Ezra 4:4

Ezra 4:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
• New International Version (NIV)Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building,

Context of Ezra 4:4

2So they approached Zerubbabel and the other leaders and said, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God just as you do. We have sacrificed to him ever since King Esarhaddon of Assyria brought us here.” 3But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other leaders of Israel replied, “You may have no part in this work. We alone will build the Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, just as King Cyrus of Persia commanded us.” Then the local residents tried to discourage and frighten the people of Judah to keep them from their work. 5They bribed agents to work against them and to frustrate their plans. This went on during the entire reign of King Cyrus of Persia and lasted until King Darius of Persia took the throne. 6Years later when Xerxes began his reign, the enemies of Judah wrote a letter of accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.

Ezra 4:4 word by word

וַיְהִי֙ עַם־הָאָ֔רֶץ מְרַפִּ֖ים יְדֵ֣י עַם־יְהוּדָ֑ה וּֽמְבַהֲלִ֥ים אוֹתָ֖ם לִבְנֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• of the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• weakenedרָפָהrâphâh · to slackenH7503
• the handsיָדyâd · handH3027
• of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• and troubledבָּלַהּbâlah · to troubleH1089
• and troubledבָּהַלbâhal · to dismayH926
• them in buildingבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129

Cross-references for Ezra 4:4

• Ezra 3:3Even though the people were afraid of the local residents, they rebuilt the altar at its old site. Then they began to sacrifice burnt offerings on the altar to the Lord each morning and evening.
• Nehemiah 6:9They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination.
• Isaiah 35:3With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, and encourage those who have weak knees.
• Jeremiah 38:4So these officials went to the king and said, “Sir, this man must die! That kind of talk will undermine the morale of the few fighting men we have left, as well as that of all the people. This man is a traitor!”
• Nehemiah 4:7But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious.

Commentaries on Ezra 4:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Weakened the hands - Discouraged and opposed them by every possible means.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Realizing they could not influence the established Jewish community (Ezra 4:1–3), the foreigners took hostile actions to weaken the Israelites' growing political power.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-54-5. Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, &c.--Exasperated by this repulse, the Samaritans endeavored by every means to molest the workmen as well as obstruct the progress of the building; and, though they could not alter the decree which Cyrus had issued regarding it, yet by bribes and clandestine arts indefatigably plied at court, they labored to frustrate the effects of the edict. Their success in those underhand…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezra 4:4

• Joshua
• Lobbying

In the dictionaries

• Judah
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Certify
• Chancellor
• Endamage
• Grow
• Hurt
• Insurrection
• Eschatology of the New Testament

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