King James Version

What Does Ezra 7:20 Mean?

Ezra 7:20 in the King James Version says “And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out o...” — study this verse from Ezra chapter 7 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house.”

Ezra 7:20 · KJV

Context

18

And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.

19

The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.

20

And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house.

21

And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,

22

Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. measures: Chaldee, cors

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house. This verse represents blank-check authorization. The Aramaic shear (שְׁאָר, 'remainder/what is needed') covers unforeseen expenses. Needful for the house of thy God establishes broad category—anything legitimately required for temple function qualifies for royal funding.

The phrase which thou shalt have occasion to bestow grants Ezra authority to determine needs and authorize expenditures. The verb nephaq (נְפַק, 'to go out/expend') indicates actual disbursement, not merely requesting permission. Ezra could draw directly from imperial treasury for legitimate temple needs.

The designation king's treasure house (beit ginzaya di malka, בֵּית גִּנְזַיָּא דִּי מַלְכָּא) refers to provincial treasury, not distant Persian capital. This made access practical. Theologically, this demonstrates God's ability to open national treasuries for His purposes. When God commissions work, He provides resources—often through unexpected channels.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Persian administrative records show the empire maintained provincial treasuries throughout satrapies. The 'Beyond the River' province (Abar-Nahara in Aramaic) had administrative centers at Damascus and possibly other cities. Ezra could access these funds for legitimate temple expenses without traveling to Susa or Persepolis.

This unprecedented financial authorization shows Artaxerxes' high regard for Ezra and commitment to supporting Jewish religious practice. It also reflects Persian policy of gaining subject peoples' loyalty through religious tolerance and support. The stability this created benefited imperial interests.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does God's provision through imperial treasury encourage faith when facing resource limitations in ministry?
  2. What accountability structures should accompany discretionary authority over financial resources in Christian contexts?
  3. How should believers respond when God provides abundantly beyond minimum needs for His work?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 13 words
וּשְׁאָ֗ר1 of 13

“And whatsoever more”

H7606

a remainder

חַשְׁחוּת֙2 of 13

“shall be needful”

H2819

necessity

בֵּ֖ית3 of 13

“for the house”

H1005

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

אֱלָהָ֔ךְ4 of 13

“of thy God”

H426

god

דִּ֥י5 of 13
H1768

that, used as relative conjunction, and especially (with a preposition) in adverbial phrases; also as preposition of

יִפֶּל6 of 13

“which thou shalt have occasion”

H5308

to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)

לָ֖ךְ7 of 13
H0
תִּנְתֵּ֕ן8 of 13

“bestow”

H5415

give

תִּנְתֵּ֕ן9 of 13

“bestow”

H5415

give

מִן10 of 13

“it out of”

H4481

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of

בֵּ֖ית11 of 13

“for the house”

H1005

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

גִּנְזֵ֥י12 of 13

“treasure”

H1596

treasure

מַלְכָּֽא׃13 of 13

“the king's”

H4430

a king

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Ezra. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Ezra 7:20 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Ezra 7:20 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ezra 6:4Ezra 6:8-18

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