And they delivered the king's commissions unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the people, and the house of God.

EZRA 8:36KJV
Know the Bible

Ezra 8:36 (KJV)

What does Ezra 8:36 mean?

Ezra 8:36 describes how Ezra’s group brought the Persian king’s written orders to officials responsible for the region. The officials then gave help to the returning people and to the house of God, the temple in Jerusalem.

The KJV’s “on this side the river” refers to the region west of the Euphrates River, which included Judah. The orders came from King Artaxerxes, whose letter in Ezra 7 authorized assistance for the temple.

The Hebrew behind Ezra 8:36

  • “commissions” — דָּת (dat): This word can mean an official order or decree. It points to written royal authority, not merely a personal request.
  • “lieutenants” — אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפַּן (ʾaḥashdarpan): The word refers to high officials, often called satraps, who governed large areas of the Persian Empire. The KJV’s “lieutenants” does not mean military officers of a modern rank.
  • “furthered” — נָשָׂא (nasaʾ): This word often means “lift” or “carry,” and here carries the sense of supporting or helping. It presents the officials as giving practical backing to the people and the temple.

Why Ezra 8:36 matters

  • The verse shows that the king’s permission reached local authorities. The orders were delivered to both the king’s “lieutenants” and the regional “governors,” who could act on them.
  • The help extended beyond the returning travelers themselves. The verse names both “the people” and “the house of God” as recipients of support.

Where else these words appear

“lieutenants” Hebrew H323 · used in 4 verses

  • Esther 3:12 Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.
  • Esther 8:9 Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.
  • Esther 9:3 And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.

“commissions” Hebrew H1881 · used in 21 verses

  • Deuteronomy 33:2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.
  • Esther 2:12 Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women,(for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)
  • Esther 4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

“governors” Hebrew H6346 · used in 27 verses

  • 1 Kings 10:15 Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.
  • Nehemiah 5:15 But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
  • Jeremiah 51:57 And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.

“side” Hebrew H5676 · used in 84 verses

  • Genesis 50:10 And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.
  • Joshua 7:7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!
  • 1 Samuel 31:7 And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.