Dictionary Article

Jewish leader who found favor with Cyrus the Great, king of Persia. In the first year of his reign, Cyrus issued a decree that the temple in Jerusalem should be rebuilt (Ezr 1:1-4; cf. 6:1-5). He appointed Sheshbazzar governor of Judah (Ezr 5:14) and handed over to him the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had carried off when he took Jerusalem (1:7-9). Sheshbazzar fulfilled this commission by taking the vessels to Jerusalem with the returning exiles (v 9) and beginning the restoration of the temple (5:16).

Show passage in OET: EZR 1:1–4

OET-RV EZR 1:1

1 In the first year that Koresh (Cyrus) was king of Paras (Persia), Yahweh stirred up his spirit in order to fulfil what he’d spoken through the prophet Yirmiyah (Jeremiah). So the king distributed an official written notice throughout his kingdom, saying,

OET-RV EZR 1:2

2 “Koresh, king of Paras, declares this: Yahweh, the god of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms in the world, and he’s appointed me to build a residence for him in Yerushalem (Jerusalem) in Yehudah (Judah).

OET-RV EZR 1:3

3 Anyone among you who’s one of his followers is free to go to Yerushalem (in Yehudah) to help build a temple there for Yisrael’s (Israel) god Yahweh—the god of Yerushalem. May God go with you.

OET-RV EZR 1:4

4 Those who live near these people but who are not going themselves, should donate gold and silver, and goods and livestock, plus cash as a voluntary offering for God’s temple in Yerushalem.

OET-LV EZR 1:1

1 And_in_year _of one to/for_Kōresh/(Coresh/Cyrus) the _king _of Pāraş to_fulfill the _message _of YHWH from_the _mouth _of Yirmə^yāh/(Jeremiah) YHWH he _stirred _up DOM the _spirit _of Kōresh/(Cyrus/Kōresh) the _king _of Pāraş and_he _caused _to _pass a _proclamation in_all his/its_kingdom and_also in_writing to_say.

OET-LV EZR 1:2

2 Thus Kōresh the _king _of Pāraş he _says all _of the _kingdoms _of the_earth/land he _has _given to_me YHWH the _god _of the_heavens and_he he _has _appointed (on)_me to_build to_him/it a _house in_Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem) which is_in_Yəhūdāh/(Judah).

OET-LV EZR 1:3

3 Who is_among_you(pl) from_all people _of_his may _he _be his/its_god with_him/it and_let _him _go _up to_Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem) which is_in_Yəhūdāh and_let _him _build DOM the _house _of YHWH the _god _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) he the_ʼElohīm who is_in_Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem).

OET-LV EZR 1:4

4 And_all (the)_one_who_remains from_all the_places where he is_sojourning there let_them _support _him the _people _of his _place _of_his with_silver and_with_gold and_with_property and_with_cattle with the _freewill_offering for_the _house _of the_ʼElohīm which is_in_Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem).

Show passage in OET: EZR 6:1–5

OET-RV EZR 6:1

6 So King Dareyavesh (Darius) ordered that a search be conducted in all the archives where treasures had been deposited there in Bavel (Babylon),

OET-RV EZR 6:2

2 and one scroll was found in the fortress at Ahmeta in the province of Maday (Media), and this record had been made:

OET-RV EZR 6:3

3 “In year one of Koresh (Cyrus) the king, he made a decree about the house of God in Yerushalem (Jerusalem):
§ ‘Let the house be built in the same place where sacrifices were made. Establish its foundations and build it 27m high and 27m wide

OET-RV EZR 6:4

4 with three layers of large stones and a layer of new timber. That should all be paid for from the royal treasury.

OET-RV EZR 6:5

5 Also, the gold and silver containers from the house of God that Nevukadnetsar (Nebuchadnezzar) had taken out from the Yerushalem temple and had brought to Bavel, must be returned to their places in the temple in Yerushalem. So you must put them in the house of God.’ ”

OET-LV EZR 6:1

6 In_then Dārəyāvesh Oh/the_king he _made a _decree and_they _searched in_house _of the _books where the_treasures were_deposited there in_Bāⱱel.

OET-LV EZR 6:2

2 And_it _was _found in_ʼAḩmətāʼ in_the_citadel which is_in_Māday the_province a _scroll one and_thus/so/as _follows it _was _written in_midst _of_its (the)_memorandum.

OET-LV EZR 6:3

3 In_year one to/for_Kōresh/(Coresh/Cyrus) Oh/the_king Kōresh/(Cyrus/Kōresh) Oh/the_king he _made a _decree the _house _of the_god in_Yərūshelēm/(Jerusalem) the_house let _it _be _built a _place which they_were_sacrificing sacrifices and_foundations _of_its be_retained height _of_its cubits sixty width _of_its cubits sixty.

OET-LV EZR 6:4

4 Rows of stone _of rolling three and_a _row of timber new and_the_expense from the _house _of Oh/the_king let _it _be _given.

OET-LV EZR 6:5

5 And_also the _vessels _of the _house _of the_god of (the)_gold and_(the)_silver which Nəⱱūkadneʦʦar he _brought _out from the_temple which was_in_Yərūshelēm/(Jerusalem) and_he _carried to_Bāⱱel let _them _send _back and_let _it _go to_the_temple which is_in_Yərūshelēm/(Jerusalem) to_place _of_its and_you _will _deposit_them in_house _of the_god.

Show passage in OET: EZR 5:14

OET-RV EZR 5:14

14 What’s more, the gold and silver containers that Nevukadnetsar had taken out from that temple that was in Yerushalem and had brought to the temple in Bavel, King Koresh took them out from the temple in Bavel and they were handed over to the man named Sheshebatsar who he’d appointed as governor over Yehudah.

OET-LV EZR 5:14

14 And_also the_vessels of the _house _of the_god of (the)_gold and_(the)_silver which Nəⱱūkadneʦʦar he _had _brought _out from the_temple which was_in_Yərūshelēm/(Jerusalem) and_he _carried them to_the_temple of Bāⱱel Kōresh Oh/the_king he _brought _out them from the_temple of Bāⱱel and_they _were _given to_Sheshbazzar his/its_name whom governor he_had _made _him.

Show passage in OET: EZR 1:7–9

OET-RV EZR 1:7

7 Then King Koresh brought out the equipment from Yahweh’s temple that Nevukadnetsar (Nebuchadnezzar) had brought all the way from Yerushalem and had put in the house of his gods.

OET-RV EZR 1:8

8 He put the treasurer Mitredat in charge of bringing them out and Sheshebatsar, the ruler of Yehudah, in charge of accepting them and listing them.

OET-RV EZR 1:9

9 There were: thirty gold basins, one thousand silver basins, twenty-nine knives,

OET-LV EZR 1:7

7 And_the_king Kōresh/(Cyrus/Kōresh/(Coresh/Cyrus)) he _brought _out DOM the _vessels _of the _house _of YHWH which Nəⱱūkadneʦʦar he _had _brought _out from_Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem) and_he_had _put _them in_house _of his/its_god.

OET-LV EZR 1:8

8 And_he_brought _them _out Kōresh the _king _of Pāraş on the _hand _of Mitrədāt the_treasurer and_he_counted _them _out to_Shēshəbaʦʦar the_prince of_Yəhūdāh/(Judah).

OET-LV EZR 1:9

9 And_these number _of_were_their basins _of gold thirty basins _of silver one _thousand knives nine and_twenty.

Show passage in OET: EZR 1:9

OET-RV EZR 1:9

9 There were: thirty gold basins, one thousand silver basins, twenty-nine knives,

OET-LV EZR 1:9

9 And_these number _of_were_their basins _of gold thirty basins _of silver one _thousand knives nine and_twenty.

Show passage in OET: EZR 5:16

OET-RV EZR 5:16

16 So Sheshebatsar came here and laid the foundation of God’s house in Yerushalem, and since then, it’s been being rebuilt but isn’t finished yet.’

OET-LV EZR 5:16

16 Then Sheshbazzar this he _came he _laid the_foundations of the _house _of the_god which is_in_Yərūshelēm/(Jerusalem) and_from then and_unto now it_is_being _built and_not it_is_finished.

Jump to OET EZR 1:1–4 section.

Jump to OET EZR 6:1–5 section.

Jump to OET EZR 5:14 section.

Jump to OET EZR 1:7–9 section.

Jump to OET EZR 1:9 section.

Jump to OET EZR 5:16 section.

Sheshbazzar is mentioned in the Bible only four times, all in the book of Ezra (1:8-9; 5:14-16). For many years it was commonly held that Sheshbazzar was another name for Zerubbabel. Both were of the royal line; Sheshbazzar is called “the prince of Judah,” which may mean that he was heir apparent to the throne. Since his genealogy is not given, he may be represented in that listing by some other name, either Zerubbabel or Shenazzar (1 Chr 3:18-19). In the record of people who returned to Jerusalem, Sheshbazzar’s name does not appear. The name of Zerubbabel is at the head of this list, where one would expect Sheshbazzar’s to be; both were governors of the province of Judah. Zerubbabel is associated with the laying of the foundation of the temple (Ezr 3:8-11), but that work is attributed to Sheshbazzar in 5:16, in accordance with chapter 1. It is evident that the name Sheshbazzar is found only in connection with the Persians, for chapter 1 relates his dealings with Cyrus, and in chapter 5 the two occurrences of his name are in a letter written by the Persian official, Tattenai. One may conclude that the Persians knew him as Sheshbazzar, but the Jews called him Zerubbabel. Both names are Akkadian, so there is no parallel here to the renaming of Jewish captives in Babylon (Dn 1:7).

Show passage in OET: EZR 1:8–9

OET-RV EZR 1:8

8 He put the treasurer Mitredat in charge of bringing them out and Sheshebatsar, the ruler of Yehudah, in charge of accepting them and listing them.

OET-RV EZR 1:9

9 There were: thirty gold basins, one thousand silver basins, twenty-nine knives,

OET-LV EZR 1:8

8 And_he_brought _them _out Kōresh the _king _of Pāraş on the _hand _of Mitrədāt the_treasurer and_he_counted _them _out to_Shēshəbaʦʦar the_prince of_Yəhūdāh/(Judah).

OET-LV EZR 1:9

9 And_these number _of_were_their basins _of gold thirty basins _of silver one _thousand knives nine and_twenty.

Show passage in OET: EZR 5:14–16

OET-RV EZR 5:14

OET-RV EZR 5:15

15 Koresh had told him to take those containers and put them back in the temple in Yerushalem, and to ensure that the temple got rebuilt in the same place where it had been before.

OET-RV EZR 5:16

16 So Sheshebatsar came here and laid the foundation of God’s house in Yerushalem, and since then, it’s been being rebuilt but isn’t finished yet.’

OET-LV EZR 5:14

OET-LV EZR 5:15

15 And_he/it _said to_him/it these the_vessels take go deposit them in_the_temple which is_in_Yərūshelēm/(Jerusalem) and_the _house _of the_god let _it _be _built on place _of_its.

OET-LV EZR 5:16

16 Then Sheshbazzar this he _came he _laid the_foundations of the _house _of the_god which is_in_Yərūshelēm/(Jerusalem) and_from then and_unto now it_is_being _built and_not it_is_finished.

Show passage in OET: CH1 3:18–19

OET-RV CH1 3:18

18 Malkiram, Pedayah, Shenatsar, Yekamyah, Hoshama, and Nedavyah.

OET-RV CH1 3:19

19 Pedayah’s sons were Zerubavel and Shimei. Two of Zerubavel’s sons were Meshulam and Hananyah, and their sister was Shelomot.

OET-LV CH1 3:18

18 And_Malkiram and_Pədā^yāh and_Shenʼaʦʦar Yəqam^yāh/(Jekamiah) Hōshāmāˊ and_Nədaⱱ^yāh.

OET-LV CH1 3:19

19 And_the _sons of _Pədā^yāh were_Zərubāⱱel and_Shimˊī and_the _son _of Zərubāⱱel was_Məshullām and_Ḩₐnan^yāh and_was_Shəlomīt sister _of_their.

Show passage in OET: EZR 3:8–11

OET-RV EZR 3:8

8 In the second month of second year since their return to Yerushalem (Jerusalem), Shealtiyel’s son Zerubavel and Yotsadak’s son Yeshua, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and everyone except who’d returned to Yerushalem from captivity, began work on God’s residence, and they appointed the Levites who were twenty and over to act as overseers for the work of rebuilding Yahweh’s temple.

OET-RV EZR 3:9

9 And Yeshua with his brothers and their sons, Kadmiel and his sons, (all descendants of Yehudah (Judah)) cooperated to act as overseers for those doing the work at the temple together with Henadad’s sons and grandsons, and their brothers the Levites.

OET-RV EZR 3:10

10 When the builders had laid the foundation of Yahweh’s temple, they got the priests to stand there in their robes with their trumpets, and Asaf’s descendants (who were Levites) with their cymbals, to praise Yahweh using the rhythms composed by David, the former Israeli king.

OET-RV EZR 3:11

11 Then they sang in response—praising and thanking Yahweh: “Yes, he is good, because his loyal commitment to Yisrael (Israel) will continue forever.”
¶ Then all the people shouted a great shout in praise to Yahweh because the foundation of Yahweh’s temple had been laid.

OET-LV EZR 3:8

8 And_in_year the_second(fs) of_coming_their to the _house _of the_ʼElohīm to_Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem) in_month the_second they _began Zərubāⱱel the _son _of Shəʼaltiy^ʼēl and_Yēshūˊa/(Jeshua) the _son _of Yōʦādāq/(Jozadak) and_the _rest _of their _brothers _of_their the_priests and_the_Lēviyyiy and_all the_(ones _who)_went from_the_captivity Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem) and_they _appointed DOM the_Lēviyyiy from_a _son _of twenty year[s] and_upward_upwards to_act _as _overseers over the _work _of the _house _of YHWH.

OET-LV EZR 3:9

9 And_ Yēshūˊa sons _of_his and_brothers _of_his Qadmī^ʼēl and_sons _of_his the _sons _of Yəhūdāh/(Judah) _he _stood as_one to_act _as _overseers over the _doer[s]_of the _work in_house _of the_ʼElohīm the _sons _of Ḩēnādād sons _of_their and_brothers _of_their the_Lēviyyiy.

OET-LV EZR 3:10

10 And_ the_builders _they _founded DOM the _temple _of YHWH and_they _appointed the_priests fully _clothed with_trumpets and_the_Lēviyyiy the _sons _of ʼĀşāf with_cymbals to_praise DOM YHWH on the _hands _of Dāvid the _king _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

OET-LV EZR 3:11

11 And_they _sang with_praising and_with_giving _thanks to/for_YHWH if/because he_is_good if/because forever_perpetuity loyalty _of_his _covenant is_towards Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) and_all the_people they _shouted a _shout _of _joy great with_praising to/for_YHWH because the _house _of YHWH it _was _founded.

Show passage in OET: EZR 1:1–11

OET-RV EZR 1:1

OET-RV EZR 1:2

OET-RV EZR 1:3

OET-RV EZR 1:4

4 Those who live near these people but who are not going themselves, should donate gold and silver, and goods and livestock, plus cash as a voluntary offering for God’s temple in Yerushalem.

OET-RV EZR 1:5

5 Then some of the leaders of Benyamin and Yehudah, and some priests and Levites—all of whom had had their spirits stirred up by God—left to go and build Yahweh’s residence in Yerushalem.

OET-RV EZR 1:6

6 Their neighbours had helped them by donating gold and silver utensils, goods and livestock, and expensive gifts, as well as the voluntary offerings of cash.

OET-RV EZR 1:7