L’exil
Ezra's Praise for the King's Favor
Ezra praises the Lord, the God of our ancestors, for putting it in the king's heart to glorify the Lord's house in Jerusalem. He recounts that he found favor with the king, his counselors and officials, took courage because the hand of God was upon him, and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with him.
Esdras 7,27-28
27Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who put it into the king's heart to glorify the house of the LORD in Jerusalem,
בָּר֥וּךְ יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבוֹתֵ֑ינוּ אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֤ן כָּזֹאת֙ בְּלֵ֣ב הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לְפָאֵ֕ר אֶת־בֵּ֥ית יְהוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
28and who extended his steadfast love to me before the king, his counselors, and all the king's mighty officials. And I took courage, for the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.
וְעָלַ֣י הִטָּה־חֶ֗סֶד לִפְנֵ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וְיֽוֹעֲצָ֔יו וּלְכָל־שָׂרֵ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ הַגִּבֹּרִ֑ים וַאֲנִ֣י הִתְחַזַּ֗קְתִּי כְּיַד־יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהַי֙ עָלַ֔י וָאֶקְבְּצָ֧ה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֛ל רָאשִׁ֖ים לַעֲל֥וֹת עִמִּֽי׃ פ