Darby Bible
Ezra 4:14
14Now, since we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not right for us to see the king's injury, therefore have we sent and informed the king;
Ezra 4:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now because we have maintenance from the king’s palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;
- New International Version (NIV)Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king,
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not fitting for us to witness the king's dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now because we receive support from the palace, it was not proper for us to see the king’s dishonor; therefore we have sent and informed the king,
Context of Ezra 4:14
12Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from thee unto us have come to Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and they complete the walls and join up the foundations. 13Be it known therefore unto the king, that, if this city be built and the walls be completed, they will not pay tribute, tax, and toll, and in the end it will bring damage to the kings. Now, since we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not right for us to see the king's injury, therefore have we sent and informed the king; 15that search may be made in the book of the annals of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the annals and know that this city is a rebellious city, which has done damage to kings and provinces, and that they have raised sedition within the same of old time, for which cause this city was destroyed. 16We inform the king that if this city be built and its walls be completed, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
Read all of Ezra 4Ezra 4:14 word by word
כְּעַ֗ן כָּל־קֳבֵל֙ דִּֽי־מְלַ֤ח הֵֽיכְלָא֙ מְלַ֔חְנָא וְעַרְוַ֣ת מַלְכָּ֔א לָ֥א אֲֽרִֽיךְ לַ֖נָא לְמֶֽחֱזֵ֑א עַ֨ל־דְּנָ֔ה שְׁלַ֖חְנָא וְהוֹדַ֥עְנָא לְמַלְכָּֽא׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Ezra 4:14
- Ezekiel 33:31And they come unto thee as a people cometh, and they sit before thee [as] my people, and they hear thy words, but they do them not; for with their mouth they shew much love, [but] their heart goeth after their dishonest gain.
- John 12:5Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?
- John 19:12From this time Pilate sought to release him; but the Jews cried out saying, If thou releasest this [man], thou art not a friend to Caesar. Every one making himself a king speaks against Caesar.
Commentaries on Ezra 4:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace - More literally: Now because at all times we are salted with the salt of the palace; i.e., We live on the king's bounty, and must be faithful to our benefactor. Salt was used as the emblem of an incorruptible covenant; and those who ate bread and salt together were considered as having entered into a very solemn covenant. These hypocrites intimated that they felt their conscience bound by the league…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14We have maintenance - See the margin. The phrase “to eat a man‘s salt” is common in the East to this day; and is applied not only to those who receive salaries, but to all who obtain their subsistence by means of another. The Persian satraps had no salaries, but taxed their provinces for the support of themselves and their courts.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-24Verses 6-24 It is an old slander, that the prosperity of the church would be hurtful to kings and princes. Nothing can be more false, for true godliness teaches us to honour and obey our sovereign. But where the command of God requires one thing and the law of the land another, we must obey God rather than man, and patiently submit to the consequences. All who love the gospel should avoid all appearance of evil, lest they should encourage the adversaries…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14because we are in the service of the palace: the Aramaic phrase we eat the salt of the palace meant taking an oath of loyalty to the king. The letter's authors said they only wanted to protect the king's honor. However, they actually sought power and political advantage over the Jews.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. we have maintenance from the king's palace--literally, "we are salted with the salt of the palace." "Eating a prince's salt" is an Oriental phrase, equivalent to "receiving maintenance from him."Read the comment
Topics related to Ezra 4:14
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezra 4
- 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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