strangers and foreigners, are welcome to eat of the
gospel-feast, as fellow-citizens with the saints, and
of the household of God.

and keep themselves ceremonially clean for this so-
lemnity: and they joined together in their prepara-
tions, that they might help one another; so that all
of them were legally pure, and, in this respect, ex- Verse 22. And kept the feast with joy: for the
celled the priests and Levites in Hezekiah's time, Lord had made them joyful-Had given them both
who were many of them under blame for not purify-cause to rejoice, and hearts to rejoice. "It was now
ing themselves according to the law. The purity of near twenty years," says Henry, "since the founda-
ministers adds much to the beauty and honour of tion of this temple was laid, and it is probable that
their ministrations, as doth their unity also.
most of the old men, who then wept at the remem-
brance of the first temple, were dead by this time, so
that now there were no tears mingled with their
joys." Those that are upon good grounds joyful,
have therefore reason to be thankful, because it is
God that makes them to rejoice. He is the fountain
from whence all the streams of our joy flow. And
turned the heart of the king of Assyria-Of the king
of Persia, called the king of Assyria, as now reign-
ing over all the kingdoms which were formerly un-
der the power of the Assyrians; and to signify the
great power and goodness of God in turning the
hearts of these great monarchs, whose predecessors
in empire and dominion, in these parts of the world,
had formerly been the chief persecutors and oppres-
sors of the people of God. Darius, as we have seen,
was now on the throne, of whom Dr. Prideaux gives
this character: "He was a prince of great wisdom,
clemency, and justice; and has the honour to be re-
corded in holy writ for a favourer of God's people,
a restorer of his temple at Jerusalem, and a promoter
of his worship therein. For all this God was pleased
to make him his instrument; and with respect to
this, I doubt not, it was, that he blessed him with
a numerous issue, a long reign, and great prospe-

Verse 21. All such as had separated themselves
unto them, &c.-Had left their country, and the su-
perstitions and vices of it; had become proselytes to
the Jewish religion, and cast in their lot with the Is-
rael of God, professing an entire subjection to the
law of Moses. Such, and only such, might eat of
the passover, Exod. xii. 48, 49. From the manner
in which the sacred writer expresses himself here, it
would seem as if there were many proselytes, who
forsook their heathenish customs, and were brought
to the knowledge and worship of the true God, in-
fluenced, probably, by the encouragement which
Cyrus and Darius had given to the Jewish religion.
People of all nations, it must be observed, till prose-
lyted, were accounted by the Jews polluted both in
body and mind, because of their worshipping false
gods, and not abstaining from the things which were
accounted unclean by the law of Moses. The de-
scription here given of proselytes to Judaism may
serve to characterize converts to the true religion in
every age: they separate themselves from the filthi- ||
ness of sin, and fellowship with sinners; join them-
selves to the Israel of God in conformity and com-
munion, and set themselves to seek the God of
Israel: and those that do so in sincerity, though ||rity."

CHAPTER VII.

An account of Ezra, and his expedition to Jerusalem, 1–10. The commission which Artaxerxes gave him, 11-26. His thankfulness to God for it, 27, 28.

A. M. 3547.

B. C. 457.

B. C. NOW after these things, in the reign | Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of A. M. 3547. of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

457.

b Neh. ii. 1.

NOTES ON CHAPTER VII.

c1 Chron. vi. 14.

xxv. 18, 21,) at which time, it is likely, Ezra was not Verse 1. In the reign of Artaxerxes-The same in being: but he was his grandson, or great-grandof whom he speaks chap. vi. 14. Ezra the son of son, and his descent is mentioned from him, because Seraiah-Descended from him, but not immediate- he was an eminent person, who flourished before the ly. For Seraiah, being high-priest when Jerusalem destruction of the temple, whereas Ezra's father, if was taken, was then slain by the Chaldeans, (2 Kings || not also his grandfather, lived obscurely in captivity.

2

407

4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the month, which was in the seventh year of the king.

son of Bukki,

5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest: 6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.

7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites,

d Verses 11, 12, 21. Verse 9; Ch. viii. 22, 31. viii. 1. Ch. viii. 15, &c.—h Ch. ii. 43; viii. 20.was the foundation of the going up.

f Ch. 1 Heb.

Verse 3. The son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth-There are six generations omitted between Azariah and Meraioth, as before some were omitted between Seraiah and Ezra, which are to be supplied out of 1 Chron. vi. 7, &c.

Verse 7. There went up some of the children of Israel-This was the second company that went up to Jerusalem, consisting of such like persons as went up at first with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and others, chap. ii. 2, 70. For, hearing the temple was rebuilt, and the worship of God restored, we may very well think many went along with Ezra, who had not such a strong motive to go at the first.

were not without enemies, by whom they were in danger of being waylaid. These, however, Ezra did not fear, but relied on the divine protection, as he told the king, chap. viii. 2, being inspired with supernatural courage and fortitude.

Verse 6. This Ezra went up from BabylonWith the king's consent and commission. And he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses-He is called a scribe, as Buxtorf observes in his Tiberias, not from Verse 9. According to the good hand of his God writing and describing, but from declaring and ex-upon him-There was great reason to acknowledge plicating those things that are contained in the Scrip- the favour and protection of God, in conducting ture. For, as, sepher, signifies a book, so 10, them safe to Jerusalem; for the journey was long sopher, signifies one skilful and learned in that book, and difficult, and they had many impediments, (goan interpreter and teacher out of it. And, thereing with wives and children, flocks and herds,) and being no book comparable to the book of the law, therefore Sopher became a name of great dignity, and signified one that taught God's law, and expounded it to his people. Thus, in the New Testament, the scribes were those who instructed the people in the law. It is said he was a ready scribe, Verse 10. For Ezra had prepared his heart, &c. because he was expert in the law, and understood it-He had set his mind and affections upon it, and thoroughly, both in all things belonging to the priest-made it his chief business. To seek the law of the hood, and to the civil power; in which he was so well versed, that he could give a ready account of any part of it. The Jews say, he collected and collated all the copies of the law, and published an accurate edition of it, with all the books that were given by divine inspiration, and so made up the canon of the Old Testament. Moses in Egypt, and Ezra in Babylon, were wonderfully fitted for eminent service in the church. This was the second time that Ezra came up from Babylon, for he came up at first with Zerubbabel, as we learn from Nehemiah, chap. xii. 1, and probably returned to Babylon to persuade those who had staid behind to come up to Jerusalem, and to obtain some further assistance from the king. According to the hand of the Lord his God upon him—God not only stirred up Ezra to this undertaking, but was so favourable to him as to incline the king to give a gracious answer to his pe

tition.

Lord-To search and find out the true sense and meaning of it, and thence to learn what sins or errors were to be reformed, and what duties were to be performed. And to do it, and to teach in Israel—The order of things in this verse is very observable: first, he endeavours to understand God's law and word, and that not for curiosity or ostentation, but in order to practice; next, he conscientiously practises what he did understand, which made his doctrine much more effectual; and then he earnestly desires and labours to instruct others, that they also might know and do it.

Verse 11. This is the copy of the letter that the King Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra-"It can hardly be supposed, but that some more than ordinary means were used to obtain so great a favour from Artaxerxes, as this commission was upon which Ezra went; and therefore we may suppose that it was granted at the solicitation of Esther; for this Ar

CHAPTER VII.

1. M. 3547. the scribe, even a scribe of the words || money bullocks, rams, lambs, with A. M. 3547. of the commandments of the LORD, their meat-offerings and their drinkand of his statutes to Israel. offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.

19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those de

14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king,liver thou before the God of Jerusalem.

17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

Ezra's thanksgiving

A. M. 3547.
B. C. 457.

EZRA.

B. C. 457.

for God's mercies. 23 5 Whatsoever is commanded by || laws of thy God; and teach ye them A. M. 3547. the God of heaven, let it be diligently that know them not. done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

24 Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.

25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thy hand, "set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the

"Heb. Whatsoever is of the decree." Exod. xviii. 21, 22; Deut. xvi. 18. Verse 10; 2 Chron. xvii. 7; Mal. ii. 7; Matt.

here ordered, in silver, amounts to thirty-five thousand three hundred pounds sterling; the wheat to eight hundred bushels; the wine to twelve or thirteen hogsheads; and the oil to the same quantity, which shows the princely liberality of Arta

Xerxes.

|

26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

27 ¶ Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem:

3

28 And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was

a

z Chap. vi. 22.- Chap. ix. 9.

which appears in the works of thy hand. Wisdom is sometimes ascribed to the hand, as Psalm lxxviii. 72. Or, by the wisdom of God, he means the law of God, which was said to be in his hand, verse 14. Set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people, &c.-All the Jews on that side of the river. || All such as know the laws of thy God-All that professed the Jewish religion were to be under the jurisdiction of these judges; which intimates that they were exempt from the jurisdiction of heathen magistrates. It was a great favour to the Jews to have such magistrates of themselves, and especially of Ezra's nomination. And teach ye them that know them not-They were to instruct in the laws of God those that were ignorant of them, whether Jews or others, which implies that he had no objection to their making proselytes to the Jewish religion.

Verse 23. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done-Here Jacobus Capellus cries out in a kind of rapture, "O, words to be written upon the palaces of kings, in golden letters, and engraven on the minds of all, with a style of adamant! For they express an exceeding great sense of God, and of his supreme authority, and the regard due to him from the greatest kings and potentates." It appears from this verse, that Ezra had informed Artaxerxes that the God of Israel had appointed and given his people certain laws, according to which he was to be worshipped, and therefore the edict enjoins these laws to be exactly observed. For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?—For the omission of any part of his worship, occasioned by my neglect. He discerned his duty in this matter, and the danger of incurring God's displeasure if he neglected it, partly by the light of nature, and principally by the information of Ezra. The neglect and contempt of religion? gion brings the judgments of God upon kings and kingdoms; and the likeliest expedient to turn away his wrath, when it is ready to break out against a people, is to support and encourage religion.

Verse 24. It shall not be lawful to impose tolls, &c. Thus he discharged all the ministers of religion, from the greatest of the priests to the least of the Nethinims, from paying taxes to the government, and made it unlawful for the king's officers to impose any taxes on them. This was putting a great honour upon them, as free denizens of the empire, and would gain them respect as favourites of the crown, at the same time that it gave them liberty to attend on their ministry with freedom and cheerful

ness.

Verse 25. After the wisdom of thy God in thy hand -That is, which God hath put into thy heart, and

Verse 26. Whosoever will not do the law of thy God, &c.-They were not allowed to make new laws, but were to see the law of God duly executed, (which is here made the law of the king,) and therefore were intrusted with the sword, that they might be a terror to evil-doers. What could Jehoshaphat, or Hezekiah, or David himself, as king, have done more for the honour of God and the furtherance of reli

Verse 27. Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, &c.-Ezra cannot proceed in his story without inserting this thankful acknowledgment to God's goodness to him and the people. Which hath put such a thing as this into the king's heart--God can and frequently does put things into men's hearts which would not 1ise there of themselves, and that both by his providence and by his grace. If any good appear to be in our own hearts, or in the hearts of others, we must acknowledge it was God that put it there, and must bless him for it, for it is he that worketh in us both to will and to do that which is good.

CHAPTER VIII.

A. M. 3547. strengthened as the hand of the || gathered together out of Israel chief A. M. 3547. LORD my God was upon me, and I men to go up with me.

Chap. v. 5; Verses 6, 9; Chap. viii. 18.

CHAPTER VIII.

The company that went up with Ezra, 1-15. He sends for the Levites, 16-20. Proclaims a fast, 21-23. Delivers the treasure he brought to the priests and Levites, 24–30. Goes on to Jerusalem, 31, 32. The treasure delivered in there, 33, 34. The people offer, 35. The king's commissions delivered to his lieutenants, 36.

HESE are now the chief of their || the son of Michael, and with him A. M. 3547. fathers, and this is the genealo- fourscore males. gy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.