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.
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 7:23Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
- 1 Tim 2:1–2I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
- Jer 29:7And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
- Eph 5:2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
- Gen 8:21And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
- Lev 1:9But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
- Lev 1:13But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
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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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