Ezra 5:11

11 huiuscemodi autem sermonem responderunt nobis dicentes nos sumus servi Dei caeli et terrae et aedificamus templum quod erat extructum ante hos annos multos quodque rex Israhel magnus aedificaverat et extruxerat

Ezra 5:11 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 5:11

And thus they returned us answer
To the purpose and in the manner following:

saying, we are the servants of the God of heaven and earth;
signifying that they were doing his work, in obedience to his will, and to whom they were accountable:

and build the house that was builded these many years ago;
even five hundred years ago, or thereabout; so that they were not erecting a building where there was none before, but were rebuilding what was in ruins:

which a great king of Israel builded and set up;
King Solomon, who was a great king for wisdom, honour, riches, peace, prosperity, and extent of his kingdom.

Ezra 5:11 In-Context

9 interrogavimus ergo senes illos et ita diximus eis quis dedit vobis potestatem ut domum hanc aedificaretis et muros instauraretis

10 sed et nomina eorum quaesivimus ab eis ut nuntiaremus tibi quae scripsimus nomina virorum qui sunt principes in eis

11 huiuscemodi autem sermonem responderunt nobis dicentes nos sumus servi Dei caeli et terrae et aedificamus templum quod erat extructum ante hos annos multos quodque rex Israhel magnus aedificaverat et extruxerat

12 postquam autem ad iracundiam provocaverunt patres nostri Deum caeli et tradidit eos in manu Nabuchodonosor regis Babylonis Chaldei domum quoque hanc destruxit et populum eius transtulit in Babylonem

13 anno autem primo Cyri regis Babylonis Cyrus rex proposuit edictum ut domus Dei aedificaretur