Ezra 7:26 · Bible study
Ezra 7:26 Commentary: The Law of God and the King
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Ezra 7:26's severe penalties for disobedience in its Persian context, and the relationship between civil and religious law.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The Persian decree authorizes Ezra to enforce God’s law with severe penalties, blending civil and religious authority.
- Key words: “Law” (dat, used for both divine and royal decrees); “diligently” (asparna); “banishment” (sheroshi, literally “uprooting”).
- Main debate: How to relate this theocratic enforcement to New Testament teaching on grace and the separation of church and state.
- Theological theme: The seriousness of obedience to God’s covenant and God’s ability to work through foreign rulers.
- Best use: Understanding the post-exilic restoration context; caution against direct application without a New Testament lens.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
If anyone does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let a strict judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with all diligence, whether it is to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
KJV King James Version 1769
And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him with all diligence, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and any who doth not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, speedily is judgment done upon him, whether to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of riches, and to bonds.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And whosoever will not do the law of thy God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed diligently upon him, whether unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king diligently, judgment shall be executed upon him, either unto death, or unto banishment, or to the confiscation of goods, or at least to prison.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y cualquiera que no hiciere la ley de tu Dios, y la ley del rey, prestamente sea juzgado, ó á muerte, ó á desarraigo, ó á pena de la hacienda, ó á prisión.
E todo aquele que não cumprir a Lei de teu Deus e a lei do rei, prontamente seja julgado, ou à morte, ou à expulsão, ou à multa, ou à prisão.
Quiconque n’observera pas ponctuellement la loi de ton Dieu et la loi du roi sera condamné à la mort, au bannissement, à une amende, ou à la prison.
Und ein jeglicher, der nicht mit Fleiß tun wird das Gesetz deines Gottes und das Gesetz des Königs, der soll sein Urteil um der Tat willen haben, es sei zum Tod oder in die Acht oder zur Buße am Gut oder ins Gefängnis.
En al wie de wet uws Gods en de wet des konings niet zal doen, over dien laat spoediglijk recht worden gedaan, hetzij ter dood, of tot uitbanning, of tot boete van goederen, of tot de banden.
E di chiunque non osserverà la legge del tuo Dio e la legge del re farete pronta giustizia, punendolo con la morte o col bando o con multa pecuniaria o col carcere”.
A ktobykolwiek nie czynił dosyć zakonowi Boga twego, i prawu królewskiemu, aby prędki dekret był o nim wyadany albo na śmierć, albo na wygnanie jego, albo na skaranie na majętności, albo na więzienie. I rzekł Ezdrasz:
Кто же не будет исполнять закон Бога твоего и закон царя, над тем немедленно пусть производят суд, на смерть ли, или на изгнание, или на денежную пеню, или на заключение в темницу.
凡 不 遵行你 神 律法 和 王 命令 的人就當速速 定 他的 罪，或 治死，或 充軍，或 抄家，或囚禁。」
And if anyone does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, take care that punishment is given to him, by death or by driving him from his country or by taking away his goods or by putting him in prison.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Ezra 7:26
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Ezra 7:26 records the penalty clause of a Persian royal decree, granting Ezra authority to enforce both divine and civil law. The list of punishments, death, banishment, confiscation, imprisonment, covers the full range of penalties in ancient Near Eastern jurisprudence. Clarke notes the comprehensiveness of the list. Barnes and the Cambridge Bible connect “banishment” (literally “rooting out”) to possible excommunication from the congregation. Gill reads the clause as applying to judges who delay or people who disobey. The consensus sees this as a unique historical moment: the Persian king underwrites the Mosaic Law for the Jewish community in Judah, giving Ezra extraordinary powers to establish the religious and civil order.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Historical precedent for religious law enforcement: The decree explicitly combines God's law and the king's law, showing that civil authority can enforce religious obligations.
- Unique context with no NT parallel: The New Testament emphasizes salvation by grace and freedom of conscience, and it does not instruct civil governments to enforce religious laws.
What is clear: The verse describes a specific historical event: a Persian king empowering Ezra to enforce Jewish law, not a universal command for all governments.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Historical context of the decree | All commentators agree this is a Persian royal decree allowing Ezra to enforce Jewish law among his people. | Some see the decree as granting Ezra near-total authority, while others note the Persian governor likely retained ultimate civil power. |
| Meaning of 'banishment' | The Aramaic word means 'rooting out' or 'uprooting' and refers to removal from the community. | Barnes and the Cambridge Bible suggest excommunication; Gill and the margin of the ASV see it as literal exile or family extirpation. |
| Application to modern church-state relations | Christians agree this verse does not mandate religious coercion by the state today. | Some traditions see a limited principle: the civil magistrate may support true religion. Others hold that the New Testament separates church and state entirely. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ezra 7:26 sits within the formal decree of Artaxerxes I (c. 457 BC), written in Aramaic, the administrative language of the Persian Empire. The decree authorizes Ezra to teach and enforce the law of God among the Jewish population “beyond the River” (the satrapy of Abar-Nahara, which included Judah). Persian kings often permitted subject peoples to follow their own religious laws, seeing this as a way to secure loyalty. The “law of the king” likely refers to this very decree, requiring Ezra’s judgments to be executed promptly.
The four listed penalties mirror typical Persian legal sanctions. Death was common for rebellion. Banishment, from the Aramaic root “to uproot,” meant removal from the community, a devastating fate for a people rebuilding its identity. Confiscation of property added deterrence, and imprisonment served as a temporary measure. The surrounding context shows the king’s concern for avoiding divine wrath (v.23), indicating a pragmatic piety. Ezra himself had “the hand of God” on him (v.28), framing his authority as divinely endorsed.
This verse should not be read as a universal mandate for theocracy. It is a specific provision for a vulnerable community needing to re-establish its identity under imperial oversight. The law of God and the law of the king overlap precisely because the Persian crown chose to support the Jewish cult as a pillar of social stability.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Aramaic text is consistent across the major manuscripts of the Hebrew Bible.
Reception History
In early Jewish tradition, this verse underscored Ezra’s authority as a second lawgiver who restored the Torah. Christian interpreters of the Reformation era, including Calvin and the Geneva Bible annotators, cited the verse to argue that civil rulers should support the church by enforcing the first table of the law. In modern times, the verse is often read as a historical curiosity or a challenge: how can such severity coexist with the New Testament message of grace? Contemporary scholarship examines it as a case study in Persian imperial policy toward local cults, helping readers see its context rather than treating it as a model for theocracy.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Source of Authority: Ezra acts under both divine and royal commission. The law of God and the law of the king are not opposed; here the king himself underwrites the covenant.
- The Scope of Obedience: “Whoever will not do” includes everyone within the community, no exceptions. The law applies equally to all.
- The Severity of Consequences: Penalties from property loss to death show the seriousness of covenant faithfulness. Disobedience threatens the community’s survival.
Five-point outline
- Historical context: Persia’s support for local laws after exile.
- Dual law: divine and civil authority intertwined in a unique moment.
- Ezra’s role: appointed judge and teacher with enforcement power.
- The spectrum of penalties: deterrence, removal, restitution, and death.
- Theological tension: how this verse sits alongside the New Testament’s call to grace and conscience.
Illustration hooks
- A community rebuilding after disaster, like a town after a flood needing a new rule book and someone to enforce it.
- A sports team with a clear code of conduct that carries penalties for violation; the code only works because everyone agrees to the consequences.
- A country where a minority faith receives legal protection and the government backs its internal discipline, like some religious arbitration systems today.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this verse mean we should support the death penalty for religious offenses today?
- How does God’s grace relate to the harsh punishments we read in Old Testament law?
- If we take God’s law seriously, what does that look like in a society that does not recognize it as law?
Leading a Discussion
Ezra 7:26 is part of a Persian decree that linked the law of God with the law of the king. It raises hard questions about authority, obedience, and justice. As you discuss, remember that this verse belongs to a specific historical setting and is not a direct blueprint for how Christians relate to government today.
Discussion questions
- What surprises you about the list of penalties in this verse? Which one seems most severe to you, and why?
- The decree says the law of God and the law of the king must both be followed. How were these two laws connected in Ezra’s situation?
- Read Ezra 7:11, 26 as a whole. What do you learn about the king’s motives? What do you learn about Ezra’s mission?
- How does the New Testament describe the relationship between God’s kingdom and the laws of human governments? Consider passages like Romans 13:1, 7 or 1 Peter 2:13, 17.
- Why do you think God allowed a pagan king to authorize the enforcement of His law? What does that tell you about God’s sovereignty?
- When should Christians obey civil authority, and when should they respectfully decline? Can you think of a contemporary example?
- How does this verse challenge or comfort you about the seriousness of following God’s commands?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 21:1 | “Now these are the ordinances which you shall set before them: |
| Exodus 21:22 | “If men fight and hurt a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely, and yet no harm follows, he shall be surely fined as much as the woman’s husband demands and the judges allow. |
| Leviticus 20:1 | Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, |
| Leviticus 20:27 | “‘A man or a woman that is a medium or is a wizard shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones. Their blood shall be upon themselves.’” |
| Deuteronomy 13:1 | If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, |
| Deuteronomy 13:18 | when you listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, to keep all his commandments which I command you today, to do that which is right in Yahweh your God’s eyes. |
| II Chronicles 30:12 | Also the hand of God came on Judah to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by Yahweh’s word. |
| Ezra 6:11 | I have also made a decree that whoever alters this message, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened on it; and let his house be made a dunghill for this. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the phrase “whether it be unto death” covers every kind of punishment a civilized state might impose on offenders. He also observes that this verse marks the end of the Chaldee (Aramaic) section of the chapter.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the original word translated "banishment" literally means separation from the congregation. He points to a parallel in Ezra where such exclusion from the assembly was a formal penalty.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator clarifies that the king's grant of death, banishment, confiscation, and imprisonment did not make Ezra a civil governor. Instead, these extraordinary powers were specifically for enforcing the religious Law and strengthening Jewish religious organization, without overriding the regular Persian officials of the satrapy.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes emphasize that Ezra's authority extended over both God's law and the king's law as a single standard, enforced without delay. The penalties listed—death, banishment, confiscation, or imprisonment—show that civil and religious obedience were treated as one unified requirement.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill details the range of penalties for disobeying either God's law or the king's decree, from death and banishment to confiscation of goods or imprisonment. He notes that one Hebrew term for "rooting out" implies total destruction of the offender and his entire family line.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that even after the temple was rebuilt, the congregation still needed to internalize and live out the law in daily life. Ezra's real mission was to strengthen this life in the law, raising it to a position of authority that the kingdom had once held and making him a second Moses.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry marvels that a pagan king would not only fund the temple worship but entrust Ezra with full authority to use the money as he saw fit, according to God's will. He sees this as God moving the heart of Artaxerxes to honor the law of the God of heaven.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley points out that even a king with David's authority could not have done more for God's honor or the advance of true religion. The rhetorical question underscores how completely David's reign was devoted to these purposes.