Amplified Bible
Ezra 5:3
3At that time Tattenai, the governor of the province on the west side of the [Euphrates] River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues came to them and said, “Who issued you a decree and authorized you to rebuild this temple and to restore this wall (shrine)?”
Ezra 5:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar–boznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?
- New International Version (NIV)At that time Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates went to them and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and to finish it?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)At the same time Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: "Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)At the same time Tattenai the governor of the region beyond the River and Shethar-Boznai and their companions came to them and spoke thus to them: “Who has commanded you to build this temple and finish this wall?”
Context of Ezra 5:3
1Now when the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, the son (grandson) of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, whose Spirit was over them, 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. At that time Tattenai, the governor of the province on the west side of the [Euphrates] River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues came to them and said, “Who issued you a decree and authorized you to rebuild this temple and to restore this wall (shrine)?” 4Then, accordingly, we told them the names of the men who were reconstructing this building. 5But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, so they [Tattenai and the others] did not stop them until a report could come before Darius, and then an answer was returned by letter concerning it.
Read all of Ezra 5Ezra 5:3 word by word
בֵּהּ־זִמְנָא֩ אֲתָ֨א עֲלֵיה֜וֹן תַּ֠תְּנַי פַּחַ֧ת עֲבַֽר־נַהֲרָ֛ה וּשְׁתַ֥ר בּוֹזְנַ֖י וּכְנָוָתְה֑וֹן וְכֵן֙ אָמְרִ֣ין לְהֹ֔ם מַן־שָׂ֨ם לְכֹ֜ם טְעֵ֗ם בַּיְתָ֤א דְנָה֙ לִבְּנֵ֔א וְאֻשַּׁרְנָ֥א דְנָ֖ה לְשַׁכְלָלָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- At the same timeזְמַןzemân · timeH2166
- cameאֲתָה'âthâh 'âthâ' · to comeH858
- to them Tatnaiתַּתְּנַיtattenay · TattenaiH8674
- governorפֶּחָהpechâh · governorH6347
- on this sideעֲבַר‛ăbar · beyondH5675
- the riverנְהַרnehar · RiverH5103
- and Shethar–boznaiשְׁתַר בּוֹזְנַיshethar bôzenay · Shethar-bozenaiH8370
- and their companionsכְּנָתkenâth · associateH3675
- and saidאֲמַר'ămar · to sayH560
- thusכֵּןkên · thusH3652
- unto themעַל‛al · uponH5922
- Whoמָןmân · who?H4479
- hath commandedטְעֵםţe‛êm · commandH2942
- hath commandedשׂוּםώûm · to set: makeH7761
- you to buildבְּנָהbenâ' benâh · to buildH1124
- thisדְּנָהdên · thisH1836
- houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · houseH1005
- and to make upכְּלַלkelal · to completeH3635
- wallאֻשַּׁרְנָא'ûshsharnâ' · wallH846
Cross-references for Ezra 5:3
- Ezra 5:6This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor of the province west of the [Euphrates] River, and Shethar-bozenai and his associates, the officials who were west of the River, sent to Darius the king.
- Ezra 6:6“Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province west of the [Euphrates] River, Shethar-bozenai and your associates, the officials who are west of the River, keep far away from there.
- Ezra 7:21“And I, Artaxerxes the king, issue a decree to all the treasurers in the provinces west of the [Euphrates] River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently and at once—
- Nehemiah 2:7Then I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of the provinces beyond the [Euphrates] River, so that they will allow me to pass through until I reach Judah,
- Ezra 5:9Then we asked those elders, ‘Who issued you a decree to rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?’
- Ezra 1:3Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is God who is in Jerusalem.
- Matthew 21:23When He entered the temple area, the chief priests and elders of the people came to Him as He was teaching and said, “By what [kind of] authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority [to exercise this power]?”
- Acts 4:7When they had put the men in front of them, they repeatedly asked, “By what sort of power, or in what name [that is, by what kind of authority], did you do this [healing]?”
Commentaries on Ezra 5:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Tatnai, governor - He was governor of the provinces which belonged to the Persian empire on their side of the Euphrates, comprehending Syria, Arabia Deserta, Phoenicia, and Samaria. He seems to have been a mild and judicious man; and to have acted with great prudence and caution, and without any kind of prejudice. The manner in which he represented this to the king is a full proof of this disposition.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Governor on this side the river - Compare Ezra 4:10 note. Tatnai was apparently satrap of Syria, which included the whole tract west of the Euphrates from Cilicia to the borders of Egypt. Zerubbabel must have been, to some extent, under his authority. Who hath commanded you to build? - There was no doubt a formal illegality in the conduct of Zerubbabel and Jeshua: since all edicts of Persian kings continued in force unless revoked by their successors. But…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. 3Who authorized you: Unlike the hostile opposition in Ezra 4, this seems to be a routine check to ensure everything follows official rules.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-43-4. At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river--The Persian empire west of the Euphrates included at this time Syria, Arabia, Egypt, Phoenicia, and other provinces subject to Darius. The empire was divided into twenty provinces, called satrapies. Syria formed one satrapy, inclusive of Palestine, Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and furnished an annual revenue of three hundred fifty talents. It was presided over by a satrap or viceroy…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezra 5:3
In the dictionaries
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
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