Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, June 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 6 / Ordinary 11
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Brenton's Septuagint

Ezra 5:8

Be it known to the king, that we went into the land of Judea, to the house of the great God; and it is building with choice stones, and they are laying timbers in the walls, and that work is prospering, and goes on favorably in their hands.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Temple;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Temple, the Second;   Walls;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Persia;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Judea;   Regem Melech;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Judaea;   Judea;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Darius;   Ezra, Book of;   Nehemiah, Book of;   Sheshbazzar;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Judaea;   Thessalonians Epistles to the;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Judaea, Judea ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Judaea;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Bi'ble;   Judae'a,;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Diligence;   Epistle;   House of God;   Judea;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Let it be known to the king that we went to the house of the great God in the province of Judah. It is being built with cut stones, and its beams are being set in the walls. This work is being done diligently and succeeding through the people’s efforts.
Hebrew Names Version
Be it known to the king, that we went into the province of Yehudah, to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls; and this work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands.
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.
English Standard Version
Be it known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built with huge stones, and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands.
New Century Version
King Darius, you should know that we went to the district of Judah where the Temple of the great God is. The people are building that Temple with large stones, and they are putting timbers in the walls. They are working very hard and are building very fast.
New English Translation
Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the temple of the great God. It is being built with large stones, and timbers are being placed in the walls. This work is being done with all diligence and is prospering in their hands.
Amplified Bible
"Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built with huge stones, with beams laid in the walls; and this work goes on with diligence and care and is succeeding in their hands.
New American Standard Bible
"May it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God which is being built with large stones, and beams are being laid in the walls; and this work is being performed with great care and is succeeding in their hands.
World English Bible
Be it known to the king, that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls; and this work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Be it knowen vnto the King, that we went into the prouince of Iudea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, & beames are layde in the walles, and this worke is wrought speedily, and prospereth in their hands.
Legacy Standard Bible
Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, and it is being built with huge stones, and timber is being put within the walls; and that work is going on with all diligence and is succeeding in their hands.
Berean Standard Bible
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.
Contemporary English Version
We went to Judah, where the temple of the great God is being built with huge stones and wooden beams set in the walls. Everyone is working hard, and the building is going up fast.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Let the king know that we went to the province of Y'hudah, to the house of the great God. It is being rebuilt with large stones, and timber is being set in the walls. This work is being done energetically, and it is making good progress under the direction
Darby Translation
Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work is being carried on with diligence, and prospers in their hand.
Easy-to-Read Version
King Darius, you should know that we went to the province of Judah. We went to the Temple of the great God. The people in Judah are building that Temple with large stones. They are putting big wooden timbers in the walls. The work is being done with much care and the people of Judah are working very hard. They are building very fast; it will soon be done.
George Lamsa Translation
Be it known to the king that we went to Judea, to the city of the great God, which is being built with large stones, and much timber is laid in the walls; great works are wrought there, and a great enterprise is prospering in their hands.
Good News Translation
"Your Majesty should know that we went to the province of Judah and found that the Temple of the great God is being rebuilt with large stone blocks and with wooden beams set in the wall. The work is being done with great care and is moving ahead steadily.
Lexham English Bible
May it be known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, the house of the great God. It is being built with stone blocks and timber is being put in the walls. This work is being done with diligence and is making progress in their hands.
Literal Translation
Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, and it is being built with rolling stones, and timber is being laid in the walls, and thatwork is being done perfectly, and is prosperingin their hands.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Be it knowne vnto the kynge, that we came in to Iewry to the house of ye greate God, which is buylded with all maner of stone, and balckes are layed in the walles, and ye worke goeth fast forth, and prospereth in their handes.
American Standard Version
Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls; and this work goeth on with diligence and prospereth in their hands.
Bible in Basic English
This is to give the king word that we went into the land of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is made of great stones, and has its walls supported with wood, and the work is going on with industry, and they are doing it well.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Be it knowen vnto the king that we went into the prouince of Iurie to the house of the great God, which is builded with mightie great stones, and beames are layde in the walles, and the worke goeth fast foorth, and prospereth in their handes.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth on with diligence and prospereth in their hands.
King James Version (1611)
Be it knowen vnto the king, that we went into the prouince of Iudea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, & timber is laied in the wals, and this worke goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.
English Revised Version
Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth on with diligence and prospereth in their hands.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Be it knowun to the kyng, that we yeden to the prouince of Judee, to the hows of greet God, which is bildid with stoon vnpolischid, and trees ben set in the wallis, and thilke werk is bildid diligently, and encreessith in the hondis of hem.
Update Bible Version
Be it known to the king, that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls; and this work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands.
Webster's Bible Translation
Be it known to the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work proceedeth rapidly, and prospereth in their hands.
New King James Version
Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judea, to the temple of the great God, which is being built with heavy stones, and timber is being laid in the walls; and this work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands.
New Living Translation
"The king should know that we went to the construction site of the Temple of the great God in the province of Judah. It is being rebuilt with specially prepared stones, and timber is being laid in its walls. The work is going forward with great energy and success.
New Life Bible
Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the land of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built with very large stones, and heavy pieces of wood are being laid in the walls. This work is being done with much care and is going well in their hands.
New Revised Standard
May it be known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built of hewn stone, and timber is laid in the walls; this work is being done diligently and prospers in their hands.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Be it known unto the king, that we journeyed into the province of Judah, unto the house of the Great God, and, the same, is being built with large stones, and, timber, is being laid in the walls, - and, this work, with speed, is being done, and is prospering in their hands.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Be it known to the king, that we went to the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which they are building with unpolished stones, and timber is laid in the walls: and this work is carried on diligently and advanceth in their hands.
Revised Standard Version
Be it known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built with huge stones, and timber is laid in the walls; this work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands.
Young's Literal Translation
`To Darius the king, all peace! be it known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the great house of God, and it is built [with] rolled stones, and wood is placed in the walls, and this work is done speedily, and prospering in their hand.
THE MESSAGE
We want to report to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to The Temple of the great God that is being rebuilt with large stones. Timbers are being fitted into the walls; the work is going on with great energy and in good time.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with huge stones, and beams are being laid in the walls; and this work is going on with great care and is succeeding in their hands.

Contextual Overview

3 At the same time came there upon them Thanthanai, the governor on this side the river, and Satharbuzanai, and their fellow-servants, and spoke thus to them, Who has ordained a decree for you to build this house, and to provide this preparation? 4 Then they spoke thus to them, What are the names of the men that build this city? 5 But the eyes of God were upon the captivity of Juda, and they did not cause them to cease till the decree was brought to Darius; and then was sent by the tribute-gatherer concerning this 6 the copy of a letter, which Thanthanai, the governor of the part on this side the river, and Satharbuzanai, and their fellow-servants the Apharsachaeans who were on this side of the river, sent to king Darius. 7 They sent an account to him, and thus it was written in it: 8 Be it known to the king, that we went into the land of Judea, to the house of the great God; and it is building with choice stones, and they are laying timbers in the walls, and that work is prospering, and goes on favorably in their hands. 9 Then we asked those elders, and thus we said to them, Who gave you the order to build this house, and to provide this preparation? 10 And we asked them their names, in order to declare them to thee, so as to write to thee the names of their leading men. 11 And they answered us thus, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are building the house which had been built many years before this, and a great king of Israel built it, and established it for them. 12 But after that our fathers provoked the God of heaven, he gave them into the hands of Nabuchodonosor the Chaldean, king of Babylon, and he destroyed this house, and carried the people captive to Babylon.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the province: Ezra 2:1, Nehemiah 7:6, Nehemiah 11:3, Esther 1:1, Esther 1:22

the great God: Ezra 1:2, Ezra 1:3, Ezra 6:10, Ezra 7:23, Deuteronomy 10:17, Deuteronomy 32:31, Psalms 145:3, Daniel 2:47, Daniel 3:26, Daniel 4:2, Daniel 4:34-37, Daniel 6:26

great stones: Chal, stones of rolling, Mark 13:1, Mark 13:2

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 12:12 - masons Ezra 7:14 - thy God Nehemiah 1:3 - the province Nehemiah 4:7 - heard Haggai 1:14 - and they

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Be it known unto the king,.... This seems to have been the usual form of beginning a letter to a king in those days, Ezra 4:12 that we went into the province of Judea; which from a kingdom was reduced to a province, and was become a part of the Babylonian, now Persian, monarchy, see Ezra 2:1 to the house of the great God; as the Jews called the Lord their God; and even the Heathens had a notion that there was one supreme God, though they worshipped inferior ones; and some had a notion that Jehovah the God of the Jews was he:

which is builded with great stones; marble stones; as Jarchi q, stones of rolling, as it may be rendered; which, according to Aben Ezra, were so large and heavy, that they could not be carried, but were obliged to roll them:

and timber is laid in the walls, cedar wood, as Aben Ezra interprets it, for beams, for flooring and raftering; or rather, is put upon the walls, for the lining and wainscoting of them, which was done with cedar wood:

and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands; and, unless timely prevented, will soon be finished.

q So David de Pomis, Tzemach David, fol. 15. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Great stones - literally, as in the margin; i. e., stones so large that they were rolled along, not carried. Others translate “polished stones.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezra 5:8. With great stones — They are making a very strong and a very costly building.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile