Ezra 4:5

Ezra 4:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
• New International Version (NIV)They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
• New King James Version (NKJV)and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Context of Ezra 4:5

3But 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.” 4Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build. 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. 6At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, an accusation was lodged against the people of Judah and Jerusalem. 7And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic and then translated.

Ezra 4:5 word by word

וְסֹכְרִ֧ים עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם יוֹעֲצִ֖ים לְהָפֵ֣ר עֲצָתָ֑ם כָּל־יְמֵ֗י כּ֚וֹרֶשׁ מֶ֣לֶךְ פָּרַ֔ס וְעַד־מַלְכ֖וּת דָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־פָּרָֽס׃Read the interlinear

• They hiredסָכַרώâkar sâkar · to hireH7936
• counselorsיָעַץyâ‛ats · to adviseH3289
• against themעַל‛al · uponH5921
• to frustrateפָּרַרpârar · to breakH6565
• their plansעֵצָה‛êtsâh · counselH6098
• throughoutכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the reignיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• of Cyrusכּ֫וֹרֶשׁkôresh kôresh · CyrusH3566
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Persiaפָּרַסpâras · PersiaH6539
• and down toעַד‛ad · tillH5704
• the reignמַלְכוּתmalkûth malkûth malkûyâh · royaltyH4438
• of Dariusדָּֽרְיָ֫וֶשׁdâreyâvêsh · DariusH1867

Cross-references for Ezra 4:5

• Psalms 2:1Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
• Nahum 1:11From you, O Nineveh, comes forth a plotter of evil against the LORD, a counselor of wickedness.
• Acts 24:1Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, who presented to the governor their case against Paul.
• Ezra 4:24Thus the construction of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
• Ezra 5:5But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, so that they were not stopped until a report was sent to Darius and written instructions about this matter were returned.
• Ezra 6:1Thus King Darius ordered a search of the archives stored in the treasury of Babylon.

Commentaries on Ezra 4:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Hired counsellors - They found means to corrupt some of the principal officers of the Persian court, so that the orders of Cyrus were not executed; or at least so slowly as to make them nearly ineffectual. Until the reign of Darius - This was probably Darius the son of Hystaspes.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Hired counselors - Rather, “bribed” officials at the Persian court to interpose delays and create difficulties, in order to hinder the work. Darius - i. e., Darius, the son of HystaspesRead the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5The people faced severe consequences for their strict dedication to holiness. King Cyrus ruled until 530 BC. Darius (Darius I) became the king of Persia in 521 BC. Construction on the temple restarted in 520 BC and concluded in 515 BC (see Ezra 6:15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-54-5. Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, &c.--Exasperated by this repulse, the Samaritans endeavored by every means to molest the workmen as well as obstruct the progress of the building; and, though they could not alter the decree which Cyrus had issued regarding it, yet by bribes and clandestine arts indefatigably plied at court, they labored to frustrate the effects of the edict. Their success in those underhand…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezra 4:5

• Joshua
• Lobbying

In the dictionaries

• Cyrus
• Darius
• Persia
• Persia, Persians
• Certify
• Chancellor
• Endamage
• Grow
• Hurt
• Insurrection

Commentaries on Ezra 4

• 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