Ezra 7-10 - The Unfaithfulness of the Exiles

Ezra Goes Up from Babylon to Jerusalem

Ezr 7:1, 6 LSB -
[1] Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, [there went up] Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, ...
[6] This Ezra went up from Babylon, and he was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which Yahweh, the God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all he requested because the hand of Yahweh his God [was] upon him.

Ezr 7:10 LSB - [10] For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of Yahweh and to practice [it], and to teach [His] statute and judgment in Israel.

The King’s Decree on Behalf of Ezra

Ezr 7:12-13, 22 LSB - 

[12] "Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect [peace]. And now-- 

[13] I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who freely offer to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. ... 

[22] [even] up to 100 talents of silver, 100 kors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt without written order.

Ezr 7:23 LSB - [23] "Whatever is decreed by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons.

Yahweh Put This In the King’s Heart

Ezr 7:27-28 LSB - 

[27] Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, who has put [such a thing] as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of Yahweh which is in Jerusalem, 

[28] and has extended lovingkindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king's mighty princes. Thus I was strengthened according to the hand of Yahweh my God upon me, and I gathered chief men from Israel to go up with me.

Genealogical Records

Ezr 8:1 LSB - [1] Now these are the heads of their fathers' [households] and the genealogical records of those who went up with me from Babylon in the reign of King Artaxerxes:

Ezra Sends for Levites

God’s Protection Sought

Ezr 8:21-23 LSB - 

[21] Then I called for a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a direct journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions. 

[22] For I was ashamed to ask from the king for a military force and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, "The hand of our God is upon all those who seek Him, for [their] good, but His strength and His anger are against all those who forsake Him." 

[23] So we fasted and sought our God concerning this [matter], and He was moved by our entreaty.

Ezr 8:31 LSB - [31] Then we set out from the river Ahava on the twelfth of the first month to go to Jerusalem; and the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the ambushes by the way.

Silver, Gold, and Utensils Weighed

The Unfaithfulness of the Exiles

Ezr 9:2 LSB - [2] "For they have taken some of their daughters [as wives] for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed has intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the princes and the officials have been foremost in this unfaithfulness."

Ezra’s Confession

Ezr 9:15 LSB - [15] "O Yahweh, the God of Israel, You are righteous, for we have been left an escaped remnant, as [it is] this day; behold, we are before You in our guilt, for no one can stand before You because of this."

Ezra Makes Israel Swear an Oath

Ezr 10:15 LSB - [15] However, Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood against this, with Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helping them.

Those Who Married Foreign Wives

Ezr 10:44 LSB - [44] All these had taken up foreign women [as wives], and some of them had wives [by whom] they had children.