Ezra 8:29

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.

Watch {H8245} ye, and keep {H8104} them, until ye weigh {H8254} them before {H6440} the chief {H8269} of the priests {H3548} and the Levites {H3881}, and chief {H8269} of the fathers {H1} of Israel {H3478}, at Jerusalem {H3389}, in the chambers {H3957} of the house {H1004} of the LORD {H3068}.

Guard them carefully, until you weigh them before the chief cohanim and L'vi'im and the leaders of the fathers'clans in Yerushalayim, in the rooms of the house of ADONAI."

Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the LORD in Jerusalem before the leading priests, Levites, and heads of the Israelite families.”

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.

Commentary

Ezra 8:29 is a crucial instruction given by Ezra to the priests and Levites entrusted with valuable offerings during their perilous journey from Babylon back to Jerusalem. It underscores the immense responsibility and care required for handling sacred items dedicated to God.

Context of Ezra 8:29

This verse is part of the narrative detailing Ezra's second expedition of Jewish exiles returning from Babylon to Jerusalem, following the initial return led by Zerubbabel. Before embarking, Ezra proclaimed a fast at the river Ahava (Ezra 8:21) to seek God's protection, as they had no military escort. He then carefully selected twelve leading priests and Levites and entrusted them with a vast treasure of gold, silver, and vessels—donations from the king, his counselors, and the Israelites themselves—intended for the rebuilding and furnishing of the Temple in Jerusalem. Verse 28 explicitly states that these items, and the carriers, were "holy unto the LORD."

Key Themes and Messages

  • Stewardship and Accountability: The primary message is the diligent and transparent management of resources dedicated to God. Ezra commands meticulous care ("Watch ye, and keep them") until the items are officially handed over. This highlights the importance of integrity in handling sacred trust.
  • Holiness and Consecration: The gold, silver, and vessels were not merely valuable; they were holy, consecrated for the service of the Lord. The instruction to "keep them" reflects the reverence due to items set apart for divine use, similar to the care for sacred objects described in the Mosaic Law (Numbers 1:50).
  • Divine Protection and Trust: While the verse focuses on human responsibility, the broader context of Ezra 8 emphasizes reliance on God for safe passage. The careful guarding of the treasure was an act of responsible stewardship, undertaken with faith that God would preserve both the people and their precious cargo.
  • Transparency and Integrity: The requirement to "weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel" ensured complete transparency and accountability upon arrival in Jerusalem. This public verification prevented accusations of theft or loss, maintaining the integrity of the mission and those involved.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew terms for "watch" (שָׁמַר, shamar) and "keep" (נָצַר, natsar) are significant. Shamar implies guarding, preserving, and diligently observing, often used in the context of obeying commands or protecting something valuable. Natsar carries the sense of watching over, protecting, and being vigilant. Together, they convey a profound sense of careful guardianship and responsibility, emphasizing that the entrusted items were to be handled with extreme diligence and integrity throughout the journey.

Practical Application

Ezra 8:29 offers timeless principles for believers today. It reminds us of our call to be faithful stewards of all that God entrusts to us—whether material possessions, spiritual gifts, time, or relationships. We are called to manage these resources with diligence, integrity, and accountability, recognizing that ultimately, they belong to God. Just as Ezra required a public accounting, we are also called to live transparently, knowing that we will ultimately give an account to God for our stewardship.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 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 — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Ezra 8:33

    Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the vessels weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him [was] Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them [was] Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites;

  • Ezra 8:34

    By number [and] by weight of every one: and all the weight was written at that time.

  • 1 Chronicles 26:20

    ¶ And of the Levites, Ahijah [was] over the treasures of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things.

  • 1 Chronicles 26:26

    Which Shelomith and his brethren [were] over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the chief fathers, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host, had dedicated.

  • Mark 13:34

    [For the Son of man is] as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

  • Mark 13:35

    Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

  • Acts 20:31

    Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
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