Ezra 7:22
Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
The grant allows generous supplies for the temple service, up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred measures of wheat, a hundred baths each of wine and oil, and salt without set limit. It equips Ezra's return to Jerusalem to revive study of God's word and restore the city for His service, making him a special representative of the kingdom with broad powers to carry out his purpose. It belongs to the decree of Artaxerxes in his seventh year, in 457 B.C., the third and final decree in complete form that finished what Cyrus began so that the acts of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes count as one decree. That decree gives the starting point for reckoning the seventy weeks and the 2,300-year period of Daniel 8:14, from which the details of the seventy weeks were fulfilled to their end in A.D. 34. Counted from 457 B.C. the 2,300 years were first reckoned to end in 1843, and because the decree took effect in autumn near the end of 457 B.C. they were afterward understood to reach to the fall of 1844.
Generous Grant for Restoration
The decree authorized generous supplies for the temple service, allowing up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred measures of wheat, one hundred baths of wine and one hundred baths of oil, with salt left without limit on the amount. These abundant provisions and resources were granted for the temple and for the returning Jews. The grant supported Ezra's return to Jerusalem to revive interest in the study of God's word and to assist his brethren in restoring the holy city that they might serve Jehovah.
The rich gifts for the temple service were given because Ezra declared his perfect trust in the God of Israel as abundantly able to protect and care for His people, which deeply impressed the king, and because of the king's great confidence in Ezra's integrity. The decree thus showed the king's favor toward God's people. With the gifts Artaxerxes made Ezra a special representative of the Medo-Persian kingdom and conferred on him extensive powers for carrying out the purposes that were in his heart. That decree was the third and final decree for Jerusalem's restoration.
Prophetic Time Beginning
This verse belongs to the decree issued in its complete form by Artaxerxes in his seventh year, in 457 B.C., authorizing Ezra's return and the restoration and building of Jerusalem. It was the third and final decree for Jerusalem's restoration, completing what was begun under Cyrus, so that the actions of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes count as one decree. The command took effect in autumn 457 B.C., near the end of that year.
That date provides the starting point for reckoning the seventy weeks and the 2,300-year period of Daniel 8:14. Measured from that date, the specifications concerning the seventy weeks were fulfilled, and the seventy weeks end in A.D. 34. Counted from 457 B.C., the 2,300 years were reckoned as 2,300 minus 457 to end in 1843 for the coming of the Lord. Because the decree was issued near the end of 457 B.C., the prophetic period was later understood to reach to the fall of 1844 rather than to the close of 1843.