Ezra 2:63

Ezra 2:63 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.
• New International Version (NIV)The governor ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there was a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food, until there should be a priest to consult Urim and Thummim.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the governor said to them that they should not eat of the most holy things till a priest could consult with the Urim and Thummim.

Context of Ezra 2:63

61Also from the sons of the kohanim: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, and the sons of Barzillai. (He took a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was subsequently called by their name). 62These sought their records in the genealogical lists, but did not find them. So they were disqualified from the priesthood. As a result, the governor said to them that they should not eat any of the most holy food until a kohen was ministering with the Urim and Thummim. 64The entire assembly totaled 42,360, 65not including their male and female servants, who numbered 7,337. They also had 200 male and female singers.

Ezra 2:63 word by word

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַתִּרְשָׁ֙תָא֙ לָהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יֹאכְל֖וּ מִקֹּ֣דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁ֑ים עַ֛ד עֲמֹ֥ד כֹּהֵ֖ן לְאוּרִ֥ים וּלְתֻמִּֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the Tirshathaתִּרְשָׁתָאtirshâthâ' · governorH8660
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto them, that they should not eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• of the mostקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
• till there stood upעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: appointH5975
• a priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• with Urimאוּרִים'ûrîym · UrimH224
• and with Thummimתֻּמִּיםtûmmîym · ThummimH8550

Cross-references for Ezra 2:63

• Nehemiah 7:65The governor said to them that they should not eat any of the most holy things until a kohen arose with Urim and Thummim .
• Nehemiah 8:9Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the kohen-scribe, and the Levites who were teaching the people said to all the people, “Today is kadosh to Adonai your God. Do not mourn or weep!” For all the people had been weeping when they heard the words of the Torah.
• Nehemiah 10:1“Now because of all this, we are making a binding agreement in writing, and the names of our leaders, our Levites and our kohanim are affixing their seals on the document.
• Leviticus 2:3What is left of the grain offering is for Aaron and his sons, a most holy portion of the offerings to Adonai made by fire.
• Leviticus 6:17Adonai spoke to Moses, saying:
• Leviticus 7:16“But if the sacrifice of his offering is a vow or a freewill offering, it is to be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice. On the next day what remains of it may be eaten.
• Leviticus 10:17“Why have you not eaten the sin offering in the place of the Sanctuary, since it is most holy, and He gave it to you in order to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before Adonai?
• Leviticus 22:2“Tell Aaron and his sons to separate themselves from the holy things of Bnei-Yisrael, which they consecrate to Me, so that they would not profane My holy Name. I am Adonai.
• Numbers 18:9You are to have the part of the most holy things that is kept from the fire. Whether grain, sin or guilt offerings that they bring to Me as most holy—they are for you and your sons.
• Numbers 18:32“In presenting the best part in this manner, you will bear no guilt in these matters. You will not defile the holy things of Bnei-Yisrael, so you will not die.”
• Exodus 28:30Also put the Urim and the Thummim within the breastplate of judgment, so they will be on Aaron’s heart when he goes in before Adonai. Aaron will bear the judgment of Bnei-Yisrael on his heart before Adonai continually.
• Leviticus 8:8He then placed the breastplate on Aaron, and inside the breastplate he put the Urim and the Thummim.
• Numbers 27:21He will stand before Eleazar the kohen, who will pray and obtain judgments for him by Urim and before Adonai. At his mouth, they will go out and at his mouth they will come in, he and all the community of Bnei-Yisrael with him.”
• Deuteronomy 33:8For Levi he said, ‘Let Your Thummim and Urim be with Your pious man. You tested him at Massah, You strived with him at the waters of Meribah.’
• 1 Samuel 28:6When Saul inquired of Adonai, Adonai did not answer, neither by dreams nor by Urim or prophets.

Commentaries on Ezra 2:63

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 63The Tirshatha - This is generally supposed to be Nehemiah, or the person who was the commandant; see Nehemiah 8:9; Nehemiah 10:1, for the word appears to be the name of an office. The Vulgate and Septuagint write it Atershatha, the Syriac and Arabic render it the princes of Judah. Some suppose the word to be Persian, but nothing like it of the same import occurs in that language at present. If, as Castel supposed, it signifies austerity, or that fear…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 63The Tirshatha - i. e., Zerubbabel. See margin. The word is probably old Persian, though it does not occur in the cuneiform inscriptions. Some derive it from a root “to fear.” See the introduction to the Book of Ezra, first note. A priest with Urim and with Thummim - See Exodus 28:30 note. According to the rabbinical writers, the second temple permanently lacked this glory of the first. Zerubbabel, it would seem by the present passage (compare Nehemiah…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 36-63Verses 36-63 Those who undervalue their relation to the Lord in times of reproach, persecution, or distress, will have no benefit from it when it becomes honourable or profitable. Those who have no evidence that they are, by the new birth, spiritual priests unto God, through Jesus Christ, have no right to the comforts and privileges of Christians.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 61-63they could not find them: The lack of a genealogy was a problem for three families (Ezra 2:61–62). They were excluded from priestly privileges or responsibilities until the high priest received divine guidance through the Urim and Thummim to know God's will (see Exodus 28:30; Numbers 27:21). Although using the Urim and Thummim was like throwing dice or drawing straws, when done by the priest, the result was a divine decision, not random chance.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6363. Tirshatha--a title borne by the Persian governors of Judea (see also Ne 7:65-70; 8:9; 10:1). It is derived from the Persian torsh ("severe"), and is equivalent to "your severity," "your awfulness."Read the comment

Topics related to Ezra 2:63

• Levites
• Tirshatha
• Urim and Thummim

In the dictionaries

• Captivity
• Temple, the Second
• Tirshatha
• Addus
• Adin
• Ammidioi; Ammidoi
• Attharias; Atharias
• Augia
• Baiterus
• Barodis

Commentaries on Ezra 2

• 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