重建祭壇

到了七月,以色列人已安居各城,他們萬眾一心地聚集在耶路撒冷。 約薩達的兒子耶書亞及其他祭司、撒拉鐵的兒子所羅巴伯及其親屬,一起重新築造以色列上帝的祭壇,為要照上帝的僕人摩西在律法書上的記載在壇上獻燔祭。 他們雖然懼怕當地的居民,還是在原來的根基上重建祭壇,並早晚在上面向耶和華獻燔祭。 他們照律法書的記載守住棚節,每天按規定的數目獻上燔祭。 之後,他們獻上日常的燔祭,並在朔日[a]和耶和華所定的一切節期獻祭,又向耶和華獻上自願獻的祭。 儘管耶和華殿的根基還沒有立好,從七月一日起,他們就開始向耶和華獻燔祭。 他們付給石匠和木匠銀子,並經波斯王塞魯士批准,供給泰爾人和西頓人食物、酒和油,換取他們把香柏木從黎巴嫩經海路運到約帕。

開始重建聖殿

在回到耶路撒冷上帝殿的第二年二月,撒拉鐵的兒子所羅巴伯、約薩達的兒子耶書亞及其祭司和利未親族,以及所有從流亡之地回到耶路撒冷的人,開始重建耶和華的殿,並派二十歲以上的利未人做督工。 何達威雅[b]的後裔,即耶書亞及其子孫和弟兄、甲篾及其子孫,與利未人希拿達的子孫及其弟兄同心協力地監督在上帝殿裡做工的人。

10 工人立耶和華殿的根基時,祭司身穿禮服拿著號角,利未人亞薩的子孫拿著鈸各就各位,照以色列王大衛所定的規矩讚美耶和華。 11 他們彼此唱和,讚美、稱謝耶和華,說:

「祂是美善的,
因為祂向以色列人永施慈愛!」

所有人都高聲歡呼讚美耶和華,因為耶和華殿的根基已經立好。 12 許多曾見過舊殿的年長的祭司、利未人和族長看見這殿的根基,不禁放聲大哭,也有很多人高聲歡呼。 13 人們無法分辨是痛哭聲還是歡呼聲,因為眾人都大聲呼喊,聲音傳到遠處。

Footnotes

  1. 3·5 朔日」即每月初一。
  2. 3·9 何達威雅」希伯來文是「猶大」,參考2·40

重建祭坛

到了七月,各城里的以色列人,如同一人,都在耶路撒冷聚集。 约萨达的儿子耶书亚和作祭司的亲族,撒拉铁的儿子所罗巴伯和他的兄弟都起来,建筑以色列 神的祭坛,为要照着神人摩西律法书上所写的,在祭坛上献燔祭。 因为他们惧怕当地的居民,就在殿的原有根基上建立祭坛,在祭坛上向耶和华献燔祭,就是早晚的燔祭。 他们又按照律法上所记载的守住棚节,每天照着规定的数目献上当天的燔祭。 另外,又献常献的燔祭、月朔献的燔祭和一切耶和华的圣节所献的燔祭,以及甘心乐意的人向耶和华所献的甘心祭。 从七月一日起,他们就开始向耶和华献燔祭,但是那时耶和华的殿还没有立定根基, 他们把银子给石匠和木匠,把食物、饮料和油给西顿人和推罗人,叫他们照着波斯王古列所允许的,把香柏木从黎巴嫩经海运送到约帕。

重建圣殿

众人来到耶路撒冷 神的殿以后,第二年二月,撒拉铁的儿子所罗巴伯、约萨达的儿子耶书亚和他们其余的兄弟,就是祭司、利未人和所有从被掳之地回到耶路撒冷的人,就开始动工建造;又委派二十岁以上的利未人,监督耶和华殿的工程。 耶书亚和他的儿子及兄弟,甲篾和他的儿子,就是何达威雅的子孙(“何达威雅的子孙”或译:“犹大人”),同心协力监督建造神殿的工人,有利未人希拿达的儿子和兄弟协助他们。 10 建筑工人奠立耶和华殿根基的时候,祭司都穿上礼服,拿着号筒,亚萨子孙的利未人,都拿着响钹,站在自己的位置,按照以色列王大卫所定的仪式赞美耶和华。 11 他们赞美和称谢,向耶和华歌唱,说:“耶和华是至善的,他向以色列人所施的慈爱永远长存。”他们赞美耶和华的时候,众人都大声呼喊,因为耶和华殿的根基已经奠定。 12 很多年老的祭司、利未人和族长,曾经见过先前的殿,眼见这殿的根基再次奠立,就放声大哭,但也有许多人高声欢呼, 13 以致分不清到底是欢呼声或哭声。因为众人都大声呼喊,这声音在很远的地方也可以听见。

The Altar is Rebuilt

When the seventh month arrived and the Israelites[a] were living[b] in their[c] towns, the people assembled[d] in[e] Jerusalem. Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak[f] and his priestly colleagues[g] and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his colleagues[h] started to build[i] the altar of the God of Israel so they could offer burnt offerings on it as required by[j] the law of Moses the man of God. They established the altar on its foundations, even though they were in terror of the local peoples,[k] and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and the evening offerings. They observed the Feast of Shelters[l] as required[m] and offered the proper number of[n] daily burnt offerings according to the requirement for each day. Afterward they offered the continual burnt offerings and those for the new moons and those for all the holy assemblies of the Lord and all those that were being voluntarily offered to the Lord. From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord. However, the Lord’s temple was not at that time established.[o]

Preparations for Rebuilding the Temple

So they provided money[p] for the masons and carpenters, and food, beverages, and olive oil for the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar timber from Lebanon to the seaport[q] at Joppa, in accord with the edict of King Cyrus of Persia. In the second year after they had come to the temple of God in Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak initiated the work,[r] along with the rest of their associates,[s] the priests and the Levites, and all those who were coming to Jerusalem from the exile. They appointed[t] the Levites who were at least twenty years old[u] to take charge of the work on the Lord’s temple. So Jeshua appointed both his sons and his relatives,[v] Kadmiel and his sons (the sons of Yehudah[w]), to take charge of the workers in the temple of God, along with the sons of Henadad, their sons, and their relatives[x] the Levites. 10 When the builders established the Lord’s temple, the priests, ceremonially attired and with their clarions,[y] and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with their cymbals, stood to praise the Lord according to the instructions left by[z] King David of Israel.[aa] 11 With antiphonal response they sang,[ab] praising and glorifying the Lord:

“For he is good;
his loyal love toward Israel is forever.”

All the people gave a loud[ac] shout as they praised the Lord when the temple of the Lord was established. 12 Many of the priests, the Levites, and the leaders[ad]—older people who had seen with their own eyes the former temple while it was still established[ae]—were weeping loudly,[af] and many others raised their voice in a joyous shout. 13 People were unable to tell the difference between the sound of joyous shouting and the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people were shouting so loudly[ag] that the sound was heard a long way off.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 3:1 tn Heb “the sons of Israel.”
  2. Ezra 3:1 tn The word “living” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied. Some translations supply “settled” (cf. NAB, NIV, NLT).
  3. Ezra 3:1 tc The translation reads with some medieval Hebrew mss and ancient versions בְּעָרֵיהֶם (beʿarehem, “in their towns”), rather than the reading בֶּעָרִים (beʿarim, “in the towns”) found in the MT. Cf. Neh 7:72 HT [7:73 ET].
  4. Ezra 3:1 tn The Hebrew text adds the phrase “like one man.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  5. Ezra 3:1 tn Heb “to.”
  6. Ezra 3:2 sn Jozadak (also in 3:8) is a variant spelling of Jehozadak.
  7. Ezra 3:2 tn Heb “his brothers the priests.”
  8. Ezra 3:2 tn Heb “his brothers.”
  9. Ezra 3:2 tn Heb “arose and built.”
  10. Ezra 3:2 tn Heb “written in.” Cf. v. 4.
  11. Ezra 3:3 tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”
  12. Ezra 3:4 tn The Hebrew phrase אֶת חַג־הַסֻּכּוֹת (ʾet khag hassukot, “Feast of Shelters” [or “Huts”]) is traditionally known as the Feast of Tabernacles. The rendering “booths” (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV) is probably better than the traditional “tabernacles” in light of the meaning of the term סֻכָּה (sukkah, “hut; booth”), but “booths” are frequently associated with trade shows and craft fairs in contemporary American English. The nature of the celebration during this feast as a commemoration of the wanderings of the Israelites after they left Egypt suggests that a translation like “shelters” is more appropriate.
  13. Ezra 3:4 tn Heb “according to what is written.”
  14. Ezra 3:4 tn Heb “by number.”
  15. Ezra 3:6 tn Or “the foundation of the Lord’s temple was not yet laid.”
  16. Ezra 3:7 tn Heb “silver.”
  17. Ezra 3:7 tn Heb “to the sea”
  18. Ezra 3:8 tn Heb “began”; the phrase “the work” is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
  19. Ezra 3:8 tn Heb “their brothers.”
  20. Ezra 3:8 tn Heb “stood.”
  21. Ezra 3:8 tn Heb “from twenty years and upward.”
  22. Ezra 3:9 tn Heb “brothers.”
  23. Ezra 3:9 sn The name יְהוּדָה (Yehudah; cf. KJV, ASV, NASB “Judah”) is probably a variant of Hodaviah (see Ezra 2:40; cf. NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).
  24. Ezra 3:9 tn Heb “brothers.”
  25. Ezra 3:10 sn This was a long, straight, metallic instrument used for signal calls, rather than the traditional ram’s horn (both instruments are typically translated “trumpet” by English versions).
  26. Ezra 3:10 tn Heb “according to the hands of.”
  27. Ezra 3:10 sn See Pss 107:1; 118:1, 29; 136:1. Cf. 2 Chr 5:13; 7:3; 20:21.
  28. Ezra 3:11 tn Heb “they answered.”
  29. Ezra 3:11 tn Heb “great.”
  30. Ezra 3:12 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
  31. Ezra 3:12 sn The temple had been destroyed some fifty years earlier by the Babylonians in 586 b.c.
  32. Ezra 3:12 tn Heb “with a great voice.”
  33. Ezra 3:13 tn Heb “a great shout.”

Rebuilding the Altar

When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,(A) the people assembled(B) together as one in Jerusalem. Then Joshua(C) son of Jozadak(D) and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel(E) and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses(F) the man of God. Despite their fear(G) of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices.(H) Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles(I) with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day. After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon(J) sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred festivals of the Lord,(K) as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the Lord. On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, though the foundation of the Lord’s temple had not yet been laid.

Rebuilding the Temple

Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters,(L) and gave food and drink and olive oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs(M) by sea from Lebanon(N) to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus(O) king of Persia.

In the second month(P) of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel(Q) son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak and the rest of the people (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work. They appointed Levites twenty(R) years old and older to supervise the building of the house of the Lord. Joshua(S) and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Hodaviah[a]) and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers—all Levites—joined together in supervising those working on the house of God.

10 When the builders laid(T) the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets,(U) and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise(V) the Lord, as prescribed by David(W) king of Israel.(X) 11 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:

“He is good;
    his love toward Israel endures forever.”(Y)

And all the people gave a great shout(Z) of praise to the Lord, because the foundation(AA) of the house of the Lord was laid. 12 But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple,(AB) wept(AC) aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. 13 No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy(AD) from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 3:9 Hebrew Yehudah, a variant of Hodaviah

And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.

Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.

And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord, even burnt offerings morning and evening.

They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required;

And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the Lord that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the Lord.

From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the Lord. But the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid.

They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.

Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the Lord.

Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites.

10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.

11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.

12 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:

13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.