King James Version

What Does Ezra 8:29 Mean?

Ezra 8:29 in the King James Version says “Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers o...” — study this verse from Ezra chapter 8 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD.”

Ezra 8:29 · KJV

Context

27

Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold. fine: Heb. yellow, or, shining brass precious: Heb. desirable

28

And I said unto them, Ye are holy unto the LORD; the vessels are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the LORD God of your fathers.

29

Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD.

30

So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God.

31

Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.

Read Ezra 8 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Watch ye, and keep them—שִׁקְדוּ וְשִׁמְרוּ (shiqdu v'shimru, watch and guard/keep) are urgent imperatives. The שָׁקַד (shaqad, be wakeful, watch) implies vigilant alertness—etymologically related to 'almond tree' which blossoms early, thus 'early watcher.' The שָׁמַר (shamar, keep/guard) appears throughout Scripture for covenant-keeping (Deuteronomy 6:17) and priestly duty (Numbers 3:7-8). Both verbs together intensify the command: stay alert, guard carefully. This isn't passive custody but active vigilant protection.

Until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD—the עַד־תִּשְׁקְלוּ (ad-tishqelu, until you weigh) specifies terminal point: successful delivery. The לִפְנֵי (lifnei, before) indicates public accounting before שָׂרֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם (sarei hakohanim v'haLeviyyim, chiefs of the priests and the Levites) and רָאשֵׁי־הָאָבוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל (rashei-ha'avot l'Yisrael, heads of the fathers of Israel)—comprehensive leadership receiving custody. The בְּלִשְׁכוֹת בֵּית־יְהוָה (b'lishkot beit-YHWH, in the chambers of the house of the LORD) designates temple treasury rooms as final destination. The entire transaction occurs publicly with multiple witnesses, ensuring perfect accountability.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Temple treasury chambers (1 Chronicles 9:26, 28:11-12, Nehemiah 10:37-39, 13:4-13) stored not only precious metals but tithes and offerings. These rooms required Levitical guards (1 Chronicles 9:26) and careful inventory management. Ezra's insistence on public weighing before multiple authorities paralleled ancient Near Eastern commercial contracts requiring witnesses to verify transactions (evidenced in thousands of cuneiform tablets from Mesopotamia). This transparency protected both the treasure-bearers from false accusation and the community from embezzlement.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does the dual command ('watch and keep') teach about the intensity of vigilance required when handling sacred trust?
  2. How does public accounting before multiple witnesses demonstrate godly transparency in ministry leadership?
  3. In what ways should modern church financial management mirror Ezra's multi-layered accountability?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 15 words
שִׁקְד֣וּ1 of 15

“Watch”

H8245

to be alert, i.e., sleepless; hence to be on the lookout (whether for good or ill)

וְשִׁמְר֗וּ2 of 15

“ye and keep”

H8104

properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e., guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc

עַֽד3 of 15
H5704

as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)

תִּשְׁקְל֡וּ4 of 15

“them until ye weigh”

H8254

to suspend or poise (especially in trade)

לִפְנֵי֩5 of 15

“them before”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

וְשָׂרֵֽי6 of 15

“and chief”

H8269

a head person (of any rank or class)

הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֧ים7 of 15

“of the priests”

H3548

literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)

וְהַלְוִיִּ֛ם8 of 15

“and the Levites”

H3881

a levite or descendant of levi

וְשָׂרֵֽי9 of 15

“and chief”

H8269

a head person (of any rank or class)

הָאָב֥וֹת10 of 15

“of the fathers”

H1

father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application

לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל11 of 15

“of Israel”

H3478

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם12 of 15

“at Jerusalem”

H3389

jerushalaim or jerushalem, the capital city of palestine

הַלִּשְׁכ֖וֹת13 of 15

“in the chambers”

H3957

a room in a building (whether for storage, eating, or lodging)

בֵּ֥ית14 of 15

“of the house”

H1004

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

יְהוָֽה׃15 of 15

“of the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

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 8:29 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 8:29 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ezra 8:33-342 Timothy 4:51 Chronicles 26:20-26Mark 13:34-35Acts 20:31

Places in This Verse

JerusalemSettlement · Modern: Jerusalem · 31.78°N, 35.23°E955 verses across 37 books
View all places in Ezra 8 →

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