Ezra 7:12

Ezra 7:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.
• New International Version (NIV)Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven. Peace. And now
• New King James Version (NKJV)Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Perfect peace, and so forth.

Context of Ezra 7:12

10For Ezra had set his heart (resolved) to study and interpret the Law of the Lord, and to practice it and teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. 11Now this is a copy of the decree that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe [who was] learned in the words of the commandments of the Lord and of His statutes to Israel: “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, perfect peace (greetings). And now 13I have issued a decree that all of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. 14For you are sent by the king and his seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem in accordance with the Law of your God, which is in your hand,

Ezra 7:12 word by word

אַ֨רְתַּחְשַׁ֔סְתְּא מֶ֖לֶךְ מַלְכַיָּ֑א לְעֶזְרָ֣א כָ֠הֲנָא סָפַ֨ר דָּתָ֜א דִּֽי־אֱלָ֧הּ שְׁמַיָּ֛א גְּמִ֖יר וּכְעֶֽנֶת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Artaxerxesאַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתְּא'artachshashtâ' 'artachshasht' · ArtaxerxesH783
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
• unto Ezraעֶזְרָא‛ezrâ' · EzraH5831
• the priestכָּהֵןkâhên · priestH3549
• a scribeסָפִרsâphêr · scribeH5613
• of the lawדָּתdâth · lawH1882
• of the Godאֱלָהּ'ĕlâhh · godH426
• of heavenשָׁמַ֫יִןshâmayin · heavenH8065
• perfectגְּמַרgemar · to completeH1585
• and at such a timeכְּעֶ֫נֶתke‛eneth ke‛eth · nowH3706

Cross-references for Ezra 7:12

• 1 Kings 4:24For he was ruling over everything west of the [Euphrates] River, from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kings west of the [Euphrates] River; and he had peace on all sides around him.
• 1 Kings 20:1Ben-hadad king of Aram (Syria) gathered all his army together; thirty-two kings were [allied] with him, with horses and chariots. And he went up and besieged Samaria [Israel’s capital], and fought against it.
• Isaiah 10:8For Assyria says, “Are not my princes all kings?
• Ezekiel 26:7For thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I will bring upon Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots and with horsemen and a great army.
• Daniel 2:37You, O king, are the king of [earthly] kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory;
• 1 Timothy 6:15which He will bring about in His own time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign [the absolute Ruler], the King of those who reign as kings and Lord of those who rule as lords,
• Revelation 17:14They will wage war against the Lamb (Christ), and the Lamb will triumph and conquer them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him and on His side are the called and chosen (elect) and faithful.”
• Revelation 19:16And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name inscribed, “KING OF KINGS, AND Lord OF LORDS.”
• Ezra 4:10and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar deported and settled in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the region west of the [Euphrates] River. Now

Commentaries on Ezra 7:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Artaxerxes, king of kings - This letter, from the beginning of this verse to the end of Ezra 7:26, is in the Aramitic or Chaldee language. This title of the king would, in Persian, run thus: Ardsheer shahinshah, or padshah, "Ardsheer, king of kings;" "great or supreme king, or emperor."Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12The title, “king of kings,” is assumed by almost all the persian monarchs in their inscriptions. 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.”Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-26Verses 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.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-26In this letter, King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the authority to assess the situation in Jerusalem (Ezra 7:14), offer voluntary gifts to God (7:15–20), acquire supplies and funds from local leaders (7:21–24), and implement legal reforms (7:25–26).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Artaxerxes, king of kings--That title might have been assumed as, with literal truth, applicable to him, since many of the tributary princes of his empire still retained the name and authority of kings. But it was a probably a mere Orientalism, denoting a great and powerful prince, as the heaven of heavens signified the highest heaven, and vanity of vanities, the greatest vanity. This vainglorious title was assumed by the kings of Assyria, from whom…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezra 7:12

• King
• Temple

In the dictionaries

• Artaxerxes
• Ezra
• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Chaldee language
• Extend
• Scribes
• Ahitub
• Aramaic; Aramaic Language
• Bible, the

Commentaries on Ezra 7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings