Focused Passage

Ezra 8:15-20

Ezra Leads the Return with Fasting, Trust, and Sacred Stewardship

Ezra gathers the returnees, secures Levites for temple service, humbles the people in fasting for God's protection, entrusts sacred treasures to faithful priests, and arrives safely in Jerusalem by the gracious hand of God.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

15 Now I assembled these exiles at the canal that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And when I searched among the people and priests, I found no Levites there.

16 Then I summoned the leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, as well as the teachers Joiarib and Elnathan.

17 And I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, with a message for him and his kinsmen, the temple servants at Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God.

18 And since the gracious hand of our God was upon us, they brought us Sherebiah—a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel—along with his sons and brothers, 18 men;

19 also Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah, from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and their sons, 20 men.

20 They also brought 220 of the temple servants, all designated by name. David and the officials had appointed them to assist the Levites.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 15

Original words

Now I assembled [these exiles] וָֽאֶקְבְּצֵ֗ם H6908 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural at אֶל־ H413 Preposition the canal הַנָּהָר֙ H5104 Article | Noun - masculine singular that flows הַבָּ֣א H935 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular to אֶֽל־ H413 Preposition Ahava אַהֲוָ֔א H163 Noun - proper - feminine singular and we camped וַנַּחֲנֶ֥ה H2583 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common plural there שָׁ֖ם H8033 Adverb three שְׁלֹשָׁ֑ה H7969 Number - masculine singular days יָמִ֣ים H3117 Noun - masculine plural And when I searched וָאָבִ֤ינָה H995 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular among the people בָעָם֙ H5971 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular and priests וּבַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים H3548 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural I found מָצָ֥אתִי H4672 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular no לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle Levites וּמִבְּנֵ֥י H1121 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct . . . לֵוִ֖י H3881 Noun - proper - masculine singular there שָֽׁם׃ H8033 Adverb
Verse 16

Original words

Then I summoned וָאֶשְׁלְחָ֡ה H7971 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular the leaders רָאשִׁ֑ים H7218 Noun - masculine plural Eliezer לֶאֱלִיעֶ֡זֶר H461 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular Ariel לַאֲרִיאֵ֡ל H740 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular Shemaiah לִֽ֠שְׁמַעְיָה H8098 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular Elnathan וּלְאֶלְנָתָ֨ן H494 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular Jarib וּלְיָרִ֜יב H3402 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular Elnathan וּלְאֶלְנָתָ֧ן H494 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular Nathan וּלְנָתָ֛ן H5416 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular Zechariah וְלִזְכַרְיָ֥ה H2148 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular and Meshullam וְלִמְשֻׁלָּ֖ם H4918 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular as well as the teachers מְבִינִֽים׃ H995 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural Joiarib וּלְיוֹיָרִ֥יב H3114 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular and Elnathan וּלְאֶלְנָתָ֖ן H494 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Elnathan appears three times in verse, either as a repetition for emphasis or as a record of multiple men with this name.
Verse 17

Original words

And I sent וָאוֹצִאָה H3318 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular them אוֹתָם֙ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine plural to עַל־ H5921 Preposition Iddo אִדּ֣וֹ H112 Noun - proper - masculine singular the leader הָרֹ֔אשׁ H7218 Article | Noun - masculine singular at Casiphia בְּכָסִפְיָ֖א H3703 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular . . . הַמָּק֑וֹם H4725 Article | Noun - masculine singular . . . וָאָשִׂימָה֩ H7760 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular . . . בְּפִיהֶ֨ם H6310 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural with a message דְּבָרִ֜ים H1697 Noun - masculine plural . . . לְ֠דַבֵּר H1696 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct for אֶל־ H413 Preposition him אִדּ֨וֹ H112 Noun - proper - masculine singular and his kinsmen אָחִ֤יו H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular the temple servants הַנְּתוּנִים H5414 Article | Noun - masculine plural at Casiphia בְּכָסִפְיָ֣א H3703 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular . . . הַמָּק֔וֹם H4725 Article | Noun - masculine singular that they should bring לְהָֽבִיא־ H935 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct to us לָ֥נוּ Preposition | first person common plural ministers מְשָׁרְתִ֖ים H8334 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural for the house לְבֵ֥ית H1004 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct of our God אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural

BSB notes

  • Hebrew the Nethinim; also in verse 20
Verse 18

Original words

And since the gracious הַטּוֹבָ֤ה H2896 Article | Adjective - feminine singular hand כְּיַד־ H3027 Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct of our God אֱלֹהֵ֨ינוּ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural was upon us עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ H5921 Preposition | first person common plural they brought וַיָּבִ֨יאּוּ H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural us לָ֜נוּ Preposition | first person common plural Sherebiah וְשֵׁרֵֽבְיָ֛ה H8274 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular a man אִ֣ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular construct of insight שֶׂ֔כֶל H7922 Noun - masculine singular from the descendants מִבְּנֵ֣י H1121 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct of Mahli מַחְלִ֔י H4249 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Levi לֵוִ֖י H3881 Noun - proper - masculine singular the son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל H3478 Noun - proper - feminine singular along with his sons וּבָנָ֥יו H1121 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular and brothers וְאֶחָ֖יו H251 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular 18 שְׁמֹנָ֥ה H8083 Number - masculine singular men עָשָֽׂר׃ H6240 Number - masculine singular
Verse 19

Original words

also וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker Hashabiah חֲשַׁבְיָ֔ה H2811 Noun - proper - masculine singular together with וְאִתּ֥וֹ H854 Conjunctive waw | Preposition | third person masculine singular Jeshaiah יְשַֽׁעְיָ֖ה H3470 Noun - proper - masculine singular from the descendants מִבְּנֵ֣י H1121 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct of Merari מְרָרִ֑י H4847 Noun - proper - masculine singular and his brothers אֶחָ֥יו H251 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular and their sons וּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם H1121 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural 20 men עֶשְׂרִֽים׃ס H6242 Number - common plural
Verse 20

Original words

[They also brought] 220 מָאתַ֣יִם H3967 Number - fd . . . וְעֶשְׂרִ֑ים H6242 Conjunctive waw | Number - common plural of וּמִן־ H4480 Conjunctive waw | Preposition the temple servants הַנְּתִינִ֗ים H5411 Article | Noun - masculine plural all כֻּלָּ֖ם H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural designated נִקְּב֥וּ H5344 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural by name בְשֵׁמֽוֹת׃ H8034 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural David דָּוִ֤יד H1732 Noun - proper - masculine singular and the officials וְהַשָּׂרִים֙ H8269 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural had appointed שֶׁנָּתַ֨ן H5414 Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular [them] נְתִינִ֖ים H5411 Noun - masculine plural to assist לַעֲבֹדַ֣ת H5656 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct the Levites הַלְוִיִּ֔ם H3881 Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.