The Meaning of Ezra 7:7 Explained

Ezra 7:7

KJV: And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

YLT: And there go up of the sons of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

Darby: (And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the doorkeepers, and the Nethinim, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.)

ASV: And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And there went up  [some] of the children  of Israel,  and of the priests,  and the Levites,  and the singers,  and the porters,  and the Nethinims,  unto Jerusalem,  in the seventh  year  of Artaxerxes  the king. 

What does Ezra 7:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezra 7:1-18 - A Missionary Journey
An interval of sixty years intervened between the events of Ezra 6:1-22 and Ezra 7:1-28, and in that time the history recorded in the book of Esther took place. This chapter is full of helpful thoughts. Note the description of Ezra's character-A ready scribe- Ezra 7:6. He not only knew the Law, but he set his heart to seek and do, Ezra 7:10. The only way to understand Scripture is to be prepared to do it. What a contrast to Matthew 23:3! Let us not resemble the finger-post, which directs the traveler, but stirs not a step along the road it points. Note the secret of Ezra's success, the good hand of God. This is a characteristic phrase of Ezra and Nehemiah. That hand answers prayer, Ezra 7:6; speeds our way, as much in railway trains as in caravans, Ezra 7:9; and strengthens us for service, Ezra 7:28. The strong, tender hand of God is laid on our hands, as a father's on those of the son learning to draw a bow, Genesis 49:24. And when God's hand is on us, it is also on others, preparing them to cooperate. When God needs an instrument, He will come to men of Ezra's spirit. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezra 7

1  Ezra goes up to Jerusalem
11  The gracious commission of Artaxerxes to Ezra
27  Ezra blesses God for this favor

What do the individual words in Ezra 7:7 mean?

and came up [Some] of the sons of Israel and the priests and the Levites and the singers and the gatekeepers and the Nethinim to Jerusalem in the year seven of Artaxerxes King
וַיַּֽעֲל֣וּ מִבְּנֵֽי־ יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל וּמִן־ הַכֹּהֲנִ֨ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֜ם וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִ֧ים וְהַשֹּׁעֲרִ֛ים וְהַנְּתִינִ֖ים אֶל־ יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם בִּשְׁנַת־ שֶׁ֖בַע לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֥סְתְּא הַמֶּֽלֶךְ

וַיַּֽעֲל֣וּ  and  came  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
מִבְּנֵֽי־  [Some]  of  the  sons 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
הַכֹּהֲנִ֨ים  the  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וְהַלְוִיִּ֜ם  and  the  Levites 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִ֧ים  and  the  singers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שִׁיר  
Sense: to sing.
וְהַשֹּׁעֲרִ֛ים  and  the  gatekeepers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שֹׁועֵר  
Sense: gatekeeper, porter.
וְהַנְּתִינִ֖ים  and  the  Nethinim 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: נְתוּנִים 
Sense: Nethinims.
יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
בִּשְׁנַת־  in  the  year 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
שֶׁ֖בַע  seven 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֥סְתְּא  of  Artaxerxes 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא 
Sense: son and successor of Xerxes as emperor of Persia, 465–424 BC.
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ  King 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.