EZRA 4:3 Parallel View

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ULT But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers of Israel said to them, “It is not for you and for us to build a house for our God, but we ourselves together will build for Yahweh, the God of Israel, just as the king Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.”

UST But Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the other Jewish clan leaders replied, “We will not allow you to help us build a temple for our God. No, we alone will build it for Yahweh, the God whom Israel worships, because that is what King Cyrus of Persia told us to do.”

BSB § But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.”

OEB No OEB EZRA book available

WEB But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to Yahweh, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”

WMB But Zerubbabel, Yeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”

NET But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the leaders of Israel said to them, “You have no right to help us build the temple of our God. We will build it by ourselves for the Lord God of Israel, just as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.”

LSV 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.”

FBV But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the family leaders of Israel replied, “You can't share with us in building a Temple for our God. Only we can build it for the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what Cyrus the king of Persia has ordered us to do.”

T4T But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other Israeli leaders replied, “We will not allow you to help us build a temple for our(exc) God. We will build it ◄ourselves/without your help► for Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis worship, like Cyrus, the King of Persia, told us to do.”

LEB But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the families[fn] of Israel said to them, “It is not for you but for us to build a house for our God. For we ourselves alone will build it for Yahweh the God of Israel, just as Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”

?:? Literally “fathers”

BBE But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of families in Israel said to them, You have no part with us in the building of a house for our God; we ourselves will do the work together for the Lord, the God of Israel, as Cyrus, king of Persia, has given us orders.

MOF No MOF EZRA book available

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

ASV But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us in building a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

DRA But Zorobabel, and Josue, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel said to them: You have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God, but we ourselves alone will build to the Lord our God, as Cyrus king of the Persians hath commanded us.

YLT And Zerubbabel saith 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 do build to Jehovah God of Israel, as the king Cyrus, king of Persia, commanded us.'

DBY But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the chief fathers of Israel said to them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house to our [fn]God, but we alone will build to Jehovah the [fn]God of Israel, as king Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.

4.3 Elohim

RV But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses 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, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

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

KJB 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.
(But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye/You_all 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/has commanded us. )

BB And Zorobabel, and Iesua, and the other auncient fathers of Israel, sayde vnto them: It can not be, that you and we together shoulde builde the house vnto our God: for we our selues wyll builde alone vnto the Lorde our God of Israel, as Cyrus the king of Persia hath commaunded vs.
(And Zorobabel, and Yesua, and the other auncient fathers of Israel, said unto them: It cannot be, that you and we together should builde the house unto our God: for we our selves will builde alone unto the Lord our God of Israel, as Cyrus the king of Persia hath/has commanded us.)

GNV Then Zerubbabel, and Ieshua, and the rest of the chiefe fathers of Israel, sayde vnto them, It is not for you, but for vs to buyld the house vnto our God: for we our selues together wil buylde it vnto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded vs.
(Then Zerubbabel, and Yeshua, and the rest of the chiefe fathers of Israel, said unto them, It is not for you, but for us to buyld the house unto our God: for we our selves together will buylde it unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath/has commanded us. )

CB But Zorobabel and Iesua and the other awnciet fathers of Israel, answered them: It is not mete for vs and you to buylde the house of oure God, but we wyl buylde alone vnto the LORDE God of Israel, as Cyrus the kynge of Persia hath commaunded vs.
(But Zorobabel and Yesua and the other awnciet fathers of Israel, answered them: It is not meet for us and you to buylde the house of our God, but we will buylde alone unto the LORD God of Israel, as Cyrus the king of Persia hath/has commanded us.)

WYC And Zorobabel, and Josue, and the othere princes of the fadris of Israel, seiden to hem, It is not to vs and to you, that we bilde an hows to oure God; but we vs silf aloone schulen bilde to `oure Lord God, as Cirus, the kyng of Persis, comaundide to vs.
(And Zorobabel, and Yosue, and the other princes of the fathers of Israel, said to them, It is not to us and to you, that we bilde an house to our God; but we us self alone should bilde to `oure Lord God, as Cirus, the king of Persis, commanded to us.)

LUT Aber Serubabel und Jesua und die andern obersten Väter unter Israel antworteten ihnen: Es ziemet sich nicht uns und euch, das Haus unsers Gottes zu bauen, sondern wir wollen allein bauen dem HErrn, dem GOtt Israels, wie uns Kores, der König in Persien, geboten hat.
(But Serubabel and Yesua and the change obersten Väter under Israel antworteten ihnen: It ziemet itself/yourself/themselves not uns and you, the Haus unsers God’s to bauen, rather wir wollen allein bauen to_him HErrn, to_him God Israels, like uns Kores, the king in Persien, geboten hat.)

CLV Et dixit eis Zorobabel, et Josue, et reliqui principes patrum Israël: Non est vobis et nobis ut ædificemus domum Deo nostro, sed nos ipsi soli ædificabimus Domino Deo nostro, sicut præcepit nobis Cyrus rex Persarum.[fn]
(And he_said eis Zorobabel, and Yosue, and reliwho principes patrum Israël: Non it_is to_you and nobis as ædificemus home Deo nostro, but nos ipsi soli ædificabimus Domino Deo nostro, like præcepit nobis Cyrus rex Persarum.)

4.3 Factum est autem. ID., ibid. Quoties hæretici non solum in civitatibus, sed etiam in provinciis perverse docendo vel etiam sæviendo dogma confessionis veræ impediebant, etc., usque ad sapientibus architectis reædificandæ post captivitatem ejusdem domus copia suppeteret.

4.3 Factum it_is autem. ID., ibid. Quoties hæretici not/no solum in civitatibus, but also in provinciis perverse docendo or also sæviendo dogma confessionis veræ impediebant, etc., usque to sapientibus architectis reædificandæ after captivitatem hisdem domus copia suppeteret.

BRN Then Zorobabel, and Jesus and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel said to them, It is not for us and you to build a house to our God, for we ourselves will build together to the Lord our God, as Cyrus the king of the Persians commanded us.

BrLXX Καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτοὺς Ζοροβάβελ καὶ Ἰησοῦς καὶ οἱ κατάλοιποι τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν πατριῶν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, οὐχ ἡμῖν καὶ ὑμῖν τοῦ οἰκοδομῆσαι οἶκον τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν, ὅτι ἡμεῖς ἐπὶ τοαυτὸ οἰκοδομήσομεν τῷ Κυρίω Θεῷ ἡμῶν, ὡς ἐνετείλατο ἡμῖν Κύρος ὁ βασιλεὺς Περσῶν.
(Kai eipe pros autous Zorobabel kai Yaʸsous kai hoi kataloipoi tōn arⱪontōn tōn patriōn tou Israaʸl, ouⱪ haʸmin kai humin tou oikodomaʸsai oikon tōi Theōi haʸmōn, hoti haʸmeis epi toauto oikodomaʸsomen tōi Kuriō Theōi haʸmōn, hōs eneteilato haʸmin Kuros ho basileus Persōn. )

TTN Tyndale Theme Notes:

Purity and Identity

God is holy, and he made a covenant with Israel to establish a holy nation (Exod 19:4-6; Lev 19:2). Israel’s identity as God’s people required purity in worship and in social relationships. God knew that if his people mingled with their pagan neighbors, they would be drawn into their detestable worship practices (see Num 25:1-9). Their failure to maintain purity and their assimilation to the surrounding cultures ultimately led to their destruction and exile (2 Kgs 17:5-23).

When Ezra wrote to the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem, one of his main purposes was to remind them of their need to remain pure in their beliefs and commitments. After arriving in Jerusalem, Ezra found that the people had intermarried with pagan foreigners, even though doing so was not permitted in God’s law (see Deut 7:3-4; Josh 23:12-13). As a result, their identity as God’s holy nation was in danger of disintegrating once again (Ezra 9:1-2).

To impress on his readers the need for separation from these foreigners, Ezra recounts how those who first returned to Jerusalem refused to cooperate with the pagan people living around them (4:1-5). These people claimed to worship the same God, but they actually worshiped several gods in addition to Israel’s God. If the Jews had joined with these people, they soon would have compromised their beliefs and become ungodly, just as Israel had done before the Exile (see Exod 34:15-16; 1 Kgs 11:1-5; 2 Kgs 16:3). Those early leaders of the Jews in Judea understood the danger of accommodating these foreigners. They learned from their ancestors’ experience and refused to compromise the purity of their faith for the sake of peace. They carefully followed God’s instructions in everything they did (Ezra 3:2, 9; 6:18). If they were going to identify themselves as “the servants of the God of heaven and earth” (5:11), they would need to please and serve him and no other gods.

Believers today are identified as God’s holy people (1 Pet 2:9), a title that speaks of purity. Paul admonished the Corinthians to refrain from marrying unbelievers—for Christ and Satan have no fellowship (2 Cor 6:14-15). Righteousness and unrighteousness do not mix. The people of God must dissociate themselves from all behavior that defiles, instead clothing themselves with attitudes and actions that befit their holy status (Col 3:5-15).

Passages for Further Study

Gen 27:46–28:5; Exod 19:4-6; 34:15-16; Lev 19:2; Deut 7:3-4; Josh 23:12-13; 1 Kgs 11:1-5; Ezra 4:1-5; 5:11; 9:1–10:11; Mal 2:15; 1 Cor 6:15-20; 2 Cor 6:14-18; 2 Tim 2:21-22; 1 Pet 2:9-10

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

וַ⁠יֹּאמֶר֩

and=he/it_said

The word But indicates that the sentence it introduces draws a contrast between what the men asked and what the Jewish leaders answered. You could begin the sentence with a word like “however” or “nevertheless” to indicate this contrast, or use another method that is natural in your language.

Note 2 topic: translate-names

זְרֻבָּבֶ֜ל וְ⁠יֵשׁ֗וּעַ

Zərubāⱱel and,Jeshua

These are the names of two men. See how you translated them in 2:2.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

רָאשֵׁ֤י הָֽ⁠אָבוֹת֙

heads the,families

This is an abbreviated way of saying “the heads of father’s houses.” See how you translated this expression in 1:5. Review the note there if that would be helpful. Alternate translation: “the clan leaders”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

לֹֽא־לָ֣⁠כֶם וָ⁠לָ֔⁠נוּ

not to/for=you_all and,with,us

This expression is an idiom that means “it is for us alone.” Alternate translation: “You may not help us”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

בַּ֖יִת לֵ⁠אלֹהֵ֑י⁠נוּ

house to,God,our

Alternate translation: “a temple for our God”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

לֵ⁠אלֹהֵ֑י⁠נוּ

to,God,our

Here, our is exclusive, excluding the non-Jewish hearers.

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

לֵ⁠אלֹהֵ֑י⁠נוּ

to,God,our

The Israelites could say that Yahweh is our God not in the sense that they possess or control him, but in the sense that they worship him exclusively. Alternate translation: “for the God whom we worship”

Note 8 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

כִּי֩

that/for/because/then/when

The word but indicates that the clause it introduces draws a contrast between what the men asked and what the Jewish leaders were prepared to allow. To indicate this contrast, you could begin the sentence with a word or phrase such as “no,” “rather,” or “on the contrary.”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

אֲנַ֨חְנוּ יַ֜חַד נִבְנֶ֗ה לַֽ⁠יהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל

we alone let_us_build to/for=YHWH god Yisrael

We ourselves here does not include the addressees. If your language marks that distinction, be sure that this is clear in your translation. Together does not mean the Jewish people and these foreign peoples together. It means the whole Jewish community together. Alternate translation: “it is all of us Israelites who will build a temple for Yahweh, the God of Israel”

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / distinguish

אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל

god Yisrael

See the note to 4:1 about the significance of this phrase.

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

כַּ⁠אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֔⁠נוּ הַ⁠מֶּ֖לֶךְ כּ֥וֹרֶשׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־פָּרָֽס

just=as commanded,us the=king Ⱪōresh king Fāraş

It is implicit in the story that the Jewish leaders know that they cannot trust these foreign leaders, whom the story describes as their enemies. The Jewish leaders suggest indirectly that they do not accept their claim that they worship Yahweh. They say, “It is not for you … to build a house for our God,” and they describe Yahweh as the God of Israel exclusively. But apparently they cannot contradict the claim directly, perhaps for reasons of etiquette and diplomacy. Instead, it seems that they find convenient grounds to exclude foreigners from the temple project in the literal wording of the proclamation that Cyrus issued: “Whoever among you is from all his people … may he build the house of Yahweh, the God of Israel” (1:3). It may be possible in your translation to translate this phrase in such a way that your readers will implicitly recognize it as the convenient excuse that it apparently is. Alternate translation: “for that is what King Cyrus of Persia commanded”

Parallel EZRA 4:3