Bible Strands
Ezra 8:17
And I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, with a message for him and his kinsmen, the temple servants at Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Ezra addresses his appointed group after naming eleven leaders and teachers, instructing them to travel to Casiphia to request ministers for the temple.
The words — The Hebrew verb וָ/אָשִׂימָ/ה֩ (va./'a.si.Ma/h) translates literally as "and I set" or "and I put," marking the formal commissioning of the mission. The phrase אִדּ֣וֹ הָ/רֹ֔אשׁ בְּ/כָסִפְיָ֖א הַ/מָּק֑וֹם (i.Do ha./Rosh be./kha.sif.Ya' ha./ma.Kom) identifies Iddo specifically as the chief at the location of Casiphia.
The thread — This directive aligns with the temple servants cataloged in Ezra 2:43 and mirrors the Levitical service arrangement detailed in Numbers 8:22.
Why it lands — The text presents the recruitment of temple ministers as a structured, commanded administrative step rather than an informal appeal. It requires the reader to see religious organization as a deliberate task assigned to specific leaders before the community proceeds.
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
King James Version
And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God.
Cross-references
- Ezra 2:43 The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth,
- Exodus 4:15 You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth. I will help both of you to speak, and I will teach you what to do.
- Numbers 8:22 After that, the Levites came to perform their service at the Tent of Meeting in the presence of Aaron and his sons. Thus they did with the Levites just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
- Numbers 18:6 Behold, I Myself have selected your fellow Levites from the Israelites as a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD to perform the service for the Tent of Meeting.
- Deuteronomy 18:18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
- 2 Samuel 14:3 Then go to the king and speak these words to him.” And Joab put the words in her mouth.
- 2 Samuel 14:19 So the king asked, “Is the hand of Joab behind all this?” The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king says. Yes, your servant Joab is the one who gave me orders; he told your maidservant exactly what to say.
- 1 Chronicles 23:3 The Levites thirty years of age or older were counted, and the total number of men was 38,000.
- 1 Chronicles 23:26 So now the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles for its service.”
- Ezra 2:58 The temple servants and descendants of the servants of Solomon numbered 392 in all.