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Ezra 4:3

CyrusJoshuaZerubbabelPersia

1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,

2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families, saying, “Let us build with you because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the time of King Esar-haddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”

But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.”

4 Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build.

5 They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

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BSB
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.”
KJV
But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
WEB
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”
ASV
But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers` [houses] of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us in building a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
DARBY
But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the chief fathers of Israel said to them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God, but we alone will build to Jehovah the God of Israel, as king Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.
BLB
And Zerubbabel said to them, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers of Israel, “Nothing [is] to you⁺ and to us to build a house for our God, but we alone will build to YHWH, God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”
ÅB
Da svarte Serubabel og Josva og de andre familiehoder i Israel: Det lar seg ikke gjøre at dere er sammen med oss om å bygge et hus for vår Gud; vi vil være alene om å bygge hus for Herren, Israels Gud, slik som kong Kyros, kongen i Persia, har befalt oss.
OTB
Men Serubabel, Jesjua og resten av overhodene for Israels fedrehus sa til dem: "Dere har ingen del med oss i å bygge et hus for vår Gud; vi alene vil bygge for Herren, Israels Gud, slik kong Kyros, kongen av Persia, har befalt oss."
B1930
Da svarte Serubabel og Josva og de andre familiehoder i Israel: Det lar sig ikke gjøre at I er sammen med oss om å bygge et hus for vår Gud; vi vil være alene om å bygge hus for Herren, Israels Gud, således som kong Kyros, kongen i Persia, har befalt oss.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Nehemiah 2:20

    So I answered them and said, “The God of heaven is the One who will grant us success. We, His servants, will start rebuilding, but you have no portion, right, or claim in Jerusalem.”

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  • Matthew 10:16

    Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

    Read in context

  • Acts 8:21

    You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God.

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  • Ezra 6:3–5

    In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: Let the house be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices, and let its foundations be firmly laid. It is to be sixty cubits high and sixty cubits wide,

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 44:28–45:1

    who says of Cyrus, ‘My shepherd will fulfill all that I desire,’ who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundation be laid.’”

    Read in context

  • 3 John 1:9–10

    I have written to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not accept our instruction.

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  • John 4:22–23

    You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.

    Read in context

  • 2 Chronicles 36:22–1:3

    In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows:

    Read in context