Ezra 5:3

Ezra 5:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar–boznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?
• New International Version (NIV)At that time Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates went to them and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and to finish it?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)At the same time Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: "Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)At the same time Tattenai the governor of the region beyond the River and Shethar-Boznai and their companions came to them and spoke thus to them: “Who has commanded you to build this temple and finish this wall?”

Context of Ezra 5:3

1When the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them, 2then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to rebuild the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them. At that time Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the Euphrates River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues came to them and spoke to them as follows: “Who issued you a decree to rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?” 4Then we told them accordingly what the names of the men were who were reconstructing this building. 5But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report could reach Darius, and then the decree concerning it could be sent back.

Ezra 5:3 word by word

בֵּהּ־זִמְנָא֩ אֲתָ֨א עֲלֵיה֜וֹן תַּ֠תְּנַי פַּחַ֧ת עֲבַֽר־נַהֲרָ֛ה וּשְׁתַ֥ר בּוֹזְנַ֖י וּכְנָוָתְה֑וֹן וְכֵן֙ אָמְרִ֣ין לְהֹ֔ם מַן־שָׂ֨ם לְכֹ֜ם טְעֵ֗ם בַּיְתָ֤א דְנָה֙ לִבְּנֵ֔א וְאֻשַּׁרְנָ֥א דְנָ֖ה לְשַׁכְלָלָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear

• At that timeזְמַןzemân · timeH2166
• Tattenaiתַּתְּנַיtattenay · TattenaiH8674
• the governorפֶּחָהpechâh · governorH6347
• beyondעֲבַר‛ăbar · beyondH5675
• Riverנְהַרnehar · RiverH5103
• and Shethar-bozenaiשְׁתַר בּוֹזְנַיshethar bôzenay · Shethar-bozenaiH8370
• and their colleaguesכְּנָתkenâth · associateH3675
• cameאֲתָה'âthâh 'âthâ' · to comeH858
• to them and spokeאֲמַר'ămar · to sayH560
• to them asכֵּןkên · thusH3652
• Whoמָןmân · who?H4479
• issuedשׂוּםώûm · to set: makeH7761
• you a decreeטְעֵםţe‛êm · commandH2942
• to rebuildבְּנָהbenâ' benâh · to buildH1124
• thisדְּנָהdên · thisH1836
• templeבַּ֫יִתbayith · houseH1005
• and to finishכְּלַלkelal · to completeH3635
• structureאֻשַּׁרְנָא'ûshsharnâ' · wallH846

Cross-references for Ezra 5:3

• Ezra 5:6This is the copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the Euphrates River, and Shethar-bozenai and his colleagues the officials, who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king.
• Ezra 6:6“Now as for you, Tattenai, governor of the province beyond the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and your colleagues, the officials of the provinces beyond the River, stay away from there.
• Ezra 7:21“I myself, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the Euphrates River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently,
• Nehemiah 2:7And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, so that they will allow me to pass through until I come to Judah,
• Ezra 5:9Then we asked those elders and said to them as follows: ‘Who issued you a decree to rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?’
• Ezra 1:3Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.
• Matthew 21:23When He entered the temple area, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”
• Acts 4:7When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”

Commentaries on Ezra 5:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Tatnai, governor - He was governor of the provinces which belonged to the Persian empire on their side of the Euphrates, comprehending Syria, Arabia Deserta, Phoenicia, and Samaria. He seems to have been a mild and judicious man; and to have acted with great prudence and caution, and without any kind of prejudice. The manner in which he represented this to the king is a full proof of this disposition.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Governor on this side the river - Compare Ezra 4:10 note. Tatnai was apparently satrap of Syria, which included the whole tract west of the Euphrates from Cilicia to the borders of Egypt. Zerubbabel must have been, to some extent, under his authority. Who hath commanded you to build? - There was no doubt a formal illegality in the conduct of Zerubbabel and Jeshua: since all edicts of Persian kings continued in force unless revoked by their successors. But…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. 3Who authorized you: Unlike the hostile opposition in Ezra 4, this seems to be a routine check to ensure everything follows official rules.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-43-4. At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river--The Persian empire west of the Euphrates included at this time Syria, Arabia, Egypt, Phoenicia, and other provinces subject to Darius. The empire was divided into twenty provinces, called satrapies. Syria formed one satrapy, inclusive of Palestine, Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and furnished an annual revenue of three hundred fifty talents. It was presided over by a satrap or viceroy…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezra 5:3

• Government
• Liberality
• Shethar-Boznai
• Tatnai
• Temple

In the dictionaries

• Euphrates River, the River
• Chaldee language
• Governor
• Shetharboznai
• Apocalyptic Literature
• Aramaic; Aramaic Language
• Bible, the
• Esdras, the First Book of
• Esdras, the Second (fourth) Book Of; Apocalyptic Esdras
• Ezra-Nehemiah

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