Ezra 8:26

What does Ezra 8:26 mean?

A plain-English look at Ezra 8:26 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Ezra 8:26 means

The sums are large: six hundred and fifty talents of silver, plus silver vessels of a hundred talents, and a hundred talents of gold. Such quantities highlight both the generosity of donors and the gravity of the trust placed in the appointed priests. Recording exact weights creates accountability and curbs suspicion. It also magnifies the faith expressed in traveling without a military escort, since these riches would attract robbers. Yet the earlier fast and prayer (verses 21–23) and the careful oversight work together, demonstrating reliance on God alongside prudent measures to steward His offerings with integrity.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

I weighed into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels a hundred talents; of gold a hundred talents;

KJV

King James Version · 1611

I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels an hundred talents, and of gold an hundred talents;

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

I weighed into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels a hundred talents; of gold a hundred talents;

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Measuring into their hands six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels, a hundred talents' weight, and a hundred talents of gold,

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and I weigh to their hand, of silver, talents six hundred and fifty, and of vessels of silver a hundred talents, of gold a hundred talents,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And I weighed to their hands six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and a hundred vessels of silver, and a hundred talents of gold,

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And I weighed into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver; and silver vessels a hundred talents, [and] of gold a hundred talents;

Context

Verse 26 provides detailed amounts following the weighing described in verse 25 and the appointment in verse 24. These figures set the scale of responsibility borne by the priests, anticipating Ezra’s solemn charge about holiness and vigilance in verse 28 and the instruction to keep and reweigh the items in Jerusalem (verse 29). The inventory continues in verse 27 with more precious items. This careful documentation will be mirrored upon arrival (verses 33–34), confirming that what was entrusted before departure was delivered intact after God’s protection on the journey (verse 31).

v.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:

v.26This passage

v.27and twenty bowls of gold, of a thousand darics; and two vessels of fine bright brass, precious as gold.

Cross references

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

  • Ezra 1:9

    And this is the number of them: thirty platters of gold, a thousand platters of silver, nine and twenty knives,

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