Ezra 5:5 - Forerunner Commentary

Ezra 5:5

3 At the same time ^aTattenai the governor of the region beyond¹ the River and Shethar-Boznai and their companions came to them and spoke thus to them: ^b“Who has commanded you to build this² temple and finish this wall?”

4 ^aThen, accordingly, we told them the names of the men who were constructing this building.

5 But ^athe eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, so that they could not make them cease till a report could go to Darius. Then a ^bwritten answer was returned concerning this matter.

6 This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai sent:
The governor of the region beyond the River, and Shethar-Boznai, ^aand his companions, the Persians who were in the region beyond the River, to Darius the king.

7 (They sent a letter to him, in which was written thus)
To Darius the king:
All peace.

8 Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judea, to the¹ temple of the great God, which is being built with² heavy stones, and timber is being laid in the walls; and this work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands.

9 Then we asked those elders, and spoke thus to them: ^a“Who commanded you to build this temple and to finish these walls?”

10 We also asked them their names to inform you, that we might write the names of the men who were chief among them.

11 And thus they returned us an answer, saying: “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the¹ temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built ^aand completed.

12 But ^abecause our fathers provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of ^bNebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and ^ccarried the people away to Babylon.

13 However, in the first year of ^aCyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to build this¹ house of God.

14 Also, ^athe gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem and carried into the temple of Babylon—those King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon, and they were given to ^bone named Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor.

15 And he said to him, ‘Take these articles; go, carry them to the temple site that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its former site.’

16 Then the same Sheshbazzar came and ^alaid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem; but from that time even until now it has been under construction, and ^bit is not finished.”

17 Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, ^alet a search be made in the king’s treasure house, which is there in Babylon, whether it is so that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send us his pleasure concerning this matter.

Verse Comparison: Ezra 5:5

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Ezra 5:6 >>

American Standard Version
But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease, till the matter should come to Darius, and then answer should be returned by letter concerning it.

Amplified® Bible
But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, so the enemy could not make them stop until the matter came before Darius [I] and an answer was returned by letter concerning it.

Contemporary English Version
But God was looking after the Jewish leaders. So the governor and his group decided not to make the people stop working on the temple until they could report to Darius and get his advice.

Darby English Version
But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease till the matter came to Darius; and then they returned answer by letter concerning it.

Good News Bible
But God was watching over the Jewish leaders, and the Persian officials decided to take no action until they could write to Emperor Darius and receive a reply.

King James Version
But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter.

New American Standard Bible
But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until a report could come to Darius, and then a written reply be returned concerning it.

New International Version
But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received.

New King James Version
But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, so that they could not make them cease till a report could go to Darius. Then a written answer was returned concerning this matter.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
But the eye of their God fixed on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until a report could come to Darius, and they would return a written reply concerning it.

Revised Standard Version
But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them till a report should reach Darius and then answer be returned by letter concerning it.

Young's Literal Translation
And the eye of their God hath been upon the elders of the Jews, and they have not caused them to cease till the matter goeth to Darius, and then they send back a letter concerning this thing.

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