God’s Word Translation
Ezra 3:13
13No one could distinguish between the joyful shouts and the loud sobbing because the people were shouting so loudly. The noise was heard from far away.
Ezra 3:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.
- New International Version (NIV)No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.
- English Standard Version (ESV)so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people's weeping, for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound was heard far away.
- New King James Version (NKJV)so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off.
Context of Ezra 3:13
11As they praised and gave thanks to the Lord, they sang antiphonally: “He is good; his mercy toward Israel endures forever.” Then all the people shouted, “Praise the Lord,” because the foundation for the house of the Lord had been laid. 12But many of the priests, Levites, and the heads of the families who were old enough to have seen the first temple with their own eyes began to sob when they saw the foundation of this temple. Many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish between the joyful shouts and the loud sobbing because the people were shouting so loudly. The noise was heard from far away.
Read all of Ezra 3Ezra 3:13 word by word
וְאֵ֣ין הָעָ֗ם מַכִּירִים֙ ק֚וֹל תְּרוּעַ֣ת הַשִּׂמְחָ֔ה לְק֖וֹל בְּכִ֣י הָעָ֑ם כִּ֣י הָעָ֗ם מְרִיעִים֙ תְּרוּעָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֔ה וְהַקּ֥וֹל נִשְׁמַ֖ע עַד־לְמֵרָחֽוֹק׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- So that the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- could not discernנָכַרnâkar · to recognizeH5234
- the noiseקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: soundH6963
- of the shoutתְּרוּעָהterû‛âh · shoutH8643
- of joyשִׂמְחָהώimchâh · joyH8057
- of the weepingבְּכִיbekîy · weepingH1065
- shoutedרוּעַrûa‛ · to shoutH7321
- with a loudגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- was heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- afar offרָחֹקrâchôq râchôq · distantH7350
Cross-references for Ezra 3:13
- Ezra 2:1These were the people in the province. They were the ones who left the place where the exiles had been taken captive. (King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had taken them to Babylon.) These exiles returned to Jerusalem and Judah. All of them went to their own cities.
- Judges 2:5So they called that place Bochim [Those Who Cry]. They offered sacrifices there to the Lord.
- Nehemiah 12:43That day they offered many sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them reason to rejoice. The women and children rejoiced as well. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard from far away.
- Psalms 5:11But let all who take refuge in you rejoice. Let them sing with joy forever. Protect them, and let those who love your name triumph in you.
- Jeremiah 33:11the sounds of joy and happiness and the sounds of brides and grooms. You will hear those who bring thank offerings to the Lord’s temple say, ‘Give thanks to the Lord of Armies because the Lord is good, because his mercy endures forever.’ I will restore the fortunes of the land to what they were before,” says the Lord.
- Zechariah 4:7What a high mountain you are! In front of Zerubbabel you will become a plain. He will bring out the topmost stone with shouts of ‘Blessings, blessings on it!’ ”
- Luke 19:37By this time he was coming near the place where the road went down the Mount of Olives. Then the whole crowd of disciples began to praise God for all the miracles they had seen.
- Exodus 32:17Then Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting. He said to Moses, “It’s the sound of war in the camp!”
- 1 Samuel 4:5When the Lord’s ark came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth rang with echoes.
- 1 Kings 1:40All the people followed him, blew flutes, and celebrated so loudly that their voices shook the ground.
- Psalms 100:1Shout happily to the Lord, all the earth.
Commentaries on Ezra 3:13
- 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. 1-13After resettling in various towns in Judah, the community focused on restoring the worship of God in Jerusalem. They quickly rebuilt the altar and began regular sacrifices in time to celebrate the Jewish festivals (Ezra 3:4). Then, they started the more challenging task of rebuilding the temple itself (Ezra 3:8). Soon, they faced opposition from local foreigners (Ezra 4:1–5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. the people could not discern the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people--Among Eastern people, expressions of sorrow are always very loud and vehement. It is indicated by wailing, the howl of which is sometimes not easily distinguishable from joyful acclamations.Read the comment
Topics related to Ezra 3:13
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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