John Trapp on Ezra 7:6

Verſe 6. This Ezra went up from Babylon] Together with many others, who were moved thereunto by his example, and authority. He was (as one ſaith of Tiberius) imperio magnus, exemplo major. Paterc. Great men are Looking-glaſſes, according to which moſt men dreſſe themſelves: let them look to it therefore, and ſhine as Lamps.

And he was a ready Scribe] Or a nimble Text-man: his office was to write out copies of the Law, and to interpret it. He wrote (ſay ſome) the Hebrew Bible out in Chaldee letters (the ſame that we now call Hebrew, the ancient Hebrew characters remained with the Samaritans) for the uſe of his Countrey-men returned out of Chaldea. He firſt ordained (ſay others) the Vowels, Accents and Maſoreth. A great Scholar he was, and excellently well ſeene in Scripture-learning: to which all other skill is but ſtraminea candela, a ruſh-candle, a ſmall light that ſerveth but to light men into utter darkneſſe. Be wiſe, be learned, ſaith the Pſalmiſt: but withall Serve the Lord with feare, Kiſſe the Sonne, &c. Pſal. 2. Balt. Exner. Otherwiſe ye may be as learned as Varro that general Scholar; as Albertus magnus, quem nihil penitùs fugit, omnia perfectè novit, who knew whatſoever was knowable,Bonoſius. as one ſaith of him: or as Toſtatus (otherwiſe called Abulenſis) qui omnium ſcientiarum doctrinarumque arca fuit & emporium, ſaith he that writeth his life; who was a living library: and yet ye may periſh everlaſtingly. The Jewes called their learned men Scribes, as the Perſians did theirs Magi; the French, Druides; the Indians, Brachmanni, &c. But he that is not a Scribe inſtructed, and inſtructing others to the Kingdome of heaven, Matth. 13.52. ſhall hear, Where is the wiſe? Where is the Scribe? Where is the diſputer of this world? Sapientes ſapientèr in infernum deſcendent. 1 Cor. 1.20, Aug.

Which the Lord God of Iſrael had given] The Moral Law, with his owne immediate mouth (ſo that he might ſay with Joſeph, Gen. 45.12. Behold, your eyes ſee that it is my mouth that ſpeaketh unto you) the other Lawes he ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour, i. e. of Moſes, Gal. 3.19. Hence Joſephus calleth the Jewiſh politie a Theocratie: and Proſper thinketh, that they were called Judaei, becauſe they received jus Dei, the Law from God. But we can give a better derivation from the Hebrew, viz. Jewes, i. e. Confeſſours, ſuch as were thoſe above, chap. 5.11.

And the King granted him all his requeſt] Giving him more and greater things then he durſt deſire. So great facility and flexibleneſſe found He in this King, that he needed onely to aske, and give thanks: as it is ſaid of Tiberius, that he never denied his favourite Sejanus any thing; but oft-times prevented his requeſt, and avowed that he deſerved much more.

According to the hand of the Lord his God upon him] i. e. his ſweet and ſingular providence, ever watching over, and working for thoſe that are good, 2 Chron. 19. ult. Such may well ſit and ſing as one did once Ʋna eſt in trepida mihi re medicina, Jehovae Cor patrium, Os verax, omnipotenſque Manus.