Artaxerxes
Artaxerxes was the Persian king who allowed Ezra and Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem (Ezra 7:1,11-12,21; Neh 2:1; 5:14).
Biography
Artaxerxes I Longimanus (reigned c. 465–424 BC) was the Persian king whose decrees had momentous consequences for the restoration of post-exilic Judah. In his seventh year (c. 458 BC), he issued a royal commission to Ezra the scribe authorizing him to lead a second wave of returnees to Jerusalem, bringing silver, gold, and vessels for the temple, and empowering Ezra to teach the Law of Moses (Ezra 7:1–26). In his twentieth year (c. 445 BC), he granted Nehemiah, his cupbearer, permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild its walls (Nehemiah 2:1–9). He later appointed Nehemiah as governor of Judah (Nehemiah 5:14). Artaxerxes also received letters from Samaritan opponents seeking to halt the rebuilding work (Ezra 4:7–23), briefly suspending construction before reversing his position.
Significance
Artaxerxes stands as one of Scripture's most prominent examples of a pagan ruler serving as an instrument of divine providence in the restoration of Israel. His decrees fulfilled prophetic expectations concerning the return from exile and the rebuilding of Jerusalem (cf. Isaiah 44:28; Daniel 9:25), leading some scholars to identify the decree of Artaxerxes in Nehemiah 2 as the starting point of Daniel's seventy-weeks prophecy. Theologically, Artaxerxes illustrates the truth of Proverbs 21:1, that the king's heart is a stream of water in the LORD's hand, and demonstrates how God accomplishes His redemptive purposes through even the decrees of earthly rulers who do not fully know the God they serve.
Verse Appearances (14)
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]