Ezra 3:13

The people could not distinguish the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people were making so much noise. And the sound was heard from afar.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator describes the post-exilic community gathered at the Jerusalem temple foundation, reacting to the sight of the rebuilt structure.

The words — The Hebrew מַכִּירִים (ma.ki.Rim) translates literally as "recognizing" or "distinguishing," and is paired with קֹל (kol, "sound") and תְּרוּעָת (te.ru.'At, "shout") to show the crowd could not separate the noise of joy from the noise of grief.

The thread — This overwhelming acoustic reaction parallels the ground-splitting joy at Solomon’s coronation in 1 Kings 1:40, the covenant ark’s arrival in 1 Samuel 4:5, and the disciples’ praise on the Mount of Olives in Luke 19:37.

Why it lands — The text reports that the volume of mixed emotion was so extreme it traveled a great distance, demanding the reader acknowledge that sacred restoration provokes irrepressible, mixed responses.

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

וְאֵ֣יןve./'Einand/ not הָעָ֗םha./'Amthe/ people מַכִּירִים֙ma.ki.Rim[were] recognizing ק֚וֹלKol[the] sound of תְּרוּעַ֣תte.ru.'At[the] shout of הַשִּׂמְחָ֔הha./sim.Chah<the>/ happiness לְק֖וֹלle./Kolto/ [the] sound of בְּכִ֣יbe.Khi[the] weeping of הָעָ֑םha./'Amthe/ people כִּ֣יkifor הָעָ֗םha./'Amthe/ people מְרִיעִים֙me.ri.'Im[were] shouting תְּרוּעָ֣הte.ru.'Aha shout of joy גְדוֹלָ֔הge.do.Lahgreat וְהַקּ֥וֹלve./ha./Koland/ the/ sound נִשְׁמַ֖עnish.Ma'it was heard עַד־'ad-to לְמֵרָחֽוֹק׃ פle./me./ra.Chok<to>/ from/ a distance

King James Version

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

Cross-references

1 Samuel 4:5 When the ark of the covenant of the LORD entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a great shout that the ground shook.
Luke 19:37 And as He approached the descent from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of disciples began to praise God joyfully in a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen:
1 Kings 1:40 All the people followed him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy that the earth was split by the sound.
1 Kings 1:45 Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there with rejoicing that rings out in the city. That is the noise you hear.
Nehemiah 12:43 On that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.
Psalms 5:11 But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever shout for joy. May You shelter them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.
Psalms 100:1 A Psalm of thanksgiving. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth.
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.
Zechariah 4:7 What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain. Then he will bring forth the capstone accompanied by shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”
Exodus 32:17 When Joshua heard the sound of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “The sound of war is in the camp.”