Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezra 1:9

And this [is] the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,

9. chargers ] The word in the original does not occur elsewhere in the Bible. Its meaning is very uncertain: (1) the old Jewish interpretation quoted by Aben Ezra derived it from two words meaning ‘to collect’ and ‘a lamb’, and understood it to be applied to ‘vessels intended to receive the blood of victims’; (2) the LXX. translates by ‘wine-coolers’ ( ); (3) Esdras by ‘libation-vessels’ ( ); (4) another rendering, based upon a similar root in Arabic, Syriac and Ethiopic, is ‘baskets’.

knives ] The word in the original occurs here only in the Bible. Vulg. ‘cultri’. This rendering is very uncertain. Other interpretations are (1) ‘censers’, ( ) in 1 Esdras. (2) (?) ‘changes of raiment’ so apparently the LXX. possibly cf. Jdg 14:19. (3) ‘vessels adorned with network’ so Ewald comparing a similar word in Jdg 16:13; Jdg 16:19.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Chargers – The word in the original thus translated occurs only in this passage. Its meaning is doubtful. Some derive it from a Hebrew root, to hollow out, and translate cup or vessel.

Knives – This is another doubtful word, only used here. The etymology points to some employment of basket-work.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Large knives used in the killing of the sacrifices, which are here mentioned, because the hafts of them were made of or covered with gold or silver.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

And this is the number of them,…. Of the vessels delivered, as follows:

thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver; these, according to Ben Melech, were vessels in which water was put to wash hands in; but rather they were, as Aben Ezra observes from the Jerusalem Talmud r, vessels in which they gathered the blood of lambs and bullocks slain for sacrifices:

nine and twenty knives; which, because the handles of them were of gold or silver, were valuable, and might be very large knives, and what the priests used in slaying and cutting up the sacrifices.

r T. Hieros. Yoma, fol. 41. 1.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

9. Chargers Basins or cups. Sept. ; Vulg. phialae, drinking vessels. According to Aben Ezra, they were basins used for collecting the blood of lambs. Others take the word in the sense of baskets.

Knives . Commonly explained as the slaughter knives by which the sacrificial victims were killed. The feminine form of the same word is used in Jdg 16:13; Jdg 16:19, for braids of hair, whence Ewald conjectures that the meaning here is some sort of vessels adorned with plaited work. Bertheau suggests that they were coal-pans, or censers, like those mentioned in 1Ki 7:50.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Ezr 1:9 And this [is] the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,

Ver. 9. And this is the number of them ] Had they not been things of great price and use, they would not have been numbered: Son 6:8 , the queens and concubines are numbered how many; but not the virgins, that bring not forth fruit to God. Men use not to count how many pebbles they have in their yard, or piles of grass in their field, as they do how many pence in their purse, or sheep in their fold. When the Great God shall count his people’s flittings, bottle up their tears (as sweet water), book up their sighs (as memorable matters), Psa 56:8 , shall we not say of them as the Jews did of Lazarus, when Jesus wept, Behold, how he loves them? When the very hairs of their head are all numbered, Mat 10:30 , so that not one of them falleth to the ground without their heavenly Father’s knowledge, what store, think we, setteth he by their persons, by their performances? I know thy work, and thy labour, Rev 2:19 . I pity this people, they have been with me now three days, and fasting they are, and far from home, and faint they may, if sent away empty, Mat 15:32 . Lo, is not this a wonderful condescension, that Christ should consider tantos tantillos et tales, and reckon every circumstance of their service so particularly and punctually, that he might give to every man according to his works? Oh, his jewels, his book of remembrance, &c., Mal 3:16-17 ; See Trapp on “ Mal 3:16 “ See Trapp on “ Mal 3:17 “

Thirty chargers ] Serving to hold such parts of the sacrifices as were to be eaten by the priests and others.

Nine and twenty knives ] Sacrificing knives, richly hafted.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

chargers = basons or bowls. Hebrew. ‘agartal. In Numbers Ke’arah, plate or dish. Eng. “charger”, from French charger, to load. Hence used of both a dish and a horse.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

chargers of gold: Num 7:13, Num 7:19-89, 1Ki 7:50, 2Ch 4:8, 2Ch 4:11, 2Ch 4:21, 2Ch 4:22, 2Ch 24:14, Mat 14:8

nine: Mat 10:29-31

Reciprocal: Exo 25:29 – the 2Ki 12:13 – bowls 2Ki 25:15 – and such things

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1:9 And this [is] the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty {i} knives,

(i) Which served to kill the beasts that were offered in sacrifice.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes