Ezra 4 · Verse 3

Ezra 4:3

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
Ezra 4:3, King James Version

Ezra 4:3 in other translations

BSBBut Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.”
WEBBut Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”
ASVBut Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us in building a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
YLTAnd Zerubbabel saith to them, also Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers of Israel, ‘Not for you, and for us, to build a house to our God; but we ourselves together do build to Jehovah God of Israel, as the king Cyrus, king of Persia, commanded us.'
DARBYBut Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the chief fathers of Israel said to them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God, but we alone will build to Jehovah the God of Israel, as king Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.
BBEBut Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of families in Israel said to them, You have no part with us in the building of a house for our God; we ourselves will do the work together for the Lord, the God of Israel, as Cyrus, king of Persia, has given us orders.
WebsterBut Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said to them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

What does Ezra 4:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. But Zerubbabel and Jeshua ... said ... Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God--This refusal to co-operate with the Samaritans, from whatever motives it sprang, was overruled by Providence for ultimate good; for, had the two peoples worked together, familiar acquaintanceship and intermarriage would have ensued, and the result might have been a relapse of the Jews into idolatry. Most certainly, confusion and obscurity in the genealogical evidence that proved the descent of the Messiah would have followed; whereas, in their hostile and separate condition, they were jealous observers of each other's proceedings, watching with mutual care over the preservation and integrity of the sacred books, guarding the purity and honor of the Mosaic worship, and thus contributing to the maintenance of religious knowledge and truth.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Ye have nothing to do with us - We cannot acknowledge you as worshippers of the true God, and cannot participate with you in anything that relates to his worship.

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)

Read the full comment on Ezra 4:1-5 →

Ezra 4:3 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.

וַיֹּאמֶר֩vai.yo.Merand he saidH559
לָהֶ֨םla.Hemto <the> them
זְרֻבָּבֶ֜לze.ru.ba.VelZerubbabelH2216
וְיֵשׁ֗וּעַve.ye.Shu.a'and JeshuaH3442
וּשְׁאָ֨רu.she.'Arand [the] rest ofH7605
רָאשֵׁ֤יra.Shei[the] heads ofH7218
הָֽאָבוֹת֙ha.'a.Votthe fathersH1
לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לle.Yis.ra.'Elof IsraelH3478
לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808
לָ֣כֶםLa.khemfor you
וָלָ֔נוּva.La.nuand for us
לִבְנ֥וֹתliv.Notto buildH1129
בַּ֖יִתBa.yita houseH1004
לֵאלֹהֵ֑ינוּle.lo.Hei.nufor God ourH430
כִּי֩kiforH3588
אֲנַ֨חְנוּ'a.Nach.nuweH587
יַ֜חַדYa.chadtogetherH3162
נִבְנֶ֗הniv.Nehwe will build [it]H1129
לַֽיהוָה֙la.Yah.wehfor YahwehH3068
אֱלֹהֵ֣י'e.lo.Hei[the] God ofH430
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣רka.'a.Sherjust asH834
צִוָּ֔נוּtzi.Va.nuhe commanded usH6680
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
כּ֥וֹרֶשׁKo.reshCyrusH3566
מֶֽלֶךְ\־Me.lekh-[the] king ofH4428
פָּרָֽס\׃pa.RasPersiaH6539

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

Cross references for Ezra 4:3

  • Nehemiah 2:20

    Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.

  • Matthew 10:16

    Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

  • Acts 8:21

    Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

  • Ezra 6:3-5

    In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king’s house: And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.

  • Isaiah 44:28-45:1

    That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;

  • 3 John 1:9-10

    I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

  • John 4:22-23

    Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

  • 2 Chronicles 36:22 - Ezra 1:3

    Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up. Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. …

  • Isaiah 45:4

    For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

  • Romans 9:4-5

    Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ye have nothing.
Ne 2:20; Joh 4:22,23; Ac 8:21; Ro 9:4,5; 3Jo 1:9,10
king Cyrus.
1:1-3; 6:3-5; 2Ch 36:22,23; Isa 44:28; 45:1,4; Mt 10:16

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Ezra 4:3

    But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

  • Ezra 4:4

    Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

Read all of Ezra 4

Ezra 4:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y díjoles Zorobabel, y Jesuá, y los demás cabezas de los padres de Israel: No nos conviene edificar con vosotros casa á nuestro Dios, sino que nosotros solos la edificaremos á Jehová Dios de Israel, como nos mandó el rey Ciro, rey de Persia.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Zorobabel, et Jéshua, et le reste des chefs des pères d’Israël, leur dirent: Vous n’avez pas affaire avec nous pour bâtir une maison à notre Dieu, mais nous seuls, nous bâtirons à l’ Éternel, le Dieu d’Israël, comme nous l’a commandé le roi Cyrus, roi de Perse.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Aber Serubbabel und Jeschua und die übrigen Häupter der Väter Israels sprachen zu ihnen: Es geziemt euch nicht, mit uns unserem Gott ein Haus zu bauen; sondern wir allein wollen Jehova, dem Gott Israels, bauen, wie der König Kores, der König von Persien, uns geboten hat.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et dixit eis Zorobabel, et Josue, et reliqui principes patrum Israël: Non est vobis et nobis ut ædificemus domum Deo nostro, sed nos ipsi soli ædificabimus Domino Deo nostro, sicut præcepit nobis Cyrus rex Persarum.