Ezra 8:21
WEB
Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a straight way for us, for our little ones, and for all our possessions.
BSB
And there by the Ahava Canal I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.
KJV
¶ Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H7121
v — call out to
Derivation: a primitive root (rather identical with 7122 through the idea of accosting a person met);
to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
KJV: bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.
vb — call
קָרָא 724 vb. call, proclaim, read
Qal
1.
a. call, cry, utter a loud sound
b. call, cry
2.
a. call unto some one
b. cry for help
3. proclaim
4.
a. read aloud
b. read to oneself
5. summon
6. call = name
Niph.
1. reflex.
2. pass. be called
Pu. be called
H8033
adv — there, then, thither, thence
Derivation: a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834);
there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence
KJV: in it, thence, there (-in, of, out), thither, whither.
adv — there
שָׁם adv. there, thither
H6685
n-m — fast
Derivation: or צֹם; from 6684;
a fast
KJV: fast(-ing).
n.m — fasting
צוֹם n.m. fasting, fast
H5921
prep — above, over, upon, against
Derivation: properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following);
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, × as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, × both and, by (reason of), × had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, × with.
forasmuch as
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
subst — above
עַל, עָ֑ל
I. subst. height
II. As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1. Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
a. —
(a). of clothing, etc., which any one wears
(b). With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
b. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
c. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
d. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
e. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
f. Of the ground or basis, on which a thing is done
2. It expresses excess
3. It denotes elevation or pre-eminence
4. It expresses addition
5. It expresses the idea of being extended, or suspended over anything, without however being in contact with it, above, over
6. From the sense of inclining or impending over, על comes to denote contiguity or proximity, Engl. by (or sts. on)
7. In connection with verbs of motion (actual or fig.)
8. By writers of the silver age, על is sts. used with the force of a dative
9. With other particles:
III. As conj.
a. עַל אֲשֶׁר because that
b. עַל כִּי similar in meaning, but less frequent
c. עַל alone:
(a). because
(b). notwithstanding that, although
IV. Compounds:
1. with כְּ (rare and late)
a. as concerning, as upon
b. the like of their deeds is the like of (that which) he will repay
2. מֵעַל from upon, from over, from by
H5104
n-m — stream, prosperity
Derivation: from 5102;
a stream (including the sea; expectation the Nile, Euphrates, etc.); figuratively, prosperity
KJV: flood, river.
n.m — stream
נָהָר 120 n.m. stream, river
H163
n-pr-loc — Ahava
Derivation: probably of foreign origin;
Ahava, a river of Babylonia
KJV: Ahava.
n.pr.loc — Ahava
אַהֲוָא n.pr.loc. town or district in Babylonia, by which a stream is designated, also the stream
H6031
v — depress
Derivation: a primitive root (possibly rather identical with 6030 through the idea of looking down or browbeating);
to depress literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (in various applications, as follows)
KJV: abase self, afflict(-ion, self), answer (by mistake for 6030), chasten self, deal hardly with, defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble (self), hurt, ravish, sing (by mistake for 6030), speak (by mistake for 6030), submit self, weaken, × in any wise.
vb — be occupied
[עָנָה] vb. be occupied, busied with
vb — be bowed down
[עָנָה] vb. be bowed down, afflicted
Qal
1. be put down or become low, of song of triumph
2. be depressed, downcast
3. be afflicted
Niph.
1. humble oneself
2. be afflicted
Pi.
1. humble, mishandle, afflict
2. humble, a woman by cohabit.
3. afflict as a discipline
4. humble, weaken
Pu.
1. be afflicted, in discipline by God
2. be humbled by fasting
Hiph. afflict, in discipline
Hithp.
1. humble oneself
2. be afflicted
3. humble oneself in fasting
H6440
n-m — face, before
Derivation: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from 6437);
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
KJV: accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, × as (long as), at, battle, because (of), beseech, countenance, edge, employ, endure, enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, × him(-self), honourable, impudent, in, it, look(-eth) (-s), × me, meet, × more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), × on, open, out of, over against, the partial, person, please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, regard, right forth, serve, × shewbread, sight, state, straight, street, × thee, × them(-selves), through ( -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), upon, upside ( down), with(-in, -stand), × ye, × you.
n.m — face
[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces
I.
1. face, faces
2.
a. presence, person
b. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
3. face of seraphim
4. face of animals
5. face (= surface) of ground
6. as adv.loc. before
7. for other phrases
II. with prepositions
H430
n-m — gods, God, magistrates
Derivation: plural of 433;
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
KJV: angels, × exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), × (very) great, judges, × mighty.
n.m.pl — gods
אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.
1. pl. in number.
a. rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power
b. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels
c. angels
d. gods
2. pl. intensive
a. god or goddess
b. godlike one
c. works of God, or things belongng to him
d. God
3. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God
4. אֱלֹהִים = God
H1245
v — search, strive after
Derivation: a primitive root;
to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after
KJV: ask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for).
vb — seek
[בָּקַשׁ] 224 vb. seek
Pi.
1. seek to find
2. seek to secure
3. seek the face
4. desire, demand
5.
a. require, exact
b. exact equivalent or penalty for
6. (late) ask, request
Pu. be sought
H4480
prep — part, from, out of
Derivation: or מִנִּי; or מִנֵּי; (constructive plural) (Isaiah 30:11); for 4482;
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
KJV: above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, × neither, × nor, (out) of, over, since, × then, through, × whether, with.
prep — out of
מִן־, and מִ, before יְ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
1. with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal
a. from, against
b. מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from
c. of position, off, on the side of, on
2. Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex
3. Partitively
4. Of time—
a. as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since
b. as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after
c. towards, to
5. (וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to
6. In comparisons, beyond, above
7. מן is prefixed to an infin.:
a. with causal force, from, on account of, through
b. after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.
c. with a temporal force, since, after
8. Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that
9. In compounds:
n. [m.] — portion
[מֵן] n. [m.] portion
H1870
n-m — road, trodden, course, mode
Derivation: from 1869;
a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
KJV: along, away, because of, by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).
n.m — way
דֶּ֫רֶךְ 715 n.m. way, road, distance, journey, manner
1. way, road, path
2. journey
3. of direction, almost or quite = toward
4. way, manner
5. fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings
6.
a. of moral action and character
b. of duty
c. specif.: in good sense
d. oftener in bad sense
e. way of י׳
H3477
a — straight
Derivation: from 3474;
straight (literally or figuratively)
KJV: convenient, equity, Jasher, just, meet(-est), pleased well right(-eous), straight, (most) upright(-ly, -ness).
adj — straight
יָשָׁר adj. straight, right
1. straight, level
2. right, pleasing
3. straightforward, just, upright
4. abstr., uprightness
H2945
n-m — family
Derivation: from 2952 (perhaps referring to the tripping gait of children);
a family (mostly used collectively in the singular)
KJV: (little) children (ones), families.
n.m — children
טַף 42 n.m. coll. children (as going with quick, tripping steps)
H3605
n-m — whole, all, any, every
Derivation: or (Jeremiah 33:8) כּוֹל; from 3634;
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).
n.m — the whole
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
1. with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
2. Absolutely:
a. without the art., all things, all
b. with the art. הַכֹּל
(a). where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
(b). in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
H7399
n-m — property
Derivation: or רְכֻשׁ; from passive participle of 7408;
property (as gathered)
KJV: good, riches, substance.
n.m — property
רְכוּשׁ, רְכֻשׁ n.m. property, goods
Bible49 app
Get translation compare, commentary, and interlinear study — offline, on iPhone and Mac.
See Bible49
Verses 21–23
Ezra 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,
I. The stedfast confidence he had in God and in his gracious protection. He told the king (Ezr 8:22) what principles he went upon, that those who seek God are safe under the shadow of his wings, even in their greats dangers, but that those who forsake him are continually exposed, even when they are most secure. God's servants have his power engaged for them; his enemies have it engaged against them. This Ezra believed with his heart, and with his mouth made confession of it before the king; and therefore he was ashamed to ask of the king a convoy, lest thereby he should give occasion to the king, and those about him, to suspect either God's power to help his people or Ezra's confidence in that power. Those that trust in God, and triumph in him, will be ashamed of seeking to the creature for protection, especially of using any sorry shifts for their own safety, because thereby they contradict themselves and their own confidence. Not but that those who depend upon God must use proper means for their preservation, and they need not be ashamed to do so; but, when the honour of God is concerned, one would rather expose one's-self than do any thing to the prejudice of that, which ought to be dearer to us than our lives.
II. The solemn application he made to God in that confidence: He proclaimed a fast, Ezr 8:21. No doubt he had himself begged of God direction in this affair from the first time he had it in his thoughts; but for public mercies public prayers must be made, that all who are to share in the comfort of them may join in the request for them. Their fasting was, 1. To express their humiliation. This he declares to be the intent and meaning of it. "that we might afflict ourselves before our God for our sins, and so be qualified for the pardon of them." When we are entering upon any new condition of life our care should be to bring none of the guilt of the sins of our former condition into it. When we are in any imminent peril let us be sure to make our peace with God, and then we are safe: nothing can do us any real hurt. 2. To excite their supplications. Prayer was always joined with religious fasting. Their errand to the throne of grace was to seek of God the right way, that is, to commit themselves to the guidance of the divine Providence, to put themselves under the divine protection, and to beg of God to guide and keep them in their journey and bring them safely to their journey's end. They were strangers in the road, were to march through their enemies' countries, and had not a pillar of cloud and fire to lead them, as their fathers had; but they believed that the power and favour of God, and the ministration of his angels, would be to them instead of that, and hoped by prayer to obtain divine assistance. Note, All our concerns about ourselves, our families, and our estates, it is our wisdom and duty by prayer to commit to God, and leave the care of with him, Phi 4:6.
III. The good success of their doing so (Ezr 8:23): We besought our God by joint-prayer, and he was entreated of us. They had some comfortable assurance in their own minds that their prayers were answered, and the event declared it; for never any that sought God in earnest sought him in vain.
Cross-references: Ezra 8:22 · Ezra 8:21 · Phil 4:6 · Ezra 8:23