Definition: And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellers have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation [is] in Jerusalem,

Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse from Ezra 7:15. It’s a really important passage about returning lost treasures! Here's what it means in simpler terms: Basically, this verse is saying that the Jewish people of Jerusalem have left behind a huge amount of valuable treasure – silver and gold – and they’re asking the king to return it to God. Let’s unpack it further: “Ezra 7:15” : This refers to a specific event in ancient history. It's a record from the Old Testament. “And to carry the silver and gold…” : The people of Jerusalem, after a period of trouble or hardship (we don’t know exactly why, but it's mentioned), decided they wanted to give back this treasure. They were essentially saying, "We have something valuable that we need to return." “which the king and his counsellers have freely offered unto the God of Israel…” : This is key! The king (the ruler of Judah) and his advisors willingly gave this treasure to God. “Freely” means they gave it without any obligation or payment. “…whose habitation [is] in Jerusalem.” : This tells us that this treasure was stored and located within the city of Jerusalem, which was the center of Jewish religious life. So, putting it all together: The people of Jerusalem are returning a significant amount of wealth – silver and gold – to God after they were given it by the king willingly. It's a gesture of respect and seeking forgiveness for past mistakes or times of trouble. What’s the significance? This verse is important because it shows that even after a period of difficulty, the people of Israel were willing to return what they had received from God. It also highlights the importance of returning blessings and gifts to those who gave them. --- Do you want me to: Explain another verse? Discuss the historical context of this passage? Explore its symbolic meaning (e.g., how it relates to repentance)?