Ezra 5:16

Ezra 5:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.
• New International Version (NIV)“So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem. From that day to the present it has been under construction but is not yet finished.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it has been in building, and it is not yet finished.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem; but from that time even until now it has been under construction, and it is not finished.”

Context of Ezra 5:16

14Also the gold and silver utensils of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and had brought into the temple of Babylon, King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon and had them given to a man whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor. 15And Cyrus said to him, “Take these utensils, go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its site.” Then that Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem; and from then until now it has been under construction and is not yet completed.’ 17So now, if it pleases the king, let a search be conducted in the king’s treasure house [in the royal archives] there in Babylon to see if it is true that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send us his decision concerning this matter.”

Ezra 5:16 word by word

אֱדַ֙יִן֙ שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּ֣ר דֵּ֔ךְ אֲתָ֗א יְהַ֧ב אֻשַּׁיָּ֛א דִּי־בֵ֥ית אֱלָהָ֖א דִּ֣י בִירוּשְׁלֶ֑ם וּמִן־אֱדַ֧יִן וְעַד־כְּעַ֛ן מִתְבְּנֵ֖א וְלָ֥א שְׁלִֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thenאֱדַ֫יִן'ĕdayin · thenH116
• cameאֲתָה'âthâh 'âthâ' · to comeH858
• the sameדֵּךְdêk dâk · thisH1791
• Sheshbazzarשֵׁשְׁבַּצַּרshêshbatstsar · SheshbazzarH8340
• laidיְהַבyehab · to giveH3052
• the foundationאֹשׁ'ôsh · foundationH787
• of the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · houseH1005
• of Godאֱלָהּ'ĕlâhh · godH426
• in Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlêm · JerusalemH3390
• and sinceמִן־min · fromH4481
• even untilעַד‛ad · tillH5705
• nowכְּעַןke‛an · nowH3705
• hath it been in buildingבְּנָהbenâ' benâh · to buildH1124
• it is notלָאlâ' lâh · notH3809
• finishedשְׁלֵםshelam · be completeH8000

Cross-references for Ezra 5:16

• Ezra 5:14Also the gold and silver utensils of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and had brought into the temple of Babylon, King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon and had them given to a man whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor.
• Ezra 5:2then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel [heir to the throne of Judah] and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God [Haggai and Zechariah] were with them, supporting and encouraging them.
• Ezra 3:8In the second year of their coming to God’s house at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak began [the work], with the rest of their brothers—the priests and Levites and all who came to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to oversee the work of the house of the Lord.
• Haggai 1:12Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people [who had returned from exile], listened carefully and obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, since the Lord their God had sent him. And the people [reverently] feared the Lord.
• Haggai 2:18‘Do consider from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month; from the day when the temple of the Lord was founded, consider:
• Zechariah 4:10Who [with reason] despises the day of small things (beginnings)? For these seven [eyes] shall rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the Lord which roam throughout the earth.”
• Ezra 6:15This temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

Commentaries on Ezra 5:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Sheshbazzar - Probably the military officer that conducted the people from Babylon, and had the oversight of the work; but some think that Ezra is meant.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Since that time even until now - Sixteen years - from 536 B.C. to 520 B.C. The adversaries of the Jews here overstep the truth; since, in point of fact, the work had been suspended for a while Ezra 4:24.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-17Verses 3-17 While employed in God's work, we are under his special protection; his eye is upon us for good. This should keep us to our duty, and encourage us therein, when difficulties are ever so discouraging. The elders of the Jews gave the Samaritans an account of their proceedings. Let us learn hence, with meekness and fear, to give a reason of the hope that is in us; let us rightly understand, and then readily declare, what we do in God's service…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Sheshbazzar probably started the work, and Zerubbabel completed it (see study note on Ezra 1:8).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-175-17. But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, &c.--The unusual presence, the imposing suite, the authoritative enquiries of the satrap appeared formidable, and might have produced a paralyzing influence or led to disastrous consequences, if he had been a partial and corrupt judge or actuated by unfriendly feelings towards the Jewish cause. The historian, therefore, with characteristic piety, throws in this parenthetical verse to intimate…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezra 5:16

• Sheshbazzar
• Temple
• Zerubbabel

In the dictionaries

• God
• Jerusalem
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• House of God
• Chaldee language
• Cyrus
• Temple, the Second
• Apocalyptic Literature
• Aramaic; Aramaic Language
• Bible, the

Commentaries on Ezra 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings