Christian Standard Bible
Ezra 7:23
23Whatever is commanded by the God of the heavens must be done diligently for the house of the God of the heavens, so that wrath will not fall on the realm of the king and his sons.
Ezra 7:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
- New International Version (NIV)Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should his wrath fall on the realm of the king and of his sons?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Whatever is decreed by the God of heaven, let it be done in full for the house of the God of heaven, lest his wrath be against the realm of the king and his sons.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it diligently be done for the house of the God of heaven. For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
Context of Ezra 7:23
21I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers in the region west of the Euphrates River: Whatever Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of the heavens, asks of you must be provided in full, 22up to 7,500 pounds of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, 550 gallons of oil, and salt without limit. Whatever is commanded by the God of the heavens must be done diligently for the house of the God of the heavens, so that wrath will not fall on the realm of the king and his sons. 24Be advised that you do not have authority to impose tribute, duty, and land tax on any priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God. 25And you, Ezra, according to God’s wisdom that you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people in the region west of the Euphrates who know the laws of your God and to teach anyone who does not know them.
Read all of Ezra 7Ezra 7:23 word by word
כָּל־דִּ֗י מִן־טַ֙עַם֙ אֱלָ֣הּ שְׁמַיָּ֔א יִתְעֲבֵד֙ אַדְרַזְדָּ֔א לְבֵ֖ית אֱלָ֣הּ שְׁמַיָּ֑א דִּֽי־לְמָ֤ה לֶֽהֱוֵא֙ קְצַ֔ף עַל־מַלְכ֥וּת מַלְכָּ֖א וּבְנֽוֹהִי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Whatsoeverכֹּלkôl · allH3606
- is commanded byמִן־min · fromH4481
- is commanded byטְעֵםţa‛am · accountH2941
- the Godאֱלָהּ'ĕlâhh · godH426
- of heavenשָׁמַ֫יִןshâmayin · heavenH8065
- let it be diligentlyאַדְרַזְדָּא'adrazdâ' · diligentlyH149
- doneעֲבַד‛ăbad · to makeH5648
- for the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · houseH1005
- forדִּיdîy · thatH1768
- whyמָהmâh · what?H4101
- should there beהֲוָאhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1934
- wrathקְצַףqetsaph · wrathH7109
- againstעַל‛al · uponH5922
- the realmמַלְכוּmalkû · kingdomH4437
- of the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
- and his sonsבֵּןbên · sonH1123
Cross-references for Ezra 7:23
- Ezra 7:13I issue a decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including their priests and Levites, who want to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
- Psalms 119:4You have commanded that your precepts be diligently kept.
- Ezra 6:10so that they can offer sacrifices of pleasing aroma to the God of the heavens and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
- Zechariah 12:3On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who try to lift it will injure themselves severely when all the nations of the earth gather against her.
Commentaries on Ezra 7:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Why should there be wrath - As he believed he was appointed by the Almighty to do this work, he therefore wished to do it heartily, knowing that if he did not, God would be displeased, and that the kingdom would be cut off from him or his posterity.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Literally, as in the margin, i. e., Whatsoever is commanded in the Law with respect to the temple service.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-26Verses 11-26 The liberality of heathen kings to support the worship of God, reproached the conduct of many kings of Judah, and will rise up in judgment against the covetousness of wealthy professed Christians, who will not promote the cause of God. But the weapons of Christian ministers are not carnal. Faithful preaching, holy lives, fervent prayers, and patient suffering when called to it, are the means to bring men into obedience to Christ.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23the God of heaven: The Jews used this title for the Lord (Ezra 5:11–12), and Cyrus also used it (1:2). The Persian king likely believed, like others in the ancient Near East, that each country's god or gods controlled their territory. Artaxerxes did not want to risk angering God and disrupting the peace of his empire by failing to provide the worship God of Jerusalem required (Ezra 7:19).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-2422-24. an hundred talents of silver--£22,000 according to the rate of the silver talent of Babylon. Fourthly, Artaxerxes gave his royal sanction in the establishment of the divine law, which exempted priests and Levites from taxation or tribute and confirmed to them the exclusive right to officiate in the sacred services of the sanctuary. And, finally, in the expression of the king's desire for the divine blessing upon the king and his government (Ezr…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezra 7:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezra 7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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