Jamieson, Fausset and Brown on Ezra 7:1-2

CHAPTER 7

Ezr 7:1-10. Ezra Goes Up to Jerusalem.

1-2. in the reign of Artaxerxes--the Ahasuerus of Esther.

Ezra the son of Seraiah--that is, grandson or great-grandson. Seraiah was the high priest put to death by Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah (2Ki 25:18). A period of one hundred thirty years had elapsed between that catastrophe and the journey of Ezra to Jerusalem. As a grandson of Seraiah, namely, Jeshua, who held the office of high priest, had accompanied Zerubbabel in the first caravan of returning exiles, Ezra must have been in all probability a grandson, descended, too, from a younger son, the older branch being in possession of the pontificate.