Ezra 3

All 13 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

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1. 1When the 7th month arrived, and the Israelites had settled into their towns, the entire community came together in Jerusalem as one.
2. 2Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests, along with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his relatives, built the altar of the God of Israel so they could offer burnt offerings on it, just as the law of Moses the man of God required.
3. 3Even though they were afraid of the surrounding peoples, they set the altar on its base. They began offering burnt offerings to the LORD on it — both morning and evening.
4. 4They also celebrated the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as each day required.
5. 5After that, they offered the regular daily burnt offerings, the new moon sacrifices, and the offerings for all the LORD's appointed festivals. They also presented every freewill offering that people voluntarily brought to the LORD.
6. 6From the 1st day of the 7th month, they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD had not yet been laid.
7. 7They gave money to the masons and carpenters, and provided food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant from Cyrus, king of Persia.
8. 8In the 2nd month of the 2nd year after they arrived at God's house in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their fellow priests, Levites, and everyone who had returned from exile began the work. They appointed Levites 20 years old and older to supervise the construction of the LORD's house.
9. 9Then Jeshua stood with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites.
10. 10When the builders laid the foundation of the LORD's temple, the priests put on their robes and took up trumpets, and the Levites who were descendants of Asaph took up cymbals. Together they praised the LORD, following the instructions that King David of Israel had established.
11. 11They sang back and forth to each other, praising and thanking the LORD: "He is good — his mercy toward Israel endures forever!" Then all the people shouted loudly in praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the LORD's house had been laid.
12. 12But many of the older priests, Levites, and family leaders, who had seen the first house, wept loudly when they saw the foundation of this house being laid. At the same time, many others shouted for joy.
13. 13No one could tell the joyful shouting from the weeping, because the people were making so much noise, and the sound was heard from far away.