Ezra 7:17 kjv
That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
Ezra 7:17 nkjv
now therefore, be careful to buy with this money bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem.
Ezra 7:17 niv
With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
Ezra 7:17 esv
With this money, then, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God that is in Jerusalem.
Ezra 7:17 nlt
These donations are to be used specifically for the purchase of bulls, rams, male lambs, and the appropriate grain offerings and liquid offerings, all of which will be offered on the altar of the Temple of your God in Jerusalem.
Ezra 7 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Provision & Royal Support | ||
| Ezr 1:3-4 | "Whoever is among you of all His people…may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem…" | Cyrus' decree enabling temple rebuilding. |
| Ezr 6:8-9 | "Moreover, I issue a decree concerning what you shall do for these elders...let the expenses be paid to these men." | Darius' financial support for temple work. |
| Ezr 7:15-16 | "to carry the silver and gold...which the king and his counselors have freely offered..." | King's provision for temple. |
| Neh 2:7-8 | "and a letter to Asaph…that he may grant me timber to make beams…" | Artaxerxes' support for Nehemiah's work. |
| Isa 45:1-7 | "Thus says the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus…that you may know that I am the LORD." | God uses gentile kings for His purposes. |
| Rom 13:1 | "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God…" | God's sovereignty over earthly rulers. |
| Sacrifices & Offerings (Old Covenant) | ||
| Lev 1:3-17 | "If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd…then he shall offer a male without blemish." | Laws concerning burnt offerings. |
| Lev 2:1-16 | "When anyone offers a grain offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour." | Laws concerning grain offerings. |
| Num 15:1-16 | "When you come into the land…you bring an offering made by fire…then you shall bring…" | Instructions for drink offerings. |
| Num 28:3-8 | "and you shall offer to the LORD two male lambs in their first year…as a regular burnt offering." | Daily burnt offerings with meal and drink. |
| 2 Chr 29:32-35 | "The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams…" | Hezekiah's cleansing and restoration of worship. |
| Mal 1:6-8 | "‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master…when you offer defiled food on My altar." | Condemnation of offering blemished sacrifices. |
| Temple & Worship Location | ||
| 1 Kin 8:27-29 | "Will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You…" | Solomon's prayer dedicating the first Temple. |
| Hag 1:7-8 | "Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple." | Exhortation to rebuild the second Temple. |
| Jn 4:20-24 | "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." | Shift from geographical to spiritual worship. |
| Sacrifice of Christ (New Covenant Fulfillment) | ||
| Heb 9:11-14 | "But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle…" | Christ's perfect, singular sacrifice. |
| Heb 10:1-10 | "For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come…can never with these same sacrifices…make those who approach perfect." | Animal sacrifices are superseded by Christ. |
| Ps 51:16-17 | "For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it…The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit…" | The heart's condition paramount in worship. |
| Rom 12:1 | "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice…" | Call to spiritual living as sacrifice. |
| Eph 5:2 | "and walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God…" | Christ as the ultimate, fragrant offering. |
Ezra 7 verses
Ezra 7 17 Meaning
Ezra 7:17 is part of Artaxerxes' decree, providing significant funds and resources for Ezra to ensure proper worship at the Jerusalem Temple. The verse specifically commands the diligent purchase of specific animals—bulls, rams, and lambs—along with their requisite grain offerings and drink offerings, for sacrifice on the altar of the house of God in Jerusalem. This underscores the Persian king's support for the restoration of Jewish worship and the emphasis on the complete, prescribed Old Covenant sacrificial system.
Ezra 7 17 Context
Ezra chapter 7 records Artaxerxes I's decree given to Ezra the scribe, allowing him to return to Jerusalem. This decree, issued in the seventh year of Artaxerxes' reign (c. 458 BC), is pivotal as it not only permits Ezra's journey but also grants substantial resources and authority to re-establish religious and legal order in the post-exilic Jewish community. The previous verses (Ezr 7:15-16) mention the collection of silver and gold from the king, his counselors, and all the provinces for the Jerusalem Temple. Verse 17 directly follows this, specifying how a portion of these resources is to be utilized: for the procurement of specific animals and their accompanying offerings, ensuring the prescribed Old Covenant worship can resume diligently and according to divine law at the newly rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem. This historical context shows the hand of God influencing foreign kings for the benefit of His people and the restoration of His worship.
Ezra 7 17 Word analysis
- With this money (וּבְכֶסֶף זֶה - ū·ḇə·ḵe·sep̄ zeh): This refers directly back to the funds detailed in Ezr 7:15-16, comprising royal treasures and freewill offerings from Babylon. It signifies the practical provision made by a secular king, yet ultimately directed by God's providence, to enable sacred worship.
- therefore (וּבְכֵן - ū·ḇə·ḵēn): This Aramaic conjunction indicates a logical consequence or deduction. Given the provision of funds, the next step is to use them for their intended purpose, which is the purchase of sacrifices.
- you shall diligently buy (קְנָה תִקְנֶה - qə·nāh ṯiq·neh): This is an emphatic construction in Aramaic (infinitive absolute followed by finite verb of the same root), meaning "you shall certainly buy" or "you shall surely acquire." It emphasizes the seriousness and thoroughness with which these purchases must be made, highlighting meticulous adherence to the decree. It implies careful stewardship of the king's resources for divine worship.
- bulls, rams, and lambs (תּוֹרִין דִּכְרִין אִמְּרִין - tō·w·rīn dī·ḵə·rīn ’im·mə·rīn): These are the most common and standard categories of animals prescribed for various Old Testament sacrifices, particularly burnt offerings and peace offerings. Their specific mention indicates a full and comprehensive sacrificial system is expected to be re-instituted, not just partial worship.
- with their grain offerings (וּמִנְחָתְהֹם - ū·min·ḥā·ṯə·hōm): "Minḥah" (מִנְחָה) refers to a cereal or meal offering, typically fine flour with oil and frankincense. These offerings usually accompanied burnt sacrifices as an expression of devotion and thanksgiving.
- and their drink offerings (וְנִסְכֵּיהוֹן - wə·nis·kê·hōwn): "Nesek" (נֶסֶךְ) refers to a libation, typically wine, poured out upon the altar with other sacrifices. It also represented a devotion or pledge. Their inclusion here confirms the complete performance of the stipulated temple rituals.
- and offer them (וְהַקְרֵב - wə·haq·rêḇ): The Aramaic verb "haqreb" means "to bring near" or "to present as an offering." This is the core command for the performance of the sacrifices.
- on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem (בֵּית אֱלָהֲכוֹן דִּי בִּירוּשְׁלֶם - bêṯ ’ĕ·lā·hă·ḵōwn dī bî·rū·šə·lem): This phrase specifies the location: the newly rebuilt Second Temple in Jerusalem. Artaxerxes uses the respectful term "your God" rather than "my God," acknowledging the distinct deity of the Jews, yet recognizing His supremacy and legitimate place of worship. It signifies the restoration of central, unified worship in the holy city.
Words-Group analysis:
- "With this money...you shall diligently buy": This phrase links the material provision with the precise and serious application of those resources for spiritual purposes. It's a directive for responsible financial stewardship in the service of God's worship.
- "bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings": This is a comprehensive list of the core components of burnt offerings and accompanying libations in the Old Covenant sacrificial system. It emphasizes a return to the fullness of commanded worship, ensuring every detail is followed according to the Mosaic Law. This stands in contrast to inadequate or incomplete worship that may have been practiced by the returning exiles.
- "and offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem": This defines the sacred purpose and consecrated location for these sacrifices. It reinforces the singularity and holiness of the Jerusalem Temple as the central place of worship for God's people.
Ezra 7 17 Bonus section
The detailed nature of this royal decree concerning Jewish sacrifices suggests several possibilities: either Ezra meticulously guided the king and his advisors on the necessary items, demonstrating his profound expertise as a "scribe skilled in the Law of Moses" (Ezr 7:6); or it highlights the extent to which the Persian court respected and sought to understand the religious practices of their subject peoples for the sake of imperial stability and potential divine favor. The very act of a Gentile king funding the worship of the God of Israel served as a powerful testimony to the sovereignty of Yahweh, who could orchestrate events in the most unlikely of places and through the most unexpected of instruments to achieve His redemptive purposes. This act of "diligently buying" all the necessary elements underscores that worship, to be acceptable to God, requires both specific acts of obedience and wholehearted diligence, valuing the command more than the cost.
Ezra 7 17 Commentary
Ezra 7:17 is a critical injunction within Artaxerxes' decree, providing both financial means and explicit instructions for re-establishing comprehensive sacrificial worship at the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem. The "money" supplied by the king underscores God's providential working through Gentile rulers to support His covenant people. The phrase "you shall diligently buy" conveys a mandate for meticulous and complete adherence to the Mosaic law regarding offerings. The specified "bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings" points to the detailed requirements of the Old Covenant cultic system, signifying a restoration of pure and prescribed worship. Finally, the "altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem" highlights the sanctity and centrality of the Temple in Jerusalem as the only divinely appointed place for such offerings, re-establishing legitimate worship post-exile. This verse demonstrates the ongoing divine concern for the proper worship of God's name among His people, reinforcing the foundational role of sacrifice in maintaining a relationship with the Holy God under the Old Covenant.