King James Version

Ezra 4:2

Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

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Hebrew

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וַיִּגְּשׁ֨וּvayigshvand bringנָגַשׁconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and bring”, the next action in the storyH5066to be or come (causatively, bring) near (for any purpose); euphemistically, to lie with a woman; as an enemy, to attack; religious to worship; causatively, to present; figuratively, to adduce an argument; by reversal, to stand back(make to) approach (nigh), bring (forth, hither, near), (cause to) come (hither, near, nigh), give place, go hard (up), (be, draw, go) near (nigh), offer, overtake, present, put, stand.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).זְרֻבָּבֶ֜לzerubavelZerubbabelזְרֻבָּבֶלnoun, proper name — “Zerubbabel”H2216Zerubbabel, an IsraeliteZerubbabel.וְאֶלveeland amongאֵלconjunction, preposition — “and among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).רָאשֵׁ֣יrasheheadרֹאשׁnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “head”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7218the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.הָֽאָב֗וֹתhaavotthe fatherאָבdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the father”, the ordinary formH1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationchief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.וַיֹּאמְר֤וּvayomrvand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…לָהֶם֙lahemtoלָהֶם֙preposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to”toנִבְנֶ֣הnivnehbuildבָּנָהverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, plural — “build”, an unfinished actionH1129to build (literally and figuratively)(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), [idiom] surely.עִמָּכֶ֔םimakhemwithעִםpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “with”H5973adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)accompanying, against, and, as ([idiom] long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from (among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-) to, with(-al).כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…כָכֶ֔םkhakhemasכָכֶ֔םpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “as”asנִדְר֖וֹשׁnidroshaskדָּרַשׁverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, plural — “ask”, an unfinished actionH1875properly, to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or ask; specifically to worshipask, [idiom] at all, care for, [idiom] diligently, inquire, make inquisition, (necro-) mancer, question, require, search, seek (for, out), [idiom] surely.לֵֽאלֹהֵיכֶ֑םleloheykhemto Godאֱלֹהִיםpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “to God”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.ולאvland no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…וְל֣וֹvelvoand toוְל֣וֹconjunction, preposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and to”and toאֲנַ֣חְנוּanachnvweאֲנַחְנוּpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, plural — “we”H587weourselves, us, we.זֹבְחִ֗יםzovechimsacrificeזָבַחverb, qal, participle, absolute — “sacrifice”, a verb used as a describing wordH2076to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice)kill, offer, (do) sacrifice, slay.מִימֵי֙mimefrom as long asיוֹםpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “from as long as”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) lon…אֵסַ֤רesarEsar-haddonאֵסַר־חַדּוֹןnoun, proper name — “Esar-haddon”H634Esar-chaddon, an Assyrian kingEsar-haddon.חַדֹּן֙chadonEsar-haddonאֵסַר־חַדּוֹןnoun, proper name — “Esar-haddon”H634Esar-chaddon, an Assyrian kingEsar-haddon.מֶ֣לֶךְmelekhkingמֶלֶךְnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “king”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4428a kingking, royal.אַשּׁ֔וּרashurAssyriaאַשּׁוּרnoun, proper name — “Assyria”H804Ashshur, the second son of Shem; also his descendants and the country occupied by them (i.e. Assyria), its region and its empireAsshur, Assur, Assyria, Assyrians. See H838 (אָשֻׁר).הַמַּעֲלֶ֥הhamaalehthe ascend upעָלָהdefinite article, verb, hiphil, participle, absolute — “the ascend up”, a verb used as a describing wordH5927to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurativearise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make t…אֹתָ֖נוּotanvobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).פֹּֽהpohereפֹּהadverb — “here”H6311this place (French ici), i.e. here or hencehere, hither, the one (other, this, that) side.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers' houses, and said unto them: 'Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up hither.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers’ houses , and said unto them, Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as ye do; and we sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up hither.

Young’s Literal Translation

and they draw nigh unto Zerubbabel, and unto heads of the fathers, and say to them, 'Let us build with you; for, like you, we seek to your God, and we are not sacrificing since the days of Esar-Haddon king of Asshur, who brought us up hither.'

World English Bible

they came near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have been sacrificing to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”

Darby Translation

and they came to Zerubbabel and to the chief fathers, and said to them, We would build with you; for we seek your God, as ye; and we have sacrificed to him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up hither.

Douay-Rheims

And they came to Zorobabel, and the chief of the fathers, and said to them: Let us build with you, for we seek your God as ye do: behold we have sacrificed to him, since the days of Asor Haddan king of Assyria, who brought us hither.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And they drew near to Zorobabel, and to the heads of families, and said to them, We will build with you; for as ye do , we seek to serve our God, and we do sacrifice to him from the days of Asaradan king of Assur, who brought us hither.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

καὶ ἤγγισαν πρὸς Ζοροβάβελ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῶν πατριῶν, καὶ εἶπον αὐτοῖς, οἰκοδομήσομεν μεθʼ ὑμῶν, ὅτι ὡς ὑμεῖς ἐκζητοῦμεν τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν, καὶ αὐτῷ ἡμεῖς θυσιάζομεν ἀπὸ ἡμερῶν Ἀσαραδὰν βασιλέως Ἀσσοὺρ τοῦ ἐνέγκαντος ἡμᾶς ὧδε.