Ezra 5:11

11 And this was their reply to us: 'We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, ¹which a great king of Israel built and ²finished.

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 Then we asked those elders and spoke to them thus: 'Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?'

10 We also asked them their names, for your information, that we might write down the names of their leaders.

11 And this was their reply to us: 'We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.

12 But because our fathers had angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia.

13 However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree that this house of God should be rebuilt.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Kings 6:1
• 2. Ezra 4:12