Lives of Scripture

Artaxerxes, king of Persia, appears repeatedly across Ezra and Nehemiah as a ruler whose decisions directly shaped Jerusalem's restoration after the exile. Early in his reign, enemies of the Jews wrote him a letter accusing the returned exiles of rebuilding a rebellious city; persuaded, Artaxerxes ordered the work stopped by force (Ezra 4:7-23). Later, however, he reversed course dramatically: he commissioned Ezra the priest and scribe to lead a further return of exiles to Jerusalem, granting him silver, gold, temple vessels, and royal authority to teach the Law of Moses and appoint judges, "whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done diligently" (Ezra 7:1-26). Years afterward, when his own cupbearer Nehemiah appeared before him visibly grieved over Jerusalem's broken walls, Artaxerxes asked directly what Nehemiah wanted, then granted his request for leave, safe passage, and timber for the rebuilding project -- "the king granted my request, because the good hand of my God was on me" (Nehemiah 2:1-8). Nehemiah later notes he served as governor of Judah under Artaxerxes for twelve years before returning to the king's court (Nehemiah 5:14; 13:6). Though a pagan ruler with no covenant relationship to Israel's God, Artaxerxes' shifting decisions -- first against, then decisively for the rebuilding work -- run through Ezra-Nehemiah as evidence of God's providence working even through the decrees of a foreign throne.