Ezra 7:9
in Ezra 7He had begun the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon; and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.
KJV
For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.
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This verse in Ezra 7
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The direct distance of Babylon from Jerusalem is about 520 miles; and the circuitous route by Carchemish and the Orontes valley, which was ordinarily taken by armies or large bodies of men, is about 900 miles. The time occupied in the journey is long, and is perhaps to be accounted for by the dangers alluded to in Ezr 8:22, Ezr 8:31.
This site's exposition
in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes
on Ezra 7:7-9
Priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers and temple servants go up with Ezra. He left Babylon on the first day of the first month and arrived on the first day of the fifth. Jamieson Fausset and Brown attribute the slow pace to a caravan carrying the aged, women, children and goods.
This site's exposition
on the first day of the first month
Barnes puts the direct distance from Babylon to Jerusalem at about 520 miles, and the usual route at about 900. Ezra 8:31 has his company leave the Ahava Canal on the twelfth day of the first month. Barnes ties the four months to the dangers of 8:22.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
And on the first day of the fifth month, he came to Jerusalem, etc. That is to say, he was confirmed by divine grace and protection, because he was completing a successful journey. Likewise, in the mystical sense, the mediator of God and men, according …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon,....
The commission runs, we suppose, in the usual form: Artaxerxes, King of kings. This however is too high a title for any mortal man to assume; he was indeed king of some kings, but to speak as if he were king of all kings was to usurp his prerogative who hath all power both in heaven and in earth.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
For Ezra.. Therefore, he went and prospered in his way, because Ezra prepared his heart, etc. He gives a reason for his words.
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
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֗י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בְּאֶחָד֙ | beechad | on [day] one | H259 → | 971 times |
| לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ | lachodesh | of the month | H2320 → | 284 times |
| הָרִאשׁ֔וֹן | harishon | <the> first | H7223 → | 182 times |
| ה֣וּא | hu' | it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| יְסֻ֔ד | yesud | [was] [the] beginning of | H3246 → | |
| הַֽמַּעֲלָ֖ה | hamaalah | the going up | H4609 → | |
| מִבָּבֶ֑ל | mibavel | from Babylon | H894 → | 262 times |
| וּבְאֶחָ֞ד | uveechad | and on [day] one | H259 → | 971 times |
| לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ | lachodesh | of the month | H2320 → | 284 times |
| הַחֲמִישִׁ֗י | hachamishi | <the> fifth | H2549 → | |
| בָּ֚א | ba' | he came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם | yerushalim | Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| כְּיַד־ | keyad- | according to [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| אֱלֹהָ֖יו | ʾelohav | God his | H430 → | 2601 times |
| הַטּוֹבָ֥ה | hatovah | <the> good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| עָלָֽיו׃ | ʾalav | on him | H5921 → | 5755 times |
כִּ֗יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
בְּאֶחָד֙on [day] one
beechadH259 →971 times
לַחֹ֣דֶשׁof the month
lachodeshH2320 →284 times
הָרִאשׁ֔וֹן<the> first
harishonH7223 →182 times
ה֣וּאit
hu'H1931 →1879 times
יְסֻ֔ד[was] [the] beginning of
yesudH3246 →
הַֽמַּעֲלָ֖הthe going up
hamaalahH4609 →
מִבָּבֶ֑לfrom Babylon
mibavelH894 →262 times
וּבְאֶחָ֞דand on [day] one
uveechadH259 →971 times
לַחֹ֣דֶשׁof the month
lachodeshH2320 →284 times
הַחֲמִישִׁ֗י<the> fifth
hachamishiH2549 →
בָּ֚אhe came
ba'H935 →2568 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔םJerusalem
yerushalimH3389 →643 times
כְּיַד־according to [the] hand of
keyad-H3027 →1618 times
אֱלֹהָ֖יוGod his
ʾelohavH430 →2601 times
הַטּוֹבָ֥ה<the> good
hatovahH2896 →538 times
עָלָֽיו׃on him
ʾalavH5921 →5755 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
Nehemiah 2:18I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me, and what the king had said to me. “Let us start rebuilding,” they replied, and they set their hands to this…
it leads to
- Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
- 2 Chronicles 32:5
Then Hezekiah worked resolutely to rebuild all the broken sections of the wall and to raise up towers on it. He also built an outer wall and reinforced the supporting terraces of the City…
- 1 Chronicles 19:13
Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in His sight.”
- Ephesians 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- Haggai 1:13–14
Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, delivered the message of the LORD to the people: “I am with you,” declares the LORD.
- Philippians 2:13
Through
Ezra 7:6this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted Ezra all his requests, for…
it leads to
- Ezra 8:22
For I was ashamed to ask the king for an escort of soldiers and horsemen to protect us from our enemies on the road, since we had told him, “The hand of our God…
- Ezra 7:28
and who has shown me favor before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officials. And because the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, I took courage and gathered the…
- Ezra 8:31
On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem, and the hand of our God was upon us to protect us from the hands…
- Ezra 8:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
On this chapter
About Ezra
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PlaceBabil Governorate (archaeological site)BabylonAncient Mesopotamian city and imperial capital; site of the Israelite exile and a recurring biblical symbol of worldly power.
- PlaceJerusalemJerusalemThe city David took from the Jebusites and made his capital, where Solomon built the temple, where Christ was crucified and rose,…
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah; Berean Standard Bible, Ezra 8; Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.