This verse from 1 Esdras 4:46 is a direct plea to King Darius, urging him to fulfill a vow he made to God (the "King of Heaven"). Let's break down the verse to understand its meaning:
"And now, O lord the king, this is that which I require, and which I desire of you..." This is a polite but direct statement laying out the speaker's request to the king. The speaker is being assertive but respectful.
"...and this is the princely generosity that shall proceed from you..." This appeals to the king's sense of honor and his reputation as a generous and noble ruler. It implies that fulfilling the vow is an act befitting a king of his stature. This is essentially flattery meant to encourage the desired action.
"I pray therefore that you make good the vow, the performance whereof you have vowed to the King of heaven with your own mouth." This is the core of the request. The speaker is reminding Darius of a specific vow he made to God, emphasizing that he swore it himself. The phrase "King of heaven" is a title for God, reminding Darius that his vow was made to a higher power. It presses the importance of keeping that vow as a matter of religious and personal integrity.
In essence, the verse is a persuasive argument using a combination of directness, flattery, and a reminder of religious duty to convince King Darius to fulfill a vow he made to God.
The speaker is likely someone who is deeply invested in the matter the vow concerns. This part of 1 Esdras tells the story of Zerubbabel winning a contest to describe what is strongest in the world. Darius made a vow to do whatever Zerubbabel asks if he wins. Now Zerubbabel is reminding Darius of that vow and is about to ask him to allow the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem and the return of the Jewish people.
This verse from 1 Esdras 4:46 is a direct plea to King Darius, urging him to fulfill a vow he made to God (the "King of Heaven"). Let's break down the verse to understand its meaning:
"And now, O lord the king, this is that which I require, and which I desire of you..." This is a polite but direct statement laying out the speaker's request to the king. The speaker is being assertive but respectful.
"...and this is the princely generosity that shall proceed from you..." This appeals to the king's sense of honor and his reputation as a generous and noble ruler. It implies that fulfilling the vow is an act befitting a king of his stature. This is essentially flattery meant to encourage the desired action.
"I pray therefore that you make good the vow, the performance whereof you have vowed to the King of heaven with your own mouth." This is the core of the request. The speaker is reminding Darius of a specific vow he made to God, emphasizing that he swore it himself. The phrase "King of heaven" is a title for God, reminding Darius that his vow was made to a higher power. It presses the importance of keeping that vow as a matter of religious and personal integrity.
In essence, the verse is a persuasive argument using a combination of directness, flattery, and a reminder of religious duty to convince King Darius to fulfill a vow he made to God.
The speaker is likely someone who is deeply invested in the matter the vow concerns. This part of 1 Esdras tells the story of Zerubbabel winning a contest to describe what is strongest in the world. Darius made a vow to do whatever Zerubbabel asks if he wins. Now Zerubbabel is reminding Darius of that vow and is about to ask him to allow the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem and the return of the Jewish people.
