Ezra 4:3

3 But Z'rubavel, Yeshua and the rest of the heads of fathers' clans in Isra'el answered them, "You and we have nothing in common that you should join us in building a house for our God. We will build by ourselves for ADONAI the God of Isra'el, as Koresh king of Persia ordered us to do."

Ezra 4:3 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 4:3

But Zerubbabel, and Joshua, and the rest of the chief of the
fathers, said unto them
The prince and high priest, and chief of the people:

you have nothing to do with us to build an house to our God;
being neither of the same nation, nor of the same religion:

but we ourselves together will build to the Lord God of Israel;
we and we only, who are together as one man, united in one body of people, and in the same religious sentiments, being Israelites; we separately, without admitting strangers among us, will build a temple to the God of Israel:

as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, hath commanded us;
thereby letting them know that they acted by his authority, and the commission they had from him only concerned themselves, and not others.

Ezra 4:3 In-Context

1 When the enemies of Y'hudah and Binyamin heard that the people from the exile were building a temple to ADONAI the God of Isra'el,
2 they approached Z'rubavel and the heads of fathers' clans and said to them, "Let us build along with you; for we seek your God, just as you do; and we have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esar-Hadon king of Ashur, who brought us here."
3 But Z'rubavel, Yeshua and the rest of the heads of fathers' clans in Isra'el answered them, "You and we have nothing in common that you should join us in building a house for our God. We will build by ourselves for ADONAI the God of Isra'el, as Koresh king of Persia ordered us to do."
4 Then the people of the land began discouraging the people of Y'hudah, in order to make them afraid to build.
5 They also bribed officials to frustrate their plan throughout the lifetime of Koresh king of Persia and on into the reign of Daryavesh king of Persia.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.