OET interlinear EZRA 3:12

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

וְ⁠רַבִּ֡ים

and,many

The word But indicates that the sentence it introduces will draw a contrast with what came just before it. That contrast is specifically between the joyful way that most of the Israelites were responding on this occasion and the sorrowful way that some of them responded. You could use a word such as “however” to indicate this contrast.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

וְ⁠רָאשֵׁ֨י הָ⁠אָב֜וֹת

and,heads the,families

As in 1:5, this is an abbreviated way of saying “the heads of the father's houses.” Review the explanatory note to this phrase in 1:5 if that would be helpful. Alternate translation: “and the clan leaders”

Note 3 topic: writing-background

הַ⁠זְּקֵנִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר רָא֜וּ אֶת־הַ⁠בַּ֤יִת

the,older which/who seen DOM the,temple

This phrase provides background information to identify these specific priests, Levites, and clan leaders further. Alternate translation: “who were old enough that they had seen the first temple”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

בֹּכִ֖ים בְּ⁠ק֣וֹל גָּד֑וֹל

wept in/on/at/with,voice big/great

The book does not say specifically why these older leaders who had seen the first temple were weeping. There are two possibilities. (1) They felt grief and loss because they remembered the first temple in all of its glory and they could not imagine that this replacement would ever be as splendid. Alternate translation: “wept loudly because they thought this new temple could never be as glorious as the first one” or (2) Seeing the community begin to restore its temple brought back memories of the terrible days in which the original temple had been destroyed and the people had had to leave their homes and go into exile. Alternate translation: “wept loudly because they remembered how the first temple had been destroyed” or just “wept loudly, remembering the past”

בְּ⁠יָסְד֔⁠וֹ זֶ֤ה הַ⁠בַּ֨יִת֙ בְּ⁠עֵ֣ינֵי⁠הֶ֔ם

in/on/at/with,foundation,its this the,house in/on/at/with,eyes,they

As in 3:6, founding means to do the first step of constructing a building. See how you translated it there. Since it is a reference to the first step, laying a foundation, it may simply refer to starting the project generally. It could mean that the workers had begun to lay the foundation or that they had finished the foundation. Alternate translation: “when they saw the foundation that the builders laid for this temple”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

בְּ⁠יָסְד֔⁠וֹ זֶ֤ה הַ⁠בַּ֨יִת֙ בְּ⁠עֵ֣ינֵי⁠הֶ֔ם

in/on/at/with,foundation,its this the,house in/on/at/with,eyes,they

Here, eyes represent sight. So this phrase means “when construction began on the temple in their sight.” Alternate translation: “when they saw the foundation that the builders laid for this temple”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

אֶת־הַ⁠בַּ֤יִת הָֽ⁠רִאשׁוֹן֙ & זֶ֤ה הַ⁠בַּ֨יִת֙

DOM the,temple the,first & this the,house

As often in this book, house is a metaphor for temple. Alternate translation: “the first temple … this temple”

Note 7 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

וְ⁠רַבִּ֛ים

and,many

The word yet indicates a contrast between what the people just described were doing and what the people who will be described next were doing. Alternate translation: “But many others”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

וְ⁠רַבִּ֛ים בִּ⁠תְרוּעָ֥ה בְ⁠שִׂמְחָ֖ה לְ⁠הָרִ֥ים קֽוֹל

and,many in/on/at/with,shout in/on/at/with,joy to,raise sound/voice

To be lifting up a voice is an idiom that means to be speaking, shouting, or singing loudly. Alternate translation: “But many others were giving loud, happy shouts.”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

וְ⁠רַבִּ֛ים בִּ⁠תְרוּעָ֥ה בְ⁠שִׂמְחָ֖ה לְ⁠הָרִ֥ים קֽוֹל

and,many in/on/at/with,shout in/on/at/with,joy to,raise sound/voice

The idea behind the abstract noun joy can be expressed with an adjective such as happy. Alternate translation: “But many others were giving loud, happy shouts”