this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the LORD, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
"Ready scribe" doesn't just mean he was a fast writer, but that Ezra was an expert expounder and teacher of God's Law. The text emphasizes this wasn't just any law, but the very Law given by "the LORD, the God of Israel," highlighting its divine origin and Ezra's crucial role in preserving and explaining it.
this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the LORD, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezra, a skilled interpreter of Moses' Law, is about to lead a significant return to Jerusalem from Babylon. This verse introduces him and emphasizes that his requests were granted by the Persian king not by chance, but because God’s favor was clearly upon him. What follows is the king's decree outlining the specific mission and provisions for Ezra's journey and ministry.
When we hear 'scribe,' we might think of someone just copying documents. But what did 'scribe' really mean for Ezra, and why was it such a vital role?
The term 'scribe' (Hebrew: sopher) in Ezra's day carried a weight far beyond simple penmanship. It signified an expert, a scholar, and a teacher deeply versed in the Law of Moses.
A Master of the Law
Ezra received incredible support from the Persian king. Was it just luck, or something more profound at play?
The text explicitly states that 'the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him.' This isn't mere coincidence; it's a powerful picture of God's active involvement in His servant's life.
God's Hand in Human Affairs
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Understand the original words
sopher · Hebrew Noun
A professional title for one who copies, preserves, and interprets the Law of God. In Israel, this role involved deep study and the authority to teach the Torah to the community.
torah · Hebrew Noun
A term referring to the Torah, the foundational revelation of God's will and covenant requirements for Israel. It encompasses the entirety of God's instructions given to Moses at Sinai.
yad · Hebrew Noun
A metaphor indicating divine favor, guidance, protection, and sovereign enablement. When God's hand is on a person, it signifies His presence empowering them to carry out His specific purposes.
Ezra's return wasn't an isolated event but part of a larger Persian policy of allowing and even supporting the religious and civic restoration of conquered peoples, highlighting the divine hand at work through earthly rulers.
c. 538 BC
Cyrus's Edict for Return
King Cyrus the Great allows the Jewish exiles in Babylon to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, marking the end of the Babylonian exile.
c. 516 BC
Dedication of the Second Temple
The Temple in Jerusalem is completed and dedicated by the returning exiles, a significant step in the restoration of Jewish religious life.
c. 458 BC— this verse
Ezra's Commission and Return
King Artaxerxes I grants Ezra a royal commission, significant resources, and permission to travel to Jerusalem to restore Jewish law and order.
c. 444 BC
Nehemiah's Commission
Nehemiah, cupbearer to Artaxerxes I, receives permission and resources to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls.
c. 444 BC
Public Reading of the Law
Ezra and Nehemiah lead a public assembly in Jerusalem where the Law of Moses is read and explained to the people, leading to religious reform.
This passage shows Ezra in a leadership role, expounding the Law of Moses to the people, highlighting his skill as a scribe and teacher that was divinely empowered.
Psalm 119:97-100This psalm expresses a deep love and skilled understanding of God's law, mirroring Ezra's dedication as a 'ready scribe' who found wisdom and delight in God's commands.
Jeremiah 8:8-9This verse contrasts the wise understanding of God's law with the 'false pen' of scribes who failed to uphold it, emphasizing the importance of faithful teachers like Ezra who rightly interpreted and applied God's Word.
2 Chronicles 30:12This verse speaks of God's hand being upon the people to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and the princes, echoing how the king's favor towards Ezra was 'according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him'.
pulpitEzra 7:6: "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."
Verse 6. - This Ezra went up. See comment on Ezra 2:1, where the same expression — "went up" - is used. He was a ready scribe in the law of Moses. On the meaning of this phrase, and the new position occupied by "scribes" after the captivity, see Introduction to Ezra,' § 5.…
clarkeEzra 7:6: "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."
A ready scribe - סופר מחיר sopher machir does not merely signify a speedy writer or an excellent penman, but one who was eminently skillful in expounding the law. In this sense the word γραμματευς, scribe, is repeatedly used in the New Testament, and we find that both in t…
"Ready scribe" doesn't just mean he was a fast writer, but that Ezra was an expert expounder and teacher of God's Law. The text emphasizes this wasn't just any law, but the very Law given by "the LORD, the God of Israel," highlighting its divine origin and Ezra's crucial role in preserving and explaining it.
Ezra, a skilled interpreter of Moses' Law, is about to lead a significant return to Jerusalem from Babylon. This verse introduces him and emphasizes that his requests were granted by the Persian king not by chance, but because God’s favor was clearly upon him. What follows is the king's decree outlining the specific mission and provisions for Ezra's journey and ministry.
Ezra, a skilled interpreter of Moses' Law, is about to lead a significant return to Jerusalem from Babylon. This verse introduces him and emphasizes that his requests were granted by the Persian king not by chance, but because God’s favor was clearly upon him. What follows is the king's decree outlining the specific mission and provisions for Ezra's journey and ministry.
"this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the LORD, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him." — "Ready scribe" doesn't just mean he was a fast writer, but that Ezra was an expert expounder and teacher of God's Law. The text emphasizes this wasn't just any law, but the very Law given by "the LOR…
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Last reviewed October 2026