Ezra 8:22

Ezra 8:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.
• New International Version (NIV)I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)For 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."
• New King James Version (NKJV)For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.”

Context of Ezra 8:22

20Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were mentioned by name. 21Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river 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. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. 23So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated by us. 24Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,

Ezra 8:22 word by word

כִּ֣י בֹ֗שְׁתִּי לִשְׁא֤וֹל מִן־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ חַ֣יִל וּפָרָשִׁ֔ים לְעָזְרֵ֥נוּ מֵאוֹיֵ֖ב בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ כִּֽי־אָמַ֨רְנוּ לַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לֵאמֹ֗ר יַד־אֱלֹהֵ֤ינוּ עַל־כָּל־מְבַקְשָׁיו֙ לְטוֹבָ֔ה וְעֻזּ֣וֹ וְאַפּ֔וֹ עַ֖ל כָּל־עֹזְבָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

• ashamedבּוֹשׁbûsh · be ashamedH954
• requireשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• soldiersחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
• horsemenפָּרָשׁpârâsh · horsemanH6571
• helpעָזַר‛âzar · to helpH5826
• enemyאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
• wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
• spokenאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• goodטוֹבָהţôb · welfareH2896
• seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• powerעֹז‛ôz ‛ôz · strengthH5797
• wrathאַף'aph · face: angerH639
• forsakeעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800

Cross-references for Ezra 8:22

• 1 Corinthians 9:15But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done to me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
• 2 Corinthians 7:14For if I have boasted any thing to him concerning you, I am not ashamed; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found to be true.
• Ezra 7:6This Ezra went from Babylon; and he was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
• 1 Chronicles 28:9And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou shalt seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou shalt forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
• 2 Chronicles 16:9For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. In this thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
• Psalms 33:18Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
• Psalms 34:15The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry.
• Isaiah 3:10Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him : for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
• Lamentations 3:25The LORD is good to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
• Romans 8:28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
• 1 Peter 3:12For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
• Joshua 23:16When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given to you.
• 2 Chronicles 15:2And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye are with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
• Psalms 21:8Thy hand shall find out all thy enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.
• Psalms 34:16The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
• Psalms 90:11Who knoweth the power of thy anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.

Commentaries on Ezra 8:22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22I was ashamed to require - a band - He had represented God, the object of his worship, as supremely powerful, and as having the strongest affection for his true followers: he could not, therefore, consistently with his declarations, ask a band of soldiers from the king to protect them on the way, when they were going expressly to rebuild the temple of Jehovah, and restore his worship. He therefore found it necessary to seek the Lord by fasting and prayer…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22What “enemy” menaced Ezra, and on what account, is wholly uncertain (compare Ezra 8:31). Perhaps robber-tribes, Arab or Syrian, were his opponents.Read the comment
• 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. 22ashamed: Ezra had openly declared his faith in God's power to protect the Israelites on their journey. Asking the king for help now would imply that Ezra doubted God's ability to provide.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 8:22

• Backsliders
• Blessing
• Courage
• Faith
• Fasting
• Humiliation and Self-Affliction
• Power
• Righteous
• Seekers

In the dictionaries

• God
• Ezra
• Fast
• Require
• Scribe
• Ashamed
• Esdras, the First Book of

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