Ezra 6:10 Meaning: Praying for the King

The word translated offer here is an Aramaic verb that means to draw near or bring close. It is the temple language of approach: the priests come before God with a gift. The same root was used when Nebuchadnezzar asked for an oblation and sweet odours to be offered to Daniel. So the king knows the vocabulary of worship.

Pleasant aroma (ni·cho·chin) recalls the smell of Noah's sacrifice after the flood, when God smelled the pleasing scent and promised never again to destroy every living thing. It is a smell of acceptance, of peace between heaven and earth.

And pray (tsela) is a simple Aramaic word for intercession. In Daniel's book it describes Daniel praying to God three times a day. Here it is used for praying on behalf of a Gentile ruler who may not know the God he asks others to honor. The force of the word carries the weight of standing before God for someone else.

Historic Christian teaching has seen this verse as an Old Testament foundation for praying for governing authorities. The Cambridge Bible connects it directly to Jeremiah's command to pray for the city of your exile. Matthew Henry notes that even a pagan king saw value in the prayers of God's people. Gill points out that the Jews prayed for others besides themselves, especially when asked. Different traditions read the sacrificial language through their own lenses. Some see a pattern for worship that includes intercession for leaders; others note that the prayer is for the life of the king, meaning not mere survival but the well-being of his reign. All agree that this verse shows God opens the hearts of rulers to seek the prayers of His people.

Some readers think Darius was demanding worship for himself, as if he wanted the Jews to treat him like a god. In fact, the sacrifices are directed to the God of heaven, not to the king. Darius asks them to pray for his life and his sons. He recognizes that the God of this temple has power that could benefit his dynasty. The mistake is confusing a request for intercession with a demand for adoration.

This week, when you hear the name of a leader in the news, pause and say a short prayer for that person. You are not endorsing them. You are doing what Darius asked of exiles: asking the God of heaven to grant them life, wisdom, and peace. The same God who heard the prayers of Jerusalem hears yours. Your intercession for those in authority is an offering as pleasing to Him as the incense of the temple. It changes you as much as it moves heaven.