And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.

EZRA 7:18KJV
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Ezra 7:18 (KJV)

What does Ezra 7:18 mean?

Ezra 7:18 gives Ezra and his fellow Jews permission to decide how to use the silver and gold left over from the gifts for the temple in Jerusalem. Their decision is to be guided by what their God wants, rather than by a detailed spending list from the king.

The words come from a letter issued by King Artaxerxes of Persia. After the purchases directed in verse 17, the king allows Ezra and his brethren to judge what would be good to do with the remainder.

The Aramaic behind Ezra 7:18

  • “good” — יְטַב (yeṭav): This word carries the sense of being pleasing or suitable. In the letter, Ezra and his brethren are allowed to judge which use of the money is suitable.
  • “will” — רְעוּת (reʿut): This word can mean desire or will. The king’s letter sets God’s will alongside the judgment of Ezra and his brethren as the guide for their decision.

Why Ezra 7:18 matters

  • The permission concerns the money that remains after a particular use. The phrase “the rest of the silver and the gold” follows the king’s instructions for purchases in verse 17.
  • Ezra is not asked to decide alone. The letter addresses what seems good “to thee, and to thy brethren,” giving his fellow Jews a part in the decision.

Where else these words appear

“will” Hebrew H7470 · used in 2 verses

  • Ezra 5:17 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

“rest” Hebrew H7606 · used in 10 verses

  • Ezra 4:9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,
  • Ezra 6:16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,
  • Daniel 7:7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

“whatsoever” Hebrew H4101 · used in 11 verses

  • Ezra 4:22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
  • Daniel 2:15 He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
  • Daniel 2:29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.

“silver” Hebrew H3702 · used in 13 verses

  • Ezra 5:14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;
  • Ezra 7:17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
  • Daniel 2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.