OUR FATHER WHOSE FAVOR STEAMLINED EZRAˋS JOURNEY BACKHOME

The book of Ezra chapter 7 verses 1  -  10 documents the departure of a scholar of the law from Babylon along with a contingent of priests, singers, gatekeepers and assistants. 

Ezra, who is the writer of this book of Ezra, begins this passsage by documenting his own lineage back to Aaron the high priest of Israel during the time of Moses.

He then gives a timeline of his departure of from Babylon and his arrival in Jerusalem;

• Left Babylon - 1st day of the 1st month of the 7th year of the reign of Artaxerxes
• Arrived Jerusalem - 1st day of the fifth month of the 7th year of the reign of Artaxerxes

1 After these events, during the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Ezra, son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, the high priest— 6 this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe, well-versed in the law of Moses given by the Lord, the God of Israel. The king granted him all that he requested, because the hand of the Lord, his God, was over him.

7 Some of the Israelites and some priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. 8 Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month of that seventh year of the king. 9 On the first day of the first month he began the journey up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he arrived at Jerusalem, for the favoring hand of his God was over him. 10 Ezra had set his heart on the study and practice of the law of the Lord and on teaching statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Amen.

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