New Living Translation
Ezra 8:17
17I sent them to Iddo, the leader of the Levites at Casiphia, to ask him and his relatives and the Temple servants to send us ministers for the Temple of God at Jerusalem.
Ezra 8:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God.
- New International Version (NIV)and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and sent them to Iddo, the leading man at the place Casiphia, telling them what to say to Iddo and his brothers and the temple servants at the place Casiphia, namely, to send us ministers for the house of our God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And I gave them a command for Iddo the chief man at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say to Iddo and his brethren the Nethinim at the place Casiphia—that they should bring us servants for the house of our God.
Context of Ezra 8:17
15I assembled the exiles at the Ahava Canal, and we camped there for three days while I went over the lists of the people and the priests who had arrived. I found that not one Levite had volunteered to come along. 16So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders of the people. I also sent for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of discernment. I sent them to Iddo, the leader of the Levites at Casiphia, to ask him and his relatives and the Temple servants to send us ministers for the Temple of God at Jerusalem. 18Since the gracious hand of our God was on us, they sent us a man named Sherebiah, along with eighteen of his sons and brothers. He was a very astute man and a descendant of Mahli, who was a descendant of Levi son of Israel. 19They also sent Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and twenty of his sons and brothers,
Read all of Ezra 8Ezra 8:17 word by word
וָאֲצַוֶּ֤ה אוֹתָם֙ עַל־אִדּ֣וֹ הָרֹ֔אשׁ בְּכָסִפְיָ֖א הַמָּק֑וֹם וָאָשִׂימָה֩ בְּפִיהֶ֨ם דְּבָרִ֜ים לְ֠דַבֵּר אֶל־אִדּ֨וֹ אָחִ֤יו הַנְּתִינִים֙ בְּכָסִפְיָ֣א הַמָּק֔וֹם לְהָֽבִיא־לָ֥נוּ מְשָׁרְתִ֖ים לְבֵ֥ית אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And I sentצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- them with commandmentיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- unto Iddoאִדּוֹ'iddô · IddoH112
- the chiefרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: leaderH7218
- at the placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
- Casiphiaכָּסִפְיָאkâsiphyâ' · CasiphiaH3703
- and I toldפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
- and I toldשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
- them whatדָּבָרdâbâr · word: speakingH1697
- they should sayדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- to his brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- the Nethinimsנְתִינִיםnâthîyn nâthûn · temple servantH5411
- that they should bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- unto us ministersשָׁרַתshârath · to ministerH8334
- for the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: templeH1004
- of our Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
Cross-references for Ezra 8:17
- Ezra 7:9He had arranged to leave Babylon on April 8, the first day of the new year, and he arrived at Jerusalem on August 4, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.
- Exodus 4:15Talk to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with both of you as you speak, and I will instruct you both in what to do.
- Deuteronomy 18:18I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell the people everything I command him.
- 2 Samuel 14:3Then go to the king and tell him the story I am about to tell you.” Then Joab told her what to say.
- Jeremiah 1:9Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, “Look, I have put my words in your mouth!
- Jeremiah 15:19This is how the Lord responds: “If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak good words rather than worthless ones, you will be my spokesman. You must influence them; do not let them influence you!
- Ezra 2:43The descendants of the following Temple servants returned from exile: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
- Ezra 7:7Some of the people of Israel, as well as some of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants, traveled up to Jerusalem with him in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes’ reign.
- Numbers 8:22After that the Levites went into the Tabernacle to perform their duties, assisting Aaron and his sons. So they carried out all the commands that the Lord gave Moses concerning the Levites.
- Numbers 18:6I myself have chosen your fellow Levites from among the Israelites to be your special assistants. They are a gift to you, dedicated to the Lord for service in the Tabernacle.
- 1 Chronicles 23:3All the Levites who were thirty years old or older were counted, and the total came to 38,000.
Commentaries on Ezra 8:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17At the place Casiphia - The most judicious commentators are agreed that by Casiphia, the Caspian mountains, between Media and Hyrcania, are intended; where, probably, the Nethinim were employed in working silver mines: כסף keseph, from which the word comes, signifies silver.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Casiphia - Its situation is wholly unknown; but it cannot have been far from Ahava.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-17The Hebrew term translated as "men of discernment" refers to those who could interpret and explain the Torah. These men were likely respected for their expertise in Scripture (compare Nehemiah 8:8–9). Ezra tasked them with using their influence to recruit more Levites.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-2016-20. then sent I for Eliezer ... with commandment unto Iddo the chief--Ezra sent this deputation, either by virtue of authority which by his priestly character he had over the Levites, or of the royal commission with which he was invested. The deputation was despatched to Iddo, who was a prince or chief of the Nethinims--for the Persian government allowed the Hebrews during their exile to retain their ecclesiastical government by their own chiefs, as…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezra 8:17
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries