Bible Commentaries

Here begins the second section of the Book, that which gathers around the doings of Ezra. Between the close of the last chapter and the commencement of this sixty years had passed away. To a very great extent they were uneventful years in the history of the people settled in Jerusalem. That they had largely failed in the realization of the purposes of Zerubbabel is evident from the work done by Ezra, subsequently by Nehemiah. This chapter tells of the coming of Ezra, and there are two verses which very largely explain the movement for us. They are verses ten and twenty-three, in which we discover the individual inspiration of Ezra and Artaxerxes.

While still in Babylon, Ezra was moved to help his people in Jerusalem. In order to do this, he yielded to obedience to the law of God, and so prepared himself for his work of teaching. The verse should not be passed without noticing its suggestiveness for all such as are called, or feel they are called, to teach. The order is, "to seek . . . to do . . . to teach." Verse twenty-three explains the personal reason for the decree and beneficence of Artaxerxes. Why should there be "wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?" It is perfectly evident that he had some very clear consciousness of the paver of God. Thus God is seen overruling, and by the creation of different emotions, bringing them into co-operation with each other, and thus with His purpose.