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Ezra 4:1-5
Expanded Bible
Ezra 4:1-5
Expanded Bible
Enemies of the Rebuilding
4 When the enemies of the people of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned ·captives [exiles] were building a Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel [C a descendant of David; 1 Chr. 3:19] and the ·leaders of the families [L heads of the fathers]. The enemies said, “Let us help you build, because we are like you and ·want to worship [L seek] your God. We have been offering sacrifices to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria [C 680–669 bc], who brought us here.”
3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua [3:2], and the ·leaders [L heads of the fathers] of Israel answered, “You will ·not help us build [have no part in building] a ·Temple [L house] to our God. We will build it ·ourselves [alone] for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us to do [1:2–4].”
4 Then the people around them tried to discourage the people of Judah by making them afraid to build. 5 Their enemies ·hired others [bribed officials] to ·delay [frustrate] the building plans ·during [throughout] the time Cyrus was king of Persia. And it continued to the time Darius was king of Persia [C 522–486 bc].
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Ezra 4:1-5
New International Version
Ezra 4:1-5
New International Version
Opposition to the Rebuilding
4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building(A) a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon(B) king of Assyria, who brought us here.”(C)
3 But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”(D)
4 Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.[a](E) 5 They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Footnotes
- Ezra 4:4 Or and troubled them as they built
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