Ezra 7:6

Arrival at Jerusalem

6. went up from Babylon i.e. to Jerusalem, cf. Ezra 1:11; Ezra 2:1. It will be observed that this description of Ezra is given in the 3rd person. At Ezra 7:27 there is a change to the 1st person.

and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses Cf. Ezra 7:10; Ezra 7:12.

-the scribe" (Hebr. Sophêr) in the days of the Monarchy was the king's State Secretary or Chancellor. Cf. Seraiah, the scribe (2 Samuel 8:17), Sheva, the scribe (2 Samuel 20:25) = Shavsha (1 Chronicles 18:16): Elihoreph and Ahijah, scribes (1 Kings 4:3): Shebna, the scribe (2 Kings 18:18, &c.): Shaphan, the scribe (2 Kings 22:3). Cf. Gemariah (Jeremiah 36:10), Elishama (Jeremiah 36:12), Jonathan (Jeremiah 37:15).

During the latter days of the Monarchy, the name began to receive a special meaning as applied to those who were occupied in studying and copying the documents containing the sacred laws of the nation, e.g. Jeremiah 8:8 -How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes hath wrought falsely".

After the Captivity, the increased importance of the written law and the necessity of explaining its obligation upon the people brought -the scribes" into great prominence. -The scribe" took the place of the prophet and, in his influence upon his countrymen, eclipsed the priest. The name of Ezra is associated with the development of -the scribe" and he is designated -the scribe" as by an honourable title in Ezra 7:11, and Nehemiah 8:1. He was the typical representative and in a measure the founder of the later type of scribes. Devoted to the minute study of the written law, he sought to expound it to his people and to impress upon them the duty of its rigid observance. (See Introduction.) To the same class perhaps belonged -the teachers" mentioned in Ezra 8:16, and -Zadok the scribe" (Nehemiah 13:13).

The word -ready" is the same as appears elsewhere in the O.T. only in Psalms 45:1 -a readywriter". Proverbs 22:29 - diligentin his business". Isaiah 16:5 - swiftto do righteousness". A -ready scribe" would be one prompt and skilful in interpreting the difficulties of the law. His quickness is the dexterity of his erudition, not of his pen.

the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given R.V. the Lord the God of Israel, cf. Ezra 1:3. -The law of Moses", see Ezra 3:2; Ezra 6:18, and cf. 1 Kings 2:3; 2 Kings 14:6; 2 Kings 21:8.

The Divine origin of the law is here asserted with reverent emphasis. The expression is well illustrated by Malachi 4:4 -the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and judgements" and Nehemiah 8:14 -The law which the Lord had commanded by Moses".

all his request What the request was, which Ezra preferred to Artaxerxes, we are not told, but are left to gather it from the letter of Artaxerxes (12 26). The word -request" in the Hebrew denotes an eager quest, and occurs elsewhere in the O.T. only in the book of Esther (Ezra 5:3; Ezra 5:7-8; Ezra 7:3; Ezra 9:12).

according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him This expression is characteristic of the writer. It occurs again Ezra 7:28, with the adjective -good", Ezra 7:9; Ezra 8:18; Nehemiah 2:8; Nehemiah 2:18, and in a slightly different form Ezra 8:22; Ezra 8:31. -The hand of the Lord" denotes the merciful favour, as may be seen from the context here and in Ezra 7:28, even without the addition of the adjective good: cf. -the eye of the Lord", chap. Ezra 5:5. Similar is the phrase in 2 Chronicles 30:12. From that -hand" comes discipline as well as bounty, Job 2:10 -Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" Job 19:21 -the hand of God hath touched me". In adversity -the hand of the Lord" is described as - against", not -upon" a person. See Deuteronomy 2:15; Ruth 1:13.