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The NET Bible®

Ezra 6:3

In the first year of his reign, King Cyrus gave orders concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem: ‘Let the temple be rebuilt as a place where sacrifices are offered. Let its foundations be set in place. Its height is to be ninety feet and its width ninety feet,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church and State;   Cyrus;   House;   Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   Liberality;   Persia;   Rulers;   Temple;   Thompson Chain Reference - Cyrus;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Cities;   Foundation;   Kings;   Temple, the Second;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Haggai;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Aram;   Ezra;   Media;   Persia;   Temple;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Decrees;   Zechariah, Theology of;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Cyrus;   Temple, the Second;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ezra, the Book of;   Medes;   Persia;   Temple;   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;   Temple, the;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Cy'rus;   Medes, Me'dia;   Per'sia;   Temple;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Jerusalem;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Chronicles, Books of;   Cyrus;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Holy of Holies;   Temple, the Second;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem:
Hebrew Names Version
In the first year of Koresh the king, Koresh the king made a decree: Concerning the house of God at Yerushalayim, let the house be built, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let the foundations of it be strongly laid; the height of it sixty cubits, and the breadth of it sixty cubits;
King James Version
In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
English Standard Version
In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices were offered, and let its foundations be retained. Its height shall be sixty cubits and its breadth sixty cubits,
New Century Version
King Cyrus gave an order about the Temple of God in Jerusalem in the first year he was king. This was the order: "Let the Temple be rebuilt as a place to present sacrifices. Let its foundations be laid; it should be ninety feet high and ninety feet wide.
Amplified Bible
"In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree: 'Concerning the house of God in Jerusalem, let the temple (house), the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its foundations be strongly laid, its height and its width each 60 cubits,
New American Standard Bible
"In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree: 'Concerning the house of God in Jerusalem, let the temple, the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt, and let its foundations be repaired, its height being sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits,
World English Bible
In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be built, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let the foundations of it be strongly laid; the height of it sixty cubits, and the breadth of it sixty cubits;
Geneva Bible (1587)
In the first yeere of King Cyrus, King Cyrus made a decree for the house of God in Ierusalem, Let the house be buylt, euen the place where they offred sacrifices, and let the walles thereof be ioyned together: let the height thereof be three score cubites, and the breadth thereof three score cubites,
Legacy Standard Bible
In 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;
Berean Standard Bible
In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: Let the house be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices, and let its foundations be firmly laid. It is to be sixty cubits high and sixty cubits wide,
Contemporary English Version
that in the first year Cyrus was king, he gave orders to rebuild God's temple in Jerusalem, so that sacrifices and offerings could be presented there. It is to be built ninety feet high and ninety feet wide,
Complete Jewish Bible
"In the first year of Koresh the king, Koresh the king issued this decree: ‘Concerning the house of God in Yerushalayim, let the house be rebuilt, the place where they offer sacrifices; and let its foundations be firmly laid. Its height is to be ninety feet and its breadth ninety feet,
Darby Translation
In the first year of king Cyrus, king Cyrus made a decree [concerning] the house of God at Jerusalem: Let the house be built for a place where they offer sacrifices, and let its foundations be solidly laid; its height sixty cubits, its breadth sixty cubits,
Easy-to-Read Version
During the first year that Cyrus was king, he gave an order about the Temple of God in Jerusalem. The order said: Let the Temple of God be rebuilt. It will be a place to offer sacrifices. Let its foundations be built. The Temple must be 60 cubits high and 60 cubits wide.
George Lamsa Translation
In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree, and commanded that the house of God which is in Jerusalem shall be rebuilt in the place where they offered sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid; its height shall be sixty cubits and its breadth twenty cubits,
Good News Translation
"In the first year of his reign Emperor Cyrus commanded that the Temple in Jerusalem be rebuilt as a place where sacrifices are made and offerings are burned. The Temple is to be ninety feet high and ninety feet wide.
Lexham English Bible
In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued forth a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem. Let the house be built, the place where sacrifices are offered and let its foundations be raised. Its height shall be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits,
Literal Translation
In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king placed a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: let the house be built, the place where they offered sacrifices and let the foundations of it be strongly laid. Its height shallbe sixty cubits; its breadth sixty cubits;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
In the first yeare of kynge Cyrus, comaunded the same kynge Cyrus to buylde ye house of God at Ierusalem, in the place where the sacrifice is made, & to laye the foundacion to beare thre score cubites heyght, & thre score cubites bredth,
American Standard Version
In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be builded, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
Bible in Basic English
In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made an order: In connection with the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be put up, the place where they make offerings, and let the earth for the bases be put in place; let it be sixty cubits high and sixty cubits wide;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
In the first yere of king Cyrus, gaue the same king Cyrus commaundement concerning the house of God at Hierusalem, that the same house should be builded in the place where they offer the sacrifices, & to ioyne the walles together of threescore cubites heyght, and threescore cubites breadth.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be builded, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
King James Version (1611)
In the first yeere of Cyrus the king, the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Ierusalem: Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof of be strongly laid, the height therof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubites:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
In the first year of king Cyrus, Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the holy house of God that was in Jerusalem, saying,Let the house be built, and the place where they sacrifice the sacrifices. (Also he appointed its elevation, in height sixty cubits; its breadth was of sixty cubits.)
English Revised Version
In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree; Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be builded, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
In the first yeer of kyng Cirus, Cirus the kyng demyde, that, `Goddis hows, which is in Jerusalem, schulde be bildid in the place where thei offren sacrifices, and that thei sette foundementis supportynge the heiythe of sixti cubitis, and the lengthe of sixti cubitis, thre ordris of stonys vnpolischid,
Update Bible Version
In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be built, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the width thereof threescore cubits;
Webster's Bible Translation
In the first year of Cyrus the king, [the same] Cyrus the king made a decree [concerning] the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be built, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations of it be strongly laid; the hight of it sixty cubits, [and] the breadth of it sixty cubits;
New King James Version
In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem: "Let the house be rebuilt, the place where they offered sacrifices; and let the foundations of it be firmly laid, its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits,
New Living Translation
"In the first year of King Cyrus's reign, a decree was sent out concerning the Temple of God at Jerusalem. "Let the Temple be rebuilt on the site where Jews used to offer their sacrifices, using the original foundations. Its height will be ninety feet, and its width will be ninety feet.
New Life Bible
"In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king said that this was to be done about the house of God at Jerusalem: ‘Let the house of God, the place where burnt gifts are given in worship, be built again with a good base. It should be sixteen times taller than a man, and as wide as thirty long steps.
New Revised Standard
In the first year of his reign, King Cyrus issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices are offered and burnt offerings are brought; its height shall be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king, issued an edict, as to the house of God in Jerusalem, Let the house be built, the place where they used to offer sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be reared, - the height thereof, sixty cubits, the breadth thereof, sixty cubits;
Douay-Rheims Bible
In the first year of Cyrus the king: Cyrus the king decreed, that the house of God should be built, which is in Jerusalem, in the place where they may offer sacrifices, and that they lay the foundations that may support the height of threescore cubits, and the breadth of threescore cubits,
Revised Standard Version
In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices are offered and burnt offerings are brought; its height shall be sixty cubits and its breadth sixty cubits,
Young's Literal Translation
`In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king hath made a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: the house let be builded in the place where they are sacrificing sacrifices, and its foundations strongly laid; its height sixty cubits, its breadth sixty cubits;
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree: 'Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the temple, the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its foundations be retained, its height being 60 cubits and its width 60 cubits;

Contextual Overview

1 So Darius the king issued orders, and they searched in the archives of the treasury which were deposited there in Babylon. 2 A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana which is in the province of Media, and it was inscribed as follows: "Memorandum: 3 In the first year of his reign, King Cyrus gave orders concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem: ‘Let the temple be rebuilt as a place where sacrifices are offered. Let its foundations be set in place. Its height is to be ninety feet and its width ninety feet, 4 with three layers of large stones and one layer of timber. The expense is to be subsidized by the royal treasury. 5 Furthermore let the gold and silver vessels of the temple of God, which Nebuchadnezzar brought from the temple in Jerusalem and carried to Babylon, be returned and brought to their proper place in the temple in Jerusalem. Let them be deposited in the temple of God.' 6 "Now Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar Bozenai, and their colleagues, the officials of Trans-Euphrates—all of you stay far away from there! 7 Leave the work on this temple of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this temple of God in its proper place. 8 "I also hereby issue orders as to what you are to do with those elders of the Jews in order to rebuild this temple of God. From the royal treasury, from the taxes of Trans-Euphrates the complete costs are to be given to these men, so that there may be no interruption of the work. 9 Whatever is needed—whether oxen or rams or lambs for burnt offerings for the God of heaven or wheat or salt or wine or oil, as required by the priests who are in Jerusalem—must be given to them daily without any neglect, 10 so that they may be offering incense to the God of heaven and may be praying for the good fortune of the king and his family.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the first year: Ezra 1:1-4, Ezra 5:13-15, 2 Chronicles 36:22, 2 Chronicles 36:23

the place: Deuteronomy 12:5, Deuteronomy 12:6, Deuteronomy 12:11-14, 2 Chronicles 2:6, Psalms 122:4

the height: 1 Kings 6:2, 1 Kings 6:3, 2 Chronicles 3:3, 2 Chronicles 3:4, Ezekiel 41:13-15, Revelation 21:16

Reciprocal: Ezra 3:7 - according Ezra 4:3 - king Cyrus Ezra 5:15 - let the house Ezra 5:17 - a decree Isaiah 44:28 - saying Isaiah 60:10 - their kings Jeremiah 30:18 - the palace Daniel 10:1 - Cyrus

Cross-References

Genesis 6:1
When humankind began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them,
Genesis 6:13
So God said to Noah, "I have decided that all living creatures must die, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. Now I am about to destroy them and the earth.
Genesis 6:14
Make for yourself an ark of cypress wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and out.
Genesis 6:15
This is how you should make it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high.
Genesis 6:16
Make a roof for the ark and finish it, leaving 18 inches from the top. Put a door in the side of the ark, and make lower, middle, and upper decks.
Genesis 6:18
but I will confirm my covenant with you. You will enter the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you.
Genesis 6:20
Of the birds after their kinds, and of the cattle after their kinds, and of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you so you can keep them alive.
Numbers 11:17
Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take part of the spirit that is on you, and will put it on them, and they will bear some of the burden of the people with you, so that you do not bear it all by yourself.
Nehemiah 9:30
You prolonged your kindness with them for many years, and you solemnly admonished them by your Spirit through your prophets. Still they paid no attention, so you delivered them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.
Psalms 78:39
He remembered that they were made of flesh, and were like a wind that blows past and does not return.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

In the first year of Cyrus the king; the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be builded,.... See Ezra 1:1,

the place where they offered sacrifices; to God in times past, ever since it was built by Solomon:

and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; so as to bear and support the building erected on them, as the word signifies:

the height thereof sixty cubits; which were thirty more than the height of Solomon's temple, 1 Kings 6:2 though sixty less than the height of the porch, which was one hundred and twenty, 2 Chronicles 3:4 and which some take to be the height of the whole house; and hence it may be observed what Herod said y, that the temple then in being wanted sixty cubits in height of that of Solomon's:

and the breadth thereof sixty cubits; whereas the breadth of Solomon's temple was but twenty, 1 Kings 6:2, but since it cannot reasonably be thought that the breadth should be equal to the height, and so very disproportionate to Solomon's temple; many learned men understand this of the extension of it as to length, which exactly agrees with the length of the former temple, 1 Kings 6:2.

y Apud Joseph. Antiqu. l. 15. c. 11. sect. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It is difficult to reconcile the dimentions here with expressions in Zechariah Zechariah 4:10, Haggai Haggai 2:3, and even Ezra Ezra 3:12, which imply that the second temple was smaller than the first (compare 1 Kings 6:2). Perhaps the dimensions here are those which Cyrus required the Jews not to exceed.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezra 6:3. The height thereof threescore cubits — This was much larger than the temple of Solomon. This was sixty cubits high, and sixty cubits broad; whereas Solomon's was only twenty cubits broad, and thirty cubits high.


 
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