Ezra 4 · Verse 1

Ezra 4:1

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;
Ezra 4:1, King James Version

Ezra 4:1 in other translations

BSBWhen the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,
WEBNow when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to the LORD, the God of Israel,
ASVNow when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple unto Jehovah, the God of Israel;
YLTAnd adversaries of Judah and Benjamin hear that the sons of the captivity are building a temple to Jehovah, God of Israel,
DARBYAnd the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building the temple to Jehovah the God of Israel;
BBENow news came to the haters of Judah and Benjamin that the people who had come back were building a Temple to the Lord, the God of Israel;
WebsterNow when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building the temple to the LORD God of Israel;

What does Ezra 4:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Ezr 4:1-6. The Building Hindered.

1. the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin--that is, strangers settled in the land of Israel.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

The Samaritans endeavor to prevent the rebuilding of the temple, Ezr 4:1-5. They send letters to Artaxerxes, against the Jews, Ezr 4:6-9. A copy of the letter, Ezr 4:10-16. He commands the Jews to cease from building the temple, which they do; nor was any thing farther done in the work till the second year of Darius, Ezr 4:17-24. Verse 1 Now when the adversaries - These were the Samaritans, and the different nations with which the kings of Assyria had peopled Israel, when they had carried the original inhabitants away into captivity, see Ezr 4:9, Ezr 4:10.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezra 4:1-5
Every attempt to revive true religion will stir up the opposition of Satan, and of those in whom he works. The adversaries were the Samaritans, who had been planted in the land of Israel, 2Ki 17. It was plain that they did not mean to unite in the worship of the Lord, according to his word. Let those who discourage a good work, and weaken them that are employed in it, see whose pattern they follow. (Ezr 4:6-24)

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Ezra 4:1 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.

וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֔וּvai.yish.me.'Uand they heardH8085
צָרֵ֥יtza.Rei[the] opponents ofH6862
יְהוּדָ֖הye.hu.DahJudahH3063
וּבִנְיָמִ֑ןu.vin.ya.Minand BenjaminH1144
כִּֽי\־ki-thatH3588
בְנֵ֤יve.Nei[the] children ofH1121
הַגּוֹלָה֙ha.go.Lahthe exileH1473
בּוֹנִ֣יםbo.Nim[were] buildingH1129
הֵיכָ֔לhei.Khala templeH1964
לַיהוָ֖הla.Yah.wehfor YahwehH3068
אֱלֹהֵ֥י'e.lo.Hei[the] God ofH430
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל\׃Yis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478

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

Cross references for Ezra 4:1

  • 1 Chronicles 22:9-10

    Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.

  • Ezra 1:11

    All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

  • 1 Kings 5:4-5

    But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent. And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.

  • 1 Corinthians 16:9

    For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.

  • Ezra 10:16

    And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

  • Ezra 7:9

    For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.

  • Daniel 5:13

    Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?

  • Ezra 10:7

    And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;

  • Nehemiah 4:1-11

    But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: …

  • Ezra 4:7-10

    And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue. Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort: Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites, And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.

  • Ezra 6:16

    And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,

  • Daniel 9:25

    Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 The adversaries, being not accepted in the building of the temple with the Jews, endeavour to hinder it.
7 Their letter to Artaxerxes.
17 The answer and decree of Artaxerxes.
23 The building is hindered.

the adversaries.These were the Samaritans, the descendants of the various nations with which the kings of Assyria had peopled Israel, when they had carried the original inhabitants captive.
7:9; 1Ki 5:4,5; 1Ch 22:9,10; Ne 4:1-11; Da 9:25; 1Co 16:9
children of the captivity. Heb. sons of the transportation.
1:11; *marg:
6:16,19,20; 10:7,16; Da 5:13

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

Context

  • Ezra 4:1

    Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;

  • Ezra 4:2

    Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar–haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

Read all of Ezra 4

Ezra 4:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y OYENDO los enemigos de Judá y de Benjamín, que los venidos de la cautividad edificaban el templo de Jehová Dios de Israel,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
*Et les ennemis de Juda et de Benjamin entendirent que les fils de la transportation bâtissaient le temple de l’ Éternel, le Dieu d’Israël;
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und die Feinde Judas und Benjamins hörten, daß die Kinder der Wegführung Jehova, dem Gott Israels, einen Tempel bauten;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Audierunt autem hostes Judæ et Benjamin, quia filii captivitatis ædificarent templum Domino Deo Israël: