God’s Word Translation
Ezra 5:8
8Your Majesty should know that we went to the province of Judah, to the temple of the great God. The temple is being built with large stones and with wooden beams laid in its walls. The builders are doing an excellent job and making rapid progress.
Ezra 5:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.
- New International Version (NIV)The king should know that we went to the district of Judah, to the temple of the great God. The people are building it with large stones and placing the timbers in the walls. The work is being carried on with diligence and is making rapid progress under their direction.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Be it known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built with huge stones, and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judea, to the temple of the great God, which is being built with heavy stones, and timber is being laid in the walls; and this work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands.
Context of Ezra 5:8
6Here is a copy of the letter Governor Tattenai ⌞from the province⌟ west of the Euphrates River, Shethar Bozenai and his group (the Persians west of that river) sent to King Darius. 7They sent him the following report: To King Darius, We wish you peace and prosperity in everything you do. Your Majesty should know that we went to the province of Judah, to the temple of the great God. The temple is being built with large stones and with wooden beams laid in its walls. The builders are doing an excellent job and making rapid progress. 9We asked their leaders the following question: “Who gave you permission to rebuild this temple and finish its walls?” 10For your information, we also asked them for their names so that we would have a record of the men who were their leaders.
Read all of Ezra 5Ezra 5:8 word by word
יְדִ֣יעַ׀ לֶהֱוֵ֣א לְמַלְכָּ֗א דִּֽי־אֲזַ֜לְנָא לִיה֤וּד מְדִֽינְתָּא֙ לְבֵית֙ אֱלָהָ֣א רַבָּ֔א וְה֤וּא מִתְבְּנֵא֙ אֶ֣בֶן גְּלָ֔ל וְאָ֖ע מִתְּשָׂ֣ם בְּכֻתְלַיָּ֑א וַעֲבִ֥ידְתָּא דָ֛ךְ אָסְפַּ֥רְנָא מִתְעַבְדָ֖א וּמַצְלַ֥ח בְּיֶדְהֹֽם׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Be it knownיְדַעyeda‛ · to knowH3046
- Be it knownהֲוָאhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1934
- unto the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
- that we wentאֲזַל'ăzal · to goH236
- into the provinceמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4083
- of Judeaיְהוּדyehûd · JudahH3061
- to the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · houseH1005
- of the greatרַבrab · greatH7229
- Godאֱלָהּ'ĕlâhh · godH426
- which is buildedבְּנָהbenâ' benâh · to buildH1124
- with greatגְּלָלgelâl · greatH1560
- stonesאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH69
- and timberאָע'â‛ · woodH636
- is laidשׂוּםώûm · to set: put/giveH7761
- in the wallsכְּתַלkethal · wallH3797
- and thisדֵּךְdêk dâk · thisH1791
- workעֲבִידָה‛ăbîydâh · serviceH5673
- goethעֲבַד‛ăbad · to makeH5648
- fastאׇסְפַּרְנָא'osparnâ' · diligentlyH629
- on, and prosperethצְלַחtselach · to prosperH6744
- in their handsיַדyad · handH3028
Cross-references for Ezra 5:8
- 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.
- Nehemiah 7:6These 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 captive. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah. All of them went to their own cities.
- Nehemiah 11:3These were the officials of the province who settled in Jerusalem. Some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon’s servants settled in the cities of Judah. They lived on their own property in their own cities.
- Esther 1:1In the days of Xerxes the following events took place. This was the same Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces from India to Sudan.
- Ezra 1:2This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the world. Then he ordered me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem (which is in Judah).
- Ezra 6:10Then they can offer sacrifices that please the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
- Ezra 7:23Whatever the God of heaven has commanded must be carried out in detail for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should God become angry with the king’s empire and his sons?
- Deuteronomy 10:17The Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, powerful, and awe-inspiring God. He never plays favorites and never takes a bribe.
- Deuteronomy 32:31Their rock isn’t like our rock. Even our enemies will agree with this.
- Psalms 145:3The Lord is great, and he should be highly praised. His greatness is unsearchable.
- Daniel 2:47The king said to Daniel, “Your God is truly the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings. He can reveal secrets because you were able to reveal this secret.”
- Daniel 3:26Then Nebuchadnezzar went to the door of the blazing furnace and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—servants of the Most High God—come out here.” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire.
- Daniel 4:2I am pleased to write to you about the miraculous signs and amazing things the Most High God did for me.
- Daniel 6:26I decree that in every part of my kingdom people should tremble with terror in front of Daniel’s God, the living God who continues forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed. His power lasts to the end ⌞of time⌟.
- Mark 13:1As Jesus was going out of the temple courtyard, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look at these huge stones and these beautiful buildings!”
Commentaries on Ezra 5:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8With great stones - They are making a very strong and a very costly building.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Great stones - literally, as in the margin; i. e., stones so large that they were rolled along, not carried. Others translate “polished stones.”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. 8The title the great God was a Persian way to refer to an important high deity. It does not mean the provincial authorities believed in Israel’s God. Following the design of Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 6:36), builders placed a layer of timber in the walls after every three rows of prepared stones (see Ezra 6:4). This helped reduce potential earthquake damage.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 5:8
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
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