Ezra 1:8 · Bible study
Ezra 1:8 Commentary: Sheshbazzar and the Return of the Temple Vessels
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Who is Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah? This verse records the transfer of temple vessels from Cyrus to Sheshbazzar, likely Zerubbabel, signaling the restoration
Research Summary
- Meaning: Cyrus entrusts the temple vessels to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah, through the treasurer Mithredath.
- Key words: gizbar (treasurer, Persian loanword), nasi (prince, tribal leader), yad (hand, under the authority of).
- Main debate: Is Sheshbazzar another name for Zerubbabel, or a separate official? Most commentators identify them as the same person.
- Theological theme: God’s restoration of worship and the Davidic line through the instrument of a foreign king.
- Best use: A demonstration of God’s faithfulness in small details, encouraging trust in His providence during times of transition.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Cyrus king of Persia had them brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.
WEB World English Bible 2000
even those, Cyrus king of Persia brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.
KJV King James Version 1769
Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
yea, Cyrus king of Persia bringeth them out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbereth them to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Cyrus king of Persia brought them forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Now Cyrus king of Persia brought them forth by the hand of Mithridates the son of Gazabar, and numbered them to Sassabasar the prince of Juda.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Sacólos pues Ciro rey de Persia, por mano de Mitrídates tesorero, el cual los dió por cuenta á Sesbassar príncipe de Judá.
E Ciro, rei da Pérsia, tirou-os por meio do tesoureiro Mitridate, o qual os deu contados a Sesbazar, príncipe de Judá.
Cyrus, roi de Perse, les fit sortir par Mithredath, le trésorier, qui les remit à Scheschbatsar, prince de Juda.
Aber Kores, der König in Persien, tat sie heraus durch Mithredath, den Schatzmeister; der zählte sie dar Sesbazar, dem Fürsten Juda' s.
En Kores, de koning van Perzie, bracht ze uit door de hand van Mithredath, den schatmeester, die ze aan Sesbazar, den vorst van Juda, toetelde.
Ciro, re di Persia, li fece ritirare per mezzo di Mithredath, il tesoriere, che li consegnò a Sceshbatsar, principe di Giuda.
A wyniósł je Cyrus, król Perski, przez ręce Mitrydatesa podskarbiego, który je pod liczbą oddał Sesbasarowi, książęciu Judzkiemu.
и вынес их Кир, царь Персидский, рукою Мифредата сокровищехранителя, а он счетом сдал их Шешбацару князю Иудину.
波斯 王 塞魯士派 庫官 米提利達 將這器皿拿出來，按數 交給猶大 的首領 設巴薩。
Even these Cyrus made Mithredath, the keeper of his wealth, get out, and he gave them, after numbering them, to Sheshbazzar, the ruler of Judah.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Ezra 1:8
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Ezra 1:8 describes the official transfer of the temple vessels from Cyrus's treasury to a designated leader. Mithredath (meaning 'given by Mithra') was the king's treasurer, Cambridge Bible notes the term gizbar is a Persian loanword, indicating a royal official over the privy purse. The key figure is Sheshbazzar, 'the prince of Judah.' Keil and Delitzsch, along with Gill and Barnes, identify him as Zerubbabel, the Davidic heir who led the return. Matthew Henry notes this orderly counting shows the care taken to restore what had been taken. The consensus holds that this verse is not bureaucratic detail but a sign of God's faithfulness: the vessels used in Solomon's temple are handed to the right leader at the right time.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Sheshbazzar = Zerubbabel: Most commentators (Keil & Delitzsch, Gill, Barnes, Cambridge) argue from cross-references: Sheshbazzar laid the temple foundation (Ezra 5:16), which Zerubbabel did (Ezra 3:8); he is called governor (Ezra 5:14) as Zerubbabel is (Haggai 1:1).
- Sheshbazzar = a Persian official: Adam Clarke mentions the possibility that Sheshbazzar was a Chaldean or Persian sent by Cyrus to assist the Jews, not a Jewish leader.
- Sheshbazzar = Daniel (rabbinic): Jarchi (cited by Gill) identified Sheshbazzar as Daniel, based on the meaning of the name 'joy in affliction,' but this conflicts with Daniel remaining in Babylon.
What is clear: Regardless of the exact equation, the verse records that the temple vessels were transferred from the Persian administration to a leader named Sheshbazzar who took responsibility for them and brought them to Jerusalem.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of Sheshbazzar | He is the recipient of the temple vessels, called 'the prince of Judah', and he oversees the return of the vessels to Jerusalem. | Most commentators (Keil & Delitzsch, Gill, Barnes, Cambridge Bible) identify him as Zerubbabel, the Davidic leader. A minority view, noted by Adam Clarke, suggests he may be a Persian or Chaldean official appointed by Cyrus. |
| Meaning of 'prince of Judah' | The title indicates a leader of the tribe of Judah, likely with royal Davidic lineage. | Some see it as a purely political title given by the Persians; others as a continuation of the Davidic line’s authority (see Haggai 1:1, Zechariah 4:6, which address Zerubbabel as governor). |
| Role of Mithredath | He was a Persian treasurer responsible for handling the vessels. | Nothing contradicting, but his name (meaning 'given by Mithra') points to Persian religion; Cambridge and Barnes discuss this as background, not as a doctrinal issue. |
| Extent of the vessel list | The current list (v. 9-11) totals 5,400 vessels, showing a significant restoration. | Some wonder if the numbers are symbolic or exact; the passage presents them as a factual inventory, and commentators generally accept the number as literal. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The verse sits within Cyrus's decree (538 BC) allowing Jews to return and rebuild the temple. The vessels mentioned had been plundered by Nebuchadnezzar and placed in the temple of his gods (2 Chronicles 36:7; Daniel 1:2). Returning them was a deliberate act of restoration, consistent with Cyrus's policy, attested in the Cyrus Cylinder, of restoring local cult objects to indigenous peoples.
The name Mithredath comes from Mithra, the Persian sun-god, and the title treasurer uses the Persian word gizbar (Lange and Cambridge Bible discuss this). This shows the imperial machinery at work, yet it also shows God using a pagan system to accomplish His purposes.
Sheshbazzar's identity is central. The commentaries note that Sheshbazzar is a Babylonian or Persian name, while Zerubbabel is Hebrew. Gill cites Josephus, who reports that Cyrus's letter names Zerubbabel as the recipient of the vessels. Wesley and Clarke explain 'Sheshbazzar' means 'joy in affliction' and 'Zerubbabel' means 'stranger in Babylon', two names for one man, reflecting his role as both a court official and the Jewish prince. The phrase 'the prince of Judah' (nasi) designates him as the tribal head of the Davidic line, which ties the restoration to God's covenant promises.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Ezra 1:8. The name ‘Sheshbazzar’ appears in the Masoretic Text and is consistently transmitted in the versions. The spelling of ‘Mithredath’ varies slightly (Mithridates in the Douay Rheims, Mithradata in Persian origin), but the Hebrew text is stable.
Reception History
Jewish tradition (as reported by Jarchi, cited by Gill) suggested Sheshbazzar was Daniel, but this view found little support because Daniel did not return to Jerusalem. Early Christian interpreters saw the return of the vessels as a type of the restoration of true worship after exile. Reformers like Matthew Henry emphasized the stirring of spirits, both Cyrus’s and the people’s, as the work of God. In more recent centuries, the verse has been used to show God’s sovereignty over history: He moves even pagan kings to fulfill His word. The careful counting of the vessels has been taken as a model for faithful stewardship in church administration.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The vessels are returned. God ensures that what was lost is brought back, the instruments of worship are restored to His people.
- The administration is orderly. Mithredath counts them out. Nothing is haphazard; God works through careful human systems.
- The leader is from David's line. Sheshbazzar (Zerubbabel) receives the charge, showing God’s covenant faithfulness.
Five-point outline
- The Provider, Cyrus, a pagan king, becomes the instrument of restoration.
- The Steward, Mithredath, the treasurer, handles the sacred objects with care.
- The Vessels, Gold and silver items, catalogued item by item, represent the continuity of worship.
- The Prince, Sheshbazzar, a Davidic heir, receives them as the rightful leader.
- The Promise, This transfer fulfills Jeremiah's word about the seventy-year captivity.
Illustration hooks
- A family heirloom lost in a move, then found and handed to the eldest child at a reunion. The joy of restoration.
- A government official who unexpectedly facilitates the return of stolen art to its original museum. Behind the paperwork, a story of justice.
- A church that lost its building in a fire, then received matching funds and a restored sanctuary. The list of items and the careful planning mirrors the counting here.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does the Bible include so many names and numbers? What is God teaching us through this detail?
- Does God still work through non-believing leaders in government today?
- How can we experience the 'return of the vessels', things lost in our own spiritual lives?
Leading a Discussion
This passage is often skipped as a mere inventory. But it reveals God’s attention to detail and His faithfulness to restore what was taken. The handover from a Persian treasurer to a Jewish prince shows God working through history to keep His promises. As you discuss, look for the threads of providence and leadership.
Discussion questions
- What do you notice about the people named in this verse? What are their roles?
- Why do you think the vessels are counted out rather than just handed over?
- The name Mithredath contains the name of a pagan god. What does that tell you about the culture of the time? How does God use people of different beliefs?
- Who was Sheshbazzar? Why does his identity matter? What does it mean that he is called 'the prince of Judah'?
- How does the return of these vessels connect to the larger story of the exile and restoration in Scripture?
- What does this verse teach about God’s character, especially His faithfulness and attention to detail?
- How might the careful counting of the vessels challenge or encourage you in your own life of faith?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Ezra 1:11 | All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand four hundred. Sheshbazzar brought all these up when the captives were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem. |
| Ezra 5:14 | The gold and silver vessels of God’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, those Cyrus the king also took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor. |
| Ezra 5:16 | Then the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of God’s house which is in Jerusalem. Since that time even until now it has been being built, and yet it is not completed. |
| Haggai 1:1 | In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, Yahweh’s word came by Haggai the prophet, to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, |
| Haggai 1:14 | Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of Yahweh of Armies, their God, |
| Haggai 2:2 | “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying, |
| Haggai 2:4 | Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says Yahweh. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ says Yahweh, ‘and work, for I am with you,’ says Yahweh of Armies. |
| Zechariah 4:6 | Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is Yahweh’s word to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says Yahweh of Armies. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke offers two possibilities for Sheshbazzar's identity. He may be the Chaldean name for Zerubbabel, with each name reflecting a different aspect of his experience (captivity or release). Alternatively, he could be a separate Persian or Chaldean official sent by Cyrus to assist the returning Jews.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws attention to the name Mithredath, meaning "given by Mithra," as evidence that Persian sun‑worship was already established in Cyrus’s era. He identifies Sheshbazzar as Zerubbabel, noting his royal lineage.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge commentary argues that Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel are the same person, with Sheshbazzar being his Babylonian court name and Zerubbabel his name among his own people. It also notes that the phrase "by the hand of" is better translated "into the hand of," indicating the vessels were given into Mithredath's charge.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Note highlights the orderly transfer of the temple vessels: Cyrus himself brought them out
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues that Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah who received the temple vessels from Cyrus, was actually Zerubbabel. He rejects the Jewish tradition that it was Daniel, since Daniel remained in Babylon while Sheshbazzar led the return to Jerusalem. Gill notes that the two names refer to the same man, with Sheshbazzar meaning he rejoiced in tribulation.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB identifies Shesh-bazzar as Zerubbabel, the hereditary prince of Judah. Zerubbabel was his family name meaning exile in Babylon, while Shesh-bazzar, meaning fire-worshipper, was the name given him at the Persian court, similar to how Daniel and his friends received new names.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that Sheshbazzar, the prince who received the temple vessels from Cyrus, is actually the Chaldee name for Zerubbabel. They base this on the fact that Sheshbazzar laid the temple’s foundation, a task elsewhere attributed to Zerubbabel, and note that a Jewish leader having both a Hebrew and a Babylonian name follows the pattern of Daniel and his companions.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees Cyrus's decree as a profound act of divine fulfillment: God makes a heathen king his willing instrument. For Lange, this marks a turning point where the world power, once used to judge Israel, now serves God's positive redemptive purposes and prepares for the rebuilding of his temple.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry points out that the same God who stirred Cyrus to issue the decree also stirred the people to respond. The leaders and priests went first, setting an example, but the willingness to return came from God's Spirit, not human effort.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights the meaning behind Zerubbabel's two names. The Babylonians called him Sheshbazzar, meaning "Joy in tribulation," while his own people called him Zerubbabel, "a stranger in Babylon." Regardless of his high position, Zerubbabel saw himself as an alien in exile.