Ezra 6:22
in Ezra 6For seven days they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread with joy, because the LORD had made them joyful and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to strengthen their hands in the work on the house of the God of Israel.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for Jehovah had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
KJV
And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the Lord had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
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This verse in Ezra 6
Commentary
11 notes on this verseAnd they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread, etc. The Apostle teaches us how we ought to keep this feast spiritually, saying: "Let us therefore feast not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of …
This site's exposition
separated themselves from the uncleanness of the peoples
on Ezra 6:21-22
Proselytes join the remnant. They keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread with joy, because the LORD had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them. Adam Clarke explains the title: Persia's kings inherited the rights of the Assyrian throne.
This site's exposition
the heart of the king of Assyria
At 4:2 the opponents traced their settlement to Esar-haddon of Assyria. The chapter ends with the heart of the king of Assyria turned toward the builders. Bede reads the week of unleavened bread spiritually, through the Apostle's charge to keep the feast free of malice and wickedness.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
They celebrated the feast of unleavened bread for seven days, etc. For this is the greatest joy of the righteous, both in this age and in the future, that the work of the Church is complete, with even the Gentiles who once resisted being converted, …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Search was ordered to be made for it among the records; for, it seems, the tribes had not taken care to provide themselves with an authentic copy of it, which might have stood them in good stead, but they must appeal to the original. It was looked for in Babylon (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
God is the fountain whence all the streams of true joy flow. Of Assyria - Of the king of Persia, who was now king of Assyria also, here so called emphatically, to note the great power and goodness of God in turning the hearts of these great monarchs, whose predecessors had been the chief persecutors and oppressors of God's people.
And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy,....
Those that are, upon good grounds, joyful, have therefore reason to be thankful, because it is God that makes them to rejoice. He is the fountain whence all the streams of our joy flow. God has promised to all those who take hold of his covenant that he will make them joyful in his house of prayer.
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Turned the heart of the king of Assyria - I am of Calmet’s mind, that king of Assyria is here put for king of Persia. Cyrus and his successors possessed all the rights and estates of the ancient kings of Assyria, and therefore the same monarch may be styled king of Assyria as well as king of Persia. Darius had a very high character, as a wise, just, and merciful prince.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The religious joy that so remarkably characterized the celebration of this feast, was testified by expressions of lively gratitude to God, whose overruling power and converting grace had produced so marvellous a change in the hearts of the mighty potentates, and disposed them, pagans though they were, to aid the cause and provide for the worship of the true God.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The king of Assyria - i. e., Darius. Assyria had so long been the great monarchy of western Asia that the sacred writers continue the title to those who had inherited the old Assyrian power, as first to the Babylonians 2Ki 23:29, and secondly to the Persians. With similar inexactness we find Herodotus calling Cyrus “king of the Medes.”
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֧וּ | vaiyaasu | and they celebrated | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| חַג־ | chag- | [the] feast of | H2282 → | |
| מַצּ֛וֹת | matzot | unleavened bread<s> | H4682 → | |
| שִׁבְעַ֥ת | shivat | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| יָמִ֖ים | yamim | days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| בְּשִׂמְחָ֑ה | besimchah | with joy | H8057 → | 94 times |
| כִּ֣י׀ | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| שִׂמְּחָ֣ם | simecham | he had made rejoice them | H8055 → | |
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְֽהֵסֵ֞ב | vehesev | and he had turned | H5437 → | |
| לֵ֤ב | lev | [the] heart of | H3820 → | |
| מֶֽלֶךְ־ | melekh- | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אַשּׁוּר֙ | ʾashur | Assyria | H804 → | |
| עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם | ʾaleihem | towards them | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| לְחַזֵּ֣ק | lechazek | to make strong | H2388 → | 291 times |
| יְדֵיהֶ֔ם | yedeihem | hands their | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| בִּמְלֶ֥אכֶת | bimlekhet | in [the] work of | H4399 → | 167 times |
| בֵּית־ | beit- | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֥י | ʾelohei | [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֧וּand they celebrated
vaiyaasuH6213 →2628 times
חַג־[the] feast of
chag-H2282 →
מַצּ֛וֹתunleavened bread<s>
matzotH4682 →
שִׁבְעַ֥תseven
shivatH7651 →394 times
יָמִ֖יםdays
yamimH3117 →2304 times
בְּשִׂמְחָ֑הwith joy
besimchahH8057 →94 times
כִּ֣י׀for
kiH3588 →4482 times
שִׂמְּחָ֣םhe had made rejoice them
simechamH8055 →
יְהוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְֽהֵסֵ֞בand he had turned
vehesevH5437 →
לֵ֤ב[the] heart of
levH3820 →
מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of
melekh-H4428 →2525 times
אַשּׁוּר֙Assyria
ʾashurH804 →
עֲלֵיהֶ֔םtowards them
ʾaleihemH5921 →5755 times
לְחַזֵּ֣קto make strong
lechazekH2388 →291 times
יְדֵיהֶ֔םhands their
yedeihemH3027 →1618 times
בִּמְלֶ֥אכֶתin [the] work of
bimlekhetH4399 →167 times
בֵּית־[the] house of
beit-H1004 →2046 times
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
אֱלֹהֵ֥י[the] God of
ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Proverbs 21:1The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases.
it leads to
- Proverbs 16:9
A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
- Proverbs 20:24
A man’s steps are from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way?
- Acts 7:10
and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.
- Proverbs 16:1
The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD.
- Proverbs 16:9
Through
Proverbs 16:7When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even the man’s enemies live at peace with him.
it leads to
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- 1 John 3:22
and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.
- 2 Chronicles 17:10
And the dread of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.
- Romans 8:31
Through
Ezra 1:1In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 29:10
For this is what the LORD says: “When Babylon’s seventy years are complete, I will attend to you and confirm My promise to restore you to this place.
- Jeremiah 29:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies9
On this verse
About Ezra
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah; Berean Standard Bible, Ezra 4; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.