Ezra 5

Ezra · Chapter 5

Ezra 5:17

1Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.2Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.3At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?4Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?5But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter.6The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king:7They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace.8Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.9Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?10We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.11And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.12But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.13But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.14And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;15And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.16Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.17Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
17Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.Now, therefore, if it pleases the king, let a search be made of the royal archives in Babylon to see if King Cyrus did indeed issue a decree to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure-house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Where

Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.

Original Aramaic words

This passage was written in Aramaic, the common language of the Babylonian and Persian empires, which the Jews of the exile also spoke. It uses the same alphabet as Hebrew.

EnglishAramaicSay itStrong'sMeaning
and nowוּכְעַ֞ןu-khe-'ANH3705
now

כְּעַן (ke.an) now, at this time, until now Aramaic equivalent: ke.e.net (כְּעֶ֫נֶת "now" H3706)

ifהֵ֧ןhenH2006A
if

הֵן (hen) behold, if, whether Aramaic of hen (הֵן "look!" H2005)

toעַל־'al-H5922
since

עַל (al) 1) upon, over, on account of, above, to, against 1a) upon, over, on account of, regarding, concerning, on behalf of 1b) over (with verbs of ruling) 1c) above, beyond (in comparison) 1d) to, against (of direction)

king theמַלְכָּ֣אmal-KA'H4430
king

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) king Aramaic of me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4428) § 1) king

[it is] goodטָ֗בTavH2869
fine

טָב (tav) good Aramaic of tov (טוֹב "pleasant" H2896A)

let it be searchedיִ֠תְבַּקַּרYIT-ba-karH1240
to enquire

בְּקַר (be.qar) 1) to seek, enquire 1a) (Pael) to enquire 1b) (Ithpael) to let search be made

in [the] house ofבְּבֵ֨יתbe-VEITH1005
house

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) 1) house (of men) 2) house (of God)

treasures theגִּנְזַיָּ֜אgin-zai-YA'H1596
treasure

גְּנַז (ge.naz) treasure Aramaic of ge.nez (גְּנָזִים "treasury" H1595)

ofדִּי־di-H1768
that

דִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because

king theמַלְכָּ֣אmal-KA'H4430
king

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) king Aramaic of me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4428) § 1) king

thereתַמָּה֮ta-MAHH8536
there

תַּמָּה (tam.mah) there Aramaic of sham (שָׁם "there" H8033)

whichדִּ֣יdiH1768
that

דִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because

[are] in Babylonבְּבָבֶל֒be-va-VELH0895
Babylon

בָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶל (ba.vel) Aramaic of ba.vel (בָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶל "Babylon" H0894) § Babel or Babylon = "confusion (by mixing)" Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates

whetherהֵ֣ןhenH2006A
if

הֵן (hen) behold, if, whether Aramaic of hen (הֵן "look!" H2005)

thereאִיתַ֗י'i-TAIH0383
there is

אִיתַי (i.tay) 1) there is, there are 2) particle denoting existence

[is] thatדִּֽי־di-H1768
that

דִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because

fromמִן־min-H4481
from

מִן־ (min) 1) from, out of, by, by reason of, at, more than 1a) from, out of (of place) 1b) from, by, as a result of, by reason of, at, according to, (of source) 1c) from (of time) 1d) beyond, more than (in comparisons)

Cyrusכּ֤וֹרֶשׁKO-reshH3567
Cyrus

כּ֫וֹרֶשׁ (ko.resh) A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ch.36.22; son of: Gedaliah (H1436H) Aramaic of ko.resh (כּ֫וֹרֶשׁ "Cyrus" H3566) § Cyrus = "posses thou the furnace" the king of Persia and conqueror of Babylon; first ruler of Persia to make a decree allowing the Israelite exiles to return to Jerusalem

king theמַלְכָּא֙mal-KA'H4430
king

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) king Aramaic of me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4428) § 1) king

it was madeשִׂ֣יםsimH7761G
to set: make

שׂוּם (sum) 1) to set, make, appoint 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to make, make decree, setout (decree) 1a2) to make, appoint 1a3) to set, fix 1b) (Ithp'al) to be made, be set, be laid

[is] a decreeטְעֵ֔םte-'EMH2942
command

טְעֵם (te.em) 1) report, taste 1a) taste 1b) report

to buildלְמִבְנֵ֛אle-miv-NE'H1124
to build

בְּנָה (be.nah) 1) to build 1a) (P'al) to build 1b) (Ithp'il) to be built

[the] house ofבֵּית־beit-H1005
house

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) 1) house (of men) 2) house (of God)

the Godאֱלָהָ֥א'e-la-HA'H0426
god

אֱלָהּ (e.lah) 1) god, God 1a) god, heathen deity 1b) God (of Israel)

thisדֵ֖ךְdekhH1791
this

דֵּךְ (dekh) this Aramaic of zeh (זֶה "this" H2088)

in Jerusalemבִּירוּשְׁלֶ֑םbi-ru-she-LEMH3390
Jerusalem

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם (ye.ru.sha.lem) Aramaic of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389) § Jerusalem = "teaching of peace" the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split

and [the] will ofוּרְע֥וּתu-re-'UTH7470
pleasure

רְעוּ (re.ut) good pleasure, will Aramaic of re.ut (רְעוּת "longing" H7469)

king theמַלְכָּ֛אmal-KA'H4430
king

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) king Aramaic of me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4428) § 1) king

concerningעַל־'al-H5922
since

עַל (al) 1) upon, over, on account of, above, to, against 1a) upon, over, on account of, regarding, concerning, on behalf of 1b) over (with verbs of ruling) 1c) above, beyond (in comparison) 1d) to, against (of direction)

thisדְּנָ֖הde-NAHH1836
this

דְּנָה (de.nah) demons pron 1) this, on account of this adv 2) therefore

let him sendיִשְׁלַ֥חyish-LACHH7972
to send

שְׁלַח (she.lach) 1) to send 1a) (P'al) 1a1) to send, send out 1a2) to be sent

to usעֲלֶֽינָא׃ ס'a-LEI-na'H5922
since

עַל (al) 1) upon, over, on account of, above, to, against 1a) upon, over, on account of, regarding, concerning, on behalf of 1b) over (with verbs of ruling) 1c) above, beyond (in comparison) 1d) to, against (of direction)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.