Ezra 8 35

Ezra 8:35 kjv

Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats for a sin offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the LORD.

Ezra 8:35 nkjv

The children of those who had been carried away captive, who had come from the captivity, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve male goats as a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to the LORD.

Ezra 8:35 niv

Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering, twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the LORD.

Ezra 8:35 esv

At that time those who had come from captivity, the returned exiles, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and as a sin offering twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the LORD.

Ezra 8:35 nlt

Then the exiles who had come out of captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel. They presented twelve bulls for all the people of Israel, as well as ninety-six rams and seventy-seven male lambs. They also offered twelve male goats as a sin offering. All this was given as a burnt offering to the LORD.

Ezra 8 verses

Ezra 8 35 Meaning

Ezra 8:35 records the formal acts of worship and re-covenanting performed by the returning exiles of Israel upon their arrival in Jerusalem. This verse describes the large-scale sacrifices offered to the God of Israel. It emphasizes the collective identity ("children of Israel," "all Israel") and purpose behind these offerings, which included both burnt offerings, symbolizing complete dedication and atonement, and sin offerings, signifying purification from transgression. These acts served as a public declaration of renewed devotion and thanksgiving to God for their safe return, re-establishing their covenant relationship and national identity.

Ezra 8 35 Context

Ezra 8 details the second wave of exiles returning from Babylon to Jerusalem under Ezra's leadership, following the initial return under Zerubbabel. Prior to this verse, Ezra recounts the careful preparation for their journey, including gathering a large company of people, securing a significant amount of gold, silver, and vessels for the temple, and crucially, appointing Levites and Nethinim to serve. Knowing the dangers of the journey through bandit-infested areas, Ezra declared a fast by the Ahava Canal to seek God's protection, famously refusing a military escort to demonstrate reliance on God's hand. Verse 35 marks the successful completion of this arduous journey, arriving safely in Jerusalem after 119 days. The first acts upon their arrival were not rest or rebuilding their homes, but presenting the holy vessels to the Temple treasury and offering these large-scale sacrifices, which signified their profound gratitude, purification, and renewed covenant with God after decades of captivity and dispersion. This immediate dedication to worship established the spiritual priority for the re-settled community.

Ezra 8 35 Word analysis

• The children of Israel, who had come back from captivity,

  • "children of Israel": B'nei Yisra'el (בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). Signifies the entire covenant people, maintaining continuity with the nation's past despite exile and dispersion. It underscores their unique identity chosen by God.
  • "from captivity": Min hashvi (מִן הַשֶּׁבִי). Refers to the Babylonian Exile, a defining experience that profoundly shaped their identity and faith. Their return marked the fulfillment of prophetic promises (e.g., Jer 29:10).

• offered burnt offerings

  • "offered": Va'yisa'u (וַיַּעֲלוּ) - literally, "they caused to ascend," "they brought up." This reflects the nature of the Olah as something entirely consumed by fire and ascending to God.
  • "burnt offerings": Olot (עֹלוֹת) - plural of Olah (עֹלָה). The Olah was a foundational sacrifice (Leviticus 1) symbolizing complete dedication and atonement. The entire animal (except for the skin, which went to the priest) was consumed by fire, signifying total surrender and acceptance by God as a "pleasing aroma." It often carried a general atoning purpose, purifying the offerer to approach God.

• to the God of Israel:

  • "God of Israel": L'Elohei Yisra'el (לֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). This title emphasizes Yahweh's unique relationship with Israel as His covenant people. It distinguishes Him from the pagan deities worshipped in Babylon or by surrounding nations, reinforcing Israel's exclusive devotion.

• twelve bulls for all Israel,

  • "twelve bulls": Shnei asar parim (שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר פָּרִים). The number twelve is highly symbolic in Israel, representing the twelve tribes. Offering twelve bulls signified a corporate sacrifice on behalf of the entire nation, even though all twelve tribes did not return en masse. It was a forward-looking act of unity and national solidarity, symbolizing the hope of reunifying all God's people under His covenant. Bulls were the largest and most valuable animal for sacrifice, indicating the immense gravity and cost of their dedication.
  • "for all Israel": Al kol Yisra'el (עַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל). Reinforces the comprehensive nature of the sacrifice, representing the unified identity of the exiles as the continuous people of God, not merely a returning faction.

• ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs,

  • "ninety-six rams": Tish'im v'shishah elim (תִּשְׁעִים וְשִׁשָּׁה אֵילִים). Rams were common sacrificial animals. 96 is a multiple of 12 (8 x 12), suggesting a consistent, full offering on behalf of the tribes, potentially representing intensified dedication (8, new beginnings; 12, completeness).
  • "seventy-seven lambs": Shiv'im v'shiv'ah kevasim (שִׁבְעִים וְשִׁבְעָה כְבָשִׂים). Lambs symbolized innocence and purity, often used in burnt or sin offerings. The number 77 (7 x 11) or (70+7) could emphasize completeness (seven is perfection/completion), perhaps amplified by doubling or by its relation to the Seventy nations of Gen 10 in a broader sense, though here it applies to Israel. More likely, 7 represents divine perfection or completeness, and this multiplied sum signifies a full measure of offering.

• and twelve male goats for a sin offering.

  • "twelve male goats": Shnei asar tsefirai chata'ah (שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר צְפִירֵי חַטָּאָה). Goats were specified for sin offerings (hatta't) (Leviticus 4). The number twelve again stresses the national scope—atonement sought for the sins of the entire nation (all twelve tribes), conscious or unconscious, committed during the exile and throughout their history that led to their captivity.
  • "for a sin offering": Chata'ah (חַטָּאָה). This sacrifice addressed unintentional sins committed by individuals or the community that required expiation for continued communion with God. Its inclusion alongside the burnt offerings highlights the deep awareness of corporate sin that required propitiation before their re-dedication could be truly accepted.

• All this was a burnt offering to the Lord.

  • "All this was a burnt offering to the Lord": This phrase needs careful interpretation. In some translations, it can seem to subsume the sin offering under "burnt offering." However, based on the Hebrew and other translations (e.g., ESV, NET), it clearly lists "twelve male goats for a sin offering" as distinct. The phrase "All this was a burnt offering to the Lord" (in versions like NKJV, KJV) might function as an overarching statement about the primary nature or purpose of the entire sequence of sacrifices, signifying general devotion and thankfulness, even though one specific type was technically a sin offering. Alternatively, it reflects a broad understanding that the sin offering was a prerequisite for or a component leading to acceptable dedication, or that the primary intent was the burnt offering of full dedication after initial cleansing via the sin offering. Essentially, the corporate act was fundamentally about national dedication and thanksgiving to the Lord for their safe return.

Ezra 8 35 Bonus section

The total number of animals sacrificed (12 bulls + 96 rams + 77 lambs + 12 goats = 197 animals) represents an enormous act of worship and financial commitment, especially considering the long and arduous journey just completed. Such an offering demonstrated immense faith and gratitude, recognizing God's protection as sovereign. It also underscored the priority of corporate worship and national cleansing before any other tasks of rebuilding could truly begin, highlighting the foundational role of the temple and sacrificial system in their re-established society. The precise numbers for the animals were not arbitrary but would have held significance to the original audience, speaking to ideas of completeness, new beginnings, or an emphasis on the entirety of God's covenant people. For example, 96 (8x12) emphasizes 'new beginning' (8) for 'all Israel' (12). This public spectacle of devotion also served to educate and unify the new generation of exiles who may not have fully experienced the temple worship prior to their return.

Ezra 8 35 Commentary

Ezra 8:35 encapsulates a profound moment of spiritual renewal and national rededication for the returning exiles. Far from merely completing a journey, they immediately re-established their covenant identity through acts of prescribed worship. The scale of the sacrifices—specifically the symbolic numbers (especially twelve for each of the tribes)—underscores their intention to represent all Israel, hoping for the eventual re-gathering of the dispersed northern tribes and solidifying their unity before God. The burnt offerings signified complete consecration and thankful devotion to God for His protection and faithfulness in fulfilling His promise to restore them. The inclusion of sin offerings demonstrates a vital recognition of corporate and individual failings, acknowledging that only through atonement could their dedication be pure and acceptable. This meticulous adherence to Mosaic law served as a re-covenanting act, signaling a community striving to live obediently under Yahweh's rule and contrasting with the past failures that led to their exile. These sacrifices acted as both a thanksgiving for their safe journey and a renewed commitment to walk according to God's will in the rebuilt Jerusalem.