Catholic Bible
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Ezra, 3

1. And now the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in their cities: and the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.

1. καὶ βασιλεὺς Δαρεῖος ἐποίησεν δοχὴν μεγάλην πᾶσιν τοῖς ὑπ’ αὐτὸν καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς οἰκογενέσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς μεγιστᾶσιν τῆς Μηδίας καὶ τῆς Περσίδος

2. And Josue the son of Josedec rose up, and his brethren the priests, and Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, and his brethren, and they built the altar of the God of Israel that they might offer holocausts upon it, as it is written in the law of Moses the mall of God.

2. καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς σατράπαις καὶ στρατηγοῖς καὶ τοπάρχαις τοῖς ὑπ’ αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰνδικῆς μέχρι τῆς Αἰθιοπίας ἐν ταῖς ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι ἑπτὰ σατραπείαις

3. And they set the altar of God upon its bases, while the people of the lands round about put them in fear, and they offered upon it a holocaust to the Lord morning and evening.

3. καὶ ἐφάγοσαν καὶ ἐπίοσαν καὶ ἐμπλησθέντες ἀνέλυσαν ὁ δὲ Δαρεῖος ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀνέλυσεν εἰς τὸν κοιτῶνα καὶ ἐκοιμήθη καὶ ἔξυπνος ἐγένετο

4. And they kept the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the holocaust every day orderly according to the commandment, the duty of the day in its day.

4. τότε οἱ τρεῖς νεανίσκοι οἱ σωματοφύλακες οἱ φυλάσσοντες τὸ σῶμα τοῦ βασιλέως εἶπαν ἕτερος πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον

5. And afterwards the continual holocaust, both on the new moons, and on all the solemnities of the Lord, that were consecrated, and on all in which a freewill offering was made to the Lord.

5. εἴπωμεν ἕκαστος ἡμῶν ἕνα λόγον ὃς ὑπερισχύσει καὶ οὗ ἂν φανῇ τὸ ῥῆμα αὐτοῦ σοφώτερον τοῦ ἑτέρου δώσει αὐτῷ Δαρεῖος ὁ βασιλεὺς δωρεὰς μεγάλας καὶ ἐπινίκια μεγάλα

6. From the Brat day of the seventh month they began to offer holocausts to the Lord: but the temple of God was not yet founded.

6. καὶ πορφύραν περιβαλέσθαι καὶ ἐν χρυσώμασιν πίνειν καὶ ἐπὶ χρυσῷ καθεύδειν καὶ ἅρμα χρυσοχάλινον καὶ κίδαριν βυσσίνην καὶ μανιάκην περὶ τὸν τράχηλον

7. And they gave money to hewers of stones and to masons: and meat and drink, and oil to the Sidonians and Tyrians, to bring cedar trees from Libanus to the sea of Joppe, according to the orders which Cyrus king of the Persians had given them.

7. καὶ δεύτερος καθιεῖται Δαρείου διὰ τὴν σοφίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ συγγενὴς Δαρείου κληθήσεται

8. And in the second year of their coming to the temple of God in Jerusalem, the second month, Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, and Josue the son of Josedec, and the rest of their brethren the priests, and the Levites, and all that were come from the captivity to Jerusalem began, and they appointed Levites from twenty years old and upward, to hasten forward the work of the Lord.

8. καὶ τότε γράψαντες ἕκαστος τὸν ἑαυτοῦ λόγον ἐσφραγίσαντο καὶ ἔθηκαν ὑπὸ τὸ προσκεφάλαιον Δαρείου τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ εἶπαν

9. Then Josue and his sons and his brethren, Cedmihel, and his sons, and the children of Juda, as one man, stood to hasten them that did the work in the temple of God: the sons of Henadad, and their sons, and their brethren the Levites.

9. ὅταν ἐγερθῇ ὁ βασιλεύς δώσουσιν αὐτῷ τὸ γράμμα καὶ ὃν ἂν κρίνῃ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ οἱ τρεῖς μεγιστᾶνες τῆς Περσίδος ὅτι ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ σοφώτερος αὐτῷ δοθήσεται τὸ νῖκος καθὼς γέγραπται

10. And when the masons laid the foundations of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their ornaments with trumpets: and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise God by the hands of David king of Israel.

10. ὁ εἷς ἔγραψεν ὑπερισχύει ὁ οἶνος

11. And they sung together hymns, and praise to the Lord: because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever towards Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, praising the Lord, because the foundations of the temple of the Lord were laid.

11. ὁ ἕτερος ἔγραψεν ὑπερισχύει ὁ βασιλεύς

12. But many of the priests and the Levites, and the chief of the fathers and the ancients that had seen the former temple; when they had the foundation of this temple before their eyes, wept with a loud voice: and many shouting for joy, lifted up their voice.

12. ὁ τρίτος ἔγραψεν ὑπερισχύουσιν αἱ γυναῖκες ὑπὲρ δὲ πάντα νικᾷ ἡ ἀλήθεια

13. So that one could not distinguish the voice of the shout of joy, from the noise of the weeping of the people: for one with another the people shouted with a loud shout, and the voice was heard afar off.

13. καὶ ὅτε ἐξηγέρθη ὁ βασιλεύς λαβόντες τὸ γράμμα ἔδωκαν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀνέγνω

14.

14. καὶ ἐξαποστείλας ἐκάλεσεν πάντας τοὺς μεγιστᾶνας τῆς Περσίδος καὶ τῆς Μηδίας καὶ σατράπας καὶ στρατηγοὺς καὶ τοπάρχας καὶ ὑπάτους καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐν τῷ χρηματιστηρίῳ καὶ ἀνεγνώσθη τὸ γράμμα ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν

15.

15. καὶ εἶπεν καλέσατε τοὺς νεανίσκους καὶ αὐτοὶ δηλώσουσιν τοὺς λόγους αὐτῶν καὶ ἐκλήθησαν καὶ εἰσήλθοσαν

16.

16. καὶ εἶπαν αὐτοῖς ἀπαγγείλατε ἡμῖν περὶ τῶν γεγραμμένων

17.

17. καὶ ἤρξατο ὁ πρῶτος ὁ εἴπας περὶ τῆς ἰσχύος τοῦ οἴνου καὶ ἔφη οὕτως

18.

18. ἄνδρες πῶς ὑπερισχύει ὁ οἶνος πάντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς πίνοντας αὐτὸν πλανᾷ τὴν διάνοιαν

19.

19. τοῦ τε βασιλέως καὶ τοῦ ὀρφανοῦ ποιεῖ τὴν διάνοιαν μίαν τήν τε τοῦ οἰκέτου καὶ τὴν τοῦ ἐλευθέρου τήν τε τοῦ πένητος καὶ τὴν τοῦ πλουσίου

20.

20. καὶ πᾶσαν διάνοιαν μεταστρέφει εἰς εὐωχίαν καὶ εὐφροσύνην καὶ οὐ μέμνηται πᾶσαν λύπην καὶ πᾶν ὀφείλημα

21.

21. καὶ πάσας καρδίας ποιεῖ πλουσίας καὶ οὐ μέμνηται βασιλέα οὐδὲ σατράπην καὶ πάντα διὰ ταλάντων ποιεῖ λαλεῖν

22.

22. καὶ οὐ μέμνηται ὅταν πίνωσιν φιλιάζειν φίλοις καὶ ἀδελφοῖς καὶ μετ’ οὐ πολὺ σπῶνται μαχαίρας

23.

23. καὶ ὅταν ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴνου γενηθῶσιν οὐ μέμνηται ἃ ἔπραξαν

24.

24. ὦ ἄνδρες οὐχ ὑπερισχύει ὁ οἶνος ὅτι οὕτως ἀναγκάζει ποιεῖν καὶ ἐσίγησεν οὕτως εἴπας



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Footnotes:

3:1-2 - Jeshua, the high priest, and Zerubbabel begin rebuilding God's altar even before the Temple is rebuilt. The priority of restoring the altar for daily sacrifices demonstrates the centrality of worship in the lives of the people (see also Exodus 27:1-8 and Malachi 1:7-8).

3:3-4 - The people celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, even amid the rubble of Jerusalem. The observance of the feasts reflects the people's faithfulness in honoring God's ordinances despite hardships (see also Leviticus 23:33-36 and John 7:37-39).

3:7-8 - The people hire workers and begin gathering the materials needed to rebuild the Temple. The cooperation between the Jews and other peoples to provide the resources reflects divine providence (see also 1 Kings 5:17-18 and Haggai 1:14).

3:10-11 - When the foundation of the Temple is laid, the people celebrate with praise to God, singing, "For He is good; His love for Israel endures forever." Music and worship express gratitude for the restoration of their identity as God's people (see also Psalm 136:1 and 2 Chronicles 5:13).

3:12-13 - Some of the elders weep when they see the new foundations, comparing them to Solomon's ancient Temple. This mixture of joy and sadness reflects the complexity of restoration, where not all aspects of the past can be recovered (see also Haggai 2:3-9 and Zechariah 4:10).

Verses related to Ezra, 3:

Ezra chapter 3 reports the resumption of worship in Jerusalem. How do the people reestablish their worship of God? This significant text describes the rebuilding of the altar, the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles, and the laying of the foundation of the new temple. The chapter highlights the importance of collective worship and the mixture of joy and sadness when comparing the new temple with the old. Ezra 3 demonstrates the priority of worship in the lives of the restored people. Examine with us five biblical passages that elucidate the themes of worship and new beginnings present in this inspiring chapter.

Psalms 137:1-4: "By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept with longing for Zion. There on the banks we hung our harps, for our captors asked us for songs, our oppressors demanded joyful songs; They said, 'Sing for us the songs of Zion!' How could we sing the Lord's songs in a foreign land?" - This psalm reflects the desire to restore worship in Jerusalem, which is accomplished in Ezra 3.

Haggai 2:3: "Who of you saw this temple in its first splendor? How do you see him now? Doesn't it seem like it's nothing?" - This passage from Haggai relates to the rebuilding of the temple described in Ezra 3.

Zechariah 4:9: "The hands of Zerubbabel laid the foundations of this temple; your hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you." - This prophecy of Zechariah relates to Zerubbabel's role in rebuilding the temple in Ezra 3.

2 Chronicles 7:6: "The priests occupied their posts, as did the Levites with the musical instruments of the Lord, which King David had made to praise the Lord, and with which he used to praise him, saying: 'His love endures forever'. On the other side, the priests were blowing their trumpets, and all the people were standing." - This description of worship in the first temple resembles the restoration of worship in Ezra 3.

Exodus 23:16: "Celebrate the harvest festival with the first fruits of your work in the field. Celebrate the festival of the closing of the harvest at the end of the year when you harvest the harvest in the field." - The celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles in Ezra 3 connects with this instruction in Exodus.

FAQ:

What happened on the first day of the seventh month after the return?

On the first day of the seventh month, the Jews began rebuilding God's altar to offer sacrifices, according to the Law of Moses, in celebration of their return to Jerusalem. (Ezra 3:6)

How did the rebuilding of the Temple begin?

The Jews began the foundation of the Temple with great joy, but also with sadness because of the difference in glory between the new Temple and the old. (Ezra 3:10-13)

How did the people react to the founding of the Temple?

The people responded with great joy and praise to God, but the elders, who had seen the old Temple, wept when they saw the foundation of the new one, remembering its former glory. (Ezra 3:12)

What was the role of the Levites in the construction of the Temple?

The Levites performed liturgical functions and helped build the Temple, singing and giving thanks to God. (Ezra 3:8-10)

What is the relationship between the return of the Jews and the rebuilding of the Temple?

The rebuilding of the Temple symbolized the restoration of God’s presence among His people after the Babylonian exile. (Ezra 3:11-13)


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