Ezra3
New International Version
1When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, the people assembled together as one in Jerusalem.
2Then Joshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God.
3Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices.
4Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day.
5After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred festivals of the Lord, as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the Lord.
6On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, though the foundation of the Lord’s temple had not yet been laid.
7Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and gave food and drink and olive oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia.
8In the second month of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak and the rest of the people (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work. They appointed Levites twenty years old and older to supervise the building of the house of the Lord.
9Joshua and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Hodaviah) and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers—all Levites—joined together in supervising those working on the house of God.
10When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the Lord, as prescribed by David king of Israel.
11With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: “He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.” And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.
12But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy.
13No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezra 3.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The altar and festivals. (1–7). The foundations of the temple laid. (8–13).
vv1-7
From the proceedings of the Jews on their arrival, let us learn to begin with God, and to do what we can in the worship of God, when we cannot do what we would. They could not at once have a temple, but they would not be without an altar. Fear of danger should stir us to our duty. Have we many enemies? Then it is good to have God our Friend, and to keep up communion with him. Our fears should drive us to our knees. The sacrifices for all these solemnities were a heavy expense for so poor a company; yet besides those expressly appointed, many brought free-will offerings to the Lord. And they made preparation for the building of the temple without delay: whatever God calls us to do, we may depend upon his providence to furnish us with the needful means.
vv8-13
There was a remarkable mixture of affections upon laying the foundation of the temple. Those that only knew the misery of having no temple at all, praised the Lord with shouts of joy. To them, even this foundation seemed great. We ought to be thankful for the beginnings of mercy, though it be not yet perfect. But those who remembered the glory of the first temple, and considered how far inferior this was likely to be, wept with a loud voice. There was reason for it, and if they bewailed the sin that was the cause of this melancholy change, they did well. Yet it was wrong to cast a damp upon the common joys. They despised the day of small things, and were unthankful for the good they enjoyed. Let not the remembrance of former afflictions drown the sense of present mercies.
Key Words
שְׁבִיעִי: seventh
חֹדֶשׁ: the new moon; by implication, a month
נָגַע: properly, to touch, i.e. lay the hand upon (for any purpose; euphemistically, to lie with a woman); by implication, to reach (figuratively, to arrive, acquire); violently, to strike (punish, defeat, destroy, etc.)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
עִיר: a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
אָסַף: to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave behind, put up, restore, etc.)
אֶחָד: properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
אִישׁ: a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
Cross References
Ezra 3Direct historical parallel describing ancient men weeping over the lesser glory of the second temple foundation.
Supported by JFB, Matthew Henry
Parallels Solomon's hiring of Sidonians and Tyrians for cedar trees from Lebanon to build the temple.
Supported by JFB
Specifies transporting Lebanon cedars by sea to Joppa, mirroring the logistical pattern of Solomon's temple.
Supported by JFB
Warns against despising the day of small things when the foundation of the house is laid.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Identifies the contemporaries Haggai the prophet, Jeshua (Joshua) the high priest, and Zerubbabel.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Genealogical link identifying Zerubbabel as the son/descendant of Shealtiel (Salathiel) in the messianic line.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Davidic ordinance setting Levites from twenty years old and upward to oversee the house of God.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Prescribes the continual morning and evening burnt offerings of lambs upon the altar.
Supported by JFB
The Mosaic law commanding the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles in the seventh month.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Identifies Jeshua (the Levite, not the high priest) and Kadmiel as heads of Levite families.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Davidic choral ordinance using the specific praise phrase: 'because his mercy endureth for ever.'
Supported by Matthew Poole
Prophetic fulfillment of the voice of joy and praise returning to the desolated house of God.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Specifies the offerings for the numerous seventh-month feasts, including Trumpets and Tabernacles.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Prophesies that the glory of this latter house will surpass the former due to Christ's presence.
Supported by JFB