The big picture
Ezra 3 opens in verse 1 with “And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 7 with “They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and…”, and closes in verse 13 with “So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, burnt, house, people, sons. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Ezra · King James Version · 13Ezra 3:1-7
1–7: When the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the…
Ezra 3:1–7 opens with “And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people…” and reaches “They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The altar rebuilt amid fear as sacrifices and the Feast of Tabernacles resume; The temple foundation laid while younger people shout and older people weep, with particular weight carried by burnt, LORD, offerings.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they…” The line’s distinctive content terms include burnt, offerings, altar. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.
Ezra 3:1-7
King James Version1And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.
2Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.
3And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD , even burnt offerings morning and evening.
4They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required;
5And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the LORD .
6From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD . But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid.
7They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.
Ezra 3:8-13
8–13: In the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem…
Ezra 3:8–13 opens with “Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month…” and reaches “So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The altar rebuilt amid fear as sacrifices and the Feast of Tabernacles resume; The temple foundation laid while younger people shout and older people weep, with particular weight carried by house, LORD, sons.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the…” The number twenty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward…” Naming Henadad keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD , they set the priests in their apparel with…” Naming Asaph and David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD ; because he is good, for his mercy…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Ezra 3:8-13
King James Version8Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD .
9Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites.
10And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD , they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD , after the ordinance of David king of Israel.
11And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD ; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD , because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
12But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:
13So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Ezra 3:1 begins with “And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.”
Where the chapter turns
Ezra 3:8 forms a natural hinge: “Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son…”
The final note
Ezra 3:13 leaves the reader with “So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, burnt, house, people, sons, brethren help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How does blame move through the conversation?
The man points to the woman and indirectly to God; the woman points to the serpent. Neither response repairs trust.
Where does mercy appear?
Continued life, the promise involving offspring, and clothing accompany the expulsion.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.