Ezra 1:6

6 All those about them ^[a]1encouraged * them with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, with cattle and with valuables, aside from all that was given as a freewill offering.

Ezra 1:6 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 1:6

And all they that were about them
Their neighbours, the Chaldeans:

strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods,
and with beasts, and with precious things;
which they either did of themselves at their own motion, or by the direction and example of Cyrus, ( Ezra 1:4 ) and perhaps many of them to ingratiate themselves into the favour of their new monarch:

besides all that was willingly offered:
by the rich Jews, who thought fit, at least for the present, to remain in Babylon.

Ezra 1:6 In-Context

4 'Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.' "

5 Then the heads of fathers' households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

6 All those about them encouraged them with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, with cattle and with valuables, aside from all that was given as a freewill offering.

7 Also King Cyrus brought out the articles of the house of the LORD , which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and put in the house of his gods;

8 and Cyrus, king of Persia, had them brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and he counted them out to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

Cross References

• 1. Nehemiah 6:9; Isaiah 35:3

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "strengthened their hands"