The Meaning of Ezra 8:29 Explained

Ezra 8:29

KJV: Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD.

YLT: watch, and keep, till ye weigh before the heads of the priests, and of the Levites, and the heads of the fathers of Israel, in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of Jehovah.'

Darby: Watch and keep them until ye weigh them before the chiefs of the priests and the Levites, and the chiefs of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of Jehovah.

ASV: Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chiefs of the priests and the Levites, and the princes of the fathers houses of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Watch  ye, and keep  [them], until ye weigh  [them] before  the chief  of the priests  and the Levites,  and chief  of the fathers  of Israel,  at Jerusalem,  in the chambers  of the house  of the LORD. 

What does Ezra 8:29 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezra 8:24-36 - Thanksgiving For Safety And Success
Into our hands also is committed first the rich treasure and solemn trust of our own souls, and next the great deposit of the gospel; 1 Timothy 1:11; 1 Timothy 6:20. In order to fulfil this sacred charge there must be purity, "Ye are holy;" and sleepless vigilance, "Watch ye." There were ambushes and designs on their safety, but the foe was unable to break through the divine environment, Ezra 8:31. How safe are we who live in God! What joy as the little band weighed the vessels, and rendered up their charge, Luke 19:16. Is not this a picture of our entrance into heaven, when we also shall acknowledge the good hand of the Lord, and sacrifice our burnt offerings of thanksgiving? This incident is no exception. Similar care will be surely and blessedly experienced by all those who trust under the shadow of God's wing. It is credibly affirmed that, in the American Civil War, none of the Quakers, who of course were non-resisters, suffered any damage from the troops of either side. "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them." Let those who fast and pray for God's help be sure to return Him thanks when it has been given. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezra 8

1  The companions of Ezra, who returned from Babylon
15  He sends to Iddo for ministers for the temple
21  He keeps a fast
24  He commits the treasures to the custody of the priests
31  From Ahava they come to Jerusalem
33  The treasure is weighed in the temple
36  The commission is delivered

What do the individual words in Ezra 8:29 mean?

Watch and keep [them] until you weigh [them] before the leaders of the priests and the Levites and heads of the fathers' [houses] of Israel in Jerusalem the [in] chambers of the house of Yahweh
שִׁקְד֣וּ וְשִׁמְר֗וּ עַֽד־ תִּשְׁקְל֡וּ לִפְנֵי֩ שָׂרֵ֨י הַכֹּהֲנִ֧ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֛ם וְשָׂרֵֽי־ הָאָב֥וֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם הַלִּשְׁכ֖וֹת בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה

שִׁקְד֣וּ  Watch 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁקַד 
Sense: to wake, watch, awake, be alert.
וְשִׁמְר֗וּ  and  keep  [them] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
עַֽד־  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
תִּשְׁקְל֡וּ  you  weigh  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁקַל  
Sense: to weigh, weigh out, pay out.
לִפְנֵי֩  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
שָׂרֵ֨י  the  leaders 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
הַכֹּהֲנִ֧ים  of  the  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וְהַלְוִיִּ֛ם  and  the  Levites 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
וְשָׂרֵֽי־  and  heads 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
הָאָב֥וֹת  of  the  fathers'  [houses] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Preposition-l, 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.
בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם  in  Jerusalem 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
הַלִּשְׁכ֖וֹת  the  [in]  chambers 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: לִשְׁכָּה  
Sense: room, chamber, hall, cell.
בֵּ֥ית  of  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יְהוָֽה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.