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Ezra 8:23

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Ezra 8:23 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us.
Ezra 8:23 — American Standard Version

Context — Ezra 8

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
20and of the Nethinim, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim: all of them were mentioned by name.
21Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek of him a straight way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
22For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way, because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them that seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.
23So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us.
24Then I set apart twelve of the chiefs of the priests, even Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,
25and weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his princes, and all Israel there present, had offered:
26I weighed into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels a hundred talents; of gold a hundred talents;
← Ezra 8:22Ezra 8:24 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“So we fasted, and besought our God for this, etc.] Sought the Lord by fasting and prayer for a good journey, and preservation in it: and he was entreated of us; accepted their prayer, as Jarchi, so that they came safe to Jerusalem.”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Intreated - He gave us an assurance of his gracious answer to our request. Ezra 8:35”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“8:23 fasted . . . prayed: In the Old Testament, fasting often accompanied prayer as a demonstration of need before God (1 Kgs 21:9; 2 Chr 20:3; Neh 1:4; Dan 9:3).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“we fasted: Neh 9:1; Est 4:16; Dan 9:3; Luk 2:37; Act 10:30 besought: Jer 29:12, Jer 29:13, Jer 33:3, Jer 50:4, Jer 50:5 and he was entreated: Ezr 8:31; Deu 4:29; Ch1 5:20; Ch2 33:12, Ch2 33:13; Psa 66:18-20; Isa 19:22; Jer 29:12, Jer 29:13; Mat 7:7, Mat 7:8 Ezra 8:24”
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Related study paths

Read Ezra 8 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification