Ezra 5:8

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

6This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai the governor, Shethar-bozenai, and the other officials of the province west of the Euphrates River sent to King Darius: 7“To King Darius. Greetings. “The king should know that we went to the construction site of the Temple of the great God in the province of Judah. It is being rebuilt with specially prepared stones, and timber is being laid in its walls. The work is going forward with great energy and success. 9“We asked the leaders, ‘Who gave you permission to rebuild this Temple and restore this structure?’ 10And we demanded their names so that we could tell you who the leaders were.

Ezra 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 2:1Here is the list of the Jewish exiles of the provinces who returned from their captivity. King Nebuchadnezzar had deported them to Babylon, but now they returned to Jerusalem and the other towns in Judah where they originally lived.
• Nehemiah 7:6Here is the list of the Jewish exiles of the provinces who returned from their captivity. King Nebuchadnezzar had deported them to Babylon, but now they returned to Jerusalem and the other towns in Judah where they originally lived.
• Nehemiah 11:3Here is a list of the names of the provincial officials who came to live in Jerusalem. (Most of the people, priests, Levites, Temple servants, and descendants of Solomon’s servants continued to live in their own homes in the various towns of Judah,
• Esther 1:1These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia.
• Ezra 1:2“This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
• Ezra 6:10Then they will be able to offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the welfare of the king and his sons.
• Ezra 7:23Be careful to provide whatever the God of heaven demands for his Temple, for why should we risk bringing God’s anger against the realm of the king and his sons?
• Deuteronomy 10:17“For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed.
• Deuteronomy 32:31But the rock of our enemies is not like our Rock, as even they recognize.
• Psalms 145:3Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.
• Daniel 2:47The king said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret.”
• Daniel 3:26Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire.
• Daniel 4:2“I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me.
• Daniel 6:26“I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end.
• Mark 13:1As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, “Teacher, look at these magnificent buildings! Look at the impressive stones in the walls.”

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

• Church
• Temple

In the dictionaries

• God
• Judea
• Chaldee language
• Temple, the Second
• Apocalyptic Literature
• Aramaic; Aramaic Language
• Bible, the
• Diligence; Diligent; Diligently
• Epistle
• Esdras, the First Book of

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