Ezra 3:11-13

New International Reader's Version

¹¹ They sang to the Lord. They praised him. They gave thanks to him. They said,

All the people gave a loud shout. They praised the Lord. They were glad because the foundation of the Lord’s temple had been laid. ¹² But many of the older priests and Levites and family leaders wept out loud. They had seen the first temple. So when they saw the foundation of the second temple being laid, they wept. Others shouted with joy. ¹³ No one could tell the difference between the shouts of joy and the sounds of weeping. That’s because the people made so much noise. The sound was heard far away.