Focused Passage

Ezra 4:1-5

Opposition to the Rebuilding Work

The enemies of Judah move from deceptive partnership to intimidation, accusation, and political force, causing the rebuilding work to stop until the prophetic renewal under Darius.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,

2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families, saying, “Let us build with you because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the time of King Esar-haddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”

3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.”

4 Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build.

5 They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

1 Chronicles 22:9 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 17:41 Classic cross-references Daniel 5:13 Classic cross-references Ezra 1:11 Classic cross-references Ezra 4:10 Classic cross-references

Original words

When the enemies צָרֵ֥י H6862 Noun - masculine plural construct of Judah יְהוּדָ֖ה H3063 Noun - proper - feminine singular and Benjamin וּבִנְיָמִ֑ן H1144 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular heard וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֔וּ H8085 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural that כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the exiles בְנֵ֤י H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct . . . הַגּוֹלָה֙ H1473 Article | Noun - feminine singular were building בּוֹנִ֣ים H1129 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural a temple הֵיכָ֔ל H1964 Noun - masculine singular for the LORD לַיהוָ֖ה H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular the God אֱלֹהֵ֥י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ H3478 Noun - proper - feminine singular

Verse 2

Cross-references

John 4:22 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 17:24 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 19:37 Classic cross-references Galatians 2:4 Classic cross-references Isaiah 37:38 Classic cross-references

Original words

they approached וַיִּגְּשׁ֨וּ H5066 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition Zerubbabel זְרֻבָּבֶ֜ל H2216 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . וְאֶל־ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition and the heads רָאשֵׁ֣י H7218 Noun - masculine plural construct of the families הָֽאָב֗וֹת H1 Article | Noun - masculine plural saying וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural . . . לָהֶם֙ Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural Let us build נִבְנֶ֣ה H1129 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural with you עִמָּכֶ֔ם H5973 Preposition | second person masculine plural because כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction like you כָכֶ֔ם Preposition | second person masculine plural we seek נִדְר֖וֹשׁ H1875 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural your God לֵֽאלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם H430 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural . . . אֲנַ֣חְנוּ H587 Pronoun - first person common plural and have been sacrificing זֹבְחִ֗ים H2076 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural to Him since וְלֹא H3808 Conjunctive waw | Preposition | third person masculine singular the time מִימֵי֙ H3117 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct of King מֶ֣לֶךְ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct אֵסַ֤ר אֵסַ֤ר H634 Esar-haddon חַדֹּן֙ H634 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Assyria אַשּׁ֔וּר H804 Noun - proper - feminine singular who brought הַמַּעֲלֶ֥ה H5927 Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular us אֹתָ֖נוּ H853 Direct object marker | first person common plural here פֹּֽה׃ H6311 Adverb

Verse 3

Cross-references

Nehemiah 2:20 Classic cross-references Ezra 3:8 Classic cross-references Acts 8:21 Classic cross-references Daniel 10:1 Classic cross-references Ephesians 2:12 Classic cross-references

Original words

But Zerubbabel זְרֻבָּבֶ֜ל H2216 Noun - proper - masculine singular Jeshua וְיֵשׁ֗וּעַ H3442 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular and the other וּשְׁאָ֨ר H7605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct heads רָאשֵׁ֤י H7218 Noun - masculine plural construct of the families הָֽאָבוֹת֙ H1 Article | Noun - masculine plural of Israel לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל H3478 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular replied וַיֹּאמֶר֩ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular - לָהֶ֨ם Preposition | third person masculine plural You have no לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle part לָ֣כֶם Preposition | second person masculine plural with us וָלָ֔נוּ Conjunctive waw | Preposition | first person common plural in building לִבְנ֥וֹת H1129 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct a house בַּ֖יִת H1004 Noun - masculine singular for our God לֵאלֹהֵ֑ינוּ H430 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural since כִּי֩ H3588 Conjunction we אֲנַ֨חְנוּ H587 Pronoun - first person common plural alone יַ֜חַד H3162 Adverb must build נִבְנֶ֗ה H1129 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural it for the LORD לַֽיהוָה֙ H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular the God אֱלֹהֵ֣י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל H3478 Noun - proper - feminine singular as כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative - הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular Cyrus כּ֥וֹרֶשׁ H3566 Noun - proper - masculine singular king מֶֽלֶךְ־ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Persia פָּרָֽס׃ H6539 Noun - proper - feminine singular has commanded us צִוָּ֔נוּ H6680 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common plural

Verse 4

Cross-references

Daniel 10:13 Classic cross-references Ezra 3:3 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 38:4 Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 4:1 Classic cross-references Isaiah 35:3 Classic cross-references

Original words

Then וַיְהִי֙ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular the people עַם־ H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct of the land הָאָ֔רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular set out to discourage מְרַפִּ֖ים H7503 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural . . . יְדֵ֣י H3027 Noun - feminine dual construct the people עַם־ H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct of Judah יְהוּדָ֑ה H3063 Noun - proper - feminine singular and make them afraid וּמְבַלַהִים H1089 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural - אוֹתָ֖ם H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine plural to build לִבְנֽוֹת׃ H1129 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

Verse 5

Cross-references

Daniel 11:2 Classic cross-references Nahum 1:11 Classic cross-references Acts 24:1 Classic cross-references Daniel 10:1 Classic cross-references Ezra 5:5 Classic cross-references

Original words

They hired וְסֹכְרִ֧ים H7936 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural counselors יוֹעֲצִ֖ים H3289 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural against them עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם H5921 Preposition | third person masculine plural to frustrate לְהָפֵ֣ר H6565 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct their plans עֲצָתָ֑ם H6098 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural throughout כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the reign יְמֵ֗י H3117 Noun - masculine plural construct of Cyrus כּ֚וֹרֶשׁ H3566 Noun - proper - masculine singular king מֶ֣לֶךְ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Persia פָּרַ֔ס H6539 Noun - proper - feminine singular and down to וְעַד־ H5704 Conjunctive waw | Preposition the reign מַלְכ֖וּת H4438 Noun - feminine singular construct of Darius דָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁ H1867 Noun - proper - masculine singular king מֶֽלֶךְ־ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Persia פָּרָֽס׃ H6539 Noun - proper - feminine singular

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