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

14He gave back to us the gold and silver things that belong in our God's temple. King Nebuchadnezzar had taken those things away from the temple in Jerusalem. He took them to Babylon and he put them in his own temple. But King Cyrus gave our valuable things to Sheshbazzar. He had given authority to this man to rule over Judah. 15He said to Sheshbazzar, “Take these things and put them safely in the temple in Jerusalem. Let the people build the house of God again, in the place where it used to be.” So this man, Sheshbazzar, came here. He built the foundations of God's temple in Jerusalem. Since then we have continued to build it, but we have not finished it yet.’ 17If the king should choose, he may look in the books in Babylon's royal library. You should see whether King Cyrus did give a command about God's temple in Jerusalem. See if he said that the Jews should build it again. When you know what is true, you should decide what is right. Please tell us what we should do.

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 5:14He gave back to us the gold and silver things that belong in our God's temple. King Nebuchadnezzar had taken those things away from the temple in Jerusalem. He took them to Babylon and he put them in his own temple. But King Cyrus gave our valuable things to Sheshbazzar. He had given authority to this man to rule over Judah.
• Ezra 5:2Then Shealtiel's son, Zerubbabel, and Jozadak's son, Jeshua, started again to build God's temple in Jerusalem. God's prophets were there to help them.
• Ezra 3:8The Israelites began to build the Lord's temple two years after they arrived in Jerusalem. In the second month of the year, Shealtiel's son, Zerubbabel, and Jozadak's son, Jeshua, began the work. All the priests and the Levites who worked with them in Jerusalem joined them. All the people who had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon helped in the work. The leaders chose Levites who were 20 years old, or older, to have authority over the work.
• Haggai 1:12Zerubbabel and Joshua, the leader of the priests, as well as all the people obeyed the Lord, their God. They were the people that the Lord had brought back to Jerusalem from Babylon. When they heard the message that Haggai spoke to them, they agreed that it was a message from the Lord. As a result, they respected the Lord and they decided to obey him.
• Haggai 2:18Remember today, the 24th day of the ninth month. You have started again to build my temple. Now you have built its foundation, think about what will happen from today.
• Zechariah 4:10Everyone should know that the day of small things is important. Men will see Zerubbabel. Then they will sing and they will be happy. They will see him with a line in his hand to measure the walls. The Lord sees everything in the whole earth. (The seven lights are the seven eyes of the Lord.)
• Ezra 6:15They finished building the temple on the third day of Adar month. King Darius had then been king for six years.

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