Ezra

Ezra 4:1–6

1When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, 2they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families, saying, “Let us build with you because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the time of King Esar-haddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”

3But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.”

4Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build. 5They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

6At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes,a an accusation was lodged against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.

Footnotes

  • a 4:6 Hebrew Ahasuerus

Read all of Ezra 4

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Ezra 4:1

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
When the enemiesצָרֵ֥יṣā·rêNoun - masculine plural constructH6862 narrow, tight
of Judahיְהוּדָ֖הyə·hū·ḏāhNoun - proper - feminine singularH3063 Judah
and Benjaminוּבִנְיָמִ֑ןū·ḇin·yā·minConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - feminine singularH1144 Binjamin
heardוַֽיִּשְׁמְע֔וּway·yiš·mə·‘ūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH8085 hear
thatכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
the exilesבְנֵ֤יḇə·nêNoun - masculine plural constructH1121 son
were buildingבּוֹנִ֣יםbō·w·nîmVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH1129 build
a templeהֵיכָ֔לhê·ḵālNoun - masculine singularH1964 palace, temple
for the LORDלַיהוָ֖הYah·wehPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
the Godאֱלֹהֵ֥י’ĕ·lō·hêNoun - masculine plural constructH430 God
of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃yiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - feminine singularH3478 Israel

Ezra 4:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
they approachedוַיִּגְּשׁ֨וּway·yig·gə·šūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH5066 draw near, approach
Zerubbabelזְרֻבָּבֶ֜לzə·rub·bā·ḇelNoun - proper - masculine singularH2216 Zerubbabel
and the headsרָאשֵׁ֣יrā·šêNoun - masculine plural constructH7218 head
of the familiesהָֽאָב֗וֹתhā·’ā·ḇō·wṯArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH1 father
sayingוַיֹּאמְר֤וּway·yō·mə·rūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH559 utter, say
Let us buildנִבְנֶ֣הniḇ·nehVerb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common pluralH1129 build
with youעִמָּכֶ֔ם‘im·mā·ḵemPreposition; second person masculine pluralH5973 with
becauseכִּ֣יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
like youכָכֶ֔םḵā·ḵemPreposition; second person masculine plural
we seekנִדְר֖וֹשׁniḏ·rō·wōšVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common pluralH1875 resort to, seek
your Godלֵֽאלֹהֵיכֶ֑םlê·lō·hê·ḵemPreposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine pluralH430 God
and have been sacrificingזֹבְחִ֗יםzō·ḇə·ḥîmVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH2076 slaughter for sacrifice
to Him sinceוְלֹאwə·lōConjunctive waw; Preposition; third person masculine singularH3808 not
the timeמִימֵי֙mî·mêPreposition-m; Noun - masculine plural constructH3117 day
of Kingמֶ֣לֶךְme·leḵNoun - masculine singular constructH4428 king
Esar-haddonחַדֹּן֙ḥad·dōnNoun - proper - masculine singularH634 Esarhaddon
of Assyriaאַשּׁ֔וּר’aš·šūrNoun - proper - feminine singularH804 Asshur, Assyria
who broughtהַמַּעֲלֶ֥הham·ma·‘ă·lehArticle; Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularH5927 go up, ascend, climb
usאֹתָ֖נוּ’ō·ṯā·nūDirect object marker; first person common pluralH853 mark of the accusative
hereפֹּֽה׃pōhAdverbH6311 here, hither

Ezra 4:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
But Zerubbabelזְרֻבָּבֶ֜לzə·rub·bā·ḇelNoun - proper - masculine singularH2216 Zerubbabel
Jeshuaוְיֵשׁ֗וּעַwə·yê·šū·a‘Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3442 Jeshua
and the otherוּשְׁאָ֨רū·šə·’ārConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH7605 remain, be left over
headsרָאשֵׁ֤יrā·šêNoun - masculine plural constructH7218 head
of the familiesהָֽאָבוֹת֙hā·’ā·ḇō·wṯArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH1 father
of Israelלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לlə·yiś·rā·’êlPreposition-l; Noun - proper - feminine singularH3478 Israel
repliedוַיֹּאמֶר֩way·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
You have noלֹֽא־lō-Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
partלָ֣כֶםlā·ḵemPreposition; second person masculine plural
with usוָלָ֔נוּwā·lā·nūConjunctive waw; Preposition; first person common plural
in buildingלִבְנ֥וֹתliḇ·nō·wṯPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH1129 build
a houseבַּ֖יִתba·yiṯNoun - masculine singularH1004 house
for our Godלֵאלֹהֵ֑ינוּlê·lō·hê·nūPreposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common pluralH430 God
sinceכִּי֩kîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
weאֲנַ֨חְנוּ’ă·naḥ·nūPronoun - first person common pluralH587 we
aloneיַ֜חַדya·ḥaḏAdverbH3162 unitedness
must buildנִבְנֶ֗הniḇ·nehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common pluralH1129 build
it for the LORDלַֽיהוָה֙Yah·wehPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
the Godאֱלֹהֵ֣י’ĕ·lō·hêNoun - masculine plural constructH430 God
of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - feminine singularH3478 Israel
asכַּאֲשֶׁ֣רka·’ă·šerPreposition-k; Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
Cyrusכּ֥וֹרֶשׁkō·w·rešNoun - proper - masculine singularH3566 Cyrus
kingמֶֽלֶךְ־me·leḵ-Noun - masculine singular constructH4428 king
of Persiaפָּרָֽס׃pā·rāsNoun - proper - feminine singularH6539 Persia
has commanded usצִוָּ֔נוּṣiw·wā·nūVerb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common pluralH6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order

Ezra 4:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Thenוַיְהִי֙way·hîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
the peopleעַם־‘am-Noun - masculine singular constructH5971 people
of the landהָאָ֔רֶץhā·’ā·reṣArticle; Noun - feminine singularH776 earth, land
set out to discourageמְרַפִּ֖יםmə·rap·pîmVerb - Piel - Participle - masculine pluralH7503 sink, relax
the peopleעַם־‘am-Noun - masculine singular constructH5971 people
of Judahיְהוּדָ֑הyə·hū·ḏāhNoun - proper - feminine singularH3063 Judah
and make them afraidוּמְבַלַהִיםū·mə·ḇa·la·hīmConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine pluralH1089 trouble
to buildלִבְנֽוֹת׃liḇ·nō·wṯPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH1129 build

Ezra 4:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
They hiredוְסֹכְרִ֧יםwə·sō·ḵə·rîmConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH7936 hire
counselorsיוֹעֲצִ֖יםyō·w·‘ă·ṣîmVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH3289 advise, counsel
against themעֲלֵיהֶ֛ם‘ă·lê·hemPreposition; third person masculine pluralH5921 height
to frustrateלְהָפֵ֣רlə·hā·p̄êrPreposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructH6565 break, frustrate
their plansעֲצָתָ֑ם‘ă·ṣā·ṯāmNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH6098 counsel, advice
throughoutכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the reignיְמֵ֗יyə·mêNoun - masculine plural constructH3117 day
of Cyrusכּ֚וֹרֶשׁkō·w·rešNoun - proper - masculine singularH3566 Cyrus
kingמֶ֣לֶךְme·leḵNoun - masculine singular constructH4428 king
of Persiaפָּרַ֔סpā·rasNoun - proper - feminine singularH6539 Persia
and down toוְעַד־wə·‘aḏ-Conjunctive waw; PrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
the reignמַלְכ֖וּתmal·ḵūṯNoun - feminine singular constructH4438 royalty, royal power, reign, kingdom
of Dariusדָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁdā·rə·yā·wešNoun - proper - masculine singularH1867 Darius
kingמֶֽלֶךְ־me·leḵ-Noun - masculine singular constructH4428 king
of Persiaפָּרָֽס׃pā·rāsNoun - proper - feminine singularH6539 Persia

Ezra 4:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
At the beginningבִּתְחִלַּ֖תbiṯ·ḥil·laṯPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular constructH8462 beginning
of the reignוּבְמַלְכוּת֙ū·ḇə·mal·ḵūṯConjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular constructH4438 royalty, royal power, reign, kingdom
of Xerxesאֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ’ă·ḥaš·wê·rō·wōšNoun - proper - masculine singularH325 Ahasuerus
an accusationשִׂטְנָ֔הśiṭ·nāhNoun - feminine singularH7855 accusation
was lodgedכָּתְב֣וּkā·ṯə·ḇūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH3789 write
againstעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
the peopleיֹשְׁבֵ֥יyō·šə·ḇêVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructH3427 sit, remain, dwell
of Judahיְהוּדָ֖הyə·hū·ḏāhNoun - proper - feminine singularH3063 Judah
and Jerusalemוִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃סwî·rū·šā·limConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - feminine singularH3389 Jerusalem

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Ezra 4:1 1 Chronicles 22:9–10 · Ezra 1:11

Ezra 4:2 2 Kings 17:24 · 2 Kings 19:37 · Galatians 2:4 · 2 Kings 17:27–33

Ezra 4:3 Nehemiah 2:20 · Matthew 10:16 · Acts 8:21

Ezra 4:4 Ezra 3:3 · Jeremiah 38:4 · Isaiah 35:3–4 · Nehemiah 6:9 · Nehemiah 4:11 · Nehemiah 4:7–8

Ezra 4:5 Nahum 1:11 · Ezra 5:5–6:18 · Acts 24:1–27 · Psalm 2:1–2

Ezra 4:6 Daniel 9:1 · Esther 1:1

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.