Ezra 3:8-11

Rebuilding the Temple

8 In the second month of the second year after they arrived at God's house in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers, including the priests, the Levites, and all who had returned to Jerusalem from the captivity, began [to build]. They appointed the Levites who were 20 years old or more to supervise the work on the Lord's house.

9 Jeshua with his sons and brothers, Kadmiel with his sons, and the sons of Judah^[a] and of Henadad, with their sons and brothers, the Levites, joined together to supervise those working on the house of God.

Temple Foundation Completed

10 When the builders had laid the foundation of the Lord's temple, the priests, dressed in their robes and holding trumpets, and the Levites descended from Asaph, holding cymbals, took their positions to praise the Lord, as King David of Israel had instructed.^[b]

11 They sang with praise and thanksgiving to the Lord: "For He is good; His faithful love to Israel endures forever."^[c] Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord because the foundation of the Lord's house had been laid.

Ezra 3:8-11 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or Hodaviah; Ezr 2:40; Neh 7:43; 1 Esdras 5:58
• [b]. 1 Ch 25
• [c]. Ps 100:5; 106:1