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

15Now 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.

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

17And 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.

18And 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;

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

20They 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]וָֽאֶקְבְּצֵ֗םH6908Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine pluralatאֶל־H413Prepositionthe canalהַנָּהָר֙H5104Article | Noun - masculine singularthat flowsהַבָּ֣אH935Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singulartoאֶֽל־H413PrepositionAhavaאַהֲוָ֔אH163Noun - proper - feminine singularand we campedוַנַּחֲנֶ֥הH2583Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common pluralthereשָׁ֖םH8033Adverbthreeשְׁלֹשָׁ֑הH7969Number - masculine singulardaysיָמִ֣יםH3117Noun - masculine pluralAnd when I searchedוָאָבִ֤ינָהH995Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singularamong the peopleבָעָם֙H5971Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand priestsוּבַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔יםH3548Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluralI foundמָצָ֥אתִיH4672Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularnoלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleLevitesוּמִבְּנֵ֥יH1121Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct. . .לֵוִ֖יH3881Noun - proper - masculine singularthereשָֽׁם׃H8033Adverb
Verse 16

Original words

Then I summonedוָאֶשְׁלְחָ֡הH7971Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singularthe leadersרָאשִׁ֑יםH7218Noun - masculine pluralEliezerלֶאֱלִיעֶ֡זֶרH461Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularArielלַאֲרִיאֵ֡לH740Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularShemaiahלִֽ֠שְׁמַעְיָהH8098Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularElnathanוּלְאֶלְנָתָ֨ןH494Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularJaribוּלְיָרִ֜יבH3402Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularElnathanוּלְאֶלְנָתָ֧ןH494Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularNathanוּלְנָתָ֛ןH5416Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularZechariahוְלִזְכַרְיָ֥הH2148Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularand Meshullamוְלִמְשֻׁלָּ֖םH4918Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularas well as the teachersמְבִינִֽים׃H995Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine pluralJoiaribוּלְיוֹיָרִ֥יבH3114Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularand Elnathanוּלְאֶלְנָתָ֖ןH494Conjunctive 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 sentוָאוֹצִאָהH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularthemאוֹתָם֙H853Direct object marker | third person masculine pluraltoעַל־H5921PrepositionIddoאִדּ֣וֹH112Noun - proper - masculine singularthe leaderהָרֹ֔אשׁH7218Article | Noun - masculine singularat Casiphiaבְּכָסִפְיָ֖אH3703Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular. . .הַמָּק֑וֹםH4725Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .וָאָשִׂימָה֩H7760Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular. . .בְּפִיהֶ֨םH6310Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralwith a messageדְּבָרִ֜יםH1697Noun - masculine plural. . .לְ֠דַבֵּרH1696Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructforאֶל־H413Prepositionhimאִדּ֨וֹH112Noun - proper - masculine singularand his kinsmenאָחִ֤יוH251Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularthe temple servantsהַנְּתוּנִיםH5414Article | Noun - masculine pluralat Casiphiaבְּכָסִפְיָ֣אH3703Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular. . .הַמָּק֔וֹםH4725Article | Noun - masculine singularthat they should bringלְהָֽבִיא־H935Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructto usלָ֥נוּPreposition | first person common pluralministersמְשָׁרְתִ֖יםH8334Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine pluralfor the houseלְבֵ֥יתH1004Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructof our Godאֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃H430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural

BSB notes

  • Hebrew the Nethinim; also in verse 20
Verse 18

Original words

And since the graciousהַטּוֹבָ֤הH2896Article | Adjective - feminine singularhandכְּיַד־H3027Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular constructof our Godאֱלֹהֵ֨ינוּH430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralwas upon usעָלֵ֙ינוּ֙H5921Preposition | first person common pluralthey broughtוַיָּבִ֨יאּוּH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralusלָ֜נוּPreposition | first person common pluralSherebiahוְשֵׁרֵֽבְיָ֛הH8274Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singulara manאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular constructof insightשֶׂ֔כֶלH7922Noun - masculine singularfrom the descendantsמִבְּנֵ֣יH1121Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural constructof Mahliמַחְלִ֔יH4249Noun - proper - masculine singularsonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof Leviלֵוִ֖יH3881Noun - proper - masculine singularthe sonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Noun - proper - feminine singularalong with his sonsוּבָנָ֥יוH1121Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularand brothersוְאֶחָ֖יוH251Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular18שְׁמֹנָ֥הH8083Number - masculine singularmenעָשָֽׂר׃H6240Number - masculine singular
Verse 19

Original words

alsoוְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerHashabiahחֲשַׁבְיָ֔הH2811Noun - proper - masculine singulartogether withוְאִתּ֥וֹH854Conjunctive waw | Preposition | third person masculine singularJeshaiahיְשַֽׁעְיָ֖הH3470Noun - proper - masculine singularfrom the descendantsמִבְּנֵ֣יH1121Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural constructof Merariמְרָרִ֑יH4847Noun - proper - masculine singularand his brothersאֶחָ֥יוH251Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularand their sonsוּבְנֵיהֶ֖םH1121Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural20 menעֶשְׂרִֽים׃סH6242Number - common plural
Verse 20

Original words

[They also brought] 220מָאתַ֣יִםH3967Number - fd. . .וְעֶשְׂרִ֑יםH6242Conjunctive waw | Number - common pluralofוּמִן־H4480Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthe temple servantsהַנְּתִינִ֗יםH5411Article | Noun - masculine pluralallכֻּלָּ֖םH3605Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluraldesignatedנִקְּב֥וּH5344Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralby nameבְשֵׁמֽוֹת׃H8034Preposition-b | Noun - masculine pluralDavidדָּוִ֤ידH1732Noun - proper - masculine singularand the officialsוְהַשָּׂרִים֙H8269Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine pluralhad appointedשֶׁנָּתַ֨ןH5414Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular[them]נְתִינִ֖יםH5411Noun - masculine pluralto assistלַעֲבֹדַ֣תH5656Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular constructthe Levitesהַלְוִיִּ֔םH3881Article | 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.