Berean Standard Bible
Ezra 5:11
11And this is the answer they returned:
“We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed.
Ezra 5:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.
- New International Version (NIV)This is the answer they gave us: “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, one that a great king of Israel built and finished.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And this was their reply to us: 'We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And thus they returned us an answer, saying: “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed.
Context of Ezra 5:11
9So we questioned the elders and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?” 10We also asked for their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information. And this is the answer they returned: “We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed. 12But since our fathers angered the God of heaven, He delivered them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean who destroyed this temple and carried away the people to Babylon. 13In the first year of his reign, however, Cyrus king of Babylon issued a decree to rebuild this house of God.
Read all of Ezra 5Ezra 5:11 word by word
וּכְנֵ֥מָא פִתְגָמָ֖א הֲתִיב֣וּנָא לְמֵמַ֑ר אֲנַ֣חְנָא הִמּ֡וֹ עַבְדוֹהִי֩ דִֽי־אֱלָ֨הּ שְׁמַיָּ֜א וְאַרְעָ֗א וּבָנַ֤יִן בַּיְתָא֙ דִּֽי־הֲוָ֨א בְנֵ֜ה מִקַּדְמַ֤ת דְּנָה֙ שְׁנִ֣ין שַׂגִּיאָ֔ן וּמֶ֤לֶךְ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ רַ֔ב בְּנָ֖הִי וְשַׁכְלְלֵֽהּ׃Read the interlinear
- And thisכְּנֵ֫מָאkenêmâ' · thusH3660
- is the answerפִּתְגָםpithgâm · edictH6600
- they returnedתּוּבtûb · to return: replyH8421
- they returnedאֲמַר'ămar · to sayH560
- Weאֲנַ֫חְנָא'ănachnâ' 'ănachnâh · weH586
- areהִמּוֹhimmô himmôn · theyH1994
- servantsעֲבַד‛ăbad · servant/slaveH5649
- ·דִּיdîy · thatH1768
- of the Godאֱלָהּ'ĕlâhh · godH426
- of heavenשָׁמַ֫יִןshâmayin · heavenH8065
- and earthאֲרַע'ăra‛ · earth: planetH772
- and we are rebuildingבְּנָהbenâ' benâh · to buildH1124
- the templeבַּ֫יִתbayith · houseH1005
- wasהֲוָאhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1934
- manyשַׂגִּיאώaggîy' · greatH7690
- yearsשְׁנָהshenâh · yearH8140
- agoקַדְמָהqadmâh · former timeH6928
- agoדְּנָהdên · thisH1836
- which a greatרַבrab · greatH7229
- kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3479
- and completedכְּלַלkelal · to completeH3635
Cross-references for Ezra 5:11
- Joshua 24:15But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”
- Psalms 119:46I will speak of Your testimonies before kings, and I will not be ashamed.
- Daniel 3:26Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing fiery furnace and called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire,
- Jonah 1:9“I am a Hebrew,” replied Jonah. “I worship the LORD, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.”
- Matthew 10:32Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven.
- Luke 12:8I tell you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will also confess him before the angels of God.
- Acts 27:23For just last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me
- Romans 1:16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.
- Romans 6:16Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness?
- Galatians 6:14But as for me, may I never boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
- 1 Kings 6:1In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD.
- 2 Chronicles 3:1Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David. This was the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
Commentaries on Ezra 5:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11We are the servants of the God of heaven - How simple, plain, and ingenuous is this confession! They were the servants of the God of heaven. How came they then into bondage! Why, they provoked the God of heaven - repeatedly sinned against him, and then he gave them into the hands of their enemies.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. 11the God of heaven: The Persians understood this title. It referred to the universal high God, not a minor local deity. a great king of Israel: Solomon (see 1 Kings 5–8).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 5:11
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
Berean Standard Bible — © Berean Bible — CC0 / Public Domain
Commentaries