The Meaning of Ezra 6:16 Explained

Ezra 6:16

KJV: And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,

YLT: And the sons of Israel have made, and the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the sons of the captivity, a dedication of this house of God with joy,

Darby: And the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy;

ASV: And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the children  of Israel,  the priests,  and the Levites,  and the rest  of the children  of the captivity,  kept  the dedication  of this  house  of God  with joy, 

What does Ezra 6:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezra 6:1-22 - Prospered In A Difficult Work
How much depended on the finding of that roll! But God knew where it was, and led them to discover it, and inclined Darius to ratify it. When we are anxious and troubled about our relations to our fellow-men, we do little by worrying, we do much by trusting. Missing documents, alien hearts, tangled skeins, all yield before the hand of our Father working for us. The difficulty raised by their foes really reacted for the benefit of the Jews, for the king decreed that their expenses should be met, and their needs supplied. When we are living upon God's plan and need material resources for His work, He will see that they are forthcoming from the most unlikely sources, and the revenues of heathen monarchs shall be laid under contribution. When the house was finished it was dedicated, Ezra 6:16. What joy was there but amid all a solemn memory of the sin of the whole people of Israel. Though scattered to the four winds, they could not forget that in God's sight they were one still. It is highly probable that Psalms 146:1-10; Psalms 147:1-20; Psalms 148:1-14; Psalms 149:1-9; Psalms 150:1-6 were composed at this time. In the Septuagint they are called the Psalms of Haggai. Burnt offering and song go together, 2 Chronicles 29:27. After the dedication was the Passover. Separation must ever precede our feasting on God's Paschal Lamb, and out of this state of heart, influences proceed which produce the true unity and drawing together of the children of God. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezra 6

1  Darius, finding the decree of Cyrus, makes a new decree for building
13  By the help of Tattenai and Shethar-Bozenai the temple is finished
16  The feast of the dedication is kept
19  and the Passover

What do the individual words in Ezra 6:16 mean?

And celebrated the sons of Israel priests the and Levites and the rest of the descendants of captivity the the dedication of house of God this with joy
וַעֲבַ֣דוּ בְנֵֽי־ יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל כָּהֲנַיָּ֨א וְלֵוָיֵ֜א וּשְׁאָ֣ר בְּנֵי־ גָלוּתָ֗א חֲנֻכַּ֛ת בֵּית־ אֱלָהָ֥א דְנָ֖ה בְּחֶדְוָֽה

וַעֲבַ֣דוּ  And  celebrated 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עֲבַד  
Sense: to make, do.
בְנֵֽי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן  
Sense: son, child.
יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
כָּהֲנַיָּ֨א  priests  the 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural determinate
Root: כָּהֵן  
Sense: priest.
וְלֵוָיֵ֜א  and  Levites 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵוָי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
וּשְׁאָ֣ר  and  the  rest 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שְׁאָר  
Sense: rest, remainder.
בְּנֵי־  of  the  descendants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן  
Sense: son, child.
גָלוּתָ֗א  of  captivity  the 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular determinate
Root: גָּלוּ  
Sense: exile.
חֲנֻכַּ֛ת  the  dedication 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֲנֻכָּה  
Sense: dedication.
בֵּית־  of  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת  
Sense: house (of men).
אֱלָהָ֥א  of  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: אֱלָהּ  
Sense: god, God.
דְנָ֖ה  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: דְּנָה  
Sense: this, on account of this adv.
בְּחֶדְוָֽה  with  joy 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶדְוָה  
Sense: joy.