Ezra 4:3

And Zerubbabel says to them, also Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers of Israel, “Not for you, and for us, to build a house to our God; but we ourselves together build to YHWH God of Israel, as King Cyrus, king of Persia, commanded us.”

Literal Standard Version

In The King James Version

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

In Context

2and they draw near to Zerubbabel, and to heads of the fathers, and say to them, “Let us build with you; for, like you, we seek to your God, and we are not sacrificing since the days of Esar-Haddon king of Asshur, who brought us up here.”

4And it comes to pass, the people of the land are making the hands of the people of Judah feeble, and troubling them in building,

Read all of Ezra 4

Cross References

2 Chronicles 36:22And in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, at the completion of the word of YHWH in the mouth of Jeremiah, YHWH has awoken the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and he causes an intimation to pass over into all his kingdom, and also in writing, saying,

Ezra 1:3who [is] among you of all His people? His God is with him, and he goes up to Jerusalem, that [is] in Judah, and builds the house of YHWH, God of Israel (He [alone is] God), that [is] in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 2:20And I return them word, and say to them, “The God of the heavens—He gives prosperity to us, and we His servants rise and have built; and to you there is no portion, and right, and memorial in Jerusalem.”

Isaiah 45:4For the sake of My servant Jacob, || And of Israel My chosen, || I also call you by your name, I surname you, || And you have not known Me.

John 4:22you worship what you have not known; we worship what we have known, because salvation is of the Jews;

Romans 9:4who are Israelites, whose [is] the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the lawgiving, and the service, and the promises,

Matthew Henry on Ezra 4:2-6

Opposition Made to the Jews. ( b. c. 535.) 1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel; 2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither. 3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them,… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Ezra 4:3