What Does Ezra 2:69 Mean in the King James?
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.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse makes each giver’s capacity the measure of their contribution, so shared work grows through many different measures of giving.
THE MEANING
Shared work is sustained through contributions proportioned to each person’s capacity. Gold, silver, and garments gather into one store for the work and its service, making different measures common provision.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that a contribution only matters when it matches someone else’s amount: the measure here is each giver’s capacity.
THE ROOT
נָתְנוּ
natnu
GROWS FROM
נתן
n-t-n
To give, set, or place.
“gave” in this verse is natnu. The root holds giving together with setting or placing: what each person gives is placed into the work’s treasury. The verse ties that act to each giver’s capacity, so the shared provision can include contributions of different measures.
ALSO GROWS
natan: To give, set, or place.
נָתַן
This is the root form behind “they gave,” framing the contribution as something placed into the shared work.
mattanah: Gift, a thing given.
מַתָּנָה
The gift grows from the same root as the act of giving, joining what is contributed to the act that places it there.
netinah: Giving, a donation.
נְתִינָה
This form makes the act of giving itself visible as a branch of the same root.
כְּכֹחָם
kechocham
GROWS FROM
כוח
k-w-ḥ
Strength, capacity, or power.
The phrase translated “after their ability” carries the sense of giving according to their strength or capacity. The verse’s measure is personal capacity, allowing distinct contributions to become part of one common provision.
ALSO GROWS
koach: Strength, capacity, power.
כֹּחַ
This is the basic word in the phrase, making the giver’s strength the measure of the contribution.
koḥot: Strengths, powers; the plural of koach.
כּוֹחוֹת
The plural form keeps the same root idea while naming strength in its several measures.
אוֹצָר
otsar
GROWS FROM
אצר
ʾ-ts-r
To store or gather into a reserve.
“treasure” in this verse is otsar. The gift enters an otsar, a treasury or storehouse. The word pictures provision gathered and held for the work, so individual contributions become a shared reserve.
ALSO GROWS
otsar: Treasury, storehouse, or treasure.
אוֹצָר
This is the word used for the place receiving what is given.
atsar: To store up or gather into a reserve.
אָצַר
The verb shows the gathering action carried by the treasury’s root.
THE PATTERN
Shared work is sustained as each contribution enters according to the giver’s capacity.
And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD’s offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.THE THREAD
But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.Ezra’s “gave” and Chronicles’ “have given” share the Hebrew root נתן (natan), to give, set, or place. Chronicles opens the connection further by describing what is given as already coming from God’s hand.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us