Ezra 1:11 kjv
All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.
Ezra 1:11 nkjv
All the articles of gold and silver were five thousand four hundred. All these Sheshbazzar took with the captives who were brought from Babylon to Jerusalem.
Ezra 1:11 niv
In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
Ezra 1:11 esv
all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.
Ezra 1:11 nlt
In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and silver. Sheshbazzar brought all of these along when the exiles went from Babylon to Jerusalem.
Ezra 1 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 44:28 | That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. | Cyrus fulfills prophecy by enabling the return and rebuilding. |
| Isa 45:13 | I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward... | God uses Cyrus to release captives without human motive. |
| Jer 29:10 | For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return... | Prophecy of the 70-year captivity's end and return. |
| Jer 25:11-12 | And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished...I will punish the king of Babylon... | Prediction of captivity's duration and Babylon's judgment. |
| Ezra 1:7-10 | Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord...Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth...four hundred and ten...all the vessels five thousand and four hundred. | Direct context, detailing the temple vessels that Sheshbazzar brought. |
| Ezra 5:14-16 | And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God...those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple that was in Babylon...And the same Sheshbazzar came, and laid the foundation of the house of God... | Reconfirms Sheshbazzar's role in transporting vessels and starting the temple foundation. |
| Neh 7:6 | These are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar...brought again to Jerusalem... | Corroborates the initial return of a large group of exiles. |
| Isa 52:11-12 | Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord. For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward. | Exhortation to return from Babylon pure, emphasizing the sanctity of the vessels. |
| Psa 126:1 | When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. | Expresses the overwhelming joy and surprise of the return from exile. |
| Eze 11:17 | Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered... | God's promise to regather His scattered people. |
| Eze 36:24 | For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. | Further promise of divine re-gathering and return to the land. |
| Psa 137:1 | By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. | Captivity's despair contrasting with the joyous return. |
| Zech 4:9 | The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it... | Highlights Zerubbabel's role in temple building, often linked to Sheshbazzar. |
| Exo 13:19 | And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you. | Carrying Joseph's bones out of Egypt as a precedent for returning items. |
| Isa 35:10 | And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; with everlasting joy upon their heads... | The joyous return of God's redeemed to Jerusalem. |
| Rev 18:4 | And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins... | Spiritual application of separating from "Babylon" (the world system). |
| John 8:36 | If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. | Spiritual freedom that echoes physical liberation from captivity. |
| Luke 4:18-19 | The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me...to preach deliverance to the captives...to set at liberty them that are bruised... | Jesus' ministry brings ultimate spiritual liberation and restoration. |
| Acts 2:38 | Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. | Spiritual restoration through repentance, reflecting the return to covenant. |
| 1 Pet 2:9-10 | But ye are a chosen generation...that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God... | God's people called out of spiritual captivity into His light and purpose. |
| Eph 2:19-22 | Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation...in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. | Believers as part of God's spiritual house, analogous to rebuilding the temple. |
| 2 Cor 6:17 | Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing... | Spiritual separation from worldliness, paralleling the clean departure from Babylon. |
Ezra 1 verses
Ezra 1 11 Meaning
Ezra 1:11 states that Sheshbazzar personally transported all the sacred temple vessels, which had been listed in the preceding verses, from Babylon back to Jerusalem. Crucially, he did so not alone, but "with them of the captivity" – meaning, accompanying the initial group of Jewish exiles who chose to return from their seventy-year bondage. This verse therefore marks the tangible and meticulous commencement of Israel's physical and spiritual restoration, establishing Sheshbazzar's leadership in this foundational return and the precise reinstatement of the articles necessary for recommencing the Lord's worship in Jerusalem.
Ezra 1 11 Context
Ezra chapter 1 serves as the prologue to the narrative of the post-exilic restoration, following the approximately seventy-year Babylonian captivity. This chapter details King Cyrus's monumental decree, stirred by the Lord, allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Judah and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (vv. 1-4). Not only did Cyrus permit their return, but he also encouraged support from their Gentile neighbors and, significantly, returned the sacred temple vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had looted and taken to Babylon decades earlier (vv. 5-10). Verse 11 functions as a crucial concluding summary of these actions, pinpointing Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah appointed by Cyrus, as the individual directly responsible for bringing back all these specific items alongside the people themselves. Historically, this event took place around 538 BC, following the Persian conquest of Babylon, marking the divinely orchestrated fulfillment of prophecy and the tangible beginning of Israel's covenant restoration in their land.
Ezra 1 11 Word analysis
- "All these" (אֵ֣לֶּה, eleh): This demonstrative pronoun specifically refers to the comprehensive and precisely counted inventory of 5,400 gold and silver temple vessels listed in Ezra 1:9-10. Its presence highlights the meticulous preservation and meticulous accounting of these sacred objects. Their return signifies the re-establishment of the sanctity of the worship of the Lord, affirming His faithfulness even in the precise details of physical items dedicated to Him.
- "did Sheshbazzar bring up" (הֵ֠בִיא שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּ֞ר, hevi' Sheshbatzar):
- Sheshbazzar (שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּ֞ר): Identified in Ezra 1:8 as the "prince of Judah" (nesiy Yehudah) and the Persian-appointed governor of Judah. While scholars have debated his relationship with Zerubbabel, the text distinctively portrays Sheshbazzar as the primary leader and agent of Cyrus for the initial return. His name is of Babylonian or Persian origin. His position and role underscore that this restoration was orchestrated under human authority but ultimately under divine providence.
- "bring up" (הֵ֠בִיא, hevi'): This is a Hifil perfect form of the verb bo (to come/go). The Hifil stem implies causative action—"to cause to come," "to bring." It emphasizes Sheshbazzar's active, direct, and authoritative role in transporting the valuable items and leading the people. It was a purposeful, ordered journey, not a casual or uncontrolled return.
- "with them of the captivity" (עִם־הָעוֹלִ֛ים, im-ha'olim):
- "with them" (עִם־, im-): Signifies association and accompaniment. Sheshbazzar was not merely overseeing from afar; he journeyed with the returning exiles. This physical presence underscores his immediate leadership and solidarity with the first group of returnees.
- "of the captivity" (הָעוֹלִ֛ים, ha'olim): Literally "the ones going up" or "the ascenders." This term refers to the Jewish exiles who, having chosen to respond to Cyrus's decree, were embarking on their return journey. The verb 'alah (to go up/ascend) is frequently used in biblical texts for pilgrimages to Jerusalem, implying not just a geographical upward movement but also a spiritual ascent toward God's dwelling place. This phrase captures the hope-filled, purposeful movement of a chosen people towards their covenant land and spiritual center.
- "that were brought up" (implicitly connected to ha'olim and the broader action of Sheshbazzar): The nuance here, though not a separate word in Hebrew, implies a collective ascent and removal from their place of exile. Both the vessels and the people were "brought up" from a lower, foreign, unclean state (Babylon) to a higher, holy, designated place (Jerusalem).
- "from Babylon" (מִבָּבֶ֖ל, mi'bavel): This marks the point of departure, the very capital of the empire that had held Judah captive for seven decades. Babylon was a symbol of their suffering, humiliation, and spiritual separation from their homeland and temple. Its mention here signifies the direct reversal of the circumstances that brought about the exile, symbolizing liberation from oppressive foreign rule and pagan influence.
- "to Jerusalem" (לִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃, liYerushalayim): The ultimate destination and the heart of their religious identity. Jerusalem was the holy city, the site of the Lord's Temple, and the center of the covenant community. This goal embodies the fulfillment of prophecy, the restoration of proper worship, and the renewed dwelling of God among His people. The movement from Babylon to Jerusalem is profoundly symbolic, representing a transition from captivity to freedom, from foreign lands to covenant promises, and from spiritual deprivation to the renewal of the Lord's presence.
Ezra 1 11 Bonus section
- The Second Exodus: The return from Babylonian captivity is frequently understood as a "second Exodus," mirroring the liberation from Egypt. Both events involve God's direct intervention to release His people from bondage, the meticulous removal of sacred items (tabernacle articles from Egypt, temple vessels from Babylon), and a purposeful journey back to the promised land for renewed worship. This highlights a recurring pattern of divine redemption in biblical history.
- Symbolism of the Vessels: The vessels themselves are highly symbolic. They are not merely museum artifacts; they are consecrated instruments for the worship of the Lord. Their defilement by Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 5) represented an affront to the Lord; their careful restoration by Cyrus and transport by Sheshbazzar signifies the restoration of the sanctity and purity of Israel's relationship with God, allowing for the re-establishment of proper worship according to the Law.
- Divine Sovereignty over Nations: The narrative in Ezra 1, culminating in verse 11, vividly demonstrates the Lord's absolute sovereignty over even the most powerful pagan kings and empires. Cyrus, unaware of the specific divine prophecies concerning him, becomes God's instrument to fulfill His eternal purpose, showing that human plans and empires are subject to the Lord's overarching will for His people and His kingdom.
- Foundational Nature: This act of bringing the vessels and people back to Jerusalem forms the indispensable foundation for all subsequent post-exilic developments. Without this return, the rebuilding of the Temple, the reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah, and the continuation of the lineage that would lead to the Messiah could not have occurred.
Ezra 1 11 Commentary
Ezra 1:11 provides the tangible culmination of the Lord's orchestrating hand in the post-exilic restoration. Following Cyrus's divinely prompted decree and the detailed inventory of retrieved temple vessels, this verse affirms the precise and deliberate return of both the sacred objects and the returning Jewish community. Sheshbazzar, acting as Cyrus's designated governor and the divinely empowered "prince of Judah," takes personal charge of this crucial logistical and spiritual task. His presence among "the ones who went up" from Babylon to Jerusalem underscores the direct, hands-on leadership required for such a momentous event.
This verse resonates with prophetic fulfillment, particularly concerning the end of the 70-year captivity and the promises of a return to the land to rebuild the Temple. The meticulous accounting of the vessels, followed by their transfer, signifies God's faithfulness even in the smallest details and the necessity of re-establishing sacred worship. The journey "from Babylon to Jerusalem" represents more than just a physical relocation; it embodies a profound spiritual movement from bondage to liberation, from spiritual desolation to renewed divine presence and covenant faithfulness. It sets the stage for the challenging but ultimately triumphant task of rebuilding the house of God and re-establishing the community in the land of their inheritance.