Then they will be able to offer sacrifices of a sweet aroma to the God of heaven and to pray for the lives of the king and his sons.
Parallel translations
- WEB that they may offer sacrifices of pleasant aroma to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.
- KJV That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.
- NKJV that they may offer sacrifices of sweet aroma to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
- NASB so that they may offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the lives of the king and his sons.
- NLT Then they will be able to offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the welfare of the king and his sons.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The purpose of the provision is acceptable sacrifices and prayers for the king and his sons. Even a pagan ruler senses the value of intercession to the true God.
Overview
Darius wants the offerings to be 'of pleasant aroma to the God of heaven' and seeks prayer for himself and his heirs. While his motives mix piety and self-interest, the verse models how God's people are called to pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2). The 'pleasant aroma' language ultimately finds its fulfillment in Christ, who offered Himself as a fragrant sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:2).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Ezra 7:23Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for His house. For why should wrath fall on the realm of the king and his sons?
- 1 Tim 2:1–2First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone—
- Jer 29:7Seek the prosperity of the city to which I have sent you as exiles. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
- Eph 5:2and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.
- Gen 8:21When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done.
- Lev 1:9The entrails and legs must be washed with water, and the priest shall burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
- Lev 1:13The entrails and legs must be washed with water, and the priest shall bring all of it and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The return from exile and the rebuilt altar keep alive the hope of a greater restoration — the true return from our deeper exile of sin accomplished by Christ.
How Ezra 6:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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