Ezra 3:8

Ezra 3:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the Lord.
• New International Version (NIV)In 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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now in the second year after their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak made a beginning, together with the rest of their kinsmen, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to supervise the work of the house of the Lord.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now in the second month of the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began work and appointed the Levites from twenty years old and above to oversee the work of the house of the Lord.

Context of Ezra 3:8

6On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, even though the foundation of the Lord’s temple had not yet been laid. 7They gave money to the stonecutters and artisans, and gave food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so they would bring cedar wood from Lebanon to Joppa by sea, according to the authorization given them by King Cyrus of Persia. In the second month of the second year after they arrived at God’s house in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers, including the priests, the Levites, and all who had returned to Jerusalem from the captivity, began to build. They appointed the Levites who were twenty years old or more to supervise the work on the Lord’s house. 9Jeshua with his sons and brothers, Kadmiel with his sons, and the sons of Judah and of Henadad, with their sons and brothers, the Levites, joined together to supervise those working on the house of God. 10When the builders had laid the foundation of the Lord’s temple, the priests, dressed in their robes and holding trumpets, and the Levites descended from Asaph, holding cymbals, took their positions to praise the Lord, as King David of Israel had instructed.

Ezra 3:8 word by word

וּבַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשֵּׁנִ֗ית לְבוֹאָ֞ם אֶל־בֵּ֤ית הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ לִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם בַּחֹ֖דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֑י הֵחֵ֡לּוּ זְרֻבָּבֶ֣ל בֶּן־שְׁ֠אַלְתִּיאֵל וְיֵשׁ֨וּעַ בֶּן־יֽוֹצָדָ֜ק וּשְׁאָ֥ר אֲחֵיהֶ֣ם׀ הַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֗ם וְכָל־הַבָּאִים֙ מֵהַשְּׁבִ֣י יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֔ם וַיַּעֲמִ֣ידוּ אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֗ם מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה לְנַצֵּ֖חַ עַל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת בֵּית־יְהוָֽה׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now in the secondשֵׁנִיshênîy · secondH8145
• yearשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• of their comingבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• unto the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: templeH1004
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• at Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• monthחֹ֫דֶשׁchôdesh · monthH2320
• beganחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: beginH2490
• Zerubbabelזְרֻבָּבֶ֫לzerûbbâbel · ZerubbabelH2216
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Shealtielשְׁאַלְתִּיאֵלshe'altîy'êl shaltîy'êl · ShealtielH7597
• and Jeshuaיֵשׁוּעַyêshûa‛ · JeshuaH3442
• of Jozadakיוֹצָדָקyôtsâdâq · JozadakH3136
• and the remnantשְׁאָרshe'âr · remnantH7605
• of their brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-relativeH251
• the priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• and the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
• of the captivityשְׁבִיshebîy · captivityH7628
• and appointedעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: appointH5975
• from twentyעֶשְׂרִים‛eώrîym · twentyH6242
• oldבֵּןbên · son: agedH1121
• and upwardמַ֫עַלma‛al · aboveH4605
• to set forwardנָצַחnâtsach · to conductH5329
• the workמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068

Cross-references for Ezra 3:8

• Ezra 3:2Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests along with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his brothers began to build the altar of Israel’s God in order to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God.
• Numbers 4:3men from thirty years old to fifty years old — everyone who is qualified to do work at the tent of meeting.
• 1 Chronicles 23:24These were the descendants of Levi by their ancestral families — the family heads, according to their registration by name in the headcount — twenty years old or more, who worked in the service of the Lord’s temple.

Commentaries on Ezra 3:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8In the second year - The previous time had been employed in clearing the ground, felling timber, hewing stones, and transporting them to the place, and making other necessary preparations for the commencement of the building.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Unto the house of God - i. e., to the place where the house of God had been, and where God was believed still to have His special dwelling. And appointed the Levites - This is the emphatic clause of the present verse. Though so small a number of Levites had returned from Babylon Ezra 2:40, yet they were especially singled out to be entrusted with the task of superintending and advancing the building of the temple.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-13Verses 8-13 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8In mid-spring, the dry season began, so workers did not have to deal with mud. The second year after they arrived was likely 536 BC. The delay in rebuilding was due to the time needed to transport wood from Lebanon to Jerusalem. the rest of their associates...began the work: This showed the unity among the returned exiles. Putting the Levites in charge ensured the work followed God's instructions.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-138. appointed the Levites ... to set forward the work--that is, to act as overseers of the workmen, and to direct and animate the laborers in the various departments.Read the comment

Topics related to Ezra 3:8

• Jehozadak
• Jeshua
• Levites
• Liberality
• Month
• Priest
• Shealtiel
• Temple
• Zerubbabel

In the dictionaries

• God
• Jerusalem
• Zerubbabel
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• House of God
• Chronology
• Ordinance
• Shealtiel
• Apocalyptic Literature
• Ezra-Nehemiah

Commentaries on Ezra 3

• 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