Ezra 5:17 BSB — MannaFest

Ezra 5:17

Now, therefore, if it pleases the king, let a search be made of the royal archives in Babylon to see if King Cyrus did indeed issue a decree to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure-house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

KJV

Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

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Commentary

2 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

Let there be search made ... at Babylon - They perhaps doubted whether proof of the decree of Cyrus remained in the archives. The Pseudo-Smerdis had had the records in his power for seven months; and, when he reversed the policy of his predecessors, might have been expected to destroy their edicts. The decree was not found at Babylon, the most natural place for it, but in the provincial capital of Ecbatana, which Tatnai and his friends had not asked Darius to have searched (see Ezr 6:2).

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

We have reason to think that if Artaxerxes, in the foregoing chapter, had had the Jews' cause as fairly represented to him as it was here to Darius, he would not have ordered the work to be hindered.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

32 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
וּכְעַ֞ן	u.khe.'An	and now	H3705 →
הֵ֧ן	hen	if	H2006 →
עַל־	'al-	to	H5922 →
מַלְכָּ֣א	mal.Ka'	king the	H4430 →
טָ֗ב	Tav	[it is] good	H2869 →
יִ֠תְבַּקַּר	Yit.ba.kar	let it be searched	H1240 →
בְּבֵ֨ית	be.Veit	in [the] house of	H1005 →
גִּנְזַיָּ֜א	gin.zai.Ya'	treasures the	H1596 →
דִּי־	di-	of	H1768 →
מַלְכָּ֣א	mal.Ka'	king the	H4430 →
תַמָּה֮	ta.Mah	there	H8536 →
דִּ֣י	di	which	H1768 →
בְּבָבֶל֒	be.va.Vel	[are] in Babylon	H895 →
הֵ֣ן	hen	whether	H2006 →
אִיתַ֗י	'i.Tai	there	H383 →
דִּֽי־	di-	[is] that	H1768 →
מִן־	min-	from	H4481 →
כּ֤וֹרֶשׁ	Ko.resh	Cyrus	H3567 →
מַלְכָּא֙	mal.Ka'	king the	H4430 →
שִׂ֣ים	sim	it was made	H7761 →
טְעֵ֔ם	te.'Em	[is] a decree	H2942 →
לְמִבְנֵ֛א	le.miv.Ne'	to build	H1124 →
בֵּית־	beit-	[the] house of	H1005 →
אֱלָהָ֥א	'e.la.Ha'	<the> God	H426 →
דֵ֖ךְ	dekh	this	H1791 →
בִּירוּשְׁלֶ֑ם	bi.ru.she.Lem	in Jerusalem	H3390 →
וּרְע֥וּת	u.re.'Ut	and [the] will of	H7470 →
מַלְכָּ֛א	mal.Ka'	king the	H4430 →
עַל־	'al-	concerning	H5922 →
דְּנָ֖ה	de.Nah	this	H1836 →
יִשְׁלַ֥ח	yish.Lach	let him send	H7972 →
עֲלֶֽינָא׃ ס	'a.Lei.na'	to us	H5922 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Proverbs 25:2
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.
leads to
- Deuteronomy 29:29
  The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law.
- Romans 11:33–34
  O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
- Job 11:7–8
  Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?
- Job 38:4
  Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.
- Job 42:3
  You asked, ‘Who is this who conceals My counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.
Through
Ezra 4:19
I issued a decree, and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has revolted against kings from ancient times, engaging in rebellion and sedition.
leads to
- 2 Kings 24:20
  For because of the anger of the LORD, all this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until He finally banished them from His presence. And Zedekiah also rebelled against the king of Babylon.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- 2 Kings 18:7
  And the LORD was with Hezekiah, and he prospered wherever he went. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and refused to serve him.
Through
Ezra 4:15
that a search should be made of the record books of your fathers. In these books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, inciting…
leads to
- Ezra 4:12
  Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem. And they are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city, restoring its walls, and repairing…

About Ezra

Ezra Kneels in Prayer — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

Ezra: the study guide →Read chapter 5 →The featured study →

Continue: Ezra 5 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

06About Ezra

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

About Ezra