Ezra 5:8

Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. The people are rebuilding it with large stones and placing timbers in the walls. This work is being carried out diligently and is prospering in their hands.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Jewish builders in Judah address King Darius in an official written report detailing their temple reconstruction. They submit this document to the Persian court to preemptively explain their presence and activities in the province.

The words — The Aramaic phrase לֶהֱוֵא יְדִיעַ (leheve yeDiya) literally means "let it be known," framing the letter as a formal royal notification. אֲזַלְנָא (azalna) translates to "we went," marking the builders' physical arrival in the province of Judea.

The thread — The phrase "house of the great God" directly echoes Deuteronomy 10:17 and aligns with Cyrus's decree in Ezra 1:2 that first authorized the temple's restoration. The builders' report of diligent labor and prosperity continues the biblical pattern of physical construction preceding divine sanction.

Why it lands — The text states that the people are rebuilding with large stones and timbers, and that the work is prospering. A reader must verify these claims against royal records and distinguish between human effort and the sovereign permission that ultimately dictates whether such projects succeed or halt.

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

יְדִ֣יעַ׀ye.Di.a'known לֶהֱוֵ֣אle.he.Ve'let it be לְמַלְכָּ֗אle./mal.Ka/'to/ king/ the דִּֽי־di-that אֲזַ֜לְנָא'a.Zal.na'we went לִיה֤וּדli./Hudto/ Judea מְדִֽינְתָּא֙me.di.ne.Ta/'province/ the לְבֵית֙le./Veitto/ [the] house of אֱלָהָ֣א'e.la.Ha/'God/ the רַבָּ֔אra.Ba/'<the>/ great וְה֤וּאve./Hu'and/ it מִתְבְּנֵא֙mit.be.Ne'[is] being built אֶ֣בֶן'E.venstone of גְּלָ֔לge.Lalrolling וְאָ֖עve./'A'and/ timber מִתְּשָׂ֣םmi.te.Sam[is] being set בְּכֻתְלַיָּ֑אbe./khut.lai.Ya/'in/ walls/ the וַעֲבִ֥ידְתָּאva./'a.Vid.ta/'and/ work/ the דָ֛ךְdakhthis אָסְפַּ֥רְנָא'a.se.Par.na'diligently מִתְעַבְדָ֖אmit.'av.Da'[is] being done וּמַצְלַ֥חu./matz.Lachand/ [is] prospering בְּיֶדְהֹֽם׃ סbe./yed./Homin/ hand/ their

King James Version

Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 10:17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe.
Deuteronomy 32:31 For their rock is not like our Rock, even our enemies concede.
Ezra 1:2 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah.
Ezra 2:1 Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles carried away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar its king. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,
Ezra 6:10 Then they will be able to offer sacrifices of a sweet aroma to the God of heaven and to pray for the lives of the king and his sons.
Ezra 7:23 Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for His house. For why should wrath fall on the realm of the king and his sons?
Nehemiah 7:6 These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles carried away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar its king. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,
Nehemiah 11:3 These are the heads of the provinces who settled in Jerusalem. (In the villages of Judah, however, each lived on his own property in their towns—the Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon’s servants—
Esther 1:1 This is what happened in the days of Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush.
Esther 1:22 He sent letters to all the provinces of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be master of his own household.