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10 When the builders laid the foundation of Yahweh’s temple, they set the priests in their clothing with trumpets, with the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise Yahweh, according to the directions of David king of Israel. 11 They sang to one another in praising and giving thanks to Yahweh, “For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever toward Israel.” All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised Yahweh, because the foundation of Yahweh’s house had been laid.

12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice. Many also 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 far away.

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10 When the builders established the Lord’s temple, the priests, ceremonially attired and with their clarions,[a] and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with their cymbals, stood to praise the Lord according to the instructions left by[b] King David of Israel.[c] 11 With antiphonal response they sang,[d] praising and glorifying the Lord:

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

All the people gave a loud[e] shout as they praised the Lord when the temple of the Lord was established. 12 Many of the priests, the Levites, and the leaders[f]—older people who had seen with their own eyes the former temple while it was still established[g]—were weeping loudly,[h] 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[i] that the sound was heard a long way off.

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Footnotes

  1. 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).
  2. Ezra 3:10 tn Heb “according to the hands of.”
  3. Ezra 3:10 sn See Pss 107:1; 118:1, 29; 136:1. Cf. 2 Chr 5:13; 7:3; 20:21.
  4. Ezra 3:11 tn Heb “they answered.”
  5. Ezra 3:11 tn Heb “great.”
  6. Ezra 3:12 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
  7. Ezra 3:12 sn The temple had been destroyed some fifty years earlier by the Babylonians in 586 b.c.
  8. Ezra 3:12 tn Heb “with a great voice.”
  9. Ezra 3:13 tn Heb “a great shout.”