Ezra 7:17
With this money, then, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God that is in Jerusalem.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The king specifically directs that the money be used for "grain offerings and their drink offerings" alongside the animals, emphasizing that every part of the worship, down to the smallest accompanying elements, was to be fully restored. This detail highlights the intention not just for functional sacrifices, but for the complete, God-honoring splendor of worship to be re-established in Jerusalem.
King Artaxerxes has just granted Ezra a royal commission, authorizing him to return to Jerusalem with a generous gift from the Persian treasury. This verse lays out the immediate priority for these funds: to promptly purchase the necessary animals, grain, and wine for the sacrifices and offerings at the Jerusalem temple. These commanded sacrifices, detailed in the Mosaic Law, are to be presented on the altar, signifying a restored and proper worship of God for the returned exiles.
The King's decree isn't just about what to buy, but how to buy it. What does 'all diligence' really mean when it comes to worship?
Artaxerxes' command to Ezra includes buying "with all diligence" the necessary components for sacrifice: bulls, rams, lambs, grain, and drink offerings.
A Royal Mandate for Worship
This phrase 'with all diligence' (or 'speedily' in some translations) highlights the importance the Persian king placed on the proper functioning of worship in Jerusalem. It wasn't a casual suggestion; it was a directive.
Completing the Picture
The king specifically mentions not just the animals (burnt offerings) but also their accompanying 'grain offerings' and 'drink offerings.' This shows an understanding, likely guided by Ezra, that full worship involved these integral parts as prescribed in the Law of Moses (Numbers 15:1-16). The money provided was to ensure all aspects of the prescribed ritual were maintained with care and completeness.
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Kings of Persia, not of Israel, are funding the worship of the one true God. What does this tell us about God's sovereignty?
Ezra 7:17 details the use of funds provided by King Artaxerxes and others for the sacrificial system in Jerusalem. This royal provision is a powerful testament to God working through non-believers to accomplish His purposes.
God's Unrestricted Hand
It's remarkable that a pagan king would authorize and fund the sacrifices of the God of Israel. This demonstrates that God is sovereign over all nations and rulers. He can move the hearts of leaders, even those who don't know Him, to support His work.
A Reproach and a Reminder
This liberality from heathen kings stands in stark contrast to the often-stingy support for God's cause by people within the covenant community. It serves as a reminder that God's work doesn't depend on His people's wealth or willingness alone, but He uses whomever He chooses, often in surprising ways.
Understand the original words
par · Hebrew Noun
An animal sacrifice prescribed by the Mosaic Law, representing the shedding of blood for the atonement of sin or as a burnt offering to symbolize total dedication to God.
minhah · Hebrew Noun
An offering made of grain or flour, often accompanied by oil and frankincense, symbolizing the dedication of the fruits of one's labor to God.
nesek · Hebrew Noun
A liquid offering, usually of wine, poured out upon the altar alongside other sacrifices as a sign of dedication and joy before the Lord.
mizbeah · Hebrew Noun
A raised structure, typically made of earth or stone, where sacrifices were offered to God as a place of meeting between the divine and the human, signifying atonement and worship.
The instructions for purchasing sacrifices in Ezra 7:17 highlight the vital role of the Jerusalem Temple in the post-exilic Jewish community, supported by both Jewish contributions and the unexpected generosity of a foreign king.
c. 538 BC
First Return from Exile
Following Cyrus the Great's decree, a contingent of Judean exiles returns to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple.
c. 516 BC
Second Temple Completed
The Temple in Jerusalem is completed and rededicated, marking a significant moment for the returning exiles.
c. 486-465 BC
Reign of Xerxes I
The reign of Xerxes I sees the Persian Empire consolidate its power, with the Jewish community in Jerusalem existing within this context.
c. 465-424 BC
Reign of Artaxerxes I
Artaxerxes I reigns over the Persian Empire. His reign is crucial for the events surrounding Ezra's return and reforms.
c. 458 BC— this verse
Ezra's Commission and Return
King Artaxerxes I issues a significant decree empowering Ezra to return to Jerusalem with a large group, providing resources for the Temple and the community. This decree is the direct context for Ezra 7:17.
c. 457 BC
Ezra Implements Reforms
Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Ezra begins to implement the king's decree, focusing on restoring proper worship and enforcing Mosaic Law.
This passage lays out the specific instructions for grain and drink offerings that accompanied various sacrifices, directly informing the types of offerings Ezra was commissioned to purchase.
Exodus 29:38-42This describes the daily burnt offerings and accompanying offerings prescribed for the altar, highlighting the continuous and divinely appointed nature of the worship Ezra was to restore.
Ezra 6:9-10This earlier decree from King Darius also mandated provisions for sacrifices and offerings for the Jerusalem temple, showing a pattern of Persian kings supporting Jewish worship that Ezra's commission continues.
Malachi 1:10-14This prophetic critique of unworthy sacrifices in Jerusalem's post-exilic period underscores the importance of offering the best and the right kind of worship, a standard Ezra's diligent procurement of offerings aimed to meet.
pulpitEzra 7:17: "That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem."
Verse 17. - That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, etc. The primary application of the money sent by Ezra was to be the maintenance of the Jewish ritual in its full splendour (compare the decree of Darius, Ezra 6:9, 10). The residue was, however, to be employed in any…
ellicottEzra 7:17: "That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem."
(17) Buy speedily. —Provide first of all for the sacrificial ceremonial. Every sacrifice had its own meat-offerings and drink-offerings (Numbers 15). These phrases in the commission of course Ezra dictated.
The king specifically directs that the money be used for "grain offerings and their drink offerings" alongside the animals, emphasizing that every part of the worship, down to the smallest accompanying elements, was to be fully restored. This detail highlights the intention not just for functional sacrifices, but for the complete, God-honoring splendor of worship to be re-established in Jerusalem.
King Artaxerxes has just granted Ezra a royal commission, authorizing him to return to Jerusalem with a generous gift from the Persian treasury. This verse lays out the immediate priority for these funds: to promptly purchase the necessary animals, grain, and wine for the sacrifices and offerings at the Jerusalem temple. These commanded sacrifices, detailed in the Mosaic Law, are to be presented on the altar, signifying a restored and proper worship of God for the returned exiles.
King Artaxerxes has just granted Ezra a royal commission, authorizing him to return to Jerusalem with a generous gift from the Persian treasury. This verse lays out the immediate priority for these funds: to promptly purchase the necessary animals, grain, and wine for the sacrifices and offerings at the Jerusalem temple. These commanded sacrifices, detailed in the Mosaic Law, are to be presented on the altar, signifying a restored and proper worship of God for the returned exiles.
"With this money, then, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God that is in Jerusalem." — The king specifically directs that the money be used for "grain offerings and their drink offerings" alongside the animals, emphasizing that every part of the worship, down to the smallest accompan…
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