Ezra 3:11

And they sang responsively with praise and thanksgiving to the LORD: “For He is good; for His loving devotion to Israel endures forever.” Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD had been laid.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Priests and Levites (sons of Asaph) sing responsively to the LORD at the moment the second temple's foundation is laid; the full assembly then shouts in response.

The words — כִּי טוֹב (ki tov, "for [he is] good") is the entire theological claim compressed into two words, with no subject stated, as if the goodness is self-evident and needs no elaboration.

The thread — The identical formula appears in 1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalms 106:1, and Psalms 107:1, always as a doxology attached to a specific act of deliverance or praise rather than standing alone.

Why it lands — The confession is bound to a stone on the ground; it asks the reader to test whether their own "He is good" is anchored to something concrete or floats free of any event.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

King James Version

And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.

Cross-references

Psalms 106:1 Hallelujah! Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
1 Chronicles 16:34 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
Psalms 107:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
Psalms 103:17 But from everlasting to everlasting the loving devotion of the LORD extends to those who fear Him, and His righteousness to their children’s children—
Psalms 118:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
Psalms 135:3 Hallelujah, for the LORD is good; sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.
Jeremiah 33:11 the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those bringing thank offerings into the house of the LORD, saying: ‘Give thanks to the LORD of Hosts, for the LORD is good; His loving devotion endures forever.’ For I will restore the land from captivity as in former times, says the LORD.
2 Chronicles 7:3 When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD: “For He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.”
Nehemiah 12:24 The leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, along with their associates, who stood across from them to give praise and thanksgiving as one section alternated with the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.
Psalms 136:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His loving devotion endures forever.