Ezra 4:1

Ezra 4:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the descendants of the captivity were building the temple of the Lord God of Israel,
• New Living Translation (NLT)The enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were rebuilding a Temple to the Lord, the God of Israel.

Context of Ezra 4:1

When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 2they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” 3But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”

Ezra 4:1 word by word

וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֔וּ צָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה וּבִנְיָמִ֑ן כִּֽי־בְנֵ֤י הַגּוֹלָה֙ בּוֹנִ֣ים הֵיכָ֔ל לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now when the adversariesצַרtsar tsâr · enemyH6862
• of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• and Benjaminבִּנְיָמִיןbinyâmîyn · BenjaminH1144
• heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• that the childrenבֵּןbên · son: type ofH1121
• of the captivityגּוֹלָהgôlâh gôlâh · captivityH1473
• buildedבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• the templeהֵיכָלhêykâl · templeH1964
• unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for Ezra 4:1

• Ezra 7:9He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.
• 1 Kings 5:4But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster.
• 1 Chronicles 22:9But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.
• Nehemiah 4:1When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews,
• Daniel 9:25“Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.
• 1 Corinthians 16:9because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.
• Ezra 1:11In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
• Ezra 6:16Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy.
• Ezra 10:7A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem.
• Daniel 5:13So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah?

Commentaries on Ezra 4:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Now when the adversaries - These were the Samaritans, and the different nations with which the kings of Assyria had peopled Israel, when they had carried the original inhabitants away into captivity, see Ezra 4:9, Ezra 4:10.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Adversaries - i. e., the Samaritans, a mixed race, partly Israelite but chiefly foreign, which had replaced to some extent the ancient inhabitants after they were carried into captivity by Sargon (see 2 Kings 17:6 note).Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The adversaries of the temple. (1-5) The building of the temple is hindered. (6-24) Verses 1-5 Every attempt to revive true religion will stir up the opposition of Satan, and of those in whom he works. The adversaries were the Samaritans, who had been planted in the land of Israel, 2Ki 17. It was plain that they did not mean to unite in the worship of the Lord, according to his word. Let those who discourage a good work, and weaken them that are employed…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Judah and Benjamin: Most of the people who returned from exile were from these two tribes of Israel (Ezra 1:5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-61. the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin--that is, strangers settled in the land of Israel.Read the comment

Topics related to Ezra 4:1

• Church
• Jeshua
• Joshua

In the dictionaries

• Benjamin
• God
• Israel
• Judah
• Certify
• Chancellor
• Endamage
• Grow
• Hurt
• Insurrection

Commentaries on Ezra 4

• 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