Ezra 7:28

And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God [was] upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.

And hath extended {H5186} mercy {H2617} unto me before {H6440} the king {H4428}, and his counsellors {H3289}, and before all the king's {H4428} mighty {H1368} princes {H8269}. And I was strengthened {H2388} as the hand {H3027} of the LORD {H3068} my God {H430} was upon me, and I gathered together {H6908} out of Israel {H3478} chief men {H7218} to go up {H5927} with me.

and has extended mercy to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king's most powerful officials. So I took courage, since the hand of ADONAI my God was on me, and I gathered together out of Isra'el key men to go up with me.

and who has shown me favor before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officials. And because the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, I took courage and gathered the leaders of Israel to return with me.

and hath extended lovingkindness unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the kingโ€™s mighty princes. And I was strengthened according to the hand of Jehovah my God upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.

Commentary

Ezra 7:28 concludes Ezra's personal reflection on the divine favor and empowerment he received, enabling him to lead a significant return of Jewish exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem. This verse highlights God's sovereign hand at work, both in influencing powerful secular authorities and in strengthening His chosen servant for a crucial mission of restoration.

Context

This verse is part of Ezra's autobiographical account following the decree issued by King Artaxerxes of Persia (Ezra 7:11-26). This decree granted Ezra, a skilled scribe and priest, extensive authority and resources to return to Jerusalem, establish the Law of God, and beautify the Temple. Ezra's mission was critical for the spiritual and civic renewal of the Jewish community that had already returned under Zerubbabel. Here, Ezra offers a doxology, attributing his success in gaining such favor from the Persian court not to his own diplomacy or skill, but to the direct mercy and strengthening hand of God.

Key Themes

  • Divine Providence and Favor: The verse vividly portrays God's active involvement in human affairs, even influencing the hearts and decisions of powerful world leaders like King Artaxerxes, his counsellors, and mighty princes. This demonstrates God's sovereignty over all earthly powers for the sake of His people and His purposes.
  • Divine Empowerment for Service: Ezra explicitly states, "I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me." This emphasizes that his ability to undertake such a monumental task, which included gathering leaders and journeying to Jerusalem, came directly from God. It signifies divine enablement, guidance, and protection for the work of ministry.
  • Human Responsibility and Leadership: While divinely strengthened, Ezra was not passive. He actively "gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me." This illustrates the partnership between divine enablement and human effort. God equips, but we must respond diligently by acting and leading.
  • Restoration and Community: The gathering of "chief men" underscores the importance of qualified leadership and communal effort in the ongoing restoration of Israel's spiritual and civic life after the Babylonian exile. It highlights the necessity of wise counsel and unified purpose for God's work.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "the hand of the LORD" (Hebrew: ื™ึทื“ึพื™ึฐื”ื•ึธื”, yad Yahweh) is a significant and recurring anthropomorphism in the Old Testament. It signifies God's active power, presence, guidance, protection, and blessing. In Ezra, it appears frequently (e.g., Ezra 7:6, Ezra 8:22, Ezra 8:31), always denoting God's favorable and enabling intervention. Here, it specifically points to the divine strength and favor that allowed Ezra to succeed in his mission and effectively gather the necessary leaders.

Practical Application

Ezra 7:28 offers profound encouragement for believers today. When faced with significant callings or challenging tasks, we can draw strength from Ezra's testimony. It reminds us:

  • God orchestrates circumstances: Just as God influenced a pagan king for His purposes, He continues to work in our lives, often through unexpected channels, to open doors and provide resources for His will.
  • Divine strength is available: We are not meant to accomplish God's work in our own strength. Like Ezra, we can trust that when God calls us to a task, His strengthening hand will be upon us, enabling us to do what seems impossible.
  • Leadership requires reliance on God: For those in leadership roles, this verse underscores that true effectiveness comes not just from personal skill or charisma, but from a deep reliance on God's empowerment and a willingness to abide in His strength.
  • Faithful action is essential: While God provides the strength and opens doors, we are still called to act faithfully, gather resources, and lead others in His service. Divine favor empowers human diligence.
Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Timothy 4:17

    Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and [that] all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

  • 2 Timothy 4:18

    And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve [me] unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.

  • Ezra 9:9

    For we [were] bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

  • Genesis 32:28

    And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

  • Ezra 5:5

    But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this [matter].

  • Nehemiah 2:8

    And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which [appertained] to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

  • Ezra 8:18

    And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen;
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