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Saturday, July 12th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

Legacy Standard Bible

Ezra 6:4

with three layers of huge stones and one layer of timbers. And let the cost be given from the royal treasury.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church and State;   Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   Rulers;   Temple;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Kings;   Temple, the Second;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Haggai;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Aram;   Ezra;   Persia;   Temple;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Decrees;   Zechariah, Theology of;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Cyrus;   House;   Temple, the Second;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Cyrus;   Ezra, the Book of;   Medes;   Persia;   Temple;   Zerubbabel;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Decree;   Israel, History of;   Temple of Jerusalem;   Zechariah, Book of;   Zerubbabel;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Darius;   Nehemiah, Book of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Dari'us;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Medes, Me'dia;   Per'sia;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Jerusalem;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - New;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Cyrus;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
with three layers of cut stones and one of timber. The cost is to be paid from the royal treasury.
Hebrew Names Version
with three courses of great stones, and a course of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house.
King James Version
With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:
English Standard Version
with three layers of great stones and one layer of timber. Let the cost be paid from the royal treasury.
New Century Version
It must have three layers of large stones and then one layer of timbers. The costs should be paid from the king's treasury.
New English Translation
with three layers of large stones and one layer of timber. The expense is to be subsidized by the royal treasury.
Amplified Bible
with three layers of huge stones and one layer of timbers. Let the cost be paid from the royal treasury.
New American Standard Bible
with three layers of large stones and one layer of timber. And the cost is to be paid from the royal treasury.
World English Bible
with three courses of great stones, and a course of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Three orders of great stones, & one order of timber, and let the expenses be giuen of the Kings house.
Berean Standard Bible
with three layers of cut stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid from the royal treasury.
Contemporary English Version
with one row of wooden beams for each three rows of large stones. The royal treasury will pay for everything.
Complete Jewish Bible
with three rows of large stones and one row of new timber. The expenses are to be charged to the king's treasury.
Darby Translation
[with] three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber; and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:
Easy-to-Read Version
Its wall will be in layers that have three rows of large stones and one row of wooden timbers. The cost of building the Temple must be paid for from the king's treasury.
George Lamsa Translation
With three rows of great stones and doors of new timber: and let the expenses be paid out of the kings house;
Good News Translation
The walls are to be built with one layer of wood on top of each three layers of stone. All expenses are to be paid by the royal treasury.
Lexham English Bible
with three layers of great stones and a layer of timber. Let the new expenses be paid from the house of the king.
Literal Translation
with three layers of rolling stones, and a layer of new timber. And let the expenses be given out of the king's house.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
& thre walles of all maner of stones, and one wall of tymber, & the expences shalbe geuen of the kynges house.
American Standard Version
with three courses of great stones, and a course of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house.
Bible in Basic English
With three lines of great stones and one line of new wood supports; and let the necessary money be given out of the king's store-house;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Three rowes of rough stones, and one rowe of newe timber: and the expences shalbe geuen of the kinges house.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
with three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber, and let the expenses be given out of the king's house;
King James Version (1611)
With three rowes of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expences bee giuen out of the kings house.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And let there be three strong layers of stone, and one layer of timber; and the expense shall be paid out of the house of the king.
English Revised Version
with three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and so ordris of newe trees. Sotheli costis schulen be youun of the kyngis hows.
Update Bible Version
with three courses of great stones, and a course of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house.
Webster's Bible Translation
[With] three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:
New King James Version
with three rows of heavy stones and one row of new timber. Let the expenses be paid from the king's treasury.
New Living Translation
Every three layers of specially prepared stones will be topped by a layer of timber. All expenses will be paid by the royal treasury.
New Life Bible
There should be three very large stones laid on the top of each other, and then one large piece of wood laid. Let it be paid for from the king's money.
New Revised Standard
with three courses of hewn stones and one course of timber; let the cost be paid from the royal treasury.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
layers of large stones, three, and one layer of new timber, - and, as for the expenses, out of the house of the king, let them be given.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Three rows of unpolished stones, and so rows of new timber: and the charges shall be given out of the king’s house.
Revised Standard Version
with three courses of great stones and one course of timber; let the cost be paid from the royal treasury.
Young's Literal Translation
three rows of rolled stones, and a row of new wood, and the outlay let be given out of the king's house.
THE MESSAGE
So King Darius ordered a search through the records in the archives in Babylon. Eventually a scroll was turned up in the fortress of Ecbatana over in the province of Media, with this writing on it: Memorandum In his first year as king, Cyrus issued an official decree regarding The Temple of God in Jerusalem, as follows: The Temple where sacrifices are offered is to be rebuilt on new foundations. It is to be ninety feet high and ninety feet wide with three courses of large stones topped with one course of timber. The cost is to be paid from the royal bank. The gold and silver vessels from The Temple of God that Nebuchadnezzar carried to Babylon are to be returned to The Temple at Jerusalem, each to its proper place; place them in The Temple of God. Now listen, Tattenai governor of the land beyond the Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, associates, and all officials of that land: Stay out of their way. Leave the governor and leaders of the Jews alone so they can work on that Temple of God as they rebuild it. I hereby give official orders on how you are to help the leaders of the Jews in the rebuilding of that Temple of God: 1. All construction costs are to be paid to these men from the royal bank out of the taxes coming in from the land beyond the Euphrates. And pay them on time, without delays. 2. Whatever is required for their worship—young bulls, rams, and lambs for Whole-Burnt-Offerings to the God-of-Heaven; and whatever wheat, salt, wine, and anointing oil the priests of Jerusalem request—is to be given to them daily without delay so that they may make sacrifices to the God-of-Heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons. I've issued an official decree that anyone who violates this order is to be impaled on a timber torn out of his own house, and the house itself made a manure pit. And may the God who put his Name on that place wipe out any king or people who dares to defy this decree and destroy The Temple of God at Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued an official decree. Carry it out precisely and promptly. Tattenai governor of the land across the Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and their associates did it: They carried out the decree of Darius precisely and promptly. So the leaders of the Jews continued to build; the work went well under the preaching of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo. They completed the rebuilding under orders of the God of Israel and authorization by Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia. The Temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. And then the Israelites celebrated—priests, Levites, every last exile, exuberantly celebrated the dedication of The Temple of God. At the dedication of this Temple of God they sacrificed a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs—and, as an Absolution-Offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. They placed the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their places for the service of God at Jerusalem—all as written out in the Book of Moses. On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles celebrated the Passover. All the priests and Levites had purified themselves—all, no exceptions. They were all ritually clean. The Levites slaughtered the Passover lamb for the exiles, their brother priests, and themselves. Then the Israelites who had returned from exile, along with everyone who had removed themselves from the defilements of the nations to join them and seek God , the God of Israel, ate the Passover. With great joy they celebrated the Feast of Unraised Bread for seven days. God had plunged them into a sea of joy; he had changed the mind of the king of Assyria to back them in rebuilding The Temple of God, the God of Israel.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
with three layers of huge stones and one layer of timbers. And let the cost be paid from the royal treasury.

Contextual Overview

1Then King Darius issued a decree, and a search was made in the archives, where the treasures were deposited in Babylon. 2And in Ecbatana in the fortress, which is in the province of Media, a scroll was found and there was written in it as follows: "Memorandum— 3In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree: ‘Concerning the house of God in Jerusalem, let that house, the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its foundations be retained, its height being 60 cubits and its width 60 cubits; 4with three layers of huge stones and one layer of timbers. And let the cost be given from the royal treasury. 5And also let the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be returned and brought to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; and you shall deposit them in the house of God.' 6"Now Tattenai, governor of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues, the officials of the provinces beyond the River, keep away from there. 7Leave that work on the house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild that house of God in its designated place. 8Moreover, I issue a decree concerning what you shall do for those elders of Judah in the rebuilding of that house of God: the full cost is to be given to those people from the royal treasury out of the tribute of the provinces beyond the River, and that without negligence. 9Whatever is needed, both young bulls, rams, and lambs for a burnt offering to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine, and anointing oil, according to what the priests in Jerusalem say, it is to be given to them daily without negligence, 10that they may bring sweet-smelling sacrifices near to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

three rows: 1 Kings 6:36

the expenses: Ezra 7:20-23, Psalms 68:29, Psalms 72:10, Isaiah 49:23, Isaiah 60:6-10, Revelation 12:16

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 6:2 - threescore Ezra 6:8 - the king's Ezra 7:15 - the silver Haggai 1:8 - to

Cross-References

Genesis 6:15
Now this is how you shall make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits.
Genesis 6:20
Of the birds after their kind, and of the animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive.
Genesis 6:21
As for you, take for yourself some of all food which is edible, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be for food for you and for them."
Genesis 6:22
Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did.
Genesis 11:4
And they said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, lest we be scattered over the face of the whole earth."
Numbers 13:33
There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."
Numbers 16:2
and they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, 250 leaders of the congregation, those called upon by the assembly, men of renown.
Deuteronomy 3:11
(For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bedstead was an iron bedstead; it is in Rabbah of the sons of Ammon. Its length was nine cubits, and its width four cubits by ordinary cubit.)
1 Samuel 17:4
Then a champion came out from the camps of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

With three rows of great stones,.... Which Jarchi interprets of the walls of it, and these stones of marble; and so Ben Melech:

and a row of new timber; of cedar wood upon the rows of stone, see 1 Kings 6:36 or for the lining and wainscoting the walls:

and let the expenses be given out of the king's house; treasury, or exchequer; but it does not appear that this part of the decree was observed, at least hitherto; but the Jews built at their own expense, and perhaps did not exactly observe the directions given as to the dimensions of the house.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The word translated “row” occurs only in this passage. Some regard it as a “course,” and suppose that after every three courses of stone there followed a course of timber. Others understand three “storeys” of stone, with a fourth “storey” of woodwork on the summit (compare 1 Kings 6:5-6). Others consider that Cyrus intended to limit the thickness of the walls, which were not to exceed a breadth of three rows of stone, with an inner wooden wainscotting.

Let the expenses be given out of the king’s house - i. e., “out of the Persian revenue,” a portion of the decree which was probably not observed during the later years of Cyrus and during the reign of Cambyses, and hence the burthen fell upon the Jews themselves Ezra 2:68-69.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezra 6:4. Three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber — We have noticed this kind of building before, three courses of stones, and then a course of strong balk; and this continued to the square of the building.

And let the expenses be given — Cyrus had ordered wood to be cut at Libanus, and conveyed to Joppa at his expense; but it does not appear that he furnished the other expenses of the building, for we have already seen that the Jews contributed for the defraying of all others. But it appears that he provided at his own expense the sacrifices and offerings for the temple. See Ezra 6:9.


 
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