Ezra 8 23

Ezra 8:23 kjv

So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.

Ezra 8:23 nkjv

So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.

Ezra 8:23 niv

So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.

Ezra 8:23 esv

So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

Ezra 8:23 nlt

So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.

Ezra 8 verses

Ezra 8 23 Meaning

Ezra 8:23 declares the successful outcome of the fast initiated by Ezra and the returning exiles. It states that after humbling themselves through fasting and earnestly seeking God concerning their perilous journey back to Jerusalem, God graciously responded to their heartfelt plea. The verse underscores God's attentiveness and faithfulness to those who rely solely on Him for protection and guidance.

Ezra 8 23 Context

Ezra chapter 8 details the second wave of exiles returning from Babylon to Jerusalem under Ezra's leadership. This specific journey was perilous, as they were carrying valuable gold, silver, and temple articles consecrated for the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, making them targets for robbers and enemies along the way. Earlier, Ezra had expressed confidence to King Artaxerxes that "the hand of our God is favorably disposed to all who seek Him" (Ezra 8:22), thus choosing not to ask the king for a military escort. To avoid contradicting this testimony and to demonstrate full reliance on God, Ezra proclaimed a fast at the river Ahava (Ezra 8:21). The fast was for humbling themselves before God, seeking a "safe journey" for themselves, their children, and all their possessions. Verse 23 is the direct affirmation that their corporate act of humility, prayer, and fasting was indeed effective, and God responded to their earnest petitions for protection and successful passage.

Ezra 8 23 Word analysis

• So: Implies a direct consequence or result. It links the prior actions (Ezra proclaiming a fast, the group's obedience, and their stated need for a safe journey without a military escort) to God's response.

• we fasted: (Hebrew: וַנָּצוּמָה - vanatzumah)

  • This term denotes the voluntary abstention from food and drink for a spiritual purpose.
  • Significance: It was a physical act signifying spiritual humility, self-denial, repentance, and intense earnestness in seeking God's favor and attention. It was a sign of desperate reliance, showing that human means (like a king's escort) were forsaken for divine provision.
  • Application: It highlights a corporate act, underscoring unity in purpose and desperation before God.

• and implored: (Hebrew: וַנְּבַקְשָׁה - vanvakshah)

  • Root word baqash (בָּקַשׁ) means to seek, search for, desire, request, or plead diligently.
  • Significance: It goes beyond simple asking; it suggests earnest, active, and diligent supplication. It implies putting effort into seeking God's face, often accompanied by strong emotion and urgency.
  • Context: Paired with "fasted," it emphasizes the comprehensive and heartfelt nature of their prayer.

• our God: (Hebrew: מֵאֱלֹהֵינוּ - me'eloheinu)

  • Emphasizes the covenantal, personal relationship between Israel and Yahweh.
  • Significance: It implies a deep trust and confidence in the specific God who has proven Himself faithful to His people throughout history. They were approaching the one true God, the God of their fathers, not a generic deity.

• for this: (Hebrew: עַל־זֹאת - al-zot)

  • Refers directly to the specific need mentioned in Ezra 8:21 – "a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions."
  • Significance: Shows specific, focused prayer, not vague requests. God expects and answers targeted prayers for clearly identified needs.

• and He listened: (Hebrew: וַיֵּעָתֶר - vaye'ater)

  • The root word 'atar (עָתַר) means to pray, to supplicate, to be heard, to be entreated. In the Hithpael stem, it can mean "to allow oneself to be entreated" or "to receive entreaty favorably."
  • Significance: This is not merely an act of hearing, but of graciously giving heed and responding affirmatively. It conveys God's responsiveness and willingness to act on behalf of those who earnestly seek Him. It points to divine compassion and efficacy of prayer.

• to our entreaty: (Hebrew: לָנוּ - lanu, simply "to us" or "for us," referring back to the previous verb 'atar)

  • The subject of their successful seeking, confirming the outcome was precisely what they petitioned for.
  • Significance: Reinforces that God's positive response was directed precisely to their humble, corporate prayer and fast. It affirms the power and effectiveness of their joint supplication.

• "we fasted and implored": This phrase highlights the combined spiritual disciplines of fasting and earnest prayer. It indicates a unified, collective spiritual effort, showing their corporate submission and desperation before God. This was not a passive request but an active seeking that engaged both body (fasting) and spirit (imploring).

• "our God for this": This emphasizes the personal, relational nature of their appeal to God for a very specific and pressing need. They invoked their covenant relationship with God as the basis for their expectation of divine intervention for their safety.

• "and He listened to our entreaty": This conclusively affirms God's direct, personal, and favorable response to their collective supplication. It serves as powerful confirmation that genuine humility and earnest seeking of God lead to divine intervention and answered prayer.

Ezra 8 23 Bonus section

• The collective action of "we fasted and implored" demonstrates the power and effectiveness of corporate prayer within a community facing shared challenges. There is strength in unity when seeking God's face.
• Ezra's refusal of the king's escort, in faith, put their commitment to God's providential care to the test. This act of bold faith made the eventual answered prayer a clearer demonstration of God's power and not human military strength.
• This verse provides a clear example of how spiritual disciplines (like fasting and prayer) are not ends in themselves, but means to humble oneself and earnestly connect with God, leading to tangible divine intervention and blessings.
• The phrase "He listened" (וַיֵּעָתֶר - vaye'ater) highlights God's sovereignty and grace; He chose to be entreated and to answer. It reflects God's responsiveness to genuine cries for help, especially when paired with humility.

Ezra 8 23 Commentary

Ezra 8:23 succinctly captures the essence of divine response to human humility and trust. After Ezra's courageous declaration of faith in God's protective hand, he called the community to a public fast. This act was not mere ritual but a profound demonstration of their total dependence on God, acknowledging that human defenses were inadequate for the dangers ahead. By "fasting and imploring," they stripped themselves of reliance on physical strength and human ingenuity, collectively turning their focus entirely to the Almighty. The immediate and conclusive affirmation, "He listened to our entreaty," testifies to God's readiness to hear and answer His people when they genuinely seek Him. This verse underscores the biblical principle that fervent, unified prayer, coupled with humble reliance, opens the way for God's providential care and miraculous intervention. It validated Ezra's public testimony to the king and strengthened the faith of the returning exiles.