Ezra 7:23 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done Here Jacobus Capellus cries out in a kind of rapture, “O, words to be written upon the palaces of kings, in golden letters, and engraven on the minds of all, with a style of adamant! For they express an exceeding great sense of God, and of his supreme authority, and the regard due to him from the greatest kings and potentates.” It appears from this verse, that Ezra had informed Artaxerxes that the God of Israel had appointed and given his people certain laws, according to which he was to be worshipped, and therefore the edict enjoins these laws to be exactly observed. For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? For the omission of any part of his worship, occasioned by my neglect. He discerned his duty in this matter, and the danger of incurring God's displeasure if he neglected it, partly by the light of nature, and principally by the information of Ezra. The neglect and contempt of religion brings the judgments of God upon kings and kingdoms; and the likeliest expedient to turn away his wrath, when it is ready to break out against a people, is to support and encourage religion.