Ezra 3 · Verse 13

Ezra 3:13

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, and the noise was heard afar off.
Ezra 3:13, King James Version

Ezra 3:13 in other translations

BSBThe people could not distinguish the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people were making so much noise. And the sound was heard from afar.
WEBso 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 far away.
ASVso 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.
YLTand the people are not discerning the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people are shouting--a great shout--and the noise hath been heard unto a distance.
DARBYAnd 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 great shout, and the noise was heard afar off.
BBESo that in the ears of the people the cry of joy was mixed with the sound of weeping; for the cries of the people were loud and came to the ears of those who were a long way off.
WebsterSo that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of the 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.

What does Ezra 3:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. the people could not discern the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people--Among Eastern people, expressions of sorrow are always very loud and vehement. It is indicated by wailing, the howl of which is sometimes not easily distinguishable from joyful acclamations.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezra 3:8-13

There was a remarkable mixture of affections upon laying the foundation of the temple. Those that only knew the misery of having no temple at all, praised the Lord with shouts of joy. To them, even this foundation seemed great. We ought to be thankful for the beginnings of mercy, though it be not yet perfect. But those who remembered the glory of the first temple, and considered how far inferior this was likely to…

Read the full comment on Ezra 3:8-13 →

Ezra 3:13 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְאֵ֣יןve.'Einand notH369
הָעָ֗םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
מַכִּירִים֙ma.ki.Rim[were] recognizingH5234
ק֚וֹלKol[the] sound ofH6963
תְּרוּעַ֣תte.ru.'At[the] shout ofH8643
הַשִּׂמְחָ֔הha.sim.Chah<the> happinessH8057
לְק֖וֹלle.Kolto [the] sound ofH6963
בְּכִ֣יbe.Khi[the] weeping ofH1065
הָעָ֑םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
כִּ֣יkiforH3588
הָעָ֗םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
מְרִיעִים֙me.ri.'Im[were] shoutingH7321
תְּרוּעָ֣הte.ru.'Aha shout of joyH8643
גְדוֹלָ֔הge.do.LahgreatH1419
וְהַקּ֥וֹלve.ha.Koland the soundH6963
נִשְׁמַ֖עnish.Ma'it was heardH8085
עַד\־'ad-toH5704
לְמֵרָחֽוֹק\׃\ \פle.me.ra.Chok<to> from a distanceH7350

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ezra 3:13

  • Luke 19:37-40

    And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

  • 1 Samuel 4:5

    And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.

  • 1 Kings 1:45

    And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.

  • Jeremiah 33:11

    The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the Lord.

  • Psalms 100:1-2

    A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

  • Psalms 5:11

    But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

  • Zechariah 4:7

    Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

  • Nehemiah 12:43

    Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.

  • 1 Kings 1:40

    And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

  • Judges 2:5

    And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the Lord.

  • Exodus 32:17-18

    And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp. And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
So that.This sight must have been very affecting; a whole people, one part weeping aloud with sorrow, the other shouting aloud for joy; and on the same occasion too, in which both sides felt an equal interest. The prophet Haggai (ch 2:1-9) comforted them on this occasion, by assuring them that the glory of this latter house should exceed that of the former, because the Lord would come to this temple, and fill it with His glory.
the noise.
Jud 2:5
shouted.
Ne 12:43; Ps 5:11; Jer 33:11; Zec 4:7; Lu 19:37-40
and the noise.
Ex 32:17,18; 1Sa 4:5; 1Ki 1:40,45; Ps 100:1,2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ezra 3:12

    But 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:

  • Ezra 3:13

    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, and the noise was heard afar off.

Read all of Ezra 3

Ezra 3:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y no podía discernir el pueblo el clamor de los gritos de alegría, de la voz del lloro del pueblo: porque clamaba el pueblo con grande júbilo, y oíase el ruido hasta de lejos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
et le peuple ne pouvait distinguer entre le bruit des cris de joie et la voix du peuple qui pleurait; car le peuple poussait de grands cris, et le bruit s’entendait au loin.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und das Volk konnte den Schall des freudigen Jauchzens nicht unterscheiden von der Stimme des Weinens im Volke; denn das Volk erhob ein großes Jubelgeschrei, und der Schall wurde gehört bis in die Ferne.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Nec poterat quisquam agnoscere vocem clamoris lætantium, et vocem fletus populi: commistim enim populus vociferabatur clamore magno, et vox audiebatur procul.