Ezra 3:1-10

1 And when the seventh month was come, and the Bnei Yisroel were in the towns, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Yerushalayim.
2 Then stood up Yeshua ben Yehotzadak [T.N. This man is the prophetic namesake of the coming Moshiach—see Zech 6:11-12], and his brethren the kohanim, and Zerubavel ben Sh’altiel, and his brethren, and built the Mizbe’ach Elohei Yisroel, to offer olot (burnt offerings) thereon, as it is written in the Torat Moshe Ish HaElohim.
3 And they set the Mizbe’ach upon its bases; despite their fear upon them because of the people of those lands, they offered olot (burnt offerings) thereon unto Hashem, even olot boker and erev.
4 They kept also the Chag HaSukkot, as it is written, and offered the daily olah by number, according to the mishpat, as the duty of every yom required;
5 And afterward offered the olat tamid, both of the chodeshim, and of all the Mo’adim of Hashem that were set apart as kodesh, and of every one that willingly offered a nedavah (freewill offering) unto Hashem.
6 From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer olot (burnt offerings) unto Hashem. But the Yesod (Foundation) of the Heikhal Hashem was not yet laid.
7 They gave kesef also unto the chotzvim (masons, stonecutters), and to the charashim (craftsmen, carpenters); and food, and mishteh (drink), and shemen (oil), unto them of Tzidon, and to them of Tzor, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea and on to Yafo, according to the rishyon (authorization, grant) that they had of Koresh Melech Paras (Persia).
8 Now in the second year of their coming unto the Beis HaElohim at Yerushalayim, in the second month, began Zerubavel ben Sh’altiel, and Yeshua ben Yehotzadak, and the she’ar (remnant) of their brethren the kohanim and the Levi’im, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Yerushalayim; and appointed the Levi’im, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the melechet Beis Hashem (work of the construction of the Beis Hamikdash).
9 Then stood Yeshua with his banim and his brethren, Kadmiel and his banim, the Bnei Yehudah, together, to set forward the workmen in the Beis HaElohim; the Bnei Chenadad, with their banim and their brethren the Levi’im.
10 And when the Bonim (Builders) laid the foundation of the Heikhal Hashem, they set the kohanim in their robes with trumpets, and the Levi’im the Bnei Asaph with cymbals, to praise Hashem according to the instructions of Dovid Melech Yisroel.

Ezra 3:1-10 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.

The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.