Ezra 3:3

3 They set up the altar on its foundation and offered burnt offerings for the morning and evening on it to the Lord even though they feared the surrounding peoples.^[a]

Ezra 3:3 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 3:3

And they set the altar upon his bases
Which might remain of the old altar; or the meaning is, that it was fixed and settled on the same spot where it stood before:

for fear was upon them, because of the people of those countries;
and therefore they hastened to erect an altar, and offer sacrifices to the Lord, in hope that he would appear for them, and help them against their enemies; or rather, as some render the words ^F17 "though fear was upon them" yet they were not deterred from the work, worship, and service of God:

and they offered burnt offerings unto the Lord, even burnt offerings,
morning and evening;
the daily sacrifice, as directed to ( Exodus 29:38 Exodus 29:39 ) .

---

FOOTNOTES:

F17 (yk) "quamvis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Patrick.

Ezra 3:3 In-Context

1 By the seventh month, the Israelites had settled in their towns, and the people gathered together in Jerusalem.

2 Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests along with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his brothers began to build the altar of Israel's God in order to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.

3 They set up the altar on its foundation and offered burnt offerings for the morning and evening on it to the Lord even though they feared the surrounding peoples.

4 They celebrated the Festival of Booths as prescribed, and [offered] burnt offerings each day, based on the number specified by ordinance for each festival day.

5 After that, [they offered] the regular burnt offering and the offerings for the beginning of each monthand for all the Lord's appointed holy occasions, as well as the freewill offerings brought to the Lord.

Footnotes

• [a]. Ex 29:39