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Ezra 1:11

in Ezra 1

In all, there were 5,400 gold and silver articles. Sheshbazzar brought all these along when the exiles went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when they of the captivity were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

KJV

All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

This verse in Ezra 1

Commentary

8 notes on this verse

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah · Written before 735.

Sasabasar took everything, etc. Because surely none of those who are predestined to life can perish forever; but all who belong to the Lord, although they may seem to be led into Babylon, that is, the confusion of sins, for a time, are brought back …

This site's exposition

30 gold dishes

on Ezra 1:9-11

The inventory lists gold dishes, silver dishes, and other articles, then gives a total of 5,400 gold and silver articles. The listed numbers do not add up to that total in the Hebrew text as it stands. Sheshbazzar brings every article up with the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem.

This site's exposition

5,400 gold and silver articles

Albert Barnes sums the gold and silver articles of verses 9 and 10, the dishes, bowls and utensils, at 2,499. The apocryphal 1 Esdras gives an inventory totaling 5,469, and most commentators, he reports, propose to correct Ezra by it. Barnes finds those items improbable and suspects the stated total.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

1 , &c.), and which perhaps was shown to him by those about him. His name (some say) in the Persian language signifies the sun, for he brought light and healing to the church of God, and was an eminent type of Christ the Sun of righteousness. Some was that his name signifies a father, and Christ is the everlasting Father.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

All the vessels of gold, and of silver, were five thousand and four hundred,....

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

The sum of the numbers as they stand in the present Hebrew text is 2,499, instead of 5,400. In the Apocryphal Book of Esdras the sum given is 5,469, and with this sum the items in that place exactly agree (1 Esdras 2:13, 14). Most commentators propose to correct Ezra by the passage of Esdras; but the items of Esdras are improbable. Probably the sum total in the present passage has suffered corruption.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

Hence it is probable that the larger vases only are mentioned, while the inventory of the whole, including great and small, came to the gross sum stated in the text. them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem--All the Jewish exiles did not embrace the privilege which the Persian king granted them.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

All the vessels - were five thousand and four hundred - This place is without doubt corrupted; here it is said the sum of all the vessels, of every quality and kind, was five thousand four hundred; but the enumeration of the articles, as given in Ezr 1:9, Ezr 1:10, gives the sum of two thousand four hundred and ninety-nine only. But we can correct this account from 1 Esdras 2:13, 14. I shall set both accounts down, that they may be compared together. Ezr 1:9, Ezr 1:11 1 Esdras 2:13, 14 Golden chargers 30 Golden cups 1000 Silver chargers 1000 Silver cups 1000 Knives 29 Silver censers 29 Golden basons 30 Golden vials 30 Silver basons, second sort 410 Silver vials 2410 Other vessels 1000 Other vessels 1000 Said to be 5400 - only 2499 Total 5469 Difference of the first account from itself: 2901 Difference of the second account from the first: 69 According, therefore, to the sum total in Ezra, the sum total in Esdras is only 69 different. See the next chapter, Ezra 2 (note). It may be said that the vessels did actually amount to 5400, and that the chief of them only were intended to be specified; and these happen to amount to 2499; but that it was not the design of Ezra to insert the whole; and that the ninth verse should be considered as stating, And of the chief of them, that is, the gold and silver articles, this is the number. But the expression in Ezr 1:10, other vessels, sets this conjecture aside: the place is most manifestly corrupted.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

All the vessels Now he totals the sum of those counted and those who were not counted all into one number, but the important ones he counts.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Ezra 1:11:1, via Sefaria, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

16 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • כֵּלִים֙vessels

    kelimH3627 →325 times

  • לַזָּהָ֣בof <the> gold

    lazahavH2091 →389 times

  • וְלַכֶּ֔סֶףand of <the> silver

    velakesefH3701 →403 times

  • חֲמֵ֥שֶׁתfive

    chameshetH2568 →343 times

  • אֲלָפִ֖יםthousand<s>

    ʾalafimH505 →505 times

  • וְאַרְבַּ֣עand four

    vearba'H702 →318 times

  • מֵא֑וֹתhundred<s>

    meotH3967 →581 times

  • הַכֹּ֞ל<the> everything

    hakolH3605 →5413 times

  • הֶעֱלָ֣הhe brought up

    heelahH5927 →890 times

  • שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּ֗רSheshbazzar

    sheshebatzarH8339 →

  • עִ֚םwith

    ʾimH5973 →1050 times

  • הֵעָל֣וֹתwere led up

    healotH5927 →890 times

  • הַגּוֹלָ֔הthe exile[s]

    hagolahH1473 →43 times

  • מִבָּבֶ֖לfrom Babylon

    mibavelH894 →262 times

  • לִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ פto Jerusalem

    lirushalimH3389 →643 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

5 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Romans 9:23

    What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory—

    it leads to

    • Romans 2:4

      Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?

    • 1 Peter 1:2–5

      according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

    • Ephesians 3:16

      I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,

    • Romans 5:20–21

      The law came in so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more,

    • Colossians 1:27

      To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Where this verse is studied

About Ezra

This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil, The Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and W. F. Adeney, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther (Expositor's Bible).