(27) Blessed be the Lord God.--This is the solitary expression of Ezra's private devotion; and it is incorporated with his record in so artless a manner as to confirm the impression that the whole narrative is from his hand.

This sudden ejaculatory thanksgiving, in the midst of his narrative, reminds us of Nehemiah's habit.

To beautify.--A general term, signifying all that belonged to the restoration of the Temple.

Verse 27. - Having concluded the important document, which he has transcribed, and not translated, and which is consequently in the Chaldee dialect, Ezra now resumes the use of the more sacred Hebrew, and henceforth employs it uninterruptedly to the close of his narrative. The form of his thanksgiving a little resembles that of David in 1 Chronicles 29:10. The Lord God of our fathers is an unusual phrase, only elsewhere employed by David (1 Chronicles 29:18) and Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:6). "God of our fathers" is more common, being found in Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 26:7) and Acts (Acts 3:13; Acts 5:30), as well as in Chronicles frequently. Which hath put such a thought as this in the king's heart. Compare Ezra 1:1. and Ezra 6:22. All thoughts favorable to the Jews are regarded by Ezra as impressed upon the hearts of heathen kings by the direct action of God. To beautify. Or "adorn." Ezra gathers from the general tenor of the king's letter that the adornment of the temple is his main object (see comment on ver. 17).

7:27,28 Two things Ezra blessed God for: 1. For his commission. If any good appear in our hearts, or in the hearts of others, we must own that God put it there, and bless him; it is he that worketh in us, both to will and to do that which is good. 2. For his encouragement: God has extended mercy to me. Ezra was a man of courage, yet he ascribed this not to his own heart, but to God's hand. If God give us his hand, we are bold and cheerful; if he withdraw it, we are weak as water. Whatever we are enabled to do for God and those around us, God must have all the glory.Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers,.... This is Ezra's thanksgiving to God for the above decree:

which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart; which he rightly took to be of God, who wrought in him to will and to do:

to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem; to provide for the ornamenting of it, for vessels in it, as well as for sacrifices; for as for the building of it, that was finished.