Ezra 7:11 (KJV)

Passage

Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.

Nearby Context

Ezra 7:9 For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.

Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

Ezra 7:11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.

Ezra 7:12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.

Ezra 7:13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "copy", "letter", "king", "artaxerxes", "gave", "ezra", "priest", and "scribe". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "copy" and "letter", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 10's "For Ezra had prepared his heart to..." into verse 12's "Artaxerxes king of kings unto Ezra the...", so "copy" and "letter" belong inside that flow. In Ezra context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "copy" and "letter" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.