Ezra 3:1-7

Rebuilding the Altar

1 1When the seventh month came, and the children of Israel were in the towns, the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem.
2 Then arose Jeshua the son of Jozadak, with his fellow priests, and 2Zerubbabel the son of 3Shealtiel with his kinsmen, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, 4as it is written in the Law of Moses the 5man of God.
3 They set the altar in its place, 6for fear was on them because of the peoples of the lands, and 7they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, burnt offerings morning and evening.
4 8And they kept the Feast of Booths, 9as it is written, 10and offered the daily burnt offerings by number according to the rule, as each day required,
5 and after that the regular burnt 11offerings, the offerings at the new moon 12and at all the appointed feasts of the LORD, and the offerings of everyone who made a freewill offering to the LORD.
6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid.
7 So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, 13and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians 14to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, 15according to the grant that they had from Cyrus king of Persia.

Ezra 3:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 3

This chapter relates how that the people of Israel returned from captivity, gathered to Jerusalem, and set up the altar, where sacrifices were offered, Ezr 3:1-3, and kept the feast of tabernacles, and offered the sacrifices of that, besides the daily sacrifice, and of other festivals; and contributed to the workmen that prepared for the building of the temple, Ezr 3:4-7 and began it by laying the foundation of it; which to some was matter of joy, to others of grief, on different accounts, Ezr 3:8-13.

Cross References 15

  • 1. Nehemiah 7:73; Nehemiah 8:1
  • 2. Matthew 1:12; Luke 3:27
  • 3. 1 Chronicles 3:17; Matthew 1:12; Luke 3:27
  • 4. Deuteronomy 12:5, 6
  • 5. See Deuteronomy 33:1
  • 6. [Ezra 4:4]
  • 7. Exodus 29:38; Numbers 28:3, 4
  • 8. Zechariah 14:16; See Nehemiah 8:14-17
  • 9. Exodus 23:16; Leviticus 23:34
  • 10. See Numbers 29:12-38
  • 11. See Numbers 28:11-15
  • 12. Numbers 29:39
  • 13. 1 Kings 5:6, 9; 2 Chronicles 2:10
  • 14. 2 Chronicles 2:16
  • 15. Ezra 1:3, 4; Ezra 6:3
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.