Ezra 7:22

What does Ezra 7:22 mean?

A plain-English look at Ezra 7:22 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Ezra 7:22 means

The decree sets generous limits: up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred measures of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and an open allowance for salt. These staples support sacrifices and daily operations. The capped quantities ensure substantial provision without waste, while the unlimited salt likely reflects its essential role in offerings and preservation. The specifics show the king’s practical awareness of temple needs and a desire to prevent delays caused by shortages. By stipulating these amounts, Artaxerxes creates predictable supply lines, giving Ezra the confidence to proceed with worship and instruction without constant petitioning.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

unto a hundred talents of silver, and to a hundred measures of wheat, and to a hundred baths of wine, and to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

unto a hundred talents of silver, and to a hundred measures of wheat, and to a hundred baths of wine, and to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred measures of grain, a hundred measures of wine, and a hundred measures of oil, and salt without measure.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

Unto silver a hundred talents, and unto wheat a hundred cors, and unto wine a hundred baths, and unto oil a hundred baths, and salt without reckoning;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Unto a hundred talents of silver, and unto a hundred cores of wheat, and unto a hundred bates of wine, and unto a hundred bates of oil, and salt without measure.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

unto a hundred talents of silver, and to a hundred measures of wheat, and to a hundred baths of wine, and to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing [how much].

Context

Building on the obligation placed on treasurers, verse 22 clarifies the scope of supplies they must provide. The following verse (23) will articulate the rationale: to ensure that whatever God commands for His house is done exactly, averting divine wrath against the king’s realm. This ties material provision to theological purpose and royal self-interest, knitting together piety and policy.

v.21And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers that are beyond the River, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done with all diligence,

v.22This passage

v.23Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Luke 16:6

    And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bond, and sit down quickly and write fifty.

  • Leviticus 2:13

    And every oblation of thy meal-offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meal-offering: with all thine oblations thou shalt offer salt.

  • Ezekiel 45:14

    and the set portion of oil, of the bath of oil, the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, which is ten baths, even a homer (for ten baths are a homer);

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