Ezra 6:22

22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread for seven days with joy: for the Lord had made them full of joy, by turning the heart of the king of Assyria to them to give them help in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

Ezra 6:22 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 6:22

And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy,
&c.] Which immediately followed upon the passover, ( Exodus 12:18 Exodus 12:19 ) ,

for the Lord had made them joyful;
the building of the temple being finished, and the service of it restored to its original purity;

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;
by giving them leave to go on in building the temple, and by encouraging and assisting them in it till they had finished it; this was Darius Artaxerxes, who, though called king of Persia, was also king of Assyria, being possessed of the Assyrian monarchy, as his predecessors were upon the taking of Babylon, and the same is therefore called also the king of Babylon, ( Nehemiah 13:6 ) . God, the God of Israel, who has the hearts of all men in his hands, and so the hearts of kings, and can turn them at his pleasure, inclined his heart to do them good, which was matter of joy unto them, see ( Ezra 7:27 ) .

Ezra 6:22 In-Context

20 For the priests and the Levites had made themselves clean together; they were all clean: and they put the Passover lamb to death for all those who had come back, and for their brothers the priests and for themselves.

21 And the children of Israel, who had come back, and all those who were joined to them, after separating themselves from the evil ways of the people of the land to become the servants of the Lord, the God of Israel, took food together,

22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread for seven days with joy: for the Lord had made them full of joy, by turning the heart of the king of Assyria to them to give them help in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.