King James Version

What Does Ezra 7:6 Mean?

Ezra 7:6 in the King James Version says “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: a... — study this verse from Ezra chapter 7 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

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.

Ezra 7:6 · KJV


Context

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:

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.

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.

8

And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.


Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
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. This verse introduces Ezra, whose name means 'help' (Ezra, עֶזְרָא), foreshadowing his role in helping restore covenant faithfulness. The description 'ready scribe' (sofer mahir, סֹפֵר מָהִיר) means 'skillful scribe' or 'expert scribe,' indicating not merely literacy but deep mastery of Torah. This expertise qualified Ezra to teach and implement God's law, combining scholarship with spiritual authority.

The phrase 'in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given' grounds Ezra's authority in divine revelation, not human wisdom. The law's source was the LORD, not Moses's invention, establishing objective divine standard for community life. Ezra's expertise was in God's word, making him prophet-like figure even without explicit prophetic office. His authority derived from Scripture, not institutional position or personal charisma.

The remarkable statement that 'the king granted him all his request' demonstrates God's providence. The phrase 'according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him' attributes the king's favor explicitly to divine intervention. God's 'hand' symbolizes power and guidance, showing that favorable circumstances resulted from divine sovereignty over royal hearts, not Ezra's diplomacy or political skill.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in 458 BC (seventh year of Artaxerxes), thirteen years before Nehemiah. His journey from Babylon took four months (Ezra 7:9), covering approximately 900 miles. The community he found had completed the temple but struggled with compromised living, particularly intermarriage with pagans. Ezra's mission focused on spiritual and moral reformation, complementing earlier temple reconstruction.

The description of Ezra as 'scribe' indicates professional expertise. Scribes were educated specialists who copied, interpreted, and taught Scripture. By the post-exilic period, scribes had become increasingly important religious authorities, a trend continuing into New Testament times. Ezra represents the transition from prophetic leadership (Haggai, Zechariah) to scribal-rabbinic leadership characteristic of Second Temple Judaism.

Artaxerxes' remarkable generosity toward Ezra (Ezra 7:11-26) contrasts with his earlier prohibition against building (Ezra 4:21). This apparent contradiction reflects either policy change or distinction between temple worship (which Artaxerxes supported) and walls (which he initially opposed). God providentially used the same king for both opposition and support, demonstrating sovereignty over political changes.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does Ezra's description as 'ready scribe in the law' teach about the relationship between biblical expertise and spiritual leadership?
  2. How does the attribution of royal favor to 'the hand of the LORD' encourage believers to trust God's providence in difficult circumstances?
  3. What qualifications should modern church leaders possess, based on Ezra's example of Torah mastery and divine calling?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 23 words
ה֤וּא1 of 23
H1931

he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo

עֶזְרָא֙2 of 23

This Ezra

H5830

ezra, an israelite

עָלָ֣ה3 of 23

went up

H5927

to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative

מִבָּבֶ֔ל4 of 23

from Babylon

H894

babel (i.e., babylon), including babylonia and the babylonian empire

וְהֽוּא5 of 23
H1931

he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo

סֹפֵ֤ר6 of 23

scribe

H5608

properly, to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e., (by implication) to inscribe, and also to enumerate; intensively, to recount, i.e., celebra

מָהִיר֙7 of 23

and he was a ready

H4106

quick; hence, skilful

בְּתוֹרַ֣ת8 of 23

in the law

H8451

a precept or statute, especially the decalogue or pentateuch

מֹשֶׁ֔ה9 of 23

of Moses

H4872

mosheh, the israelite lawgiver

אֲשֶׁר10 of 23
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

וַיִּתֶּן11 of 23

granted

H5414

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

יְהוָ֤ה12 of 23

of the LORD

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

אֱלֹהָיו֙13 of 23

God

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל14 of 23

of Israel

H3478

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

וַיִּתֶּן15 of 23

granted

H5414

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

ל֣וֹ16 of 23
H0
הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ17 of 23

and the king

H4428

a king

כְּיַד18 of 23

according to the hand

H3027

a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v

יְהוָ֤ה19 of 23

of the LORD

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

אֱלֹהָיו֙20 of 23

God

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

עָלָ֔יו21 of 23
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

כֹּ֖ל22 of 23
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

בַּקָּֽשָׁתֽוֹ׃23 of 23

him all his request

H1246

a petition


Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Ezra. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Ezra 7:6 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Ezra 7:6 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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