Ezra 3

1 When the seventh month was come, and the children of Yisra'el were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Yerushalayim.

2 Then stood up Yeshua the son of Yotzadak, and his brothers the Kohanim, and Zerubbavel the son of She'alti'el, and his brothers, and built the altar of the God of Yisra'el, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moshe the man of God.

3 They set the altar on its base; for fear was on them because of the peoples of the countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon to the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening.

4 They kept the feast of booths, as it is written, and [offered] the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required;

5 and afterward the continual burnt-offering, and [the offerings] of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of everyone who willingly offered a freewill-offering to the LORD.

6 From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings to the LORD: but the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid.

7 They gave money also to the masons, and to the carpenters; and food, and drink, and oil, to them of Tzidon, and to them of Tzor, to bring cedar trees from Levanon to the sea, to Yafo, according to the grant that they had of Koresh king of Paras.

8 Now in the second year of their coming to the house of God at Yerushalayim, in the second month, began Zerubbavel the son of She'alti'el, and Yeshua the son of Yotzadak, and the rest of their brothers the Kohanim and the Levites, and all those who were come out of the captivity to Yerushalayim, and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the house of the LORD.

9 Then stood Yeshua with his sons and his brothers, Kadmi'el and his sons, the sons of Yehudah, together, to have the oversight of the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites.

10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the Kohanim in their clothing with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaf with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the order of David king of Yisra'el.

11 They sang one to another in praising and giving thanks to the LORD, [saying], For he is good, for his lovingkindness endures forever toward Yisra'el. 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 Kohanim and Levites and heads of fathers' [houses], 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; 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.

Ezra 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

The altar and festivals. (1-7) The foundations of the temple laid. (8-13)

Verses 1-7 From the proceedings of the Jews on their arrival, let us learn to begin with God, and to do what we can in the worship of God, when we cannot do what we would. They could not at once have a temple, but they would not be without an altar. Fear of danger should stir us to our duty. Have we many enemies? Then it is good to have God our Friend, and to keep up communion with him. Our fears should drive us to our knees. The sacrifices for all these solemnities were a heavy expense for so poor a company; yet besides those expressly appointed, many brought free-will offerings to the Lord. And they made preparation for the building of the temple without delay: whatever God calls us to do, we may depend upon his providence to furnish us with the needful means.

Verses 8-13 There was a remarkable mixture of affections upon laying the foundation of the temple. Those that only knew the misery of having no temple at all, praised the Lord with shouts of joy. To them, even this foundation seemed great. We ought to be thankful for the beginnings of mercy, though it be not yet perfect. But those who remembered the glory of the first temple, and considered how far inferior this was likely to be, wept with a loud voice. There was reason for it, and if they bewailed the sin that was the cause of this melancholy change, they did well. Yet it was wrong to cast a damp upon the common joys. They despised the day of small things, and were unthankful for the good they enjoyed. Let not the remembrance of former afflictions drown the sense of present mercies.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 3

This chapter relates how that the people of Israel returned from captivity, gathered to Jerusalem, and set up the altar, where sacrifices were offered, Ezr 3:1-3, and kept the feast of tabernacles, and offered the sacrifices of that, besides the daily sacrifice, and of other festivals; and contributed to the workmen that prepared for the building of the temple, Ezr 3:4-7 and began it by laying the foundation of it; which to some was matter of joy, to others of grief, on different accounts, Ezr 3:8-13.