Bible Strands
Ezra 4:1
When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrative reports that the opponents of Judah and Benjamin learn the exiles are constructing a temple for the Lord. This observation immediately precedes their direct approach to Zerubbabel and the family leaders to propose collaboration.
The words — צָרֵי (tza.Rei) translates to opponents or adversaries, and בּוֹנִים (bo.Nim) means building. These terms frame the verse as a factual report of hostile observation rather than direct dialogue.
The thread — The pattern of adversaries surrounding a restoration project appears in 1 Chronicles 22:9 and 1 Kings 5:4, while the return context grounds the event in Ezra 1:11.
Why it lands — The text establishes that external opposition arises immediately when religious rebuilding begins. It requires the reader to note that such offers of cooperation must be evaluated against the actual motives behind them.
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
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;
Cross-references
- 1 Chronicles 22:9 But a son will be born to you who will be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name will be Solomon, and I will grant to Israel peace and quiet during his reign.
- Ezra 1:11 In all, there were 5,400 gold and silver articles. Sheshbazzar brought all these along when the exiles went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
- 1 Kings 5:4 But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or crisis.
- Ezra 4:7 And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic and then translated.
- Ezra 6:16 Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy.
- Ezra 6:19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles kept the Passover.
- Ezra 7:9 He had begun the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him.
- Ezra 10:7 And a proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem.
- Ezra 10:16 So the exiles did as proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, each of them identified by name, to represent their families. On the first day of the tenth month they launched the investigation,
- Nehemiah 4:1 Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews