Ezra 7:10

Ezra 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.

a. NLT: This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the LORD and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. NIV: For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

c. YLT: for Ezra hath prepared his heart to seek the law of Jehovah, and to do, and to teach in Israel statute and judgment. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Amplified Bible Classic: For Ezra had prepared and set his heart to seek the Law of the Lord [to inquire for it and of it, to require and yearn for it], and to do and teach in Israel its statutes and its ordinances. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: For Ezra set his heart to expound the Torah of HASHEM and to fulfill and to teach [its] statute and law in Israel. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

1. “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord…”

a. For [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

b. Ezra [Strong: 5830 `Ezra' ez-raw' a variation of 5833; Ezra, an Israelite:--Ezra.]

c. had prepared [Strong: 3559 kuwn koon: a primitive root; properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous):--certain(-ty), confirm, direct, faithfulness, fashion, fasten, firm, be fitted, be fixed, frame, be meet, ordain, order, perfect, (make) preparation, prepare (self), provide, make provision, (be, make) ready, right, set (aright, fast, forth), be stable, (e-)stablish, stand, tarry, X very deed.]

1). Blue Letter Bible: The KJV translates Strongs H3559 in the following manner: prepare (85x), establish (58x), ready (17x), stablish (5x), provide (5x), right (5x), fixed (4x), set (4x), direct (3x), order (3x), fashion (3x), variant (2x), certain (2x), confirmed (2x), firm (2x), preparation (2x), misc (17x).

d. [his] heart [Strong: 3824 lebab lay-bawb': from 3823; the heart (as the most interior organ); used also like 3820:--+ bethink themselves, breast, comfortably, courage, ((faint), (tender-)heart((-ed)), midst, mind, X unawares, understanding.]

e. to seek [Strong: 1875 darash daw-rash': a primitive root; properly, to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or ask; specifically to worship:--ask, X at all, care for, X diligently, inquire, make inquisition, (necro-)mancer, question, require, search, seek (for, out), X surely.]

1). Blue Letter Bible: The KJV translates Strongs H1875 in the following manner: seek (84x), enquire (43x), require (12x), search (7x), misc (18x). 

2). Everyman’s Talmud, Abraham Cohen, Introduction page xxxv, xxxvi: “We have it mentioned very distinctly in the account of Ezra’s work: ‘He had set his heart to seek the Torah of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments’ (Ezra vii. 10). The Hebrew verb used in this sentence for ‘to seek,’ darash, is of the utmost importance for our theme. Its true sense is ‘to deduce, interpret’ the ideas which profound study of the text could elucidate. This process of deduction is called Midrash and is the system of interpretation employed throughout Rabbinic literature. By its aid a Scriptural passage yielded far more than could be discerned on the surface. The sacred words became an inexhaustible mine which, when quarried, produced rich treasures of religious and ethical teaching.”

3). Michael Fishbane, The Exegetical Imagination, p. “Historically considered, Ezra is the first master of the midrashic parole—for he “inquires” (doresh) of the Torah of the Lord (in Ezra 7:10) as former generations “inquired” of God for a living oracle (2 Kings 22:5, 8). [Note: D.C. The actual citation is 1 Kings 22:8.] His act (and those of his rabbinic heirs) thus conjures new meanings from God’s langue.”

4). Instances of “darash” Strong # 1875 translated “seek” in Scripture.

a). Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

b). 2 Chronicles 15:12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;

5). Instances of “darash” Strong # 1875 translated “enquire”

a). Genesis 25:22  And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.

b). 1 Samuel 9:9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)

c). 1 Kings 22:5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.

d). 1 Kings 22:8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

6). Instance of “darash” Strong # 1875 translated “search”.

a). Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

 

7). As much as I love Jewish Rabbinic literature and have benefited and grown spiritually from it, we must be discerning enough to know what is profitable and what is not. Much of its content is conflicting, not only with itself but also with the revealed word of God in the Scriptures and whenever looking into Rabbinic literature we must be on guard about that fact. 

e. the law [8451 * towrah; or torah] [Strong: from 3384; a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch:--law.]

f. of the LORD [3068 * Yhovah] [Strong: from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

1). Note in Amplified Bible Classic under Ezra 7:10: God can use mightily one whose whole heart craves a knowledge of Him and His Word like that. Watch Ezra throughout the remainder of his story, as he turns the homes of his nation back from heathendom to God—in the pouring rain! He was not merely righteous, he was “[uncompromisingly] righteous” (I Kings 8:32); he worshiped God, Who is not merely just and righteous, but “rigidly just and righteous” (Ezra 9:15.)

2. “…and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.”

a. and to do it [6213 * `asah] [Strong: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be (warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.]

b. and to teach [3925 * lamad] [Strong: a primitive root; properly, to goad, i.e. (by implication) to teach (the rod being an Oriental incentive):(un-) accustomed, X diligently, expert, instruct, learn, skilful, teach(-er, - ing).]

c. in Israel [3478 * Yisra'el] [Strong: from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity: --Israel.]

d. statutes [2706 * choq] [Strong: from 2710; an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage):--appointed, bound, commandment, convenient, custom, decree(-d), due, law, measure, X necessary, ordinance(- nary), portion, set time, statute, task.]

e. and judgments [4941 * mishpat] [Strong: from 8199; properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style:--+ adversary, ceremony, charge, X crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly), (manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right, sentence, usest, X worthy, + wrong.]