22 For I was ashamed H954 to require H7592 of the king H4428 a band of soldiers H2428 and horsemen H6571 to help H5826 us against the enemy H341 in the way: H1870 because we had spoken H559 unto the king, H4428 saying, H559 The hand H3027 of our God H430 is upon all them for good H2896 that seek H1245 him; but his power H5797 and his wrath H639 is against all them that forsake H5800 him.
And he went out H3318 to meet H6440 Asa, H609 and said H559 unto him, Hear H8085 ye me, Asa, H609 and all Judah H3063 and Benjamin; H1144 The LORD H3068 is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek H1875 him, he will be found H4672 of you; but if ye forsake H5800 him, he will forsake H5800 you.
For G3754 the eyes G3788 of the Lord G2962 are over G1909 the righteous, G1342 and G2532 his G846 ears G3775 are open unto G1519 their G846 prayers: G1162 but G1161 the face G4383 of the Lord G2962 is against G1909 them that do G4160 evil. G2556
This Ezra H5830 went up H5927 from Babylon; H894 and he was a ready H4106 scribe H5608 in the law H8451 of Moses, H4872 which the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 had given: H5414 and the king H4428 granted H5414 him all his request, H1246 according to the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 his God H430 upon him.
And hath extended H5186 mercy H2617 unto me before H6440 the king, H4428 and his counsellors, H3289 and before all the king's H4428 mighty H1368 princes. H8269 And I was strengthened H2388 as the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 my God H430 was upon me, and I gathered together H6908 out of Israel H3478 chief men H7218 to go up H5927 with me.
And thou, Solomon H8010 my son, H1121 know H3045 thou the God H430 of thy father, H1 and serve H5647 him with a perfect H8003 heart H3820 and with a willing H2655 mind: H5315 for the LORD H3068 searcheth H1875 all hearts, H3824 and understandeth H995 all the imaginations H3336 of the thoughts: H4284 if thou seek H1875 him, he will be found H4672 of thee; but if thou forsake H5800 him, he will cast thee off H2186 for ever. H5703
And G1161 we know G1492 that all things G3956 work together G4903 for G1519 good G18 to them that G3754 love G25 God, G2316 to them who are G5607 the called G2822 according G2596 to his purpose. G4286
The LORD H3068 is good H2896 unto them that wait H6960 for him, to the soul H5315 that seeketh H1875 him.
For the eyes H5869 of the LORD H3068 run to and fro H7751 throughout the whole earth, H776 to shew himself strong H2388 in the behalf of them whose heart H3824 is perfect H8003 toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: H5528 therefore from henceforth H6258 thou shalt have H3426 wars. H4421
When ye have transgressed H5674 the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 your God, H430 which he commanded H6680 you, and have gone H1980 and served H5647 other H312 gods, H430 and bowed H7812 yourselves to them; then shall the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 be kindled H2734 against you, and ye shall perish H6 quickly H4120 from off the good H2896 land H776 which he hath given H5414 unto you.
For G3754 if I have boasted G2744 any thing G1536 to him G846 of G5228 you, G5216 I am G2617 not G3756 ashamed; G2617 but G235 as G5613 we spake G2980 all things G3956 to you G5213 in G1722 truth, G225 even G2532 so G3779 our G2257 boasting, G2746 which G3588 I made before G1909 Titus, G5103 is found G1096 a truth. G225
I will utterly H622 consume H5486 all things from off the land, H6440 H127 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 I will consume H5486 man H120 and beast; H929 I will consume H5486 the fowls H5775 of the heaven, H8064 and the fishes H1709 of the sea, H3220 and the stumblingblocks H4384 with the wicked; H7563 and I will cut off H3772 man H120 from off H6440 the land, H127 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 I will also stretch out H5186 mine hand H3027 upon Judah, H3063 and upon all the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem; H3389 and I will cut off H3772 the remnant H7605 of Baal H1168 from this place, H4725 and the name H8034 of the Chemarims H3649 with the priests; H3548 And them that worship H7812 the host H6635 of heaven H8064 upon the housetops; H1406 and them that worship H7812 and that swear H7650 by the LORD, H3068 and that swear H7650 by Malcham; H4428 And them that are turned back H5472 from H310 the LORD; H3068 and those that have not sought H1245 the LORD, H3068 nor enquired H1875 for him.
The LORD H3068 redeemeth H6299 the soul H5315 of his servants: H5650 and none of them that trust H2620 in him shall be desolate. H816
Say H559 ye to the righteous, H6662 that it shall be well H2896 with him: for they shall eat H398 the fruit H6529 of their doings. H4611 Woe H188 unto the wicked! H7563 it shall be ill H7451 with him: for the reward H1576 of his hands H3027 shall be given H6213 him.
Behold, the eye H5869 of the LORD H3068 is upon them that fear H3373 him, upon them that hope H3176 in his mercy; H2617 To deliver H5337 their soul H5315 from death, H4194 and to keep them alive H2421 in famine. H7458
Thine hand H3027 shall find out H4672 all thine enemies: H341 thy right hand H3225 shall find out H4672 those that hate H8130 thee. Thou shalt make H7896 them as a fiery H784 oven H8574 in the time H6256 of thine anger: H6440 the LORD H3068 shall swallow them up H1104 in his wrath, H639 and the fire H784 shall devour H398 them.
But G1161 I G1473 have used G5530 none G3762 of these things: G5130 G1161 neither G3756 have I written G1125 these things, G5023 that G2443 it should be G1096 so G3779 done G1096 unto G1722 me: G1698 for G1063 it were better G3123 for me G3427 to die, G599 G2570 than G2228 that G2443 any man G5100 should make G2758 my G3450 glorying G2745 void. G2758
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ezra 8
Commentary on Ezra 8 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 8
This chapter gives us a more particular narrative of Ezra's journey to Jerusalem, of which we had a general account in the foregoing chapter
Ezr 8:1-20
Ezra, having received his commission from the king, beats up for volunteers, as it were, sets up an ensign to assemble the outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah, Isa. 11:12. "Whoever of the sons of Sion, that swell with the daughters of Babylon, is disposed to go to Jerusalem, now that the temple there is finished and the temple-service set a-going, now is their time.' Now one would think that under such a leader, with such encouragements, all the Jews should at length have shaken themselves from their dust, and loosed the bands of their neck, according to that call, Isa. 52:1, 2, etc. I wonder how any of them could read that chapter and yet stay behind. But multitudes did. They loved their ease better than their religion, thought themselves well off where they were, and either believed not that Jerusalem would better their condition or durst not go thither through any difficulties. But here we are told,
Ezr 8:21-23
Ezra has procured Levites to go along with him; but what will that avail, unless he have God with him? That is therefore his chief care. In all our ways we must acknowledge God, and in those particularly wherein we are endeavouring to serve the interest of his kingdom among men. Ezra does so here. Observe,
Ezr 8:24-30
We have here an account of the particular care which Ezra took of the treasure he had with him, that belonged to God's sanctuary, Observe,
Ezr 8:31-36
We are now to attend Ezra to Jerusalem, a journey of about four months in all; but his multitude made his marches slow and his stages short. Now here we are told,