Ezra 3:1

The People Rebuild the Altar

1 The people of Israel had settled down in their towns. In the seventh month all of them gathered together in Jerusalem.

Ezra 3:1 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 3:1

And when the seventh month was come
The month Tisri, which answers to part of September and October; or when it "was approaching" ^F16, for before it was actually come some following things were done, the people met, and an altar was built; for on the first day of it sacrifices were offered, ( Ezra 3:6 ) ,

and the children of Israel were in the cities;
their respective cities, settling their domestic affairs:

the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem;
the thing was universal, and done with as much dispatch as if only one man was concerned; and it seems to denote as if they were under a divine impulse, and came together without any consultation, or knowledge of each other's designs, and without summons.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 (egyw) "cum appropinquaret", Piscator.

Ezra 3:1 In-Context

1 The people of Israel had settled down in their towns. In the seventh month all of them gathered together in Jerusalem.

2 Then Jeshua began to build the altar for burnt offerings to honor the God of Israel. Jeshua was the son of Jehozadak. The other priests helped Jeshua. So did Zerubbabel and his men. They built the altar in keeping with what is written in the Law of Moses. Moses was a man of God. Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel.

3 The people who built the altar were afraid of the nations that were around them. But they built it anyway. They set it up where it had stood before. They sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord. They offered the morning and evening sacrifices on it.

4 Then they celebrated the Feast of Booths. They did it in keeping with what is written in the Law. They sacrificed the number of burnt offerings that were required for each day.

5 After they celebrated the Feast of Booths, they sacrificed the regular burnt offerings. They offered the New Moon sacrifices. They also offered the sacrifices for all of the appointed sacred feasts of the Lord. And they sacrificed the offerings the people chose to give him.