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Sunday, July 20th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

Wycliffe Bible

Ezra 7:12

Artaxerses, kyng of kyngis, desirith helthe to Esdras, the preest, moost wijs writere of the lawe of God of heuene.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - King;   Temple;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Medo-Persian Kingdom;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Artaxerxes;   Language;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Aram;   Artaxerxes;   Ezra;   Malachi;   Persia;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Priest, Christ as;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Chaldee Language;   Scribes;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Artaxerxes;   Chaldaea;   Ezra;   Ezra, the Book of;   Persia;   Pethahiah;   Scribes;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Aramaic;   Artaxerxes;   Ezra, Book of;   Hebrew;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Bible;   Ezra;   Ezra, Book of;   Nehemiah, Book of;   Text, Versions, and Languages of Ot;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Language of Christ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Aramaic;   Artaxerxes ;   Bible,;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ezra;   Persia;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Bi'ble;   Per'sia;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Accursed;   Aramaic Language;   Bible, the;   Ezra-Nehemiah;   Perfect;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Ahasuerus;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Confiscation and Forfeiture;   Ezra the Scribe;   Shallum;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of the heavens:
Hebrew Names Version
Artachshasta, king of kings, to Ezra the Kohen, the Sofer of the law of the God of heaven, perfect and so forth.
King James Version
Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.
English Standard Version
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven. Peace. And now
New Century Version
From Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law of the God of heaven. Greetings.
New English Translation
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the perfect law of the God of heaven:
Amplified Bible
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, perfect peace (greetings). And now
New American Standard Bible
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now
World English Bible
Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect and so forth.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Artahshashte King of Kings to Ezra the Priest and perfite scribe of the Lawe of the God of heauen, and to Cheeneth.
Legacy Standard Bible
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now—
Berean Standard Bible
Artaxerxes, king of kings. To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings.
Contemporary English Version
Greetings from the great King Artaxerxes to Ezra the priest and expert in the teachings of the God of heaven.
Complete Jewish Bible
"From: Artach'shashta, king of kings "To: ‘Ezra the cohen, scribe of the law of the God of heaven, etc.: "Herewith
Darby Translation
Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, an accomplished scribe of the law of the God of the heavens, and so forth.
Easy-to-Read Version
From King Artaxerxes, To Ezra the priest, a teacher of the law of the God of heaven: Greetings!
George Lamsa Translation
Artakhshisht, king of kings, to Ezra the priest and scribe, learned in the law of the God of heaven, peace.
Good News Translation
"From Emperor Artaxerxes to the priest Ezra, scholar in the Law of the God of Heaven.
Lexham English Bible
"Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of the heavens. Peace. And now
Literal Translation
Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Law of the God of Heaven, perfect peace , and now:
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Vnto E?dras the prest and scrybe in the lawe of the God of heauen, peace and salutacion.
American Standard Version
Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect and so forth.
Bible in Basic English
Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, scribe of the law of the God of heaven, all peace;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Artaxerxes a king of kinges, vnto Esdras the priest and scribe of the law of the God of heauen, peace and salutation.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
'Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, and so forth. And now
King James Version (1611)
Artaxerxes king of kings, Unto Ezra the Priest, a Scribe of the Law of the God of heauen, Perfect peace, and at such a time.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Arthasastha, king of kings, to Esdras, the scribe of the law of the Lord God of heaven, Let the order and the answer be accomplished.
English Revised Version
Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect and so forth,
Update Bible Version
Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect and so forth.
Webster's Bible Translation
Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect [peace], and at such a time.
New King James Version
Artaxerxes, Ezra 7:12-26 is Aramaic.">[fn] king of kings, To Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Perfect peace, and so forth. [fn]
New Living Translation
"From Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the teacher of the law of the God of heaven. Greetings.
New Life Bible
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the religious leader, the writer who knows the Law of the God of heaven: Peace. And now
New Revised Standard
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven: Peace. And now
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Artaxerxes, king of kings, Unto Ezra the priest, scribe of the law of the God of the heavens - To despatch and so forth.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Artaxerxes king of kings to Esdras the priest, the most learned scribe of the law of the God of heaven, greeting.
Revised Standard Version
"Ar-ta-xerx'es, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven. And now
Young's Literal Translation
`Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe of the law of the God of heaven, and at such a time:
THE MESSAGE
Artaxerxes, King of Kings, to Ezra the priest, a scholar of the Teaching of the God-of-Heaven. Peace. I hereby decree that any of the people of Israel living in my kingdom who want to go to Jerusalem, including their priests and Levites, may go with you. You are being sent by the king and his seven advisors to carry out an investigation of Judah and Jerusalem in relation to the Teaching of your God that you are carrying with you. You are also authorized to take the silver and gold that the king and his advisors are giving for the God of Israel, whose residence is in Jerusalem, along with all the silver and gold that has been collected from the generously donated offerings all over Babylon, including that from the people and the priests, for The Temple of their God in Jerusalem. Use this money carefully to buy bulls, rams, lambs, and the ingredients for Grain-Offerings and Drink-Offerings and then offer them on the Altar of The Temple of your God in Jerusalem. You are free to use whatever is left over from the silver and gold for what you and your brothers decide is in keeping with the will of your God. Deliver to the God of Jerusalem the vessels given to you for the services of worship in The Temple of your God. Whatever else you need for The Temple of your God you may pay for out of the royal bank.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now

Contextual Overview

11 Sotheli this is the saumpler of the pistle of the comaundement, which the kyng Artaxerses yaf to Esdras, preest, writere lerud in the wordis and comaundementis of the Lord, and in hise cerymonyes in Israel. 12 Artaxerses, kyng of kyngis, desirith helthe to Esdras, the preest, moost wijs writere of the lawe of God of heuene. 13 It is demyd of me, that whom euer it plesith in my rewme of the puple of Israel, and of hise preestis, and dekenes, to go in to Jerusalem, go he with thee. 14 For thou art sent fro the face of the kyng and of hise seuene counseleris, that thou visite Judee and Jerusalem in the lawe of thi God, which is in thin hond; 15 and that thou bere siluer and gold, which the kyng and hise counseleris han offrid bi fre wille to God of Israel, whos tabernacle is in Jerusalem. 16 And take thou freli al siluer and gold, which euer thou fyndist in al the prouynce of Babiloyne, and the puple wole offre, and of preestis that offriden bi fre wille to the hows of her God, which is in Jerusalem; 17 and bie thou bisili of this monei calues, rammes, lambren, and sacrifices, and moiste sacrifices of tho; and offre thou tho on the auter of the temple of youre God, which temple is in Jerusalem. 18 But also if ony thing plesith to thee, and to thi britheren, for to do of the residue siluer and gold, do ye bi the wille of youre God; 19 also bitake thou in the siyt of God in Jerusalem the vessels, that ben youun in to the seruyce of the hows of thi God. 20 But also thou schalt yyue of the tresouris of the kyng, and of the comyn arke, `ethir purse, and of me `othere thingis, that ben nedeful in the hows of thi God, as myche euere as is nedeful, that thou spende.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Artaxerxes: The title of the king would, in Persian, run thus: Ardsheer shahinshah, or padshah, "Ardsheer, king of kings," i.e., great or supreme king or emperor. 1 Kings 4:24, 1 Kings 20:1, Isaiah 10:8, Ezekiel 26:7, Daniel 2:37, Daniel 2:47, 1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:16

unto Ezra: etc. or, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe of the law of the God of heaven, peace, etc. and at such a time. Ezra 4:10, Ezra 4:11, Ezra 4:17

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 18:28 - the king of Assyria Ezra 7:1 - Artaxerxes Ezra 7:6 - a ready Ezra 7:7 - Artaxerxes Ezra 7:21 - Artaxerxes Isaiah 13:3 - them that Isaiah 60:10 - their kings Daniel 6:26 - make Jonah 1:9 - the God Matthew 2:4 - scribes Acts 18:24 - mighty Revelation 16:11 - the God

Cross-References

Genesis 7:4
For yit and aftir seuene daies Y schal reyne on erthe fourti daies and fourti nyytis, and Y schal do awey al substaunce which Y made, fro the face of erthe.
Genesis 7:17
And the greet flood was maad fourti daies and fourti niytis on erthe, and the watris weren multiplied, and reiseden the schip on hiy fro erthe.
Exodus 24:18
And Moises entride into the myddis of the cloude, and stiede in to the hil, and he was there fourti daies and fourti nyytis.
Deuteronomy 9:9
that Y schulde take two tablis of stoon, the tablis of couenaunt which the Lord made with you, and Y continuede in the hil fourti daies and nyytis, and Y eet not breed, and Y drank not watir.
Deuteronomy 9:18
And Y felde doun bifor the Lord as `biforto, in fourti daies and fourti nyytis, and Y eet not breed, `and drank not watir, for alle youre synnes whiche ye diden ayens the Lord, and terriden hym to `greet wraththe;
Deuteronomy 10:10
Forsothe Y stood in the hil as bifore, fourti daies and fourti niytis, and the Lord herde me also in this tyme, and nolde leese thee.
1 Kings 19:8
And whanne he hadde rise, he ete, and drank; and he yede in the strengthe of that mete bi fourti dayes and fourti nyytis, `til to Oreb, the hil of God.
Matthew 4:2
And whanne he hadde fastid fourti daies and fourti nyytis, aftirward he hungride.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Artaxerxes, king of kings,.... Having many kings and kingdoms subject and tributary to him; for this was not merely a proud haughty title which the eastern kings p assumed, particularly the Persians; for after Cyrus they were so in fact, who took this title also, and had it put on his sepulchral monument,

"Here I lie, Cyrus, king of kings q;''

this title was given to Grecian kings, particularly Agamemnon is called king of kings r, he being general at the siege of Troy, under whom the rest of the kings fought; if this was Darius Hystaspis, of him Cyrus dreamed that he had wings on his shoulders, with one he covered Asia, and with the other Europe s:

unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven; of which titles see Ezra 7:11:

perfect [peace], and at such a time; the word "perfect" belongs to Ezra's title as a scribe, signifying that he was a most learned and complete scribe or teacher of the law of God; "peace" is not in the text, and the phrase "at such a time" respects the date of the letter, though not expressed, or is only an "et cetera", Ezra 7:11- :.

p See the Universal History, vol. 5. p. 16, 137. & vol. 11. p. 7, 8. margin, & p. 66. q Strabo, Geograph. l. 15. p. 502. r Vell. Patercul. Hist. Roman. l. 1. in initio. s Herodot. Clio, sive, l. 1. c. 209.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The title, “king of kings,” is assumed by almost all the persian monarchs in their inscriptions.

Perfect peace - “Peace” is not in the original, and the word translated “perfect” occurs only in this place. Some prefer to take it as an adjective descriptive of Ezra (see margin); others (Septuagint) as the opening word of the first paragraph of the letter, and give it the meaning, “it is completed.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 12. Artaxerxes, king of kings — This letter, from the beginning of this verse to the end of Ezra 7:12-26, is in the Aramitic or Chaldee language.

This title of the king would, in Persian, run thus: [Persian] Ardsheer shahinshah, or [Persian] padshah, "Ardsheer, king of kings;" "great or supreme king, or emperor."


 
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