For Ezra had set his heart to seek Yahweh’s law, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.
Parallel Translations
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For Ezra had set his heart to seek Yahweh’s law, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.
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For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
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For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances.
Cross-references (28)
Passages linked to Ezra 7:10 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Malachi 2:7 For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Yahweh of Armies.
- 2 Timothy 4:2 preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all patience and teaching.
- Matthew 7:24 “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock.
- John 13:17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
- Psalms 1:2 but his delight is in Yahweh’s law. On his law he meditates day and night.
- Ezra 7:25 You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges, who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, who all know the laws of your God; and teach him who doesn’t know them.
- Psalms 19:7 Yahweh’s law is perfect, restoring the soul. Yahweh’s covenant is sure, making wise the simple.
- Deuteronomy 33:10 They shall teach Jacob your ordinances, and Israel your law. They shall put incense before you, and whole burnt offering on your altar.
- 1 Chronicles 29:18 Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this desire forever in the thoughts of the heart of your people, and prepare their heart for you;
- Ezra 7:6 this Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a skilled scribe in the law of Moses, which Yahweh, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to Yahweh his God’s hand on him.
- Psalms 10:17 Yahweh, you have heard the desire of the humble. You will prepare their heart. You will cause your ear to hear,
- Titus 2:1 But say the things which fit sound doctrine,
- 1 Samuel 7:3 Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you are returning to Yahweh with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to Yahweh, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
- 2 Chronicles 17:8-9 and with them the Levites, even Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. They taught in Judah, having the book of Yahweh’s law with them. They went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.
- 2 Chronicles 19:3 Nevertheless there are good things found in you, in that you have put away the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.”
- 2 Chronicles 30:22 Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who had good understanding in the service of Yahweh. So they ate throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace offerings, and making confession to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.
- Psalms 57:7 My heart is steadfast, God. My heart is steadfast. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises.
- Psalms 119:45 I will walk in liberty, for I have sought your precepts.
- Psalms 119:96-100 I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commands are boundless. How I love your law! It is my meditation all day. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for your commandments are always with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, because I have kept your precepts.
- 1 Timothy 3:2 The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;
- Deuteronomy 16:12 You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt. You shall observe and do these statutes.
- 2 Chronicles 12:14 He did that which was evil, because he didn’t set his heart to seek Yahweh.
- Nehemiah 8:1-9 All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the wide place that was in front of the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded to Israel. Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it before the wide place that was in front of the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand. The ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people), and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God. All the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshiped Yahweh with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law; and the people stayed in their place. They read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading. Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all the people, “Today is holy to Yahweh your God. Don’t mourn, nor weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
- Acts 1:1 The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach,
- Titus 2:15 Say these things and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one despise you.
- Revelation 22:14 Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.
- Matthew 5:19 Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
- Job 11:13 “If you set your heart aright, stretch out your hands toward him.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Ezr 7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to…
Ezr 7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do [it], and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
Ver. 10. For Ezra had prepared his heart] Which, without due preparation, would not have been drawn to any good. See 1Sa 7:3 Job 11:13 Amo 4:12. An instrument must be tuned ere it can be played upon; sour wines need good sweetening.
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To seek the law of the Lord] To dive into the very bosom and bottom of it. Qui nucleum vult, nucem frangat. The Rabbis have a saying, that there is a mountain of sense hanging upon every tittle of God’s law.
And to do it] His knowledge and practice ran parallel, and mutually transfused warmth into one another. He was not of those orators blamed by Diogenes, for that they studied bene dicere, non bene facere, to speak commendably, but not to live accordingly. He knew well that his forefathers (the high priests) had pomegranates for savour as well as bells for sound.
And to teach in Israel] He knew the truth of that Hebrew proverb, Lilmod Lelammed, Men must therefore learn, that they may teach others, and not bury their talents, lest the canker of their great skill prove a swift witness one day against them.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Ezra had prepared his heart, or, directed, &c., i.e.…
Ezra had prepared his heart, or, directed, &c., i.e. he had set his mind and affections upon it, and made it his chief design and business.
To seek the law, i.e. to search and find out the true sense and meaning of it, and thence to learn what sins or errors were to be reformed, and what duties were to be performed.
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And to teach in Israel. The order of things in this verse is very observable; first he endeavours to understand God’s law and word, and that not for curiosity or ostentation, but in order to practice; next he conscientiously practiseth what he did understand, which made his doctrine much more effectual; and then he earnestly desires and labours to instruct and edify others, that they also might know and do it.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Now this is the copy of the letter that…
Now this is the copy of the letter that the King Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest,.... This title relating to his office is justly given him, since he was the son of an high priest, and lineally descended from Aaron, as the above account of his pedigree shows:
the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his statutes to Israel; the doubling of the word "scribe" shows that he was very wise and learned in the law, in the commandments and statutes of it the Lord gave to Israel; not only in the language of it in which it was written, but in the matter and substance of it, in the things contained in it; for "dibre", signfiies "things" as well as words.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain To teach - The order of things in this…
To teach - The order of things in this verse is very observable; first he endeavours to understand God's law and word, and that not for curiosity or ostentation, but in order to practice: next he consciously practices what he did understand, which made his doctrine much more effectual: and then he earnestly desires and labours to instruct others, that they also might know and do it.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 10. Ezra had prepared his heart] Here is…
Verse 10. Ezra had prepared his heart] Here is a fine character of a minister of God: He prepares, הכין hechin, he fixes, purposes, and determines, לבבו lebabo, with his heart - with all his powers and affections, to seek the law of God, and to do it himself, that he may be properly qualified to teach its statutes and judgments to Israel.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Ezr 7:10. For Ezra had prepared his heart, &c.…
Ezr 7:10. For Ezra had prepared his heart, &c. — He had set his mind and affections upon it, and made it his chief business. To seek the law of the Lord — To search and find out the true sense and meaning of it, and thence to learn what sins or errors were to be reformed, and what duties were to be performed. And to do it, and to teach in Israel — The order of things in this verse is very observable: first, he endeavours to understand God’s law and word, and that not for curiosity or ostentation, but in order to practice; next, he conscientiously practises what he did understand, which made his doctrine much more effectual; and then he earnestly desires and labours to instruct others, that they also might know and do it.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Heart. Thinking continually (Menochius) how he might keep the…
Heart. Thinking continually (Menochius) how he might keep the law himself, and direct others. (Haydock) --- It would be well if all would thus teach by example, like Jesus Christ, who began to do and then to teach. (Haydock) --- Judgment. Both these terms express the same thing. (Menochius)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law…
Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, &c.--His reigning desire had been to study the divine law--its principles, institutions, privileges, and requirements; and now from love and zeal, he devoted himself, as the business of his life, to the work of instructing, reforming, and edifying others.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 10. Prepared his heart to seek the law —…
10. Prepared his heart to seek the law — Or, set his heart to search the law. It had been the great aim and purpose of his life to be a student and expounder of the law. And the sequel shows how God honoured his efforts.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 10. For Ezra had prepared (R.V. set) his heart…
10. For Ezra had prepared (R.V. set) his heart &c.] The precise meaning of the ‘for’ which determines the connexion of the verse, is not very evident. The verse either explains the preceding clause and attributes God’s favour towards Ezra during the journey to the latter’s devotion to the Divine Law, or is added as a general comment on the whole preceding section, explanatory of Ezra’s resolve and expedition. Those who take the former view illustrate it by ch. Ezr_8:31-32. But the latter interpretation of the verse is to be preferred. It corresponds better with the somewhat abrupt mention of Ezra’s rule of life. It harmonizes with the description of Ezra’s character. ‘Ezra had set his heart &c.’ That fact lay at the bottom of the religious movement which he set on foot. It explained something very much more than the mere fortunate issue of the journey.
‘Had set his heart’. A not uncommon phrase, cf. 2Ch_12:14; 2Ch_19:3; 2Ch_30:19. In every instance the R.V. has rightly changed ‘prepare his heart’ to ‘set his heart’. The idea of the original is not ‘preparedness for the unforeseen’, but ‘fixity and stability of purpose’. Compare the expression ‘my heart is fixed’ (Psa_57:7; Psa_108:1; Psa_112:7) where the same verb occurs.
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to seek the law of the Lord] Cf. Psa_119:45; Psa_119:155; 1Ch_28:8. The search, no mere investigation of the letter, but for the sake of ascertaining the true principles of practical life embodied in the law, cf. 2Ch_14:4 ‘(Asa) commanded Judah to seek the Lord the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment’.
and to teach] Those principles are self-diffusive, the teaching by example as much as by precept, cf. 2Ch_17:9 ‘And they (the priests) taught in Judah, having the book of the law with them’. Ezra’s purpose to search for truth, to live by it and to teach it his countrymen is an epitome of the ideal scribe’s career. We may compare Act_1:1 ‘All that Jesus began both to do and to teach’.
statutes and judgments] These words in the Hebrew are singular, and are rendered ‘a statute and an ordinance’ in Exo_15:25; Jos_24:25, where they are found together. The singular is generic. The two words are frequently found together in the plural: e.g. Lev_26:46; Deu_4:1; Deu_4:5; Deu_4:8; Deu_4:14; Deu_5:1; Deu_5:31; Deu_11:32; Deu_12:1 &c.; 2Ch_7:17; 2Ch_19:10 and Mal_4:4 ‘statutes and judgments’. ‘Statutes’ are the appointed rules or regulations of conduct or ceremony, ‘judgments’ are the duties and rights determined by equity, authority, or custom. The phrase is however used very generally without any close distinction in the shades of meaning.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (10) For Ezra had prepared his heart.—It must be…
(10) For Ezra had prepared his heart.—It must be remembered that the providence of God over him immediately precedes—not as the reward of his preparing his heart, but as the reason of it. First, he gave himself to study the law, then to practise it himself, and lastly to teach its positive statutes or ordinances and its moral judgments or precepts—a perfect description of a teacher in the congregation. There is nothing discordant in Ezra saying of himself that he had thus “set his heart.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain For Ezra had prepared his heart, etc. God"s favour…
For Ezra had prepared his heart, etc. God"s favour towards Ezra, and the prosperous issue of his journey, were the consequences of his having set his heart on learning God"s will, and doing it, and teaching it to others. To seek the law is to aim at obtaining a complete knowledge of it. To teach statutes and judgments is to inculcate both the ceremonial and the moral precepts. Ezra appears as a teacher of righteousness in Ezr_10:10, Ezr_10:11, and again in Neh_8:2-18
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 7:10 Ezra had three life goals: (1) to study…
7:10 Ezra had three life goals: (1) to study God’s word, (2) to obey what God said, and (3) to teach . . . the people of Israel. He allowed God’s word to transform his character and behavior so that he could influence the lives of others.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.