Ezra 8:29

Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the LORD in Jerusalem before the leading priests, Levites, and heads of the Israelite families.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Ezra addresses the appointed officials during the return journey to Jerusalem, commanding them to secure the consecrated silver, gold, and sacred articles before they reach the temple.

The words — The Hebrew imperative שִקְדוּ (shikdu, "watch") paired with שִמְרוּ (shimru, "keep") mandates vigilant protection until תִשְׁקְלוּ (tishqelu, "you will weigh") the offerings before the priests, Levites, and family heads.

The thread — The text directly precedes the fulfillment of this command in Jerusalem (Ezra 8:33) and reflects the established Levitical oversight of temple treasuries (1 Chronicles 26:20) and the New Testament pattern of delegated household stewardship (Mark 13:34).

Why it lands — The passage requires that consecrated resources be transferred through transparent, public measurement by authorized religious authorities rather than through private or unverified handling.

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

שִׁקְד֣וּshik.Duwatch וְשִׁמְר֗וּve./shim.Ruand/ keep [them]עַֽד־'ad-until תִּשְׁקְל֡וּtish.ke.Luyou will weigh [them] out לִפְנֵי֩li/f.Nei<to>/ before שָׂרֵ֨יsa.Rei[the] leaders of הַכֹּהֲנִ֧יםha./ko.ha.Nimthe/ priests וְהַלְוִיִּ֛םve./ha/l.vi.Yimand/ the/ Levites וְשָׂרֵֽי־ve./sa.rei-and/ [the] leaders of הָאָב֥וֹתha./'a.Votthe/ fathers לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לle./Yis.ra.'Elof/ Israel בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑םbi./ru.sha.Limin/ Jerusalem הַלִּשְׁכ֖וֹתha./lish.Khotthe/ rooms of בֵּ֥יתbeit[the] house of יְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehYahweh

King James Version

Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the Lord.

Cross-references

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.
1 Chronicles 26:20 Now their fellow Levites were in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries of the dedicated things.
Mark 13:34 It is like a man going on a journey who left his house, put each servant in charge of his own task, and instructed the doorkeeper to keep watch.
Acts 20:31 Therefore be alert and remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
2 Timothy 4:5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Places named

Jerusalem