The Meaning of Ezra 6:22 Explained

Ezra 6:22

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.

YLT: and they make the feast of unleavened things seven days with joy, for Jehovah made them to rejoice, and turned round the heart of the king of Asshur unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

Darby: and they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; for Jehovah had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

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 Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Ezra 6:22 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezra 6:1-22 - Prospered In A Difficult Work
How much depended on the finding of that roll! But God knew where it was, and led them to discover it, and inclined Darius to ratify it. When we are anxious and troubled about our relations to our fellow-men, we do little by worrying, we do much by trusting. Missing documents, alien hearts, tangled skeins, all yield before the hand of our Father working for us. The difficulty raised by their foes really reacted for the benefit of the Jews, for the king decreed that their expenses should be met, and their needs supplied. When we are living upon God's plan and need material resources for His work, He will see that they are forthcoming from the most unlikely sources, and the revenues of heathen monarchs shall be laid under contribution. When the house was finished it was dedicated, Ezra 6:16. What joy was there but amid all a solemn memory of the sin of the whole people of Israel. Though scattered to the four winds, they could not forget that in God's sight they were one still. It is highly probable that Psalms 146:1-10; Psalms 147:1-20; Psalms 148:1-14; Psalms 149:1-9; Psalms 150:1-6 were composed at this time. In the Septuagint they are called the Psalms of Haggai. Burnt offering and song go together, 2 Chronicles 29:27. After the dedication was the Passover. Separation must ever precede our feasting on God's Paschal Lamb, and out of this state of heart, influences proceed which produce the true unity and drawing together of the children of God. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezra 6

1  Darius, finding the decree of Cyrus, makes a new decree for building
13  By the help of Tattenai and Shethar-Bozenai the temple is finished
16  The feast of the dedication is kept
19  and the Passover

What do the individual words in Ezra 6:22 mean?

and they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy for made them joyful Yahweh and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God the God of Israel -
וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֧וּ חַג־ מַצּ֛וֹת שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים בְּשִׂמְחָ֑ה כִּ֣י ׀ שִׂמְּחָ֣ם יְהוָ֗ה וְֽהֵסֵ֞ב לֵ֤ב מֶֽלֶךְ־ אַשּׁוּר֙ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם לְחַזֵּ֣ק יְדֵיהֶ֔ם בִּמְלֶ֥אכֶת בֵּית־ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל פ

וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֧וּ  and  they  kept 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
חַג־  the  Feast 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חַג  
Sense: festival, feast, festival-gathering, pilgrim-feast.
מַצּ֛וֹת  of  Unleavened  Bread 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַצָּה  
Sense: unleavened (bread, cake), without leaven.
שִׁבְעַ֥ת  seven 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
יָמִ֖ים  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
בְּשִׂמְחָ֑ה  with  joy 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׂמְחָה  
Sense: joy, mirth, gladness.
שִׂמְּחָ֣ם  made  them  joyful 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׂמַח  
Sense: to rejoice, be glad.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְֽהֵסֵ֞ב  and  turned 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָבַב  
Sense: to turn, turn about or around or aside or back or towards, go about or arou nd, surround, encircle, change direction.
לֵ֤ב  the  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  of  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אַשּׁוּר֙  of  Assyria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם  toward  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
לְחַזֵּ֣ק  to  strengthen 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
יְדֵיהֶ֔ם  their  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person masculine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
בִּמְלֶ֥אכֶת  in  the  work 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מְלָאכָה  
Sense: occupation, work, business.
בֵּית־  of  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֱלֹהֵ֥י  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation