Ezra 7:23

_WHATSOEVER IS COMMANDED BY THE GOD OF HEAVEN, LET IT BE DILIGENTLY DONE FOR THE HOUSE OF THE GOD OF HEAVEN: FOR WHY SHOULD THERE BE WRATH AGAINST THE REALM OF THE KING AND HIS SONS?_ NO JFB COMMENTARY ON THESE VERSES....

11-26 The liberality of heathen kings to support the worship of God, reproached the conduct of many kings of Judah, and will rise up in judgment against the covetousness of wealthy professed Christians, who will not promote the cause of God. But the weapons of Christian ministers are not carnal. Faithful preaching, holy lives, fervent prayers, and patient suffering when called to it, are the means to bring men into obedience to Christ....

Verse 23. _WHY SHOULD THERE BE WRATH_] As he believed he was appointed by the Almighty to do this work, he therefore wished to do it heartily, knowing that if he did not, God would be displeased, and that the kingdom would be cut off from _him_ or his _posterity_....

Literally, as in the margin, i. e., Whatsoever is commanded in the Law with respect to the temple service....

EXPOSITION THE DECREE OF ARTAXERXES WITH RESPECT TO EZRA (Ezra 7:11). The present decree was of the nature of a _firman _granted to an individual. It embodied, in the first place, a certain number of provisions which were temporary. Of this character were— 1. the permission accorded to all Persian subjects of Israelite descent to accompany Ezra to Jerusalem (verse 13); 2. the commission to Ezra to convey to Jerusalem certain offerings made by the king and his chief courtiers to the God of Israel (verses 15, 19); 3. the permission given him to convey to Jerusalem the free-will offerings of Jews and others resident in Babylonia (verse 16); 4. permissi

WHATSOEVER IS COMMANDED BY THE GOD OF HEAVEN,.... In the law given by Moses to the people of Israel: LET IT BE DILIGENTLY DONE FOR THE HOUSE OF THE GOD OF HEAVEN; for the service of it, particularly sacrifices: FOR WHY SHOULD THERE BE WRATH AGAINST THE REALM OF THE KING AND HIS SONS? through the neglect of the service of God in the temple, and by reason of the default of the king's treasurers....

II. THE RETURN UNDER EZRA AND HIS REFORMATION CHAPTER 7 _ 1. The journey of Ezra to Jerusalem (Ezra 7:1)_ 2. The decree of Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:11) 3. Ezra's thanksgiving (Ezra 7:27) Ezra 7:1. The record of the return under Zerubbabel and the rebuilding of the temple ends with the previous chapter. Many years passed after the temple had been built before the godly Ezra and his companions returned to Jerusalem. No record whatever is in existence covering the years which intervened between Zerubabbel's expedition and work, and Ezra's expedition. The critics claim that “it was in these apparently barren years that the priestly c

DECREE OF ARTAXERXES. This decree granted a further return of exiles for the purpose of reorganising the Temple worship. With the exception of the introductory words of Ezra 7:11, this section is in Aramaic. There is no reason for doubting the substantial genuineness of this document, though in the form here given the Chronicler, with his love for all that has to do with the Temple ritual, has introduced some of his own ideas....

DILIGENTLY. quickly, exactly.. Persian word, _, adrazda_ Occurs only here. WHY... ? Figure of speech _Erotesis._ App-6....

The contents of the letter are given in Aramaic....