King James Version

Ezra 4:3

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּאמֶר֩vayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “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…לָהֶ֨םlahemtoלָהֶ֨םpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to”toזְרֻבָּבֶ֜לzerubavelZerubbabelזְרֻבָּבֶלnoun, proper name — “Zerubbabel”H2216Zerubbabel, an IsraeliteZerubbabel.וְיֵשׁ֗וּעַveyeshuaand Jeshuaיֵשׁוּעַconjunction, noun, proper name — “and Jeshua”H3442Jeshua, the name of ten Israelites, also of a place in PalestineJeshua.וּשְׁאָ֨רushearand remnantשְׁאָרconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and remnant”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7605a remainder[idiom] other, remnant, residue, rest.רָאשֵׁ֤יrasheheadרֹאשׁnoun, 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.הָֽאָבוֹת֙haavotthe 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-'.לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לleyisraelto Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלpreposition, noun, proper name — “to Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.לֹֽאlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “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…לָ֣כֶםlakhemtoלָ֣כֶםpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “to”toוָלָ֔נוּvalanvand toוָלָ֔נוּconjunction, preposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “and to”and toלִבְנ֥וֹתlivnotto buildבָּנָהpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to build”, the to-form of the verbH1129to build (literally and figuratively)(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), [idiom] surely.בַּ֖יִתbayitfamilyבַּיִתnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “family”, the ordinary formH1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web,…לֵאלֹהֵ֑ינוּleloheynvto Godאֱלֹהִיםpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, 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.כִּי֩kiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…אֲנַ֨חְנוּanachnvweאֲנַחְנוּpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, plural — “we”H587weourselves, us, we.יַ֜חַדyachadalikeיַחַדadverb — “alike”H3162properly, a unit, i.e. (adverb) unitedlyalike, at all (once), both, likewise, only, (al-) together, withal.נִבְנֶ֗הnivnehbuildבָּנָהverb, 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.לַֽיהוָה֙layhvahto Jehovahיְהֹוָהpreposition, noun, proper name — “to Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).אֱלֹהֵ֣יeloheGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “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.יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לyisraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלnoun, proper name — “Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.כַּאֲשֶׁ֣רkaasheras becauseאֲשֶׁרpreposition, particle, relative — “as because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…צִוָּ֔נוּtsivanvappointצָוָהverb, piel, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “appoint”, a completed actionH6680(intensively) to constitute, enjoinappoint, (for-) bid, (give a) charge, (give a, give in, send with) command(-er, -ment), send a messenger, put, (set) in order.הַמֶּ֖לֶךְhamelekhthe kingמֶלֶךְdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the king”, the ordinary formH4428a kingking, royal.כּ֥וֹרֶשׁkoreshCyrusכּוֹרֶשׁnoun, proper name — “Cyrus”H3566Koresh (or Cyrus), the Persian kingCyrus.מֶֽלֶךְmelekhkingמֶלֶךְnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “king”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4428a kingking, royal.פָּרָֽסparasPersiaפָּרַסnoun, proper name — “Persia”H6539Paras (i.e. Persia), an Eastern country, including its inhabitantsPersia, Persians.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses of Israel, said unto them: 'Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us in building a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

Young’s Literal Translation

And Zerubbabel saith to them, also Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers of Israel, 'Not for you, and for us, to build a house to our God; but we ourselves together do build to Jehovah God of Israel, as the king Cyrus, king of Persia, commanded us.'

World English Bible

But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to Yahweh, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”

Darby Translation

But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the chief fathers of Israel said to them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God, but we alone will build to Jehovah the God of Israel, as king Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.

Douay-Rheims

But Zorobabel, and Josue, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel said to them: You have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God, but we ourselves alone will build to the Lord our God, as Cyrus king of the Persians hath commanded us.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Then Zorobabel, and Jesus and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel said to them, It is not for us and you to build a house to our God, for we ourselves will build together to the Lord our God, as Cyrus the king of the Persians commanded us.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτοὺς Ζοροβάβελ καὶ Ἰησοῦς καὶ οἱ κατάλοιποι τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν πατριῶν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, οὐχ ἡμῖν καὶ ὑμῖν τοῦ οἰκοδομῆσαι οἶκον τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν, ὅτι ἡμεῖς ἐπὶ τοαυτὸ οἰκοδομήσομεν τῷ Κυρίω Θεῷ ἡμῶν, ὡς ἐνετείλατο ἡμῖν Κύρος ὁ βασιλεὺς Περσῶν.