Bible Strands
Ezra 7:13
I hereby decree that any volunteers among the Israelites in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may go up with you to Jerusalem.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — King Artaxerxes addresses Ezra the priest and scribe of the Law, issuing a royal command that permits Israelites, priests, and Levites within his realm to voluntarily travel to Jerusalem. This decree occurs in the context of Artaxerxes formally commissioning Ezra to assess Judah and Jerusalem according to the divine law.
The words — The Hebrew text highlights מִתְנַדַּ֣ב (mit.na.Dav), meaning "[one who] volunteers," and טְעֵם֒ (te.'Em), meaning "a decree," framed by שִׂ֣ים (sim) "it is made" and דִּ֣י (di) "that." These terms establish a formal royal proclamation enabling voluntary departure from the kingdom.
The thread — This royal decree parallels the voluntary migration commanded under Cyrus in Ezra 1:3 and echoes the circulatory proclamations found in 2 Chronicles 30:5. It also functions similarly to the administrative orders recorded in Ezra 6:1, where a king directs actions across his empire.
Why it lands — The text states that willing Israelites, priests, and Levites may leave the king’s territory to return to Jerusalem. Readers must recognize that the restoration effort relies on voluntary compliance under royal authorization rather than forced conscription.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.
Cross-references
- Ezra 6:1 Thus King Darius ordered a search of the archives stored in the treasury of Babylon.
- 2 Chronicles 30:5 So they established a decree to circulate a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come to keep the Passover of the LORD, the God of Israel, in Jerusalem. For they had not observed it in great numbers as prescribed.
- Ezra 1:3 Whoever among you belongs to His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.
- Ezra 5:13 In the first year of his reign, however, Cyrus king of Babylon issued a decree to rebuild this house of God.
- Esther 3:15 The couriers left, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was in confusion.
- Esther 9:14 So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they hanged the ten sons of Haman.
- Psalms 110:3 Your people shall be willing on Your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn, to You belongs the dew of Your youth.
- Psalms 148:6 He established them forever and ever; He issued a decree that will never pass away.
- Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
- Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.