Ezra 7:1–10

Explore the Bible 
Dean, School of Christian Ministries, University of Mobile

GOD COMMANDS OBEDIENCE

Ezra 7:1–10

God gifts men and women to bring Him glory and serve the needs of His people. In so doing He places them in positions where their gifts and abilities can be developed and used effectively for His purposes. Through His servants God is actively involved in His redemptive work. In this context readers will note Ezra was both a priest and scribe whose purpose was to record the activities of post-exilic Jerusalem and to rebuild Scriptural-centered faith among the Jewish residents of the city.

Ezra received permission to relocate from Babylon to Jerusalem during the reign of Artaxerxes I (circa 458 B.C.). This places his pilgrimage to Jerusalem some 80 years after the initial return led by Zerubbabel and Jeshua. The reader also will note Ezra’s emigration was about 20 years after Esther became the queen of Persia.

Focal verses of our lesson are located within a short section recorded in Hebrew (6:19–7:11). The sections on either side (4:8–6:18; 7:12–26) were originally recorded in Aramaic. The linguistic separation was used to illustrate the ceremonial distinction between Israelites and Gentiles and between priests and other Israelites. 

Ezra’s Heritage (7:1–6)

Direct male descent from Aaron, the brother of Moses, was essential for serving as a Levitical priest in accordance with Mosaic Law (Lev. 8–10; Num. 18:7). The first five verses of the text record Ezra’s lineage through 16 generations. Even among the priests Ezra had a distinct role as one of the scribes, designated men whose task it was to render faithful handwritten copies of the Torah.  

His training likely included years of Hebrew reading, writing, studying and counting letters and words before beginning the serious task of copying the words of the Law to parchment. Nearly 2,000 years more of hand copying Scripture would pass before a Bible was published on Gutenberg’s printing press. In an age of smart phones, e-books and blogs we sometimes forget how significant a scribe was in his own culture.

Ezra’s Journey (7:7–9)

Ezra took the four-month-long trek from Babylon to Jerusalem but he did not travel alone. In fact people whose families had served as worship leaders in the first temple also were granted permission to relocate with the scribe. 

Let the reader note two calendars were utilized here. First the seventh year of Artaxerxes’s rule (7:7; 8) was 458 B.C. Second the first lunar month of their agrarian calendar was “Nisan” (March/April) and the fifth month was “Av” (July/August). According to Carl Anderson’s commentary in the Holman Christian Standard Bible Study Bible, “Nisan” probably began April 8 and “Av” began around Aug. 4, 458 B.C.

While 500 miles across a desert takes little time in a motorized vehicle these immigrants with beasts of burden for transportation needed water to survive. From Babylon they probably traveled a route similar to Abraham, following the Euphrates north and west into Syria before heading south into Canaan, which would be closer to 900 miles.

Ezra’s Goal (7:10)

Ezra determined to accomplish three tasks. First he wanted to study the Torah. As a scribe he was familiar with the words but he also was determined to know (or inquire frequently from) the Law. Repetitive reading, writing and/or reciting of the Scriptures leads to the familiarity necessary for meditating on them. Second he desired to obey God’s Law. His intent was to do what the Law instructed Israel to do and abstain from what was forbidden. Only in his obedience was he qualified to train others. Finally Ezra determined to instruct Israel in the application of the Torah. The remainder of Ezra and Nehemiah indicate the scribe accomplished his goal.