Study note

Ezra 7:14

  • the king and his seven counselors: The Greek historian Xenophon knew about this council (Xenophon, Anabasis 1.6.4–5). Esther 1:14 lists the names of the seven princes of Xerxes, who was Artaxerxes’ father.

  • the Law of your God: The word translated as law in this verse is the Aramaic word dath, not the Hebrew torah (Ezra 7:10). This suggests that a Persian wrote this letter (Ezra 7:11–26).