Ezra 7:14

Object of the commission: (a) to investigate.

of the king, and of his seven counsellers R.V. marg. Aram. - from before the king".

-The counsellers" are mentioned again Ezra 7:15; Ezra 7:28. -The seven" here spoken of should be compared with -the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom" (Esther 1:14).

to enquire R.V. to inquire. Same word in the original as -to make search" in Ezra 4:15. The object of the enquiry is not defined except by the clause -according to the law of thy God"; from which we must conclude that the moral and religious condition of the Jews at Jerusalem having occasioned anxiety to the Jews at Babylon, Ezra, who in some way enjoyed the favour of the court, obtained permission to enquire generally into the position.

Judah and Jerusalem Cf. Ezra 5:1.

according to the law Literally -with, or, through the law".

whichis in thine hand Not a book in Ezra's private possession, but the law of the Israelite people, in which Ezra was reputed to be the best instructed of his day.