1 esdras 3:8 - And then they wrote every one his sentence, and set to their seals, and laid the writing under king Darius his pillow,

Generated Verse: 1 esdras 3:8

What does "1 esdras 3:8" mean?


This verse from 1 Esdras 3:8 describes a crucial moment in the story of the contest among three guards of King Darius, each tasked with writing what they believe is the strongest thing in the world. The verse breaks down as follows:

"And then they wrote every one his sentence...": Each of the three guards (essentially, contestants) wrote down their individual answer or proposition about what is the strongest thing. So, one wrote "Wine," another "The King," and the third "Women; but above all things Truth beareth away the victory."

"...and set to their seals...": They stamped their documents with their personal seals. This acted as a signature and a method of authentication, verifying that the writing truly belonged to them and couldn't be altered later. It was a common practice in ancient times to seal important documents for security and validation.

"...and laid the writing under king Darius his pillow": The sealed documents were placed under King Darius's pillow. This was done so that Darius would find them first thing in the morning when he woke up. It indicated a sense of formality and importance, ensuring the king would personally review and judge their entries.

In essence, the verse describes the completion of the first phase of the contest: writing, sealing, and submitting their entries for the king's consideration. Placing them under the pillow guarantees the king's immediate attention to the matter.

The act of writing, sealing, and placing the document under the king's pillow emphasizes:

Formality: The contest is treated seriously.
Security: The seals ensure the writings are authentic and unaltered.
Importance: Placing the documents under the king's pillow signifies their significance and the king's personal involvement in resolving the contest.

This verse sets the stage for the next part of the story, where King Darius will read and judge the entries to determine who has presented the most compelling argument and will be rewarded for their wisdom. The outcome of this contest has profound consequences in the rest of 1 Esdras as it is through this contest that Zerubbabel wins Darius' favor, which in turn leads to Zerubbabel's mission to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.

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