Ezra 8:23
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So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He granted our request.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
This chapter gives us a more particular narrative of Ezra's journey to Jerusalem, of which we had a general account in the foregoing chapter I. The company that went up with him (v. 1-20). II. The solemn fast which he kept with his company, to implore God's presence with them in this journey (Ezr 8:21-23). III. The care he took of the treasure he had with him, and the charge he gave concerning it to the priests, to whose custody he committed it (Ezr 8:24-30). IV. The care God took of him and his company in the way (Ezr 8:31). V. Their safe arrival at Jerusalem, where they delivered their treasure to the priests (Ezr 8:32-34), their commissions to the kings lieutenants (Ezr 8:36), offered sacrifices to God (Ezr 8:35), and then applied to their business.
Open source ↗8:23 fasted . . . prayed: In the Old Testament, fasting often accompanied prayer as a demonstration of need before God (1 Kgs 21:9; 2 Chr 20:3; Neh 1:4; Dan 9:3).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem, and the hand of our God was upon us to protect us from the hands of the enemies and bandits along the way.
But if from there you will seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.
“Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish!”
And because they cried out to God in battle, they were helped against their enemies, and the Hagrites and all their allies were delivered into their hands. Because they put their trust in God, He answered their prayers.
So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
And the LORD will strike Egypt with a plague; He will strike them but heal them. They will turn to the LORD, and He will hear their prayers and heal them.
and then was a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, with dust on their heads.
Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this, the ninth hour. Suddenly a man in radiant clothing stood before me