Ezra 1:6

And all their neighbors supported them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuables, in addition to all their freewill offerings.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrative follows the decree of Cyrus and the stirring of God's Spirit in Judah and Benjamin's leaders to return to Jerusalem. It records the immediate material response of local residents as the exiles prepare to relocate.

The words — חִזְּקוּ (chi.ze.Ku) = they strengthened or encouraged, and סְבִיבֹֽתֵיהֶם (se.vi.vo.tei.hem) = their surrounding neighbors. The construction shows that local populations actively fortified the returning exiles through tangible provision.

The thread — The specific list of silver, gold, goods, and livestock directly fulfills the mandate in Ezra 1:4, while the mention of freewill offerings connects to the voluntary contributions noted in Ezra 7:15. The principle of uncoerced generosity later informs the New Testament instruction in 2 Corinthians 9:7.

Why it lands — The text states that local neighbors provided material support alongside voluntary gifts to fund the temple restoration. It requires the reader to recognize that communal cooperation and willing generosity are necessary practical steps for fulfilling divine mandates.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְכָל־ve./kholand/ all סְבִיבֹֽתֵיהֶם֙se.vi.vo.tei./Hemaround/ them חִזְּק֣וּchi.ze.Kuthey encouraged בִֽידֵיהֶ֔םvi./dei./Hem<in>/ hands/ their בִּכְלֵי־bi/kh.lei-with/ vessels of כֶ֧סֶףKhe.sefsilver בַּזָּהָ֛בba./za.Havwith <the>/ gold בָּרְכ֥וּשׁba./re.Khushwith <the>/ property וּבַבְּהֵמָ֖הu./va./be.he.Mahand/ with <the>/ cattle וּבַמִּגְדָּנ֑וֹתu./va./mig.da.Notand/ with <the>/ precious things לְבַ֖דle./Vad<to>/ besides עַל־'al-<on>כָּל־kol-all of הִתְנַדֵּֽב׃ סhit.na.Devering of freewill offerings

King James Version

And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.

Cross-references

Ezra 1:4 And let every survivor, wherever he lives, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem.’”
2 Corinthians 9:7 Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.
Ezra 7:15 Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
Ezra 8:25 and I weighed out to them the contribution of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his counselors, his leaders, and all the Israelites there had offered for the house of our God.
Ezra 8:33 On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out the silver and gold and sacred articles into the hand of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, along with the Levites Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui.
Psalms 110:3 Your people shall be willing on Your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn, to You belongs the dew of Your youth.