The biblical and historical figure Artaxerxes, king of Persia, occupies a pivotal role in the post-exilic period of Jewish history. His reign intersects with the events of Ezra and Nehemiah, providing critical insight into the restoration of Jerusalem and the religious reforms undertaken by Jewish returnees. The name “Artaxerxes” (Hebrew: אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתְּא, Artachshashta) is a throne name used by several Persian kings, which has led to much discussion about which specific monarch is being referenced in various biblical texts. This article will focus on Artaxerxes I Longimanus, who ruled from 465 to 424 B.C.E., and who is most often identified with the Artaxerxes mentioned in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Using literal Bible chronology and historical records, we will examine his political role, decrees, and interactions with Jewish leaders, with a view toward affirming the trustworthiness of the biblical record.

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The Identification of Artaxerxes in Scripture

The name Artaxerxes appears in Ezra 4:7–23, Ezra 6:14, Ezra 7:1–28, and Nehemiah 2:1, among other passages. The references are generally agreed by conservative scholars to pertain to Artaxerxes I Longimanus, son of Xerxes I (Ahasuerus), who reigned from 465 to 424 B.C.E. According to Ezra 7:7, in the seventh year of his reign (458 B.C.E.), Ezra was granted a royal decree permitting him and other Jews to return to Jerusalem, where he led a spiritual revival and religious reform. Nehemiah 2:1 dates Nehemiah’s mission to the king’s twentieth year (445 B.C.E.), when he was appointed governor of Judah and commissioned to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls.

Some liberal-critical scholars have attempted to identify the Artaxerxes of Ezra 4:7–23 with Artaxerxes II Mnemon or with Artaxerxes III Ochus, but such identifications fail to cohere with the internal chronology of the biblical text. The clear temporal markers given in Ezra and Nehemiah—such as “seventh year” (Ezra 7:7) and “twentieth year” (Nehemiah 2:1)—are most consistent with the reign of Artaxerxes I Longimanus, not his successors. This identification is further supported by Persian and Greek records, including the writings of Thucydides, Ctesias, and Diodorus Siculus.

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Artaxerxes’ Decree to Ezra: Authorization and Objectives

In Ezra 7:11–26, the text preserves the full wording of the royal letter sent by Artaxerxes to Ezra. This is one of the most significant documents from the Persian period preserved in Scripture. The decree granted Ezra substantial autonomy and religious authority, including the right to appoint magistrates and judges, teach the Law of Moses, and enforce its observance, even to the extent of administering capital punishment (Ezra 7:26). The letter reads in part:

“And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges… whoever will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed on him…” (Ezra 7:25–26, LEB)

This decree is fully consistent with known Persian administrative practices. The Achaemenid Persian Empire allowed considerable local autonomy, especially in matters of religion. Persian kings regularly authorized the reconstruction of temples and the appointment of local priests. The Cyrus Cylinder and other extrabiblical documents corroborate the pattern of imperial decrees facilitating religious restoration, which makes the decree to Ezra entirely historically credible.

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Artaxerxes and Nehemiah: Political Stability and Civic Reconstruction

The role of Artaxerxes in the mission of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2) is equally significant. In the twentieth year of his reign (445 B.C.E.), Nehemiah, then cupbearer to the king, received permission to return to Jerusalem and lead the effort to rebuild its walls, a task which was completed in a mere 52 days (Nehemiah 6:15). Artaxerxes not only authorized Nehemiah’s mission but also provided military escorts and letters of safe passage (Nehemiah 2:7–9). The political confidence he showed in Nehemiah demonstrates the degree of trust and responsibility the Persian kings invested in loyal provincial officials.

This cooperation between the Persian monarch and Jewish leadership is consistent with Persian imperial strategy. Persian kings generally preferred to govern through local rulers who could maintain order while ensuring tribute and loyalty. The book of Nehemiah demonstrates that Artaxerxes’ policies were not only consistent with broader Persian administrative norms but also effectively advanced the re-establishment of Jerusalem as a functional urban and religious center.

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The Chronology of Ezra and Nehemiah in Light of Artaxerxes’ Reign

A crucial point of scholarly contention has been the chronological relationship between the missions of Ezra and Nehemiah. Liberal critical scholars often reverse the order, claiming Nehemiah arrived before Ezra. However, the plain reading of the biblical text, based on the regnal years of Artaxerxes, affirms that Ezra arrived in 458 B.C.E. (Artaxerxes’ seventh year), and Nehemiah arrived in 445 B.C.E. (Artaxerxes’ twentieth year).

Ezra 7:8 states, “He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king,” and Nehemiah 2:1 states, “In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king.” This sequence clearly places Ezra’s mission first. The overlapping of their ministries in Nehemiah 8—where both are seen reading and teaching the Law—shows that Ezra continued his reform efforts during Nehemiah’s tenure. This harmonization of the timelines affirms the internal consistency of the biblical narrative and discredits revisionist chronologies that contradict the plain sense of the text.

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Artaxerxes’ Broader Religious Policy and its Impact on Judea

Artaxerxes’ favorable disposition toward Jewish religious interests reflects a wider Achaemenid policy of respect for local deities and religious traditions. Unlike the later Seleucid rulers, who often attempted to impose Hellenistic religious practices, the Achaemenid kings—including Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes—adopted a policy of cultural tolerance that included funding temple construction and priestly activity across their empire. This is evidenced by inscriptions such as the Behistun Inscription of Darius and the Elephantine papyri, which show continued Persian support for Jewish religious life even in distant Jewish communities in Egypt.

This policy allowed the Jewish community in Jerusalem to thrive under Persian oversight. The rebuilding of the Temple under Darius I (Ezra 6:15, completed in 516 B.C.E.) and the subsequent reforms under Ezra and Nehemiah during Artaxerxes I’s reign testify to this cooperative political-religious arrangement. The Persian kings’ strategic tolerance should not be interpreted as personal belief in Jewish religious claims but as a pragmatic method for maintaining loyalty across a vast empire. Nevertheless, this policy provided the historical context in which the events of Ezra and Nehemiah unfolded.

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Linguistic and Documentary Authenticity of Artaxerxes’ Letters

A textual feature of considerable interest is the form and language of the Persian decrees embedded in Ezra (particularly Ezra 4:8–6:18 and Ezra 7:12–26). These sections contain Aramaic, the diplomatic lingua franca of the Persian Empire, and include formal bureaucratic language consistent with fifth-century B.C.E. Persian administrative records. The decree in Ezra 7:12 begins:

“Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven: Peace. And now…”

The title “king of kings” (malka malka in Aramaic) is well-attested in Persian inscriptions and reflects the official titulature of Achaemenid monarchs. Moreover, the structure of the letter, with its salutation, authorization, provision clauses, and penal enforcement statements, corresponds closely to known Persian documents, such as those recovered from Babylon and Persepolis. These linguistic and structural features affirm the authenticity and historical accuracy of the biblical account, rather than suggesting late invention or fabrication as posited by liberal criticism.

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Conclusion: Artaxerxes as a Historical Anchor in Post-Exilic Biblical History

The reign of Artaxerxes I Longimanus provides an essential historical anchor for the events recorded in Ezra and Nehemiah. His policies, decrees, and relationship with Jewish leaders such as Ezra and Nehemiah are consistent with known Persian administrative practices and are documented with clarity and specificity in Scripture. The chronological markers within the biblical text match the known regnal years of Artaxerxes I, reinforcing the reliability of the historical narrative presented in the Bible.

Contrary to liberal claims that the post-exilic books contain anachronisms or late editorial constructions, a careful analysis of the Artaxerxes texts reveals that they are rooted in the historical realities of the fifth century B.C.E., in full accord with the archaeological, linguistic, and political context of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. This reinforces a high view of Scripture as historically trustworthy and textually accurate.

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