English Standard Version
Ezra 8:21
21Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods.
Ezra 8:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
- New International Version (NIV)There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions.
- New Living Translation (NLT)And there by the Ahava Canal, I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled.
Context of Ezra 8:21
19also Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, with his kinsmen and their sons, 20; 20besides 220 of the temple servants, whom David and his officials had set apart to attend the Levites. These were all mentioned by name. Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. 22For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, "The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him." 23So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.
Read all of Ezra 8Ezra 8:21 word by word
וָאֶקְרָ֨א שָׁ֥ם צוֹם֙ עַל־הַנָּהָ֣ר אַהֲוָ֔א לְהִתְעַנּ֖וֹת לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ לְבַקֵּ֤שׁ מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְשָׁרָ֔ה לָ֥נוּ וּלְטַפֵּ֖נוּ וּלְכָל־רְכוּשֵֽׁנוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then I proclaimedקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call outH7121
- a fastצוֹםtsôm tsôm · fastH6685
- there, at the riverנָהָרnâhâr · riverH5104
- of Ahavaאַהֲוָא'ahăvâ' · AhavaH163
- that we might afflictעָנָה‛ânâh · to afflictH6031
- ourselves beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- our Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- to seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- of him a rightיָשָׁרyâshâr · uprightH3477
- wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
- for us, and for our little onesטַףţaph · childH2945
- and for all our substanceרְכוּשׁrekûsh rekûsh · propertyH7399
Cross-references for Ezra 8:21
- Judges 20:26Then all the people of Israel, the whole army, went up and came to Bethel and wept. They sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 7:6So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted on that day and said there, "We have sinned against the Lord." And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.
- 2 Chronicles 20:3Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
- Joel 1:14Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.
- Joel 2:12"Yet even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
- Jonah 3:5And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.
- Leviticus 16:29"And it shall be a statute to you forever that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict yourselves and shall do no work, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you.
- Leviticus 23:29For whoever is not afflicted on that very day shall be cut off from his people.
- Isaiah 58:3'Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers.
- Jeremiah 31:8Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here.
- Jeremiah 50:4"In those days and in that time, declares the Lord, the people of Israel and the people of Judah shall come together, weeping as they come, and they shall seek the Lord their God.
- Psalms 5:8Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.
- Psalms 107:2Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble
- Psalms 143:8Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
- Proverbs 3:6In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
- Isaiah 30:21And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
Commentaries on Ezra 8:21
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-23Verses 21-23 Ezra procured Levites to go with him; but what will that avail, unless he have God with him? Those who seek God, are safe under the shadow of his wings, even in their greatest dangers; but those who forsake him, are always exposed. When entering upon any new state of life, our care should be, to bring none of the guilt of the sins of our former condition into it. When we are in any peril, let us be at peace with God, and then nothing can do…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21a fast, so that we might humble ourselves: Ezra saw the need to ask God for protection, safety, and health for 5,000 people walking 800 miles. Robbers might hide in the hills, crossing rivers was dangerous, and people could get sick.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-3621. Then I proclaimed a fast there--The dangers to travelling caravans from the Bedouin Arabs that prowl through the desert were in ancient times as great as they still are; and it seems that travellers usually sought the protection of a military escort. But Ezra had spoken so much to the king of the sufficiency of the divine care of His people that he would have blushed to apply for a guard of soldiers. Therefore he resolved that his followers should, by…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezra 8:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezra 8
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries