1Později, za vlády perského krále Artaxerxe, přišel Ezdráš, syn Serajáše, syna Azariášova, syna Chilkiášova, 2syna Šalumova, syna Sádokova, syna Achitubova, 3syna Amariášova, syna Azariášova, syna Merajotova, 4syna Zachariášova, syna Uziho, syna Bukiho, 5syna Abišuova, syna Pinchasova, syna Eleazarova, syna prvního velekněze Árona. 6Tento Ezdráš přišel z Babylonu. Byl to učenec znalý Zákona Mojžíšova, vydaného od Hospodina, Boha Izraele. Král mu dal, o cokoli požádal, neboť Hospodin, jeho Bůh, nad ním držel svou ruku. 7Sedmého roku krále Artaxerxe s ním do Jeruzaléma odešli také další synové Izraele, kněží, levité, zpěváci, strážní a chrámoví sluhové. 8Do Jeruzaléma dorazil v pátém měsíci králova sedmého roku. 9Z Babylonu vyšel prvního dne prvního měsíce a do Jeruzaléma dorazil prvního dne pátého měsíce, neboť jeho Bůh nad ním držel svou laskavou ruku. 10Ezdráš zasvětil svůj život tomu, aby zkoumal a plnil Hospodinův Zákon a aby učil jeho ustanovení a řády v Izraeli. 11Toto je znění dopisu, jímž král Artaxerxes vybavil učeného kněze Ezdráše, znalce Hospodinových přikázání a jeho ustanovení pro Izrael: 12Artaxerxes, král králů, knězi Ezdrášovi, znalci zákona Boha nebes, dokonalý pokoj. 13Tímto nařizuji, že každý, kdo v mé říši patří k izraelskému lidu – včetně kněží a levitů – a touží odejít do Jeruzaléma, smí odejít s tebou. 14Jsi pověřen králem a jeho sedmi rádci, abys dohlédl na Judsko a Jeruzalém podle zákona svého Boha, jenž ti byl svěřen. 15Stříbro a zlato, které král a jeho rádcové věnovali Bohu Izraele přebývajícímu v Jeruzalémě, doneseš na místo 16spolu se stříbrem a zlatem, jež získáš kdekoli v babylonské provincii, stejně jako dary, jež na dům svého Boha v Jeruzalémě věnoval jeho lid a kněží. 17Za tyto prostředky bezodkladně nakoupíš býčky, berany a jehňata jakož i příslušné dary a úlitby a obětuješ je na oltáři vašeho Boha v Jeruzalémě. 18Se zbytkem stříbra a zlata naložte, jakkoli se svými bratry uznáte za vhodné podle vůle vašeho Boha. 19Chrámové bohoslužebné náčiní, jež ti bylo svěřeno, však do posledního vrať jeruzalémskému Bohu. 20Cokoli dalšího budeš potřebovat pro dům svého Boha, uhraď to z královské pokladny. 21Já, král Artaxerxes, nařizuji všem pokladníkům za Eufratem: Cokoli od vás vyžádá kněz Ezdráš, znalec zákona Boha nebes, nechť je bezodkladně vykonáno, 22a to až do 100 talentů stříbra, 100 korů pšenice, 100 batů vína, 100 batů oleje a soli bez omezení. 23Každé nařízení Boha nebes ohledně jeho domu nechť je vyplněno přesně, aby královu říši ani jeho syny nestihl jeho hněv. 24Dále se vám oznamuje, že od kněží, levitů, zpěváků, strážných, chrámových sluhů a všech ostatních služebníků Božího domu nejste oprávněni vybírat dávky, daně ani poplatky. 25Ty, Ezdráši, podle moudrosti, kterou ti svěřil tvůj Bůh, ustanov správce a soudce, kteří budou soudit všechen lid za Eufratem. Ti všichni ať znají zákony tvého Boha. Kdo je nezná, toho poučte. 26Kdokoli by zákon tvého Boha a zákon krále neplnil, bude bezodkladně potrestán smrtí nebo vyhnanstvím, propadnutím majetku nebo žalářem. 27Požehnán buď Hospodin, Bůh našich otců, že položil králi na srdce, aby zvelebil Hospodinův chrám v Jeruzalémě! 28Svou milostí mi získal přízeň krále, jeho rádců i všech královských velmožů. Protože nade mnou Hospodin, můj Bůh, držel svou ruku, osmělil jsem se shromáždit vůdce Izraele, aby šli se mnou.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 EZRA GOES UP TO JERUSALEM. (
Ezra 7:1-
Ezra 7:10)
in the reign of Artaxerxes--the Ahasuerus of Esther.
Ezra the son of Seraiah--that is, grandson or great-grandson. Seraiah was the high priest put to death by Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah (
2Kgs 25:18). A period of one hundred thirty years had elapsed between that catastrophe and the journey of Ezra to Jerusalem. As a grandson of Seraiah, namely, Jeshua, who held the office of high priest, had accompanied Zerubbabel in the first caravan of returning exiles, Ezra must have been in all probability a grandson, descended, too, from a younger son, the older branch being in possession of the pontificate.
6 This Ezra . . . was a ready scribe in the law of Moses--The term "scribe" does not mean merely a penman, nor even an attorney well versed in forms of law and skilled in the method of preparing public or private deeds. He was a rabbi, or doctor, learned in the Mosaic law, and in all that related to the civil and ecclesiastical polity and customs of the Hebrew people. Scribes of this description possessed great authority and influence (compare
Matt 23:25;
Mark 12:28).
the king granted him all his request--left Babylon entrusted with an important commission to be executed in Jerusalem. The manner in which he obtained this office is minutely related in a subsequent passage. Here it is noticed, but with a pious acknowledgment of the divine grace and goodness which disposed the royal mind in favor of Ezra's patriotic objects. The Levites, &c., did not go at that time, but are mentioned here by anticipation.
8 he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month--that is, corresponding to the end of our July or beginning of our August. As he left Babylon on the Jewish New Year's Day (
Ezra 7:9), the journey must have occupied not less than four months (a long period), but it was necessary to move at a slow pace and by short, easy stages, as he had to conduct a large caravan of poor people, including women, children, and all their household gear (see on
Ezra 8:24).
10 Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, &c.--His reigning desire had been to study the divine law--its principles, institutions, privileges, and requirements; and now from love and zeal, he devoted himself, as the business of his life, to the work of instructing, reforming, and edifying others.
11 GRACIOUS COMMISSION OF ARTAXERXES. (Ezra 7:11-26)
this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave--The measure which this document authorized, and the remarkable interest in the Jews displayed in it, were most probably owing to the influence of Esther, who is thought to have been raised to the high position of queen a few months previous to the departure of Ezra [HALES]. According to others, who adopt a different chronology, it was more probably pressed upon the attention of the Persian court by Ezra, who, like Daniel, showed the prophecies to the king; or by some leading Jews on his accession, who, seeing the unsettled and disordered state of the colony after the deaths of Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Haggai, and Zechariah, recommended the appointment of a commission to reform abuses, suppress disorder, and enforce the observance of the law.
12 Artaxerxes, king of kings--That title might have been assumed as, with literal truth, applicable to him, since many of the tributary princes of his empire still retained the name and authority of kings. But it was a probably a mere Orientalism, denoting a great and powerful prince, as the heaven of heavens signified the highest heaven, and vanity of vanities, the greatest vanity. This vainglorious title was assumed by the kings of Assyria, from whom it passed to the sovereigns of Persia.
unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven--The appointment of Ezra to this influential mission was of the highest importance to the Hebrew people, as a large proportion of them were become, in a great measure, strangers both to the language and the institutions of their forefathers.
14 sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors--This was the fixed number of the privy council of the kings of Persia (
Esth 1:10,
Esth 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 (
Ezra 7:25-
Ezra 7:26), 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 (
Ezra 7:16-
Ezra 7:17). 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 (
Ezra 7:21).
22 an hundred talents of silver--Ł22,000 according to the rate of the silver talent of Babylon. Fourthly, Artaxerxes gave his royal sanction in the establishment of the divine law, which exempted priests and Levites from taxation or tribute and confirmed to them the exclusive right to officiate in the sacred services of the sanctuary. And, finally, in the expression of the king's desire for the divine blessing upon the king and his government (
Ezra 7:23), we see the strong persuasion which pervaded the Persian court, and had been produced by the captivity of the Hebrew people, as to the being and directing providence of the God they worshipped. It will be observed, however, that the commission related exclusively to the rebuilding of the temple--not of the walls. The Samaritans (
Ezra 4:20-
Ezra 4:22) had succeeded in alarming the Persian court by their representations of the danger to the empire of fortifying a city notorious for the turbulent character of its inhabitants and the prowess of its kings.
27 EZRA BLESSES GOD FOR THIS FAVOR. (
Ezra 7:27-
Ezra 7:28)
Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers--This devout thanksgiving is in unison with the whole character of Ezra, who discerns the hand of God in every event, and is always ready to express a pious acknowledgment for the divine goodness.
