Ezra 7
| Comments |
| "During the interval (of the book of Ezra) we must place the events of the Book of Esther." Ellicott's Commentary. |
| Taxation in all its forms has been a hot topic of the Bible from Cain's city-state, Nimrod's Babylon, and the cities of blood. To understand that a corvee is both a system of bondage and taxation which often includes both a Corban and a Mammon we may need to examine the early source of confusion where a little leaven ruins the whole loaf. |
| If we look at the Talmud Rava wrote: It is permitted for a Torah scholar to say: I will not pay the head tax, as it is written: “It shall not be lawful to impose minda, belo, and halakh upon them” (Ezra 7:24). And Rabbi Yehuda said: Minda is the king’s portion. Belo is the money of the head tax. And halakh is arnona (corvee labor).[1] |
| The word for "religion" in Hebrew today is DaletTavYod. DaletTav (01881 01882) usually means "decree" or "law" or "command" but often appears with other Hebrew letters. |
| In verse 25 we see DaletTavYod translated the laws but is the same word for "Religion" today. It only appears in Ezra 7:25 in this form and is translated "such as know the laws of thy God". It normally appears as DaletTavAlef 01882. |
| In Daniel 4:15 and Daniel 4:23 we see DaletTavAlef translated "tender grass". 01883 |
| V23 "why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?"[2] |
| [[1]] |
Ezra Sent to Teach the People
1 ¶ Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:
Ezra went and was granted
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.
Seventh year
7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
Fifth month
8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
9 For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.
Seek and do
10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
The letter of Artaxerxes
11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.
12 Artaxerxes, king of kings,[3] unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace[4], and at such a time.
13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.
14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;
15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,
16 And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:
17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink 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 deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.
20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house.
21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,
22 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
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 Tax
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 thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not.
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:
28 And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
Ezra | Ezra 1 | Ezra 2 | Ezra 3 | Ezra 4 | Ezra 5 | Ezra 6 | Ezra 7 | Ezra 8 | Ezra 9 | Ezra 10
Preceded by: 2 Chronicles - Followed by: Nehemiah
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- ↑ the Gemara imagines the Sasanian tax collectors like wild animals or "lion", dangerous and ready to attack. Rava says to scare them off or detour them "Torah scholars" are permitted to "lie" and say they are "servants of the fire".
- ↑ Matthew 17:25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
- ↑ "The title, "king of kings," is assumed by almost all the persian monarchs in their inscriptions." Barnes' Notes on the Bible
- ↑ Perfect peace - "Peace" is not in the original, and the word translated "perfect" occurs only in this place. Some prefer to take it as an adjective descriptive of Ezra (see margin); others (Septuagint) as the opening word of the first paragraph of the letter, and give it the meaning, "it is completed." Barnes' Notes on the Bible