Commentary - Ezra 7:11-26

Bird's-eye view

Here we have one of the most remarkable documents in all the Scriptures. It is an official decree from a pagan emperor, Artaxerxes, commissioning a Jewish scribe, Ezra, to lead a revival. But this is no mere permission slip. This is a top-down, state-sponsored, fully-funded mandate to restore the law of God as the governing standard for Judah and Jerusalem. God, in His absolute sovereignty, moves the heart of the most powerful man on earth to not only release His people and fund His worship, but also to establish His law as the law of the land, complete with penal sanctions. This passage is a stunning display of God's providential rule over history and a foundational text for understanding the relationship between the law of God and the law of the king.

The letter from Artaxerxes lays out a comprehensive plan. It authorizes the willing to return, provides extravagant funding for the sacrificial system, and grants Ezra astonishing authority to draw from the royal treasury. More than that, it establishes a judiciary based squarely on the Torah and gives Ezra the power of the sword to enforce it. The king's motivation is plain: he fears the wrath of the God of heaven. This is not a conversion story, but it is a story of a pagan ruler rightly ordering his kingdom in submission to a reality he cannot ignore. This is what it looks like when God builds His house, using even the unregenerate to accomplish His purposes.

Outline

Commentary

11 Now this is the copy of the letter which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, learned in the words of the commandments of Yahweh and His statutes to Israel:

The text provides us with the official court document, the letter itself. The man it is addressed to, Ezra, is identified by his two key offices. He is a priest, meaning he is from the line of Aaron and qualified to minister at the altar. He is also a scribe, one who has dedicated his life to the study and teaching of the law. He is not just learned in a general sense; he is an expert in the commandments and statutes of God for Israel. This combination is potent. The one who leads in worship is also the one steeped in the Word. True reformation always holds these two together.

12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now, ”

Artaxerxes uses the standard, grandiose title of Persian monarchs: "king of kings." Of course, this title rightly belongs to Jesus Christ, and it is a wonderful piece of divine irony that the man who holds the title illegitimately is here made to serve the purposes of the true King of kings. He addresses Ezra by his full title, recognizing his authority as a scribe of the law of the "God of heaven." This was a common Persian designation for Yahweh, acknowledging Him as a transcendent and powerful deity. The greeting of "perfect peace" is more than a formality; it is what this decree is intended to establish in Judah.

13 I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who freely offer to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.

The first point of the decree is permission to return. But notice the character of this return. It is for those who "freely offer" to go. God is not rebuilding His kingdom with conscripts. He moves on the hearts of His people to make them willing. This is the nature of gospel response. The king makes the way clear, removing the external obstacles, so that the internal work of God in the hearts of the remnant can be expressed in their willing pilgrimage.

14 Forasmuch as you are sent from before the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God which is in your hand,

Here is the heart of the mission. Ezra is being sent as a royal commissioner. His task is to conduct an official inquiry, an investigation. And what is the standard of his investigation? Not Persian law, not popular opinion, but "the law of your God which is in your hand." A pagan government is commissioning a Jewish scribe to measure the civic and religious health of a province by the standard of the Torah. The law is "in his hand," meaning he carries the scroll, but it also means he possesses the wisdom contained within it. This is a direct application of God's law to the civil sphere, mandated by the reigning civil authority.

15 and to bring the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,

The king and his cabinet are not just sending Ezra; they are funding him. They have "freely offered" silver and gold. This is the plundering of the Egyptians all over again. God, who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and the gold in every mountain, simply inclines the heart of a king to transfer some of it to His purposes. Notice the destination: "to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem." Artaxerxes understands that this offering is for a specific God in a specific place.

16 and all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, who offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem;

The funding streams are multiple. First, the king's personal gift. Second, a general collection from the province of Babylon. And third, the freewill offerings of the Jews themselves. God's work is supported by His dramatic, providential interventions (moving the king) and by the ordinary faithfulness of His people giving willingly. Both are necessary, and both are sourced in Him.

17 with this money, therefore, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and bring them near to the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

The money has a designated, primary purpose. Before any administrative costs or building projects, the funds are to be used to restore the sacrificial system. The center of Israel's life was the altar. Right relationship with God, established through blood sacrifice, was the non-negotiable foundation for everything else. Reformation begins with right worship. Artaxerxes, prompted by God, understands this. The money is to go straight to the altar.

18 And whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do according to the will of your God.

After the needs of the altar are met, Ezra is given discretionary authority over the remaining funds. But this is not a blank check. He is to do what seems good to him and his brethren, but the overarching principle is that it must be done "according to the will of your God." This is a beautiful model of Christian liberty. Where Scripture has spoken, we obey directly. Where it has not, we use the wisdom God has given us to act in accordance with His revealed will and principles.

19 Also the utensils which are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem.

Nebuchadnezzar had carried off the sacred vessels from the temple. Now they are being returned. This is more than just returning stolen property. It is about restoring the integrity and holiness of the worship. Every last piece is to be delivered "in full." Nothing is to be held back. True restoration is thorough.

20 The rest of the needs for the house of your God, which may fall upon you to provide, provide for it from the royal treasury.

This is perhaps the most astounding provision. The king not only gives a massive upfront donation, but he opens an ongoing line of credit for Ezra. Any future needs for the temple are to be paid for out of the king's own treasury. God's provision is not just sufficient; it is lavish and abundant.

21 “So I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may ask of you, it shall be done with all diligence,

The king now turns from addressing Ezra to addressing his own imperial officials. He puts the full weight of his authority behind this decree. "I, even I, King Artaxerxes." This is a command, not a suggestion. The treasurers are to give Ezra whatever he asks for, and they are to do it with "all diligence," promptly and without reservation.

22 even up to 100 talents of silver, 100 kors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt without written order.

The king sets generous limits on this provision. One hundred talents of silver was an enormous sum, perhaps 75,000 ounces. The wheat, wine, and oil were the necessary components for the grain and drink offerings. The provision of salt "without written order" or limit is significant, as salt was essential for the sacrifices and was a symbol of the covenant. The king is providing everything needed for the full restoration of covenant worship.

23 Whatever is decreed by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons.

Here is the king's motive, laid bare. He is not a convert to Judaism. He is a pragmatic pagan who understands that the God of heaven is real and that ignoring His decrees invites His wrath. He wants to avoid divine judgment on his empire. This is a foundational principle of civil government. The magistrate, whether Christian or not, has a duty to govern in such a way as to avert the wrath of God. This means upholding justice and not interfering with the worship of the true God. Artaxerxes understands that blessing for his kingdom is tied to proper reverence for the house of God.

24 We also make known to you that it is not allowed to impose tribute, custom, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

The king grants a tax exemption to all temple personnel. This is a practical measure to ensure that the work of the ministry is not hindered by the state. It recognizes the unique and vital function of those who serve the house of God. The state is to support and protect the church, not burden it.

25 “And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges that they may judge all the people who are in the province beyond the River, even all those who know the laws of your God; and to anyone who does not know the laws, you shall make them known.

If the previous verses were astounding, this one is the summit. Artaxerxes delegates judicial authority to Ezra. He is to set up a court system. And what is the basis for this legal system? The "wisdom of your God which is in your hand." He is to appoint judges who know the laws of God. This is the establishment of a biblical judiciary. Furthermore, the mandate includes an educational and evangelistic component: those who do not know the law are to be taught it. The civil order is to be an instructor in righteousness.

26 Whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be done to him with all diligence, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.”

Finally, the king gives this new legal system teeth. He grants Ezra and the judges he appoints the power of the sword. The refusal to obey "the law of your God and the law of the king" will be met with swift judgment. The two laws are intertwined here. By this decree, the law of God has become the law of the king for that province. The penalties are severe, ranging from imprisonment and fines up to banishment and capital punishment. This is the furthest thing from a pluralistic, secular state. This is a pagan king mandating the establishment and enforcement of biblical law for a portion of his empire.

Application

This decree from Artaxerxes is a potent reminder that God is sovereign over all nations and all rulers. He can and does use pagan governments to accomplish His holy purposes. We should pray for our leaders, not just for our own quiet lives, but that God would move them to act for the good of His Church and the advancement of His justice.

Secondly, this passage demonstrates the centrality of God's law. The entire mission revolves around establishing the Torah as the standard for worship, civil life, and justice. While we are in a new covenant, the general equity of God's law still stands as the only true standard for righteousness. Christians should not retreat from the public square, but rather, like Ezra, carry the wisdom of God in their hands and apply it to every area of life.

Finally, we see that true cultural reformation begins with right worship at the altar. The king's money went first to the sacrifices. Our first priority must always be the faithful worship of God according to His Word. When the altar is rightly established, the blessings of order, justice, and peace flow out from it to the rest of the culture. Ezra was sent to rebuild a people, and he began by rebuilding the worship that defined them as a people of God.