Ezra 8:25

_AND WEIGHED UNTO THEM THE SILVER, AND THE GOLD, AND THE VESSELS, EVEN THE OFFERING OF THE HOUSE OF OUR GOD, WHICH THE KING, AND HIS COUNSELLORS, AND HIS LORDS, AND ALL ISRAEL THERE PRESENT, HAD OFFERED:_ And weighed unto them the silver ... The custody of the contributions and of the sacred vessels was, during the journey, committed to twelve of the chief priests, who, with the assistance of ten of their brethren, were to watch closely over them by the way, and deliver them into the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. The treasures in silver and gold, according to the value of the Babylonian talent, amounted to about 515,000 British pounds sterling....

24-30 Do we expect that God should, by his providence, keep that which belongs to us, let us, by his grace, keep that which belongs to him. Let God's honour and interest be our care; and then we may expect that our lives and comforts will be his....

EXPOSITION EZRA 8:21 THEN I PROCLAIMED A FAST THERE. The fight of the civil ruler to "proclaim a fast" was unquestioned among the Jews and Israelites. Jezebel proclaimed one in Ahab's name when she wished to impress the Jezreelites with the notion that a great crime had been committed. Jehoshaphat did the same when he was invaded by the Ammonites, Moabites, and Mehunim (2 Chronicles 20:1). A fast was proclaimed in the fifth year of Jehoiakim when the kingdom of Judah was menaced by Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 36:9). Ezra therefore assumes that he may command one now, in connection with the perils of the coming journey. That we might afflict

AND I WEIGHED UNTO THEM THE SILVER, AND THE GOLD, AND THE VESSELS,.... When he delivered them to them; this he did as a proof of his own integrity and faithfulness, and as a security against any charge or accusation of embezzling any part of them, and to set them an example, and also that they might be under no temptation of acting such a part, and might be vindicated should they be charged with it: even THE OFFERING OF THE HOUSE OF OUR GOD; what was freely offered for the service of it: WHICH THE KING AND HIS COUNSELLORS, AND HIS LORDS, AND ALL ISRAEL THERE PRESENT, HAD OFFERED; as freewill offerings, see Ezra 7:15....

CHAPTER 8 _ 1. Those who returned with Ezra (Ezra 8:1)_ 2. The gathering at Ahava (Ezra 8:15) 3. The fast proclaimed (Ezra 8:21) 4. The appointment of guardians (Ezra 8:24) 5. The departure and arrival in Jerusalem (Ezra 8:31) Ezra 8:1. The names of those who gathered around Ezra and went up with him are here recorded. In view of the magnificent decree and liberality of Artaxerxes, the company was very small. The majority preferred Babylon, and remained t

THE GATHERING TOGETHER OF THE EXILES AT AHAVA. The narrative is told here in the first person. Ezra 8:15. Ahava: _cf._ Ezra 8:21; Ezra 8:31; this seems to have been a place which gave its name to one of the many canals constructed in Babylonia for irrigation purposes. NONE OF THE SONS OF LEVI: as the main object of the return was the resuscitation of the Temple worship the Levites were, of course, indispensable. Ezra 8:17. Casiphia: the exact locality is unknown; there appears to have been a colony of Levites and Nethinim here. Ezra 8:25

OFFERING. heave offering. App-43. ALL ISRAEL. See note on Ezra 2:2 and 1 Kings 12:17....

_and weighed_ Money was still for the most part reckoned by weight (cf. on Ezra 7:22). _the silver_, &c. The offerings referred to in Ezra 7:15-18, and the vessels given by the king and others Ezra 7:19; Ezra 7:27. _the offering of the house_, &c. R.V. THE OFFERING FOR THE HOUSE. A dedicatory offering (t-rûmah), as is described in Exodus 35:24. Literally -the offering of", as in Exodus 30:15, -the offering of the Lord", or -heave offering unto the Lord",...

4. They took along certain treasures, which were entrusted to priests on the journey and were delivered safely at Jerusalem. TEXT, EZRA 8:24-30 24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and with them ten of their brothers; 25 and I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the utensils, the offering for the house of our God which the king and his counselors and his princes, and all Israel present there, had offered. 26 Thus I weighed into their hands 650 talents of silver, and silver utensils worth 100 talents, and gold talents, 27 and 20 gold bowls, worth 1,000 darics; and two utensils of fine shiny bronze, precious as gold. 28 Then I said to them, You are holy to the LORD, and the utensils are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the LORD God of your fathers....

PARTICULARS OF EZRA'S COMPANY 1. Them that went up] The sum of the numbers given is 1,496. Only males are mentioned, and if no women accompanied them, the absence of such doubtless increased the tendency that the people manifested to intermarry with heathen families....