Ezra 7:1
What does Ezra 7:1 mean?
A plain-English look at Ezra 7:1 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Ezra 7:1 means
This verse signals a new stage in the story after earlier returns from exile, placing it in the reign of Artaxerxes of Persia. It introduces Ezra by name and immediately roots him in a priestly family line, beginning with Seraiah and continuing through notable priestly ancestors. By foregrounding Ezra’s ancestry, the writer shows that he is not a random official but a legitimate priest connected to Israel’s sacred history. His identity matters for the task ahead: teaching and restoring faithfulness to God’s Law among the returned exiles. The mention of Artaxerxes also situates the events within the larger Persian Empire, where God’s purposes unfold under a foreign king’s rule.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
KJV
King James Version · 1611Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Now after these things, when Artaxerxes was king of Persia, Ezra, the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Now after these things in the reign of Artaxerxes king of the Persians, Esdras the son of Saraias, the son of Azarias, the son of Helcias,
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkijah,
Context
Verses 1–5 present Ezra’s genealogy to establish his priestly credentials. Verse 1 opens the section by naming the reigning monarch and starting the ancestral list, a device used in Scripture to signal authority and continuity. The chapter will soon move from Ezra’s lineage to his qualifications as a scribe and the king’s decree that empowers his mission. Understanding who Ezra is—by family and by office—prepares the reader to grasp why Artaxerxes entrusts him with religious and administrative responsibilities in Jerusalem.
v.1This passage
v.2the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Nehemiah 2:1
And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, that I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.
- Nehemiah 8:2
And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
- 2 Kings 25:18
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold:
- 1 Chronicles 9:11
and Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God;
- Nehemiah 11:11
Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God,
- Ezra 6:14
And the elders of the Jews builded and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.