Tree of Life Version
Ezra 4:3
3But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the prominent patriarchs of Israel said to them, “It is not for you and us to build a House for our God—but we alone will build it for Adonai the God of Israel, just as Cyrus—king of Persia—has commanded us.”
Ezra 4:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
- New International Version (NIV)But 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.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses in Israel said to them, "You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us."
- New King James Version (NKJV)But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel said to them, “You may do nothing with us to build a house for our God; but we alone will build to the Lord God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”
Context of Ezra 4:3
1When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple for Adonai the God of Israel, 2they approached Zerubbabel and the leading patriarchs and said to them, “Let us build with you, for like you we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the days of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, who brought us here.” But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the prominent patriarchs of Israel said to them, “It is not for you and us to build a House for our God—but we alone will build it for Adonai the God of Israel, just as Cyrus—king of Persia—has commanded us.” 4Then the people of the land began discouraging the people of Judah and making them afraid to build. 5They bribed advisors in order to thwart their plans all the days of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Read all of Ezra 4Ezra 4:3 word by word
וַיֹּאמֶר֩ לָהֶ֨ם זְרֻבָּבֶ֜ל וְיֵשׁ֗וּעַ וּשְׁאָ֨ר רָאשֵׁ֤י הָֽאָבוֹת֙ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹֽא־לָ֣כֶם וָלָ֔נוּ לִבְנ֥וֹת בַּ֖יִת לֵאלֹהֵ֑ינוּ כִּי֩ אֲנַ֨חְנוּ יַ֜חַד נִבְנֶ֗ה לַֽיהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֔נוּ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ כּ֥וֹרֶשׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־פָּרָֽס׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But Zerubbabelזְרֻבָּבֶ֫לzerûbbâbel · ZerubbabelH2216
- and Jeshuaיֵשׁוּעַyêshûa‛ · JeshuaH3442
- and the restשְׁאָרshe'âr · remnantH7605
- of the chiefרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: leaderH7218
- of the fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to buildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- an houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: templeH1004
- unto our Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- but we ourselves togetherיַ֫חַדyachad · unitednessH3162
- unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- as kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- Cyrusכּ֫וֹרֶשׁkôresh kôresh · CyrusH3566
- of Persiaפָּרַסpâras · PersiaH6539
- hath commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
Cross-references for Ezra 4:3
- Nehemiah 2:20I responded to them saying, “The God of heaven will bring us success. We His servants will arise and build. But you have no part, right, or historical claim in Jerusalem.”
- John 4:22You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
- Acts 8:21You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God.
- Romans 9:4who are Israelites. To them belong the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Torah and the Temple service and the promises.
- 3 John 1:9I wrote something to Messiah’s community, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, doesn’t welcome us.
- Ezra 1:1Now in the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to accomplish the word of Adonai from the mouth of Jeremiah, Adonai stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edict, saying:
- Ezra 6:3“In the first year of Cyrus the king, King Cyrus issued a decree concerning the House of God at Jerusalem. “Let the House be rebuilt as a place where sacrifices are offered. Let its foundations be laid. Its height is to be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits
- 2 Chronicles 36:22Now in the first year of King Cyrus of Persia—fulfilling the word of Adonai by the mouth of Jeremiah—Adonai stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing, saying:
- Isaiah 44:28while saying of Cyrus, “He is My shepherd, and he shall fulfill all My purpose” while saying to Jerusalem, “You will be built” and to the Temple, “Your foundation will be laid.”
- Isaiah 45:1Thus says Adonai to His anointed, Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him, to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him so that gates may not be shut.
- Matthew 10:16“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
Commentaries on Ezra 4:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Ye have nothing to do with us - We cannot acknowledge you as worshippers of the true God, and cannot participate with you in anything that relates to his worship.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Ye have nothing to do with us - Because the Samaritans had united idolatrous rites with the worship of Yahweh 2 Kings 17:29-41. To have allowed them a share in restoring the temple would have been destructive of all purity of religion. As king Cyrus commanded us - The exact words of the edict gave the right of building exclusively to those who should “go up” from Babylonia to Judaea Ezra 1:3.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The main political, religious, and tribal leaders united against the foreigners' proposal. They believed it would introduce idolatrous beliefs. The Jews wanted to avoid repeating their ancestors' mistake of worshiping Canaanite false gods, which led to exile. as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us: See Ezra 1:2–4.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. But Zerubbabel and Jeshua ... said ... Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God--This refusal to co-operate with the Samaritans, from whatever motives it sprang, was overruled by Providence for ultimate good; for, had the two peoples worked together, familiar acquaintanceship and intermarriage would have ensued, and the result might have been a relapse of the Jews into idolatry. Most certainly, confusion and obscurity in the…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezra 4:3
In the dictionaries
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
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