New Living Translation
Ezra 7:23
23Be careful to provide whatever the God of heaven demands for his Temple, for why should we risk bringing God’s anger against 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
21“I, Artaxerxes the king, hereby send this decree to all the treasurers in the province west of the Euphrates River: ‘You are to give Ezra, the priest and teacher of the law of the God of heaven, whatever he requests of you. 22You are to give him up to 7,500 pounds of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, 550 gallons of olive oil, and an unlimited supply of salt. Be careful to provide whatever the God of heaven demands for his Temple, for why should we risk bringing God’s anger against the realm of the king and his sons? 24I also decree that no priest, Levite, singer, gatekeeper, Temple servant, or other worker in this Temple of God will be required to pay tribute, customs, or tolls of any kind.’ 25“And you, Ezra, are to use the wisdom your God has given you to appoint magistrates and judges who know your God’s laws to govern all the people in the province west of the Euphrates River. Teach the law to anyone who does not know it.
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 7:13“I decree that any of the people of Israel in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may volunteer to return to Jerusalem with you.
- Psalms 119:4You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully.
- Ezra 6:10Then they will be able to offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the welfare of the king and his sons.
- Zechariah 12:3On that day I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock. All the nations will gather against it to try to move it, but they will only hurt themselves.
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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