Ezra 7:12

Ezra 7:12 in other versions

• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)“From Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the teacher of the law of the God of heaven. Greetings.

Context of Ezra 7:12

10For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. 11Now 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. 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. 13I 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. 14Forasmuch 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;

Ezra 7:12 word by word

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

• 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 had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.
• 1 Kings 20:1And Ben–hadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.
• Isaiah 10:8For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings?
• Ezekiel 26:7For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people.
• Daniel 2:37Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
• 1 Timothy 6:15Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
• Revelation 17:14These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
• Revelation 19:16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
• Ezra 4:10And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.

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
• Chaldee language
• Extend
• Scribes
• Ahitub
• Aramaic; Aramaic Language
• Bible, the
• Esdras, the First Book of

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