Ezra Comes to Jerusalem

^1-2-3-4-5-6Much later, when Artaxerxes was king of Persia, Ezra came to Jerusalem from Babylonia. Ezra was the son of Seraiah and the grandson of Azariah. His other ancestors were Hilkiah, Shallum, Zadok, Ahitub, Amariah, Azariah, Meraioth, Zerahiah, Uzzi, Bukki, Abishua, Phinehas, Eleazar, and Aaron, the high priest.[#7.1-6 Either Artaxerxes I (ruled from 465 to 425 b.c. ) or Artaxerxes II (ruled from 405–358 b.c. ).]

Ezra was an expert in the Law that the Lord God of Israel had given to Moses, and the Lord made sure that the king gave Ezra everything he asked for.

⁷Other Jews, including priests, Levites, musicians, the temple guards, and servants, came to Jerusalem with Ezra. This happened during the seventh year that Artaxerxes was king.[#7.7 458 b.c. if this is Artaxerxes I; 398 b.c. , if this is Artaxerxes II (see the note at 7.1-6).]

^8-9God helped Ezra, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month of that seventh year, after leaving Babylonia on the first day of the first month.[#7.8,9 Ab, the fifth month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-July to mid-August.; #7.8,9 See the note at 6.19.]

¹⁰Ezra had spent his entire life studying and obeying the Law of the Lord and teaching it to others.

Artaxerxes Gives a Letter to Ezra

¹¹Ezra was a priest and an expert in the laws and commands that the Lord had given to Israel. One day King Artaxerxes gave Ezra a letter which said:

Ezra Praises God

²⁷Because King Artaxerxes was so kind, Ezra said: