Ezra 7 22

Ezra 7:22 kjv

Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

Ezra 7:22 nkjv

up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred kors of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribed limit.

Ezra 7:22 niv

up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit.

Ezra 7:22 esv

up to 100 talents of silver, 100 cors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

Ezra 7:22 nlt

You are to give him up to 7,500 pounds of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, 550 gallons of olive oil, and an unlimited supply of salt.

Ezra 7 verses

Ezra 7 22 Meaning

This verse specifies the generous material provisions decreed by King Artaxerxes for Ezra’s mission to Jerusalem. These provisions included a massive amount of silver (one hundred talents), large quantities of wheat, wine, and oil (one hundred measures each), and an unlimited supply of salt, for the purpose of restoring temple worship, establishing the Law, and supporting those returning to Judah. It highlights the vast scale of the king's royal treasury's support for the house of the God of heaven.

Ezra 7 22 Context

Ezra 7 details the journey of Ezra, a skilled scribe and priest, from Babylon to Jerusalem during the seventh year of King Artaxerxes I (circa 458 BC). Ezra's mission was divinely purposed to bring the Law of Moses to Judah, enforce it, and beautify the House of the Lord. Prior to this verse, Artaxerxes, under God’s providential influence, issues a comprehensive decree (Ezra 7:12-26). This decree granted Ezra extensive authority and provided substantial resources from the royal treasury. Verse 22, therefore, specifies the generous material provisions the king ordered for the temple's maintenance, offerings, and the sustenance of those associated with the temple service. This act by a Persian monarch signifies a period of relative peace and support for the Jewish community in their homeland, crucial for their spiritual and social restoration after the Babylonian exile. Historically, such royal grants were not uncommon in the Persian Empire, as rulers often supported various religious cults within their domain to secure the favor of the gods for their empire. However, in this biblical narrative, it is clear that God’s hand was guiding the king’s heart to provide for His people and His sanctuary.

Ezra 7 22 Word analysis

• unto an hundred talents of silver:
  • untò (`ʿad` - Aramaic): Indicating "up to" or "as much as," setting the limit of the royal grant for these items.
  • hundred (`me'ah` - Aramaic): Signifies a substantial, full, and abundant amount, a complete unit.
  • talents (`kikkār` - Aramaic, like Hebrew `kikkār`): A significant weight measure, roughly 75 pounds (approx. 34 kg) for silver. One hundred talents of silver is an enormous sum, likely equivalent to many millions in modern currency. It signifies an immense provision, far beyond mere necessity, suggesting generosity or strategic political investment. This provision facilitated temple service and compensated returning exiles.
  • silver (`kəṣaf` - Aramaic, like Hebrew `keseph`): The primary currency and valuable commodity of the ancient Near East. Crucial for purchasing supplies, payment of wages, and contributing to the temple's general fund and beautification.
• and to an hundred measures of wheat:
  • measures (`kor` - Aramaic `kōrīn`, like Hebrew `kor`): A large dry measure, approximately 220 liters or 6 bushels. This quantity of wheat was for food, for offerings, and for provisioning the large number of temple personnel and returning families. Wheat was a staple grain, essential for survival.
• and to an hundred baths of wine:
  • baths (`baṯ` - Aramaic, like Hebrew `bath`): A liquid measure, roughly 22 liters or 6 gallons. One hundred baths would be 2200 liters of wine. Wine was used for libations in temple rituals, as a daily drink, and possibly for medicinal purposes.
• and to an hundred baths of oil:
  • oil (`mešaḥ` - Aramaic, like Hebrew `shemen`): One hundred baths of oil would be 2200 liters. Oil was indispensable for lighting the menorah in the temple (Exod 27:20-21), anointing priests, sacrificial offerings, and for food preparation and hygiene. Its presence underlines provision for both sacred and practical needs.
• and salt without prescribing:
  • salt (`milaḥ` - Aramaic, like Hebrew `melach`): Critical for preserving food in an era without refrigeration. More profoundly, salt was commanded for all grain offerings (Lev 2:13) and symbolized the permanence and incorruptibility of a covenant (Num 18:19, "covenant of salt"; 2 Chr 13:5, "covenant of salt"). Its inclusion indicates adherence to biblical dietary laws and cultic requirements.
  • without prescribing (`diḇlāʾ ḏāt` - Aramaic, lit. "without measure of a decree/limit"): This phrase uniquely sets salt apart. While the other provisions have a stated limit of 'one hundred,' salt is explicitly granted "without prescribing," "without limit," or "without a written measure." This extraordinary lack of a limit for salt reinforces its symbolic significance as an element essential for offerings and a representation of the enduring and perpetual covenant between God and His people, whose worship the king was supporting. It might also reflect its low cost or high necessity. This generosity suggests the king’s profound desire to bless the Jewish cult or perhaps a realization of its deep spiritual significance.
• Word Group Analysis: The specific listing of commodities – silver, wheat, wine, oil, and salt – covers economic value, staple sustenance, cultic necessities, and symbolic covenant elements. The repetition of "one hundred" emphasizes a robust and substantial supply. The contrast with "salt without prescribing" elevates salt to a status of unlimited spiritual or practical importance within the decree, perhaps subtly pointing to the enduring nature of God’s covenant that the temple and its services represented. This careful itemization reflects detailed royal planning or Ezra's specific requests regarding what was truly needed for comprehensive restoration.

Ezra 7 22 Bonus section

• Divine Sovereignty Over Kings: This verse powerfully illustrates God's sovereignty, demonstrating His ability to influence the hearts of even pagan kings (like Artaxerxes here, or Cyrus in Ezra 1) to fulfill His divine purposes for His chosen people and the rebuilding of His sanctuary.
• Administrative Efficiency: The decree's specificity concerning exact quantities (hundreds of talents/measures/baths) underscores the sophisticated administrative and economic system of the Persian Empire, capable of managing vast resources and enacting detailed mandates across its dominion.
• Aramaic Language: The book of Ezra contains sections written in Aramaic (including this verse, Ezra 7:12-26), the common diplomatic and administrative language of the Persian Empire. This choice of language lends authenticity to the decree as a genuine royal document.
• Temple Finances: This decree effectively placed the operation and sustenance of the Second Temple largely on the royal treasury of the Persian king, easing the financial burden on the relatively poor returnee community in Judah. This also provided a consistent supply channel.

Ezra 7 22 Commentary

Ezra 7:22 serves as a striking testament to God’s providential hand guiding King Artaxerxes to generously support the post-exilic Jewish community. The precise, yet enormous, quantities of silver, wheat, wine, and oil highlight the king's serious commitment to Ezra's mission, ensuring the logistical and ritualistic needs of the temple and the people returning to Jerusalem were abundantly met. The unique phrasing "salt without prescribing" elevates the significance of this commodity beyond mere sustenance, pointing to its essential role in the offerings as a symbol of the covenant’s permanence and purity (Lev 2:13; Num 18:19). This unprecedented royal decree ensured the means for comprehensive restoration—not only physically for the temple but spiritually for the Jewish people to re-establish the Law and worship their God in their land.