New International VersionBecause the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah, a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, 18 in all;
New Living TranslationSince the gracious hand of our God was on us, they sent us a man named Sherebiah, along with eighteen of his sons and brothers. He was a very astute man and a descendant of Mahli, who was a descendant of Levi son of Israel.
English Standard VersionAnd by the good hand of our God on us, they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, son of Israel, namely Sherebiah with his sons and kinsmen, 18;
Berean Standard BibleAnd since the gracious hand of our God was upon us, they brought us Sherebiah—a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel—along with his sons and brothers, 18 men;
King James BibleAnd by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen;
New King James VersionThen, by the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and brothers, eighteen men;
New American Standard BibleAnd as the good hand of our God was upon us, they brought us a man of insight from the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, and his sons and brothers, eighteen men;
NASB 1995According to the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of insight of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, and his sons and brothers, 18 men;
NASB 1977And according to the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of insight of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, and his sons and brothers, 18 men;
Legacy Standard BibleSo, according to the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a man of insight of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, and his sons and brothers, 18 men;
Amplified BibleAnd as the good hand of our God was upon us, they brought us a man of understanding (insight) from the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, named Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers (relatives), 18 men;
Christian Standard BibleSince the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah —a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli, a descendant of Levi son of Israel—along with his sons and brothers, 18 men,
Holman Christian Standard BibleSince the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah—a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli, a descendant of Levi son of Israel—along with his sons and brothers, 18 men,
American Standard VersionAnd according to the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen;
Contemporary English VersionGod was kind to us and caused them to send a skillful man named Sherebiah, who was a Levite from the family of Mahli. Eighteen of his relatives came with him.
English Revised VersionAnd according to the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen;
GOD'S WORD® TranslationGod was guiding us, so Iddo and his relatives brought us someone competent, Sherebiah, who was a descendant of Mahli, Levi, and Israel. They brought us 18 of Sherebiah's sons and relatives.
Good News TranslationThrough God's grace they sent us Sherebiah, an able man, a Levite from the clan of Mahli; and eighteen of his sons and brothers came with him.
International Standard VersionBy the grace of our God they brought back a discerning man from the descendants of Mahli, a descendant of Israel's son Levi, along with Sherebiah and eighteen of his sons and brothers;
NET BibleDue to the fact that the good hand of our God was on us, they brought us a skilled man, from the descendants of Mahli the son of Levi son of Israel. This man was Sherebiah, who was accompanied by his sons and brothers, 18 men,
New Heart English BibleAccording to the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen;
Webster's Bible TranslationAnd by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen; Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleAnd since the gracious hand of our God was upon us, they brought us Sherebiah—a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel—along with his sons and brothers, 18 men;
World English BibleAccording to the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen; Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd they bring to us, according to the good hand of our God on us, a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel, and Sherebiah, and his sons, and his brothers, eighteen;
Young's Literal Translation And they bring to us, according to the good hand of our God upon us, a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel, and Sherebiah, and his sons, and his brethren, eighteen;
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd they will bring to us according to the good hand of our God upon us a man of understanding from the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel; and Sherebiah, and his sons and his brethren, eighteen. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd by the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a most learned man of the sons of Moholi the son of Levi the son of Israel, and Sarabias and his sons, and his brethren eighteen,
Catholic Public Domain VersionAnd because the good hand of our God was over us, they led to us a very learned man from the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, with Sherebiah, and his sons, and his eighteen brothers,
New American BibleSince the favoring hand of our God was over us, they sent to us a well-instructed man, one of the descendants of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and kinsmen, eighteen men.
New Revised Standard VersionSince the gracious hand of our God was upon us, they brought us a man of discretion, of the descendants of Mahli son of Levi son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and kin, eighteen; Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd by the good favor of our God upon us, they brought us a man of understanding, of the descendants of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sheriah, with his brothers and his sons, twelve;
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedAnd they brought to us according to the hand of God who was kind to us, one wise man of the children of Makhli, son of Levi, son of Israel and Sheriah and his brothers and his twelve children OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And according to the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen;
Brenton Septuagint TranslationAnd they came to us, as the good hand of our God was upon us, even a man of understanding of the sons of Mooli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, and at the commencement came his sons and his brethren, eighteen.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Ezra Sends for the Levites… 17And 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. 18And since the gracioushandof our Godwas upon us,they broughtusSherebiah—a manof insightfrom the descendantsof Mahlisonof Levi,the sonof Israel—along with his sonsand brothers,18men;19also Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah, from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and their sons, 20 men.…
Cross References Nehemiah 8:7-9The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law as they stood in their places. / So they read from the Book of the Law of God, explaining it and giving insight, so that the people could understand what was being read. / Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the Law.
1 Chronicles 26:30-32From the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his relatives, 1,700 capable men, had charge of the affairs of Israel west of the Jordan for all the work of the LORD and for the service of the king. / As for the Hebronites, Jerijah was the chief of the Hebronites, according to the genealogies of his ancestors. In the fortieth year of David’s reign the records were searched, and strong, capable men were found among the Hebronites at Jazer in Gilead. / Among Jerijah’s relatives there were 2,700 capable men who were heads of families. King David appointed them over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh for every matter pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king.
1 Chronicles 23:4“Of these,” said David, “24,000 are to oversee the work of the house of the LORD, 6,000 are to be officers and judges,
1 Chronicles 15:22Chenaniah the head Levite was the director of the music because he was highly skilled.
1 Chronicles 9:13and 1,760 of their relatives, the heads of their families, able men for the work of the service of the house of God.
2 Chronicles 31:13-15Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers under the authority of Conaniah and his brother Shimei, by appointment of King Hezekiah and of Azariah the chief official of the house of God. / Kore son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the East Gate, was in charge of the freewill offerings given to God, distributing the contributions to the LORD and the consecrated gifts. / Under his authority, Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah faithfully distributed portions to their fellow priests in their cities, according to their divisions, old and young alike.
2 Chronicles 29:34However, since there were not enough priests to skin all the burnt offerings, their Levite brothers helped them until the work was finished and until the priests had consecrated themselves. For the Levites had been more diligent in consecrating themselves than the priests had been.
2 Chronicles 17:8-9accompanied by certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah—along with the priests Elishama and Jehoram. / They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD. They went throughout the towns of Judah and taught the people.
2 Chronicles 19:8-11Moreover, Jehoshaphat appointed in Jerusalem some of the Levites, priests, and heads of the Israelite families to judge on behalf of the LORD and to settle disputes. And they lived in Jerusalem. / He commanded them, saying, “You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the LORD. / For every dispute that comes before you from your brothers who dwell in their cities—whether it regards bloodshed or some other violation of law, commandments, statutes, or ordinances—you are to warn them, so that they will not incur guilt before the LORD and wrath will not come upon you and your brothers. Do this, and you will not incur guilt. ...
2 Chronicles 30:22And Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites who performed skillfully before the LORD. For seven days they ate their assigned portion, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
Acts 6:3-6Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will assign this responsibility to them / and will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” / This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, as well as Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. ...
Acts 13:1-3Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul. / While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” / And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
Acts 15:22-23Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among the brothers, / and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
Acts 20:28Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.
Romans 12:6-8We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith; / if it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; / if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Treasury of Scripture And by the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen; by the good hand Ezra 8:22 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 Godis upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrathis against all them that forsake him. Ezra 7:28 And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellers, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my Godwas upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me. Nehemiah 2:8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace whichappertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me. a man of understanding. Ezra 8:16 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding. Proverbs 24:3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: Jeremiah 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. Mahli Numbers 3:20 And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. Theseare the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers. 1 Chronicles 6:19 The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. And theseare the families of the Levites according to their fathers. Sherebiah Ezra 8:24 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them, Nehemiah 8:7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the peoplestood in their place. Nehemiah 9:4,5 Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani,and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the LORD their God… Jump to Previous DiscretionEighteenGoodHandIsraelLeviMahliSherebiahUnderstandingJump to Next DiscretionEighteenGoodHandIsraelLeviMahliSherebiahUnderstandingEzra 8 1.The companions of Ezra, who returned from Babylon15.He sends to Iddo for ministers for the temple21.He keeps a fast24.He commits the treasures to the custody of the priests31.From Ahava they come to Jerusalem33.The treasure is weighed in the temple36.The commission is deliveredAnd since the gracious hand of our God was upon usThis phrase emphasizes divine providence and favor, a recurring theme in the narrative of Ezra. The "gracious hand" signifies God's active involvement and blessing in the endeavors of His people. This concept is echoed in other scriptures, such as Nehemiah 2:8, where God's hand is also described as guiding and providing success. It reflects the belief that God's favor is essential for the success of any undertaking, especially in the context of returning from exile and rebuilding the community. they brought us Sherebiah
Sherebiah is introduced as a key figure in the journey back to Jerusalem. His name means "Yahweh has sent burning heat," which may imply zeal or fervor for God's work. Sherebiah's role is significant as he is later mentioned inNehemiah 8:7 as one of the Levites who helped explain the Law to the people, indicating his importance in spiritual leadership and education. a man of insight
This description highlights Sherebiah's wisdom and understanding, qualities essential for leadership and teaching. Insight, or discernment, is a valued trait in biblical leaders, as seen in Solomon's request for wisdom in1 Kings 3:9. It suggests that Sherebiah was not only knowledgeable but also capable of applying that knowledge effectively in guiding others. from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel
This lineage establishes Sherebiah's Levitical heritage, tracing back to Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob (Israel). The Levites were set apart for religious duties, and their genealogy was crucial for maintaining the purity of their service. Mahli, a descendant of Levi, is mentioned in1 Chronicles 6:19, affirming the continuity of the Levitical line and their role in temple service. along with his sons and brothers, 18 men
The inclusion of Sherebiah's family underscores the communal aspect of the return to Jerusalem. The number 18 may symbolize completeness or a significant group capable of fulfilling their duties. This collective movement reflects the restoration of the Levitical order and the importance of family and community in the worship and service of God. The presence of his sons and brothers also indicates a commitment to passing down religious responsibilities and traditions through generations. Persons / Places / Events 1. EzraA scribe and priest who led a group of exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem. He was instrumental in the spiritual and religious reform of the Jewish people. 2. SherebiahA Levite described as a man of insight. He was chosen to assist Ezra in the journey and the religious duties in Jerusalem. 3. MahliAn ancestor of Sherebiah, from the tribe of Levi, indicating the Levitical lineage which was important for temple service. 4. LeviThe third son of Jacob and Leah, whose descendants were set apart for religious duties in Israel. 5. The gracious hand of GodA recurring theme in Ezra, indicating divine favor and guidance in the endeavors of the Israelites. Teaching Points Divine Guidance and FavorRecognize the importance of seeking God's guidance in our endeavors. Just as God's hand was upon Ezra, we should seek His favor in our lives. The Role of Insight and WisdomValue insight and wisdom in leadership. Sherebiah was chosen for his insight, highlighting the need for wise and discerning leaders in our communities. Importance of Lineage and HeritageUnderstand the significance of spiritual heritage. The mention of Sherebiah's lineage underscores the importance of maintaining and honoring our spiritual roots. Community and CollaborationEmphasize the power of working together. Ezra's journey was successful because of the collective effort of many, reminding us of the strength found in community. Faithfulness in ServiceBe faithful in the roles God has given us. Sherebiah's commitment to his duties as a Levite serves as a model for our own faithfulness in service. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Ezra 8
How can the exclusive priestly role assigned to Aaron's descendants (Numbers 18:1-7) be historically verified given the sparse archaeological evidence for tribal lineages?
(Ezra 3:8-9) Why would Levites, rather than skilled foremen or Persian officials, be in charge of supervising construction under Persian rule?
Malachi 2:7-8 - Where is the historical or archaeological support that the priests actually corrupted God's covenant in this manner?
Why do Nehemiah 8:9-12 command people to rejoice instead of mourning if they had just realized their past failures?(18) A man of understanding.--Probably a proper name, Ishsekel. This is required by the "and" before "Sherebiah," who was a Levite, referred to by Nehemiah ( Ezra 8:7). Verse 18. - By the good hand of our God upon us. This is Ezra's usual mode of acknowledging the good providence and favour of Almighty God (see Ezra 7:6, 9, 27; and Ezra 8:31). Similar expressions occur also in Nehemiah ( Nehemiah 2:8, 18), but not elsewhere in Scripture. A man of understanding. In the Hebrew Ish-sekel, which some take for a proper name, but without any necessity. No such name is known to have existed; and the real name of "the man of understanding" appears to have been "Sherebiah," who is mentioned more than once in Nehemiah ( Nehemiah 8:7; Nehemiah 9:4, 5) as a chief Levite. And Sherebiah should be simply "Sherebiah." The preposition "and" (Hebrew ן) has been inserted by a careless copyist.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew And since the graciousהַטּוֹבָ֤ה(haṭ·ṭō·w·ḇāh)Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 2896:Pleasant, agreeable, goodhandכְּיַד־(kə·yaḏ-)Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027:A handof our Godאֱלֹהֵ֨ינוּ(’ĕ·lō·hê·nū)Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 430:gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlativewas upon us,עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙(‘ā·lê·nū)Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's 5921:Above, over, upon, againstthey broughtוַיָּבִ֨יאּוּ(way·yā·ḇî’·’ū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 935:To come in, come, go in, gousלָ֜נוּ(lā·nū)Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's HebrewSherebiah—וְשֵׁרֵֽבְיָ֛ה(wə·šê·rê·ḇə·yāh)Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8274:Sherebiah -- 'Yah has sent burning heat', an Israelite namea manאִ֣ישׁ(’îš)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 376:A man as an individual, a male personof insightשֶׂ֔כֶל(śe·ḵel)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7922:Intelligence, successfrom the descendantsמִבְּנֵ֣י(mib·bə·nê)Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121:A sonof Mahliמַחְלִ֔י(maḥ·lî)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4249:Mahli -- a Levite, also a son of Mushisonבֶּן־(ben-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121:A sonof Levi,לֵוִ֖י(lê·wî)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3878:Levi -- a son of Jacob, also the tribe descended from himthe sonבֶּן־(ben-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121:A sonof Israel—יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל(yiś·rā·’êl)Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3478:Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his descalong with his sonsוּבָנָ֥יו(ū·ḇā·nāw)Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1121:A sonand brothers,וְאֶחָ֖יו(wə·’e·ḥāw)Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 251:A brother, )18שְׁמֹנָ֥ה(šə·mō·nāh)Number - masculine singular
Strong's 8083:A cardinal number, eight, eighthmen;עָשָֽׂר׃(‘ā·śār)Number - masculine singular
Strong's 6240:Ten
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OT History: Ezra 8:18 According to the good hand of our (Ezr. Ez) |
