Ezra 7:9 states, "For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on him." Here's a breakdown of what it means:
"For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon;": This part specifies the departure date of Ezra and his group from Babylon. The "first month" refers to the month of Nisan (roughly corresponding to March/April in our calendar). So, they began their journey on the first day of Nisan. "To go up" is a common phrase in the Old Testament to describe traveling to Jerusalem, which was situated at a higher elevation.
"and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem;": This part specifies the arrival date in Jerusalem. The "fifth month" is the month of Av (roughly corresponding to July/August). So, they arrived on the first day of Av. This means the entire journey took roughly four months.
"according to the good hand of his God on him.": This is the crucial element of the verse. It attributes the successful and timely completion of the journey to God's favor and blessing on Ezra. The "good hand of God" is a phrase used several times in Ezra and Nehemiah to describe God's guidance, protection, and provision. It highlights that Ezra recognized that God was actively involved in making their journey successful. The trip from Babylon to Jerusalem was long and arduous, fraught with potential dangers from bandits and difficult terrain. The fact that they arrived safely and on time was seen as a clear indication of God's blessing.
In summary, the verse means:
Ezra and his group began their journey from Babylon to Jerusalem on the first day of Nisan and arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of Av, a journey of about four months. The writer attributes the success and safety of this journey to God's gracious guidance and protection, showing that God was actively working for Ezra and his people. This phrase emphasizes Ezra's faith and his belief that God was instrumental in the restoration of Jerusalem.
Ezra 7:9 states, "For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on him." Here's a breakdown of what it means:
"For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon;": This part specifies the departure date of Ezra and his group from Babylon. The "first month" refers to the month of Nisan (roughly corresponding to March/April in our calendar). So, they began their journey on the first day of Nisan. "To go up" is a common phrase in the Old Testament to describe traveling to Jerusalem, which was situated at a higher elevation.
"and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem;": This part specifies the arrival date in Jerusalem. The "fifth month" is the month of Av (roughly corresponding to July/August). So, they arrived on the first day of Av. This means the entire journey took roughly four months.
"according to the good hand of his God on him.": This is the crucial element of the verse. It attributes the successful and timely completion of the journey to God's favor and blessing on Ezra. The "good hand of God" is a phrase used several times in Ezra and Nehemiah to describe God's guidance, protection, and provision. It highlights that Ezra recognized that God was actively involved in making their journey successful. The trip from Babylon to Jerusalem was long and arduous, fraught with potential dangers from bandits and difficult terrain. The fact that they arrived safely and on time was seen as a clear indication of God's blessing.
In summary, the verse means:
Ezra and his group began their journey from Babylon to Jerusalem on the first day of Nisan and arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of Av, a journey of about four months. The writer attributes the success and safety of this journey to God's gracious guidance and protection, showing that God was actively working for Ezra and his people. This phrase emphasizes Ezra's faith and his belief that God was instrumental in the restoration of Jerusalem.
