Ezra 7:16

16 with ¹all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along ²with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, who ³offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem;

Ezra 7:16 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 7:16

And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the
province of Babylon
Not that he might take it wherever he found it, whether the owners of it were willing he should have it or not; but whatever was freely offered by them, as Jarchi, that he was allowed to take, whatever he could get in that way:

with the freewill offering of the people;
of the people of the Jews, who thought fit to continue in the province:

and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which
is in Jerusalem;
those freewill offerings, whether of the natives of Babylon, or of any of the Jewish nation, for the service of the temple at Jerusalem, he had leave and a commission to carry with him.

Ezra 7:16 In-Context

14 "Forasmuch as you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God which is in your hand,

15 and to bring the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,

16 with all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, who offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem;

17 with this money, therefore , you shall diligently buy bulls, rams and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings and offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

18 "Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do according to the will of your God.

Cross References

• 1. Ezra 8:25
• 2. Ezra 1:4, 6
• 3. 1 Chronicles 29:6