Ezra 6:17They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
The setting
Jerusalem temple courtyard, 516 BC. Smoke rises from hundreds of animals as priests work systematically through the dedication offerings. Modern-day Temple Mount, Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: solemnly documenting sacred precision
The original word
chanukkah (חֲנֻכָּה) — dedication, the same word used for the Festival of Lights
Why it matters
The 12 goats represented the 12 tribes, including the 10 'lost' tribes - showing God's desire for all Israel to return
Read with care
What most readers miss in Ezra 6:17
These numbers are much smaller than Solomon's dedication - showing their humble circumstances but faithful hearts
Common misconceptionPeople see this as lavish celebration, but these numbers were modest compared to Solomon's temple. It shows faithful giving from limited resources, not abundance.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Ezra 6:17
Bible Genome reading
Ezra 6:17 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Ezra 6:17 comes from the book of Ezra, written during the Post-Exile period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is worship, with a comfort power of 50% and a tone that is reverent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include sacrifice, atonement, abundance. Notable phrases: one hundred bulls; sin offering for all Israel.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same worship
“Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one:”
— Deuteronomy 6:4
“and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
— Deuteronomy 6:5
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:”
— Ecclesiastes 3:1
“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”
— John 14:6
“Jesus said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM."”
— John 8:58
Your reflection
What does Ezra 6:17 mean to you, today?
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