Ezra 3:1-7

1 iamque venerat mensis septimus et erant filii Israhel in civitatibus suis congregatus est ergo populus quasi vir unus in Hierusalem

2 et surrexit Iosue filius Iosedech et fratres eius sacerdotes et Zorobabel filius Salathihel et fratres eius et aedificaverunt altare Dei Israhel ut offerrent in eo holocaustomata sicut scriptum est in lege Mosi viri Dei

3 conlocaverunt autem altare super bases suas deterrentibus eos per circuitum populis terrarum et obtulerunt super illud holocaustum Domino mane et vespere

4 feceruntque sollemnitatem tabernaculorum sicut scriptum est et holocaustum diebus singulis per ordinem secundum praeceptum opus diei in die suo

5 et post haec holocaustum iuge tam in kalendis quam in universis sollemnitatibus Domini quae erant consecratae et in omnibus in quibus ultro offerebatur munus Deo

6 a primo die mensis septimi coeperunt offerre holocaustum Domino porro templum Dei fundatum necdum erat

7 dederunt autem pecunias latomis et cementariis cibum quoque et potum et oleum Sidoniis Tyriisque ut deferrent ligna cedrina de Libano ad mare Ioppes iuxta quod praeceperat Cyrus rex Persarum eis

Ezra 3:1-7 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.