Ezra 8:22

Previously we had told the king that our God takes care of all those who truly trust in him, but that he becomes very angry with those who refuse to obey him. So I would have been ashamed if I had asked the king to send soldiers and men riding on horses to protect us from our enemies while we were traveling along the road.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

In Context

21There alongside the Ahava Canal, I told them that we all would ◄fast/abstain from eating food► and pray. I also told them that we should humble ourselves in the presence of our God. We prayed that God would protect us while we traveled, and also protect our children and our possessions/belongings.

23So we ◄fasted/abstained from eating food► and requested God to protect us, and he ◄answered our prayers/did what we requested.►

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Cross References

1 Chronicles 28:9“And you, my son Solomon, must know God like I know him, and you must serve him faithfully and because you want to. You must do that because he knows what everyone is thinking and he understands the reasons that people do what they do. If you seek to know him, he will heed your prayers. But if you abandon/reject him, he will abandon/reject you forever.

2 Chronicles 16:9That happened because Yahweh sees what is happening all over the earth, and he strengthens those who completely trust him. You have done a very foolish thing, so from now on other armies will be fighting your army.”

Nehemiah 2:9After I got ready, I left to travel to Judah. The king sent some army officers and soldiers riding on horses to accompany me, to protect me. When I came to where the governors of the provinces west of the Euphrates River lived, I gave them the letters that the king had written.

Psalms 21:8You will enable me/him to capture [MTY] all my/his enemies and all those who hate me/him.

Psalms 34:15Yahweh [MTY] carefully watches over those who act righteously; he always responds [MTY] to them when they call to him for help.

Matthew Henry on Ezra 8:22-24

Ezra's Fast. ( b. c. 457.) 21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. 22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. 23 So we… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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