Ezra 8:33

Ezr 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;

Ver. 33. Now on the fourth day] viz. Of their fifth month. After a short repose, they set close to work. To recreations God allows men to stoop for their bodies’ sake, as the eagle to the prey; or as Gideon’s soldiers to sup their handful, not to swill their belly full.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This was a token of a good conscience and of his integrity, that he would have witnesses of his fidelity.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Now on the fourth day was the silver . . . weighed in the house of our God--The first three days after their arrival in Jerusalem were undoubtedly given to repose; on the next, the treasures were weighed and handed over to the custody of the officiating priests of the temple. The returned exiles offered burnt offerings, and Ezra delivered the royal commission to the satraps and inferior magistrates; while the Levitical portion of them lent all the assistance they could in performing the additional work which the arrival of so many new worshippers occasioned.

Next: Ezra Chapter 9

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(33) Meremoth the son of Uriah . . .—These names of priests and Levites, who had officially received the treasures, occur again in Nehemiah.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

33, 34. The Presentation of the Gifts and Offerings

33. weighed … by the hand of] R.V. weighed … into the hand of. Marg. by. The expression “into the hand” has occurred in Ezr_8:26, and is probably right both here and in chap. Ezr_1:8. Meremoth and his three companions were probably deputed by ‘the chiefs of the people’ to receive the treasure, upon its being weighed and found to tally with the ‘invoice’, and to convey it to the sacred treasury. These official receivers, consisting of two priests and two Levites, corresponded with the priestly and Levitical commissioners appointed by Ezra for the transport.

The rendering “by the hand of” supposes that the act of weighing was performed by a special body of four men, two priests and two Levites, appointed by the people.

But the other rendering is more suitable. The names not of those who weighed the treasure, but of those who were deemed worthy to be entrusted with its charge were most likely to be preserved.

Meremoth the son of Uriah] is mentioned also in Neh_3:4; Neh_3:21; Neh_12:3.

Eleazar, &c.] See Neh_12:42.

Jozabad] Perhaps mentioned in Ezr_10:23; Neh_8:7. ‘The son of Jeshua’, see on Ezr_2:40.

Noadiah the son of Binnui] The name of Binnui occurs in Neh_10:10; Neh_12:8. The first two names are those of priests; the latter two those of Levites.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity,.... Namely, those that now came along with Ezra:

offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel; by way of thankfulness for their deliverance from captivity, and for their safe journey:

twelve bullocks for all Israel: according to the number of the tribes; and there might be some of every tribe that now came up:

ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs; these and the bullocks were burnt offerings:

twelve he goats for a sin offering; according to the number of the twelve tribes, also to make atonement for sins they had been guilty of:

all this was a burnt offering unto the Lord; excepting the twelve he goats, which were a sin offering.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

33. Meremoth… Eleazar… Jozabad… Noadiah — Two priests and two Levites. These were the chief priests and Levites who, according to Ezr_8:29, were to receive the new treasures in the chambers of the temple at Jerusalem. They were not members of Ezra’s company, but persons who had previously gone up to Jerusalem.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Meremoth the son of Uriah, or Urijah, was one of the heads of the priestly order, both under Ezra and under Nehemiah. He is mentioned as repairing two pieces of the wall of Jerusalem when Nehemiah was governor, (Neh_3:4, Neh_3:21) and also as one of those who set their seal to the covenant with God which the whole people entered into, under Ezra"s and Nehemiah"s guidance, shortly after the completion of the wall, in B.C. 444. Eleazar the son of Phinehas is perhaps the Eleazar mentioned as taking part in the dedication of the wall. (Neh_12:42) Like Meremoth, he was a priest. Jozabad and Noadiah, chief Levites, occur again in Ezr_10:23, and Neh_8:7 Neh_10:9; and Neh_12:3.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

the silver, gold, and objects were weighed out

This can be translated in active form. AT: "the twelve priestly officials weighed out the silver, gold and objects" (See: Active or Passive)

the silver, gold, and objects were weighed out ... into the hand of Meremoth

Here "the hand of Meremoth" represents Meremoth's care of the silver, gold, and objects. The men weighed those things and gave them to Meremoth to take care of them. (See: Metonymy)

Meremoth ... Uriah ... Eleazar ... Phinehas ... Jozabad ... Jeshua ... Noadiah ... Binnui

These are the names of men. (See: How to Translate Names)

Jeshua

See how you translated this man's name in Esra 2:6.

translationWords

silver

gold

Uriah

priest

Phinehas

Levi

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.