Thus they returned us answer, saying, “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are building the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.
Parallel Translations
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Thus they returned us answer, saying, “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are building the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.
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And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.
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And thus they returned us answer, saying: We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and finished.
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Contradictions (1)
Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.
Cross-references (12)
Passages linked to Ezra 5:11 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Joshua 24:15 If it seems evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.”
- 1 Kings 6:1-7 In the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build Yahweh’s house. The house which king Solomon built for Yahweh had a length of sixty cubits, and its width twenty, and its height thirty cubits. The porch in front of the temple of the house had a length of twenty cubits, which was along the width of the house. Ten cubits was its width in front of the house. He made windows of fixed lattice work for the house. Against the wall of the house, he built floors all around, against the walls of the house all around, both of the temple and of the inner sanctuary; and he made side rooms all around. The lowest floor was five cubits wide, and the middle was six cubits wide, and the third was seven cubits wide; for on the outside he made offsets in the wall of the house all around, that the beams should not be inserted into the walls of the house. The house, when it was under construction, was built of stone prepared at the quarry; and no hammer or ax or any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was under construction.
- 2 Chronicles 3:1-5 Then Solomon began to build Yahweh’s house at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where Yahweh appeared to David his father, which he prepared in the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. He began to build in the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign. Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for the building of God’s house. The length by cubits after the first measure was sixty cubits, and the width twenty cubits. The porch that was in front, its length, according to the width of the house, was twenty cubits, and the height one hundred twenty; and he overlaid it within with pure gold. He made the larger room with a ceiling of cypress wood, which he overlaid with fine gold, and ornamented it with palm trees and chains.
- Psalms 119:46 I will also speak of your statutes before kings, and will not be disappointed.
- Daniel 3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace. He spoke and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the middle of the fire.
- Jonah 1:9 He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear Yahweh, the God of heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land.”
- Matthew 10:32 Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven.
- Luke 12:8 “I tell you, everyone who confesses me before men, the Son of Man will also confess before the angels of God;
- Acts 27:23 For there stood by me this night an angel, belonging to the God whose I am and whom I serve,
- Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.
- Romans 6:16 Don’t you know that when you present yourselves as servants and obey someone, you are the servants of whomever you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?
- Galatians 6:14 But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (10 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain To wit, Solomon.
To wit, Solomon.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Ezr 5:11 And thus they returned us answer, saying,…
Ezr 5:11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.
Ver. 11. We are the servants of the God of heaven] And in that respect, higher than all the kings on the earth, Psa 89:27 (for all his servants are sons, heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ, Rom 8:17), who have held it no small honour to be called his vassals. See how bold these brave men bear themselves upon this relation to the God of heaven and earth, and how courageously they stand to their work, and stout it out with their adversaries. {See Trapp on "Pro 28:1"}
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These many years ago] Five hundred at least.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And thus they returned us answer,.... To the purpose…
And thus they returned us answer,.... To the purpose and in the manner following:
saying, we are the servants of the God of heaven and earth; signifying that they were doing his work, in obedience to his will, and to whom they were accountable:
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and build the house that was builded these many years ago; even five hundred years ago, or thereabout; so that they were not erecting a building where there was none before, but were rebuilding what was in ruins:
which a great king of Israel builded and set up; King Solomon, who was a great king for wisdom, honour, riches, peace, prosperity, and extent of his kingdom.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 11. We are the servants of the God…
Verse 11. We are the servants of the God of heaven] How simple, plain, and ingenuous is this confession! They were the servants of the God of heaven. How came they then into bondage! Why, they provoked the God of heaven - repeatedly sinned against him, and then he gave them into the hands of their enemies.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Ezr 5:11. We are the servants of the God…
Ezr 5:11. We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth — The God we worship is not a local deity; and therefore we cannot be charged with making a faction, or forming a sect in building this temple to his honour. But we pay our homage to the God on whom the whole creation depends, and therefore ought to be protected and assisted by all, and hindered by none. It is the wisdom as well as duty of kings to countenance the servants of the God of heaven. And build the house that was builded — Or rather, rebuild the house that was first built many years ago.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 11. We are the servants of the God of…
11. We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth] The words of this profession are very emphatic in the original.
the God of heaven and earth] i.e. the God not of one kingdom only, but of the whole world, not of terrestrial supremacy alone, but of heavenly as well: see on chap. Ezr_1:2.
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build the house that was builded &c.] i.e. we restore the house which having been built in remote times stood as the temple of our God for centuries.
a great king of Israel] i.e. Solomon. The expression here used shows that Tattenai like Artaxerxes (Ezr_4:20), had heard the rumour either from the Jews themselves or from those acquainted with them, that there had been ‘mighty kings over Jerusalem’. Solomon’s temple was built 1014–1007, nearly 500 years before the reign of Darius.
and set up] R.V. finished.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (11) And thus they returned us answer.—The elders of…
(11) And thus they returned us answer.—The elders of the Jews take the Syrian satrap into their confidence, and give, in a few most pathetic words the record of their national honour, their national infidelity, and their national humiliation. Every word is true to the history, while the whole exhibits their deep humility and holy resolution.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain We are the servants of the God of heaven…
We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. Instead of doing as they were requested, and giving in a long list of names and titles of office, the elders merge their individuality in this general phrase; as though they would say, "As individuals, we are nothing; as men of mark in our nation, we are nothing; what we do, we do simply as servants of God, directed by him, (Hag_1:8) bound to obey him, answerable only to him for our conduct." They speak of God as "the God of heaven and earth a very rare title partly in humble acknowledgment of his universal and absolute dominion, as Christians speak when they call God "the Maker of heaven and earth;" partly to impress favourably those to whom they speak, persons accustomed to regard God primarily as the Being who "gave mankind earth and heaven" (Rawlinson"s "Cuneiform Inscriptions of Persia," vol. 1. pp. 285, 291, 319, 324, etc.). And build. That is "rebuild." The house that was builded these many years ago. The old house, begun more than 400, finished nearly 400 years previously, and only just beginning to rise again from its ruins, after lying waste for nearly seventy years. Which a great king of Israel builded and set up. Solomon, the greatest of the Jewish monarchs, if we consider the extent and prosperity of his kingdom, and the position that it occupied among the other kingdoms of the earth a "great king" under whatever aspect we view him, though one who sowed the seeds of that corruption which ultimately sapped the national life, and provoked God to bring the monarchy to an end.
HOMILIES BY J.S. EXELL.
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Vers. 11-17.
Things a Church should understand concerning itself.
I THAT IT IS ENGAGED IN THE SERVICE OF HEAVEN. "We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth" (ver. 11).
1. An exalted service. It is the service of God.
2. An extensive service. It reaches in its influence throughout heaven and earth.
3. An arduous service. It is to rebuild a ruined temple in the midst of enemies.
4. A humble service. At best the Church is but a servant.
II THAT IT HAS SUFFERED MUCH THROUGH THE COMMISSION OF SIN. "But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon" (ver. 12). This is the best confession a Church can have; the Church is alone responsible for its weakness.
1. Its degradation. Israel is subject to a heathen power.
2. Its suffering. Israel is in captivity.
1. Its destruction. "Who destroyed this house." All this was attributable
1. Not to the Divine inability to help.
2. Not to the Divine lack of interest.
3. But to the Divine displeasure on account of sin.
Let the Church understand and acknowledge that her sad condition before the world is due to her lack of fidelity; she must take the discredit of her broken temples.
III THAT IT IS CONNECTED WITH THE HISTORY OF A WONDROUS REDEMPTION. "But in the first year of Cyrus" (ver. 13).
1. The fact of redemption. The Israelites were delivered from Babylonian captivity. The Church has been set free by Christ.
2. The history of redemption. The history of Israel"s deliverance was written in the records of Babylon. The history of redemption by Christ is written in the Bible; it is an earthly record as well as a heavenly history. It is in the annals of Babylon as well as in the annals of God.
3. The research of redemption. "Let there be search made". (ver. 17; 1Pe_1:12)
4. The pleasure of redemption. "And let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter." God"s pleasure is man"s freedom.
IV THAT IT IS ENGAGED IN A YET UNFINISHED ENTERPRISE. "And since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished" (ver. 16). It is indeed true that the Church is as yet engaged in an unfinished enterprise; all its temples are not built; its walls are not erected; Jesus does not yet see all things put under him.
1. The reason. Why is the work of the Church unfinished is it from lack of energy or fidelity?
2. The duration. How long is it to remain unfinished? only God can tell. How long, O Lord?
3. The reproach. With so many workmen, and with the aid received, the work of the Church ought to be more advanced. The half finished walls are a rebuke to us.
4. The requirement. We must go with new determination and more fervent prayer to complete the work of the Church.
5. Caution. We cannot judge the temple till it is finished; the work of God will appear best at the end.
6. The anticipation. When the top stone of the great temple shall be brought on with joy. Let us build to completion. E.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 General Information:
General Information:
The letter from Tattenai to the king that began in Esra 5:7 continues.
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We are servants of the one
Possible meaning are 1) they were calling the Jewish people servants of God or 2) those who replied were from the tribe of Levi and Aaron, who were the ones actually responsible for the temple worship and sacrifices.
that had been built many years ago when the great king of Israel built it and completed it
This can be translated in active form. AT: "that the great king of Israel had built and supplied all the equipment for" (See: Active or Passive)
completed it
"supplied all the equipment for it"
translationWords
servant
heaven
earth
king
Israel
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 5:11 the God of heaven: This title would be…
5:11 the God of heaven: This title would be understood by the Persians: He was the universal high God, not an insignificant local deity. • a great king of Israel: Solomon (see 1 Kgs 5–8).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.