Ezra 2:69 · Bible study
Ezra 2:69 Commentary: Giving According to Their Strength
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study Ezra 2:69. The returning exiles gave generously for the temple. Examine the darics, minas, priestly garments, and the debated numbers beside Nehemiah 7.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The heads of families gave proportionate offerings from their limited resources for rebuilding the temple.
- Key words: “ability” (koach = strength, power, Cambridge Bible notes it means literal strength, not wealth elsewhere); “treasury” (otsar = storehouse for sacred funds); “work” (melakhah = the temple-building project); “daric” (darkemon = Persian gold coin); “mina” (maneh = a weight or coin of 60-100 shekels).
- Main debate: The numbers differ from Nehemiah 7:70-72, Keil and Delitzsch propose textual rounding or errors; Cambridge offers a detailed reconciliation by including contributions from the Tirshatha and the people.
- Theological theme: Stewardship as freewill sacrifice: the exiles gave before their own needs were met, trusting God to sustain them.
- Best use: Sermon series on giving, restoration, or biblical unity in historical accounts; small-group study on sacrificial generosity.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
According to their ability, they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priestly garments.
WEB World English Bible 2000
They gave according to their ability into the treasury of the work sixty-one thousand darics of gold, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priests’ garments.
KJV King James Version 1769
They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests’ garments.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
they gave after their ability into the treasury of the work threescore and one thousand darics of gold, and five thousand pounds of silver, and one hundred priests’ garments.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
according to their power they have given to the treasure of the work; of gold, drams six myriads and a thousand, and of silver, pounds five thousand, and of priests' coats, a hundred.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
They gave after their ability to the treasure of the work sixty-one thousand darics of gold, and five thousand pounds of silver, and one hundred priests' coats.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
According to their ability, they gave towards the expenses of the work, sixty-one thousand solids of gold, five thousand pounds of silver, and a hundred garments for the priests.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Según sus fuerzas dieron al tesorero de la obra sesenta y un mil dracmas de oro, y cinco mil libras de plata, y cien túnicas sacerdotales.
Conforme sua capacidade deram ao tesouro da obra sessenta e uma mil dracmas de ouro, cinco mil libras de prata, e cem vestes sacerdotais.
Ils donnèrent au trésor de l’ œuvre, selon leurs moyens, soixante et un mille dariques d’ or, cinq mille mines d’ argent, et cent tuniques sacerdotales.
und gaben nach ihrem Vermögen zum Schatz fürs Werk einundsechzigtausend Goldgulden und fünftausend Pfund Silber und hundert Priesterröcke.
Zij gaven naar hun vermogen tot den schat des werks, aan goud, een en zestig duizend drachmen, en aan zilver, vijf duizend ponden, en honderd priesterrokken.
Dettero al tesoro dell’opera, secondo i loro mezzi, sessantunmila dariche d’oro, cinquemila mine d’argento e cento vesti sacerdotali.
A tak osadzili się kapłani i Lewitowie, i niektórzy z ludu, i śpiewacy, i odźwierni, i Netynejczycy w miastach swych, i wszystek Izrael w miastach swych.
По достатку своему, они дали в сокровищницу на производство работ шестьдесят одну тысячу драхм золота и пять тысяч мин серебра и сто священнических одежд.
他們量力 捐 入工程 庫 的金子 六萬一千 達利克，銀子 五 千 彌拿，並祭司 的禮服 一百件。
Every one, as he was able, gave for the work sixty-one thousand darics of gold, five thousand pounds of silver and a hundred priests' robes.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Ezra 2:69
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The heads of fathers' households gave according to their ability, the Hebrew phrase ke·kho·cham means literally “according to their strength” (Cambridge Bible). Commentators across traditions agree the gifts were substantial: 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priestly garments, all designated for the new temple. Yet a well-known discrepancy with Nehemiah 7:70-72 appears: Nehemiah records 41,000 darics and 4,700 minas, plus 97 garments. Keil and Delitzsch suggest the Ezra numbers are rounded totals or textual conflations; the Cambridge Bible offers a detailed breakdown showing the sums can be reconciled by including contributions from the Tirshatha and the rest of the people. The consensus is that the exact figures are less certain than the principle they embody: freewill giving from limited resources to restore God’s house.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Harmonization view: The Cambridge Bible shows that Ezra’s numbers can be reconciled with Nehemiah’s by including contributions from the Tirshatha (1,000 darics) and the rest of the people (20,000 darics), plus adjustments for garments.
- Textual error view: Keil and Delitzsch argue that the original reading of Ezra likely matched Nehemiah (41,000 darics, 4,700 minas) and that copyists introduced mistakes.
- Rounding view: Some commentators (e.g., Lange) suggest that Ezra gives round numbers (100 garments instead of 97; 61,000 instead of 41,000+offset) as a general total.
What is clear: The returning exiles gave generously, freely, and proportionally for the restoration of the temple and its worship.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Giving according to ability | The phrase means proportional giving based on one's resources, a principle echoed in 1 Corinthians 16:2 and the widow's mite (Mark 12:43-44). | Christians differ on whether this implies a fixed proportion (e.g., tithe) or flexible freewill offering determined by personal capacity. |
| Numbers in Ezra vs Nehemiah | Both accounts record the same event: generous gifts for the temple. The totals are comparable when rounded or when different donor groups are included. | Some scholars attribute the variation to textual corruption (Keil & Delitzsch); others see it as complementary reporting from different sources (Cambridge Bible). |
| Priestly garments | The 100 tunics were needed for temple worship, reflecting the community’s priority on proper liturgy (Exodus 28). | Interpreters vary on whether these garments were woven by the community or purchased, and whether the gift symbolizes practical readiness or spiritual preparation. |
| The role of the heads of fathers' households | These leaders acted as representatives for their families and tribes, taking responsibility for corporate giving. | Protestant traditions emphasize individual accountability; Catholic and Orthodox traditions highlight the representative role of family leaders within a covenantal community. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ezra 2 is a register of the first wave of exiles returning to Judah under Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:2). The Persian king Cyrus had decreed the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple in 538 BC (Ezra 1:1-4), and the returning community arrived to find the site desolate. The “treasury of the work” was the storehouse for materials and funds needed to reconstruct the sanctuary.
The daric was a Persian gold coin, named after the kneeling archer pictured on it, a king holding a bow (Cambridge). Clarke valued the 61,000 darics at roughly £76,250 in his day, a fortune for a displaced people. The mina (or maneh) was a unit of weight or coinage: one mina of silver equaled 100 shekels (or 60, depending on the standard). The five thousand minas Clarke estimated at £45,000. Priest’s garments (tunics) were needed to restore the daily liturgy (Exodus 28:40-43).
The parallel account in Nehemiah 7:70-72 assigns gifts to the Tirshatha (the governor), the heads of families, and the rest of the people, whereas Ezra 2:69 credits the entire sum to the heads alone. This difference likely reflects how the funds were recorded, Ezra may have used a collective report, while Nehemiah gave a detailed breakdown. The numbers vary, but the historical situation is clear: a people with modest means gave sacrificially to reestablish worship at the temple.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note no significant textual variant within Ezra 2:69 itself. However, the parallel numbers in Nehemiah 7:70-72 differ substantially, Keil and Delitzsch argue for a textual error in Ezra, suggesting the original reading was 41,000 darics and 4,700 minas (as in Nehemiah). The Cambridge Bible offers a harmonization instead, showing that the Ezra figures may be rounded totals that include gifts from the Tirshatha and the people. The Masoretic Text of Ezra stands as received; no alternative readings are cited from manuscripts for this verse.
Reception History
Early interpreters such as the Jewish historian Josephus (Antiquities 11.1-3) praised the exiles for their generosity, linking it to prophetic promises of restoration. The church fathers (e.g., Chrysostom on almsgiving) cited the passage as an example of sacrificial giving in times of hardship. In the Reformation, Matthew Henry noted that the people gave “after their ability,” highlighting the principle that God accepts gifts proportionate to means. Calvin referenced the verse in discussing freewill offerings for church building. Modern historical-critical scholarship, as seen in Keil and Delitzsch, focuses on reconciling the numbers with Nehemiah, while still affirming the underlying historical event. The passage continues to be used in stewardship sermons and in discussions of biblical inerrancy due to the parallel accounts.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Giving according to ability: The phrase “after their ability” (literally “according to their strength”) sets a principle, proportional giving based on what one has, not what one lacks (Cambridge Bible).
- Generous giving for the work: The darics, minas, and garments represent real sacrifices from a struggling community. Their gifts were not leftovers but firstfruits for God’s house (Ezra 1:6).
- Unity in contribution: The heads of fathers’ households acted on behalf of their families. The gifts were corporate, not individualistic, the whole community shared in the offering.
Five-point outline
- The context of return: The exiles had just arrived, with few resources. Horses, mules, and camels are listed first (vv.66-67), these were practical needs, not surplus. Yet they gave.
- “Into the treasury of the work”: The funds were designated for the specific purpose of rebuilding the temple. This was sacred giving, not general charity.
- Gold and silver: The large sums, equivalent to perhaps £120,000 total (Clarke), show that the people trusted God to provide for their future.
- Priestly garments: The gift of 100 tunics underscores the priority of worship. Before the altar could be used, priests needed proper vestments. Giving included liturgical preparation.
- The difference with Nehemiah 7: The numbers vary, but the message is identical: God’s people sacrificed willingly for His house. The discrepancy reminds us that biblical accounts may present complementary details, not contradictions.
Illustration hooks
- Church budget season: When a congregation pledges for a building project, the gifts reflect “according to their ability”, some give thousands, others give widow’s mites. Both are honoured.
- Mission trip fund: A small church sends a team overseas; members donate travel miles, luggage, supplies. The collective gift mirrors the exiles’ pooled resources.
- Recovery after disaster: After a hurricane, a community rebuilds its meeting place. Everyone gives time, money, materials, “according to their strength.”
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God provided for the exiles so generously, can we trust Him when we face a big project?
- Why does the Bible give different numbers in Ezra and Nehemiah, does this affect trust in Scripture?
- Should our giving be proportional to income, or is a fixed amount acceptable?
Leading a Discussion
Ezra 2:69 records the freewill offerings of the returning exiles for rebuilding the temple. This passage invites us to examine our own priorities in giving for God’s work, especially when resources are scarce and the need is great.
Discussion questions
- Read Ezra 2:68-70. What motivated the heads of fathers’ households to give so generously? (Use v.68: “of their own free will.”)
- The phrase “according to their ability” (literally “according to their strength”) appears here. What does that suggest about the nature of their giving?
- Compare the numbers in Ezra 2:69 with Nehemiah 7:70-72. Why do you think the figures differ? How do you respond to such discrepancies in Scripture?
- Priests’ garments were included in the offering. Why would clothing be an important gift for the temple? (See Exodus 28:40-43 for context.)
- This offering was collective, the heads of family groups gave on behalf of their households. How does corporate giving (church-wide pledges, building funds) differ from individual giving in your experience?
- If the exiles could give large sums from their limited resources, what might that say to our tendency to wait until we have “enough” before giving?
- How can your group apply the principle of “giving according to ability” in the coming year, not just money, but time and skills for the church’s work?
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)
| I Kings 7:51 | Thus all the work that King Solomon did in Yahweh’s house was finished. Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated—the silver, the gold, and the vessels—and put them in the treasuries of Yahweh’s house. |
| I Chronicles 22:14 | Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for Yahweh’s house one hundred thousand talents of gold, one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron without weight; for it is in abundance. I have also prepared timber and stone; and you may add to them. |
| I Chronicles 26:20 | Of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of God’s house and over the treasures of the dedicated things. |
| I Chronicles 26:28 | All that Samuel the seer, Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah had dedicated, whoever had dedicated anything, it was under the hand of Shelomoth and of his brothers. |
| Ezra 8:25 | and weighed to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, his counselors, his princes, and all Israel there present, had offered. |
| Ezra 8:34 | Everything was counted and weighed; and all the weight was written at that time. |
| Nehemiah 7:71 | Some of the heads of fathers’ households gave into the treasury of the work twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand two hundred minas of silver. |
| Nehemiah 7:72 | That which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, plus two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven priests’ garments. |
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
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke breaks down the gold and silver into their Persian coin equivalents: darics for the gold and minas for the silver, putting the total value around 120,000. He then observes that even in the midst of judgment, God remembered mercy and gave the people such favor in their captivity.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
The numbers here and in Nehemiah (see the marginal reference) vary.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes an apparent discrepancy between the totals in Ezra and the breakdown in Nehemiah, then shows how the figures align when the contributions of the Tirshatha, heads of fathers' houses, and the rest of the people are combined. The commentator treats the larger Ezra sum as a round-number summary of the more detailed Nehemiah list.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that the people gave according to their individual ability, not a fixed amount. It records the specific totals in gold, silver, and priestly garments to show that the offering was both generous and diverse, with each contributor bringing what they could.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that scholars disagree on the exact value of the gold and silver given for the temple, offering different conversions from ancient Persian and Hebrew weights into modern English currency. He reports the varying totals without settling on one figure, and he adds that the hundred priests' garments were stored among the treasures for temple use.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB clarifies that the "drams of gold" are actually Persian darics, a specific coin. The gifts of priests' garments and other usable items, though odd to Western readers, fit perfectly with Eastern customs and expectations for appropriate offerings.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch reconcile the donation amounts in this passage with the parallel account in Nehemiah, explaining that the differences come from textual errors and the use of round numbers in Ezra. They also defend the orderly placement of the people between priests and singers as fitting, arguing against critics who would rearrange it.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that the returning exiles numbered more than double those taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar. He sees this as a pattern from Egypt: affliction can become a season of increase under God's blessing. Though the group seemed small to begin a nation, he notes they later multiplied greatly, fulfilling the ancient promise to their fathers.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley calculates the value of the gold mentioned, noting that 61,000 drams amount to more than the same number of English pounds. He also cites Bishop Cumberland's estimate that the silver was worth about 37,000 pounds sterling, providing a concrete monetary sense for the passage.