Ezra 3:13

13 People couldn't distinguish the shouting from the weeping. The sound of their voices reverberated for miles around.

Ezra 3:13 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 3:13

So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of
joy from the noise of the weeping of the people
That is, not clearly and distinctly, they were so mixed and confounded together, and made such a jarring and discord:

for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar
off;
the shouting being of young people, whose voice was strongest, and they the most numerous, the noise of shouting prevailed over the noise of weeping; and it was heard further, and at a distance appeared more distinctly to be the noise of shouting, that of weeping not reaching so far; though Jarchi is of opinion that the noise of weeping was heard further than the noise of shouting, which is not likely.

Ezra 3:13 In-Context

11 They sang antiphonally praise and thanksgiving to God: Yes! God is good! Oh yes - he'll never quit loving Israel!
12 As many were noisily shouting with joy, many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads who had seen the first Temple, when they saw the foundations of this Temple laid, wept loudly for joy.
13 People couldn't distinguish the shouting from the weeping. The sound of their voices reverberated for miles around.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.