Ezra 8:23 — Word Study
WLCוַנָּצ֛וּמָה וַנְּבַקְשָׁ֥ה מֵאֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ עַל־ זֹ֑את וַיֵּעָתֵ֖ר לָֽנוּ׃
BSASo we fastedtsûwm▸ [abstained from food, went without food] and petitionedbâqash▸ [besought, sought] our Godʼĕlôhîym [Elohim, the supreme God] aboutʻal thiszôʼth [specific situation] and He granted our requestʻâthar▸ [in His mercy, was entreated of us, answered, prayers, supplication]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַנָּצ֛וּמָה | and we fasted ! | Verb qal sequential imperfect first person common plural, suffix |
| וַנְּבַקְשָׁ֥ה | and we sought ! | Verb piel sequential imperfect first person common plural, suffix |
| מֵאֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ | from God our | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| עַל־ | on | Preposition |
| זֹ֑את | this | Particle |
| וַיֵּעָתֵ֖ר | and he was entreated | Verb, Niphal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| לָֽנוּ׃ | by us | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He granted our request. |
| KJV | So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us. |
| ASV | So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us. |
| YLT | And we fast, and seek from our God for this, and He is entreated of us. |
| WEB | So we fasted and begged our God for this, and he granted our request. |
| BBE | So we went without food, requesting our God for this: and his ear was open to our prayer. |
Where they part company is וַיֵּעָתֵ֖ר — see How Translations Differ.
The main verb leads the sentence, with additional actions and details following to clarify the context of their seeking.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbעָתַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Ezra 8:23
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Ezra's Return from Exilegenerated
Ezra 8:23 describes a moment of earnest seeking of God through fasting and prayer. Ezra and the people abstained from food to focus on their needs before God, demonstrating their dependence on Him for guidance and protection during their journey back from Babylon. This act of fasting is a common theme in the Old Testament, where it signifies humility and a desire for divine intervention.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nehemiah 9:1 | On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, with dust on their heads. |
| 2 | Esther 4:16 | “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! ” |
| 3 | Daniel 9:3 | So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. |
| 4 | Luke 2:37 | and then was a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. |
| 5 | Acts 10:30 | 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 |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 16 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — וַנָּצ֛וּמָה, va.na.Tzu.mahgenerated
The verb צוּם (tsuwm) means to fast or abstain from food, often for spiritual reasons. It is a primitive root that conveys the idea of covering over the mouth, indicating the act of fasting. In this context, it highlights the seriousness of their petition to God.
The parsing as a qal sequential imperfect first person common plural indicates that the action was performed by the group, emphasizing their collective commitment to seek God earnestly.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is וַנָּצ֛וּמָה, and we fasted, leading the sentence with two phrases following: a second verb phrase וַנְּבַקְשָׁ֥ה, and we sought, and a prepositional phrase מֵאֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ, from our God, indicating the source of their petition.
The structure emphasizes the actions taken by Ezra and the people, with the fast and the petition being central to their communication with God.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, וַנָּצ֛וּמָה is rendered as ἐνηστεύσαμεν (enēsteusamen), which directly translates to 'we fasted'. This choice maintains the original meaning of the Hebrew while fitting the Greek context.
The word וַיֵּעָתֵ֖ר is translated as ἐπήκουσεν (epēkousen), meaning 'He listened' or 'He answered', which reflects a divine responsiveness to prayer.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezra 8:23 tells us that Ezra and the people fasted and prayed to God about their journey, and God granted their request. This shows their reliance on God for help and guidance.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
They fasted to seek God's guidance and protection during their journey back from exile, demonstrating their dependence on Him.
It signifies that God listened to their prayers and responded favorably to their needs.
Fasting is often seen as a way to show devotion and humility before God, used in various contexts to express earnestness in prayer.
Yes, examples include Moses and Elijah fasting for spiritual strength, and Esther calling for a fast for the safety of her people.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some situations in my life where I can seek God through prayer and fasting?
- How can I show my dependence on God in my daily life?
- What does it mean to me that God listens to my prayers?
- How can I encourage others to seek God earnestly, as Ezra did?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezra 8:23 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleSo we fasted, and besought our God for this,.... Sought the Lord by fasting and prayer for a good journey, and preservation in it: and he was entreated of us; accepted their prayer, as Jarchi, so that they came safe to Jerusalem.
Read John Gill on Ezra 8 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryFor 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
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezra 8 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHe gave us some assurance of his gracious answer to our request.
Read Matthew Poole on Ezra 8 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsEzra 8:23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.Ver. 23. So we fasted] They put their holy resolution into execution: purpose without practice is like Rachel, beautiful, but barren. And besought our God for this] And they had it, Ezra 8:31. For fasting and prayer are like Jonathan’ s bow and Saul’ s sword, that never turned back or returned empty, 2 Samuel 1:22. God is a liberal rewarder of all such as in this sort diligently seek him, Hebrews 11:6 2 Chronicles 15:2. he will turn their fasting into feasting, their prayers into praises, Ezekiel 36:37 Zechariah 8:19. They shall have out their prayers either in money or money’ s worth; either in the very thing…
Read John Trapp on Ezra 8 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(15-31) The journey through Ahava to Jerusalem.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezra 8 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges23. for this] either prayed for this favour, or as in Ezra 9:15, ‘because of this’, i.e. on the ground of this mingled faith and self-abasement. and he was intreated of us] This phrase occurs also in Genesis 25:21; 2 Samuel 21:14; 2 Samuel 24:25; 2 Chronicles 33:13.
Read Cambridge on Ezra 8 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He granted our request.
So we fasted and begged our God for this, and he granted our request.
So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He granted our request.
So we fasted and prayed to our God about this, and he answered us.
Tyndale line
So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.
So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us.
So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us.
So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated by us.
So we fasted, aud besought our God for this: and he was intreated of vs.
Strictly literal
And we fasted, and besought our God for this; and he was entreated of us.
And we fast, and seek from our God for this, and He is entreated of us.
And we fast, and seek from our God for this, and He accepts our plea.
So we fasted and besought our God for this, and he suffered himself to be entreated by us.
So we fasted and sought God about this, and we pled to him.
From the Latin
And we fasted, and besought our God for this: and it fell out prosperously unto us.
Simplified
So we fasted and asked God to protect us, and he answered our prayers.
So we went without food, requesting our God for this: and his ear was open to our prayer.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text (MT) of Ezra 8:23 reads, "וַנָּצ֛וּמָה וַנְּבַקְשָׁ֥ה מֵאֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ עַל־ זֹ֑את וַיֵּעָתֵ֖ר לָֽנוּ׃" which translates to, "So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He granted our request." The Septuagint (LXX) agrees with the MT in meaning, as all seven words match in a word-by-word correspondence, although the word order and articles differ due to the nature of Greek syntax. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide differing readings for this verse, thus reinforcing the agreement with the MT and LXX in their overall message.
וַנָּצ֛וּמָה וַנְּבַקְשָׁ֥ה מֵאֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ עַל־ זֹ֑את וַיֵּעָתֵ֖ר לָֽנוּ׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Ezra 8:23
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
צוּם (tsuwm) is a Hebrew verb meaning to abstain from food or to fast. It is a primitive root that conveys the idea of covering over the mouth, indicating the act of fasting. The entries consistently define this word in the context of abstaining from food.
[צוּם] vb. abstain from food, fast
base
H6684 צוּם abstain from food, fast
6684 tsuwm tsoom
a primitive root; to cover over (the mouth), i.e. to
fast:--X at all, fast.
צוּם (tsum) — to fast.
(Qal) to abstain from food, fast
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-1cp | Suff — Verb qal sequential imperfect first person common plural · suffixHc/Vqw1cp/Sh
בָּקַשׁ (baqash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to seek or search out, often in the context of worship or prayer. It encompasses a range of actions including asking, desiring, and requiring. The verb can appear in different forms, such as Piel and Pual, indicating various nuances of seeking or being sought.
[בָּקַשׁ] 224 vb. seek
Pi.
seek to find
seek to secure
seek the face
desire, demand
require, exact
exact equivalent or penalty for
(late) ask, request
Pu. be sought
base
H1245 בָּקַשׁ seek
1245 baqash baw-kash'
a primitive root; to search out (by any method, specifically
in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after:--ask,
beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure,
(make) request, require, seek (for).
בָּקַשׁ (ba.qash) — to seek.
1) to seek, require, desire, exact, request
1a) (Piel)
1a1) to seek to find
1a2) to seek to secure
1a3) to seek the face
1a4) to desire, demand
1a5) to require, exact
1a6) to ask, request
1b) (Pual) to be sought
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-1cp | Suff — Verb piel sequential imperfect first person common plural · suffixHc/Vpw1cp/Sh
אֱלֹהִים (elohiym) is a plural noun meaning 'gods' or 'God,' often referring to the supreme deity in the Old Testament. It encompasses divine beings, rulers, and judges, reflecting divine majesty and power. The term can also denote angels and is used in a superlative sense. Notably, it is sometimes combined with יהוה (YHWH), the personal name of God.
אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.
pl. in number.
rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power
divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels
angels
gods
pl. intensive
god or goddess
godlike one
works of God, or things belongng to him
God
הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God
אֱלֹהִים = God
base
H430 אֱלֹהִים n. m. pl. . pl. in number. . rulers, judges, either asdivine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power
. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels
. angels
. gods
. pl. intensive . god or goddess
. godlike one
. works of God, or things belongng to him
. God
. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God
. אֱלֹהִים = God
430 'elohiym el-o-heem'
plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically
used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the
supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to
magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X
exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X
mighty.
see HEBREW for 0433
אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — God.
This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God"
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (LORD)-Elohe.
Combined with ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068)
אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (Gibeath)-elohim.
Combined with giv.ah (גִּבְעָה "Gibeath" H1389)
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/Sp1bp
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep — PrepositionHR
On
Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…
(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…
See HELIOPOLIS.
pain; force; iniquity
זֹאת (zot) is a demonstrative pronoun and adverb meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone or be used in apposition to a noun, often serving as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns to add emphasis. In poetry, it may function as a relative pronoun, though this is rare.
זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here
standing alone
In appos. to subst.
More oft. as pred.
It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.
In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)
With prefixes (in special senses)
base
H2063 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone
. In appos. to subst.
. More oft. as pred.
. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.
. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)
. With prefixes (in special senses)
2063 zo'th zothe'
irregular feminine of 2089; this (often used adverb):--
hereby (-in, -with), it, likewise, the one (other, same), she,
so (much), such (deed), that, therefore, these, this (thing),
thus.
see HEBREW for 02089
זֹאת (zot) — this.
1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, such
1a) (alone)
1a1) this one
1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another
1b) (appos to subst)
1b1) this
1c) (as predicate)
1c1) this, such
1d) (enclitically)
1d1) then
1d2) who, whom
1d3) how now, what now
1d4) what now
1d5) wherefore now
1d6) behold here
1d7) just now
1d8) now, now already
1e) (poetry)
1e1) wherein, which, those who
1f) (with prefixes)
1f1) in this (place) here, then
1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter
1f3) thus and thus
1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus
1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side
1f6) on this account
1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how
Pron — ParticleHTm
עָתַר (athar) means to pray or supplicate, specifically directed to God. It encompasses various forms of prayer, including entreating and making supplications. The word is built from a primitive root related to burning incense in worship, indicating a reciprocal relationship in prayer. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.
עָתַר pray, supplicate (always to God)
base
H6279 עָתַר pray, supplicate (always to God)
6279 `athar aw-thar'
a primitive root (rather denominative from 6281); to burn
incense in worship, i.e. intercede (reciprocally, listen to
prayer):--intreat, (make) pray(-er).
see HEBREW for 06281
עָתַר (a.tar) — to pray.
1) to pray, entreat, supplicate
1a) (Qal) to pray, entreat
1b) (Niphal) to be supplicated, be entreated
1c) (Hiphil) to make supplication, plead
Conj | V-Niphal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Niphal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/VNw3ms
נוּ (nu) — us.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person plural
HR/Sp1bp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bp
US, pronoun objective case of we.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Us , pron. [OE. us, AS. s; akin to OFries. & OS. s, D. ons, G. uns, Icel. & Sw. oss, Dan. os, Goth. uns, L. nos we, us, Gr. we, Skr. nas us. . Cf. Nostrum, Our.] The persons speaking, regarded as an object; ourselves; — the objective case of we. See We. “Tell us a tale.” Chaucer.
Give us this day our daily bread. Matt. vi. 11.
Us, pron. oblique case of we