Ezra 3:1-3

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.

Ezra 3:1-3 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

• 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