8:13–18; Nehemiah 12:26; Nehemiah 12:36)

The Scribe, Ready in the Law of Moses

A priest of the line of Aaron and a ready scribe in the law of Moses, who went up from Babylon in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, led a company to Jerusalem, mourned and made confession when the people married among the peoples of the lands, and read the book of the law at the water gate.

The book that bears his name first speaks of him at Ezra 7:1, naming his fathers back to “Aaron the chief priest” (Ezra 7:5). “This Ezra went up from Babylon. And he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which Jehovah, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of Jehovah his God upon him” (Ezra 7:6). Of his heart the text says, “Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of Jehovah, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances” (Ezra 7:10). From Ezra 7:27 through 9:15 the book is written in the first person.

King Artaxerxes sent him with a letter; Ezra gathered chief men out of Israel and sent to Casiphia for Levites. At the river Ahava he proclaimed a fast “to seek of him a straight way” (Ezra 8:21), weighed the silver, the gold and the vessels to twelve of the chiefs of the priests, and came to Jerusalem. There the princes told him that the people, the priests and the Levites had married among the peoples of the lands; he “rent my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded” (Ezra 9:3), and at the evening oblation he prayed, “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God” (Ezra 9:6). The assembly wept, an oath was sworn, a proclamation went out, and the matter was examined until, by the first day of the first month, “they made an end with all the men that had married foreign women” (Ezra 10:17).

In the book of Nehemiah, all the people spoke to “Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses” (Nehemiah 8:1), and he read from early morning until midday. Nehemiah the governor, Ezra and the Levites told the people that the day was holy, and the heads of fathers' houses came to Ezra on the second day to give attention to the words of the law (Nehemiah 8:9, 13). The book later dates a list to “the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest the scribe” (Nehemiah 12:26), and at the dedication of the wall “Ezra the scribe was before them” (Nehemiah 12:36). Scripture does not record his death.

Strengths

• A ready scribe in the law of Moses
• Heart set to seek the law, do it, and teach
• Seeking a straight way from God
• Careful weighing of the offering
• Grief over the trespass of the captivity
• Reading the law before all the people

Themes

• The law of Moses
• The hand of God upon him
• Fasting and prayer
• Confession
• Teaching and reading
• Return from exile

A ready scribe goes up from Babylon (Ezra 7:1–10)

Ezra, a descendant of Aaron the chief priest, goes up from Babylon to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, having set his heart to seek the law, to do it, and to teach.

A ready scribe goes up from Babylon

“Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub” (Ezra 7:1-2) is carried back through Phinehas and Eleazar to “Aaron the chief priest” (Ezra 7:5).

“This Ezra went up from Babylon. And he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which Jehovah, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of Jehovah his God upon him” (Ezra 7:6). With him went some of the children of Israel, the priests, the Levites, the singers, the porters and the Nethinim, “in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king” (Ezra 7:7).

“For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon; and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of Jehovah, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances” (Ezra 7:9-10).

The king's letter and Ezra's blessing (Ezra 7:11–28)

Artaxerxes gives Ezra a letter charging him to appoint magistrates and judges and to teach those who do not know the laws of his God; Ezra blesses the LORD and gathers chief men to go up with him.

Gathering the company at Ahava (Ezra 8:1–20)

Ezra lists the heads of fathers' houses who went up with him, encamps three days at the river Ahava, finds none of the sons of Levi, and sends to Iddo at Casiphia for ministers for the house of God.

The fast at Ahava (Ezra 8:21–23)

Ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen, Ezra proclaims a fast at the river Ahava to seek a straight way from God, and God is entreated.

The fast at Ahava

“Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek of him a straight way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance” (Ezra 8:21).

“For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way, because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them that seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him” (Ezra 8:22).

“So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us” (Ezra 8:23).

The offering weighed; arrival at Jerusalem (Ezra 8:24–36)

Ezra sets apart twelve chiefs of the priests, weighs the silver, gold and vessels to them, departs from Ahava, and comes to Jerusalem, where the offering is weighed in the house of God and burnt-offerings are made.

The trespass reported and Ezra's prayer (Ezra 9:1–15)

The princes tell Ezra that the people, the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands; he rends his garment, sits confounded until the evening oblation, then falls on his knees and prays.

The trespass reported and Ezra's prayer

“The princes drew near unto me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands” (Ezra 9:1). “And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded” (Ezra 9:3). Then “were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel” (Ezra 9:4).

“And at the evening oblation I arose up from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe rent; and I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto Jehovah my God; and I said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God; for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our guiltiness is grown up unto the heavens” (Ezra 9:5-6).

“For we are bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended lovingkindness unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia” (Ezra 9:9). The prayer ends: “O Jehovah, the God of Israel, thou art righteous; for we are left a remnant that is escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our guiltiness; for none can stand before thee because of this” (Ezra 9:15).

The assembly weeps; the oath (Ezra 10:1–6)

A very great assembly gathers to Ezra as he prays; Shecaniah proposes a covenant to put away the wives, Ezra makes the chiefs of the priests, the Levites and all Israel swear, and he mourns in a chamber.

The assembly weeps; the oath

“Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there was gathered together unto him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very sore” (Ezra 10:1).

“And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land: yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing. Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them” (Ezra 10:2-3). He added, “Arise; for the matter belongeth unto thee, and we are with thee: be of good courage, and do it” (Ezra 10:4).

“Then arose Ezra, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word. So they sware. Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water; for he mourned because of the trespass of them of the captivity” (Ezra 10:5-6).

The proclamation and the examination (Ezra 10:7–44)

The men of Judah and Benjamin gather at Jerusalem in the rain; Ezra tells them to make confession and separate themselves, he and certain heads of fathers' houses sit to examine the matter until an end is made, and the names of those who had taken foreign wives are recorded.

The law read at the water gate (Nehemiah 8:1–12)

At the people's request Ezra brings the book of the law to the broad place before the water gate and reads it from early morning until midday while the Levites cause the people to understand; the day is declared holy and the people go to eat and drink.

The law read at the water gate

“And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded to Israel” (Nehemiah 8:1). “And he read therein before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday … and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law” (Nehemiah 8:3).

“And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up. And Ezra blessed Jehovah, the great God: and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with the lifting up of their hands” (Nehemiah 8:5-6).

Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah and other Levites “caused the people to understand the law” (Nehemiah 8:7). “And they read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading” (Nehemiah 8:8).

“And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto Jehovah your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law” (Nehemiah 8:9). “And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them” (Nehemiah 8:12).

The feast of booths (Nehemiah 8:13–18)

On the second day the heads of fathers' houses, the priests and the Levites come to Ezra to give attention to the law; they find the command about booths, make them, and keep the feast seven days.

The LORD (Ezra 7:6; Ezra 7:10; Ezra 8:31)

The God of Israel whose law Ezra sought, and whose hand was upon him.

Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:6; Ezra 7:11–26)

The king of Persia who granted Ezra all his request and gave him a letter.

Aaron (Ezra 7:1–5)

Ezra's line is traced through Phinehas and Eleazar to Aaron the chief priest.

Nehemiah (Nehemiah 8:9; Nehemiah 12:26; Nehemiah 12:36)

Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest the scribe spoke with the Levites to the people at the reading of the law.

Shecaniah (Ezra 10:2–4)

Son of Jehiel, he answered Ezra with a proposed covenant and said that they were with him.

The Levites (Ezra 8:18–19; Nehemiah 8:7–9)

Levites were brought to the company at Ahava, and in Nehemiah the Levites caused the people to understand the law as Ezra read.

The chiefs of the priests and the princes (Ezra 8:24–30; Ezra 9:1–2)

Ezra weighed the offering to twelve chiefs of the priests, and the princes brought him the report of a trespass in which the hand of the princes and rulers had been chief.

The children of the captivity (Ezra 9:4; Ezra 10:6–9; Nehemiah 8:1–3; Nehemiah 8:17)

Those come out of exile, over whose trespass Ezra mourned, who gathered at Jerusalem at the proclamation, and who later heard the law read and dwelt in booths.

Major sections

• Ezra 7–8
• Ezra 9–10
• Nehemiah 8
• Nehemiah 12:26
• Nehemiah 12:36

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