They rejoiced because God’s favor and sovereignty transcended earthly powers, granting them success and unity in rebuilding His house.
“And they observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the LORD had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to encourage them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.” (Ezra 6:22) In this verse, we see the returned exiles in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a feast that directly followed the Passover observance and required the removal of leaven from the community. This feast took place in Jerusalem, the center of spiritual life for the people of Judah. Jerusalem is located in the hill country of Judea, roughly 50 miles inland from the Mediterranean Sea. During this time period, around 516 BC, the newly rebuilt temple was completed under the Persian king Darius I, who is referred to here in somewhat older titles like “the king of Assyria” (Ezra 6:22), reflecting how the Persian Empire had absorbed the territories once held by the Assyrian Empire.
In this account, God’s faithfulness is on display as “the LORD had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them” (Ezra 6:22). Even a foreign ruler recognized God’s hand and encouraged the people to continue their efforts in restoring the temple, which was central to Jewish worship and identity. The king’s supportive stance illustrates how God can influence authorities and nations to accomplish His purposes. This moment harkens back to earlier scriptural narratives of God moving pagan kings, such as how He guided Pharaoh’s actions at times (Exodus 11:10), or how He used Cyrus to aid the Jewish return from exile (2 Chronicles 36:22-23).
Additionally, this joyful observance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread punctuates the theme that obedience and celebration go hand in hand. The feast itself pointed to God’s deliverance of His people from bondage in Egypt, and the returned exiles now commemorated a fresh deliverance—the return from Babylonian captivity. In the broader biblical narrative, this foreshadows the ultimate deliverance found in Jesus (John 8:36), where the physical return from exile finds its spiritual parallel in salvation from sin.
Set to dark mode
Ezra 6:22 meaning
“And they observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the LORD had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to encourage them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.” (Ezra 6:22) In this verse, we see the returned exiles in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a feast that directly followed the Passover observance and required the removal of leaven from the community. This feast took place in Jerusalem, the center of spiritual life for the people of Judah. Jerusalem is located in the hill country of Judea, roughly 50 miles inland from the Mediterranean Sea. During this time period, around 516 BC, the newly rebuilt temple was completed under the Persian king Darius I, who is referred to here in somewhat older titles like “the king of Assyria” (Ezra 6:22), reflecting how the Persian Empire had absorbed the territories once held by the Assyrian Empire.
In this account, God’s faithfulness is on display as “the LORD had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them” (Ezra 6:22). Even a foreign ruler recognized God’s hand and encouraged the people to continue their efforts in restoring the temple, which was central to Jewish worship and identity. The king’s supportive stance illustrates how God can influence authorities and nations to accomplish His purposes. This moment harkens back to earlier scriptural narratives of God moving pagan kings, such as how He guided Pharaoh’s actions at times (Exodus 11:10), or how He used Cyrus to aid the Jewish return from exile (2 Chronicles 36:22-23).
Additionally, this joyful observance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread punctuates the theme that obedience and celebration go hand in hand. The feast itself pointed to God’s deliverance of His people from bondage in Egypt, and the returned exiles now commemorated a fresh deliverance—the return from Babylonian captivity. In the broader biblical narrative, this foreshadows the ultimate deliverance found in Jesus (John 8:36), where the physical return from exile finds its spiritual parallel in salvation from sin.