Ezra 3:12

10 When the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their positions to praise the LORD, as David king of Israel had prescribed.

11 And they sang responsively with praise and thanksgiving to the LORD: “For He is good; for His loving devotion to Israel endures forever.” Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD had been laid.

But many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads who had seen the first temple wept loudly when they saw the foundation of this temple. Still, many others shouted joyfully.

13 The people could not distinguish the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people were making so much noise. And the sound was heard from afar.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
But many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads who had seen the first temple wept loudly when they saw the foundation of this temple. Still, many others shouted joyfully.
KJV
But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:
WEB
But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice. Many also shouted aloud for joy,
ASV
But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers` [houses], the old men that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:
DARBY
But many of the priests and Levites and chief fathers, the ancient men that had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice, [when] the foundation of this house was laid in their sight; and many shouted aloud for joy.
BLB
And many of the priests, and the Levites, and the heads of the fathers, the aged who had seen the first temple, when this temple had been founded before their eyes, wept in a loud voice. And many shouted for joy, lifting up the voice.
ÅB
Men mange av prestene og levittene og familiehodene - de gamle som hadde sett det første hus, gråt høyt da de så dette hus bli grunnlagt, mens mange jublet høyt av glede.
OTB
Men mange av de eldre prestene, levittene og familieoverhodene, som hadde sett det tidligere tempelet, gråt høyt da de så grunnvollen til dette tempelet bli lagt, mens mange andre ropte av glede.
B1930
Men mange av prestene og levittene og familiehodene - de gamle som hadde sett det første hus, gråt høit da de så dette hus bli grunnlagt, mens mange jublet høit av glede.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Haggai 2:3

    ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not appear to you like nothing in comparison?’

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 31:8–9

    Behold, I will bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, including the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labor. They will return as a great assembly!

    Read in context
  • Matthew 13:31–32

    He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field.

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 60:22

    The least of you will become a thousand, and the smallest a mighty nation. I am the LORD; in its time I will accomplish it quickly.

    Read in context
  • Daniel 2:34–35

    As you watched, a stone was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and crushed them.

    Read in context
  • Job 8:7

    Though your beginnings were modest, your latter days will flourish.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 126:6

    He who goes out weeping, bearing a trail of seed, will surely return with shouts of joy, carrying sheaves of grain.

    Read in context
  • Zechariah 4:10

    For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven eyes of the LORD, which scan the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.”

    Read in context