Ezra 5 · Verse 16

Ezra 5:16

Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.
Ezra 5:16, King James Version

Ezra 5:16 in other translations

BSBSo this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it has been under construction, but it has not yet been completed.”
WEBThen the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of God’s house which is in Jerusalem. Since that time even until now it has been being built, and yet it is not completed.
ASVThen came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundations of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not completed.
YLTThen hath this Sheshbazzar come--he hath laid the foundations of the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and from thence even till now it hath been building, and is not finished.
DARBYThen came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and since that time even until now has it been in building, and it is not completed.
BBEThen this same Sheshbazzar came and put the house of God in Jerusalem on its bases: and from that time till now the building has been going on, but it is still not complete.
WebsterThen came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.

What does Ezra 5:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezra 5:5-17

5-17. But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, &c.--The unusual presence, the imposing suite, the authoritative enquiries of the satrap appeared formidable, and might have produced a paralyzing influence or led to disastrous consequences, if he had been a partial and corrupt judge or actuated by unfriendly feelings towards the Jewish cause. The historian, therefore, with characteristic piety, throws…

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Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Sheshbazzar - Probably the military officer that conducted the people from Babylon, and had the oversight of the work; but some think that Ezra is meant.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezra 5:3-17

While employed in God's work, we are under his special protection; his eye is upon us for good. This should keep us to our duty, and encourage us therein, when difficulties are ever so discouraging. The elders of the Jews gave the Samaritans an account of their proceedings. Let us learn hence, with meekness and fear, to give a reason of the hope that is in us; let us rightly understand, and then readily declare…

Read the full comment on Ezra 5:3-17 →

Ezra 5:16 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.

אֱדַ֙יִן֙'e.Da.yinthenH116
שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּ֣רshe.she.ba.TzarSheshbazzarH8340
דֵּ֔ךְDekhthisH1791
אֲתָ֗א'a.Ta'he cameH858
יְהַ֧בye.Havhe laidH3052
אֻשַּׁיָּ֛א'u.shai.Ya'foundations theH787
דִּי\־di-ofH1768
בֵ֥יתveit[the] house ofH1005
אֱלָהָ֖א'e.la.Ha'<the> GodH426
דִּ֣יdiwhichH1768
בִירוּשְׁלֶ֑םvi.ru.she.Lem[is] in JerusalemH3390
וּמִן\־u.min-and fromH4481
אֱדַ֧יִן'e.Da.yinthenH116
וְעַד\־ve.'ad-and untilH5705
כְּעַ֛ןke.'AnnowH3705
מִתְבְּנֵ֖אmit.be.Ne'[it is] being builtH1124
וְלָ֥אve.La'and notH3809
שְׁלִֽם\׃she.Lim[it is] finishedH8000

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

Cross references for Ezra 5:16

  • Ezra 3:10

    And 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.

  • Ezra 6:15

    And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

  • Ezra 3:8

    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 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.

  • Haggai 1:12-14

    Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the Lord. Then spake Haggai the Lord’s messenger in the Lord’s message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the Lord. And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,

  • Ezra 5:2

    Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

  • Zechariah 4:10

    For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

  • Haggai 2:18

    Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider it.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Sheshbazzar.
14
laid.
2; 3:8,10; Hag 1:12-14; 2:18; Zec 4:10
A.M. 3468-3485. B.C. 536-519. it is not finished.
6:15

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

Context

  • Ezra 5:15

    And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.

  • Ezra 5:16

    Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.

  • Ezra 5:17

    Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

Read all of Ezra 5

Ezra 5:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces este Sesbassar vino, y puso los fundamentos de la casa de Dios que estaba en Jerusalem, y desde entonces hasta ahora se edifica, y aun no está acabada.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Alors ce Sheshbatsar est venu et a posé les fondements de la maison de Dieu qui est à Jérusalem, et depuis lors jusqu’à présent elle se bâtit; mais elle n’est pas achevée.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da kam dieser Sesbazar und legte den Grund des Hauses Gottes, das in Jerusalem ist; und von da an bis jetzt wird daran gebaut, es ist aber noch nicht vollendet.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tunc itaque Sassabasar ille venit et posuit fundamenta templi Dei in Jerusalem, et ex eo tempore usque nunc ædificatur, et necdum completum est.