Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal

Verse 27

GOD'S HAND IN THIS WAS ACKNOWLEDGED BY EZRA

"Blessed be Jehovah, the God of our fathers, who hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of Jehovah which is in Jerusalem; and hath extended lovingkindness unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened according to the hand of Jehovah my God upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me."

"To beautify the house of Jehovah ... in Jerusalem" (Ezra 7:27). This reveals the use which Ezra made of the surplus money available to Ezra, over and beyond what was needed to carry out the specific instructions of the king.

"Jehovah ... extended lovingkindness to me before the king" (Ezra 7:28). This could be interpreted as a reference to the favor God gave Ezra when he made request (Ezra 7:6) before the king for what he received; but the inclusion of the words, before the king's counselors, and before all his mighty princes, makes it more likely that Ezra held some kind of office under Artaxerxes which had placed him under the observation of all such high officers of the king, and that God had given Ezra favor in the hearts of all of them. Besides that, Ezra here credited God Himself with putting "such a thing" in the king's heart, with no reference at all to any request of Ezra.

Be the first to react on this!

Scroll to Top

Group of Brands