Ezra 5:16
in Ezra 5So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it has been under construction, but it has not yet been completed.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundations of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not completed.
KJV
Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.
⋯
This verse in Ezra 5
Commentary
8 notes on this verseSheshbazzar - Probably the military officer that conducted the people from Babylon, and had the oversight of the work; but some think that Ezra is meant.
This site's exposition
laid the foundation of the house of God
on Ezra 5:16-17
Sheshbazzar laid the foundation, and the elders' answer closes with an admission that the house is still unfinished. That unfinished house is the reason for the letter, the work Tattenai found in progress. His request is even-handed, that the royal archives be searched to see whether Cyrus issued the decree.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
This is the account they give of their proceedings, not asking what authority they had to examine them, nor upbraiding them with their idolatry, and superstitions, and medley religion. Let us learn hence with meekness and fear to give a reason of the hope that is in us ( 1 Pet. iii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem,....
Note, (1.) The temple of God among men is to be built by prophecy, not by secular force (that often hinders it, but seldom furthers it), but by the word of God. As the weapons of our warfare, so the instruments of our building, are not carnal, but spiritual, and they are the ministers of the gospel that are the master-builders.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Shesh-bazzar . . . since that time even until now hath it been in building--This was not a part of the Jews' answer--they could not have said this, knowing the building had long ceased.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Not a word was uttered to dispirit the Jews or afford cause of triumph to their opponents. Matters were to go on till contrary orders arrived from Babylon. After surveying the work in progress, he inquired: first, by what authority this national temple was undertaken; and, secondly, the names of the principal promoters and directors of the undertaking.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Since that time even until now - Sixteen years - from 536 B.C. to 520 B.C. The adversaries of the Jews here overstep the truth; since, in point of fact, the work had been suspended for a while Ezr 4:24.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֱדַ֙יִן֙ | ʾedayin | then | H116 → | 57 times |
| שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּ֣ר | sheshebatzar | Sheshbazzar | H8340 → | |
| דֵּ֔ךְ | dekh | this | H1791 → | 13 times |
| אֲתָ֗א | ʾata' | he came | H858 → | 16 times |
| יְהַ֧ב | yehav | he laid | H3052 → | 28 times |
| אֻשַּׁיָּ֛א | ʾushaiya' | foundations the | H787 → | 3 times |
| דִּי־ | di- | of | H1768 → | 345 times |
| בֵ֥ית | veit | [the] house of | H1005 → | 44 times |
| אֱלָהָ֖א | ʾelaha' | <the> God | H426 → | 95 times |
| דִּ֣י | di | which | H1768 → | 345 times |
| בִירוּשְׁלֶ֑ם | virushelem | [is] in Jerusalem | H3390 → | 26 times |
| וּמִן־ | umin- | and from | H4481 → | 109 times |
| אֱדַ֧יִן | ʾedayin | then | H116 → | 57 times |
| וְעַד־ | vead- | and until | H5705 → | 35 times |
| כְּעַ֛ן | kean | now | H3705 → | 13 times |
| מִתְבְּנֵ֖א | mitbene' | [it is] being built | H1124 → | 22 times |
| וְלָ֥א | vela' | and not | H3809 → | 82 times |
| שְׁלִֽם׃ | shelim | [it is] finished | H8000 → |
אֱדַ֙יִן֙then
ʾedayinH116 →57 times
שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּ֣רSheshbazzar
sheshebatzarH8340 →
דֵּ֔ךְthis
dekhH1791 →13 times
אֲתָ֗אhe came
ʾata'H858 →16 times
יְהַ֧בhe laid
yehavH3052 →28 times
אֻשַּׁיָּ֛אfoundations the
ʾushaiya'H787 →3 times
דִּי־of
di-H1768 →345 times
בֵ֥ית[the] house of
veitH1005 →44 times
אֱלָהָ֖א<the> God
ʾelaha'H426 →95 times
דִּ֣יwhich
diH1768 →345 times
בִירוּשְׁלֶ֑ם[is] in Jerusalem
virushelemH3390 →26 times
וּמִן־and from
umin-H4481 →109 times
אֱדַ֧יִןthen
ʾedayinH116 →57 times
וְעַד־and until
vead-H5705 →35 times
כְּעַ֛ןnow
keanH3705 →13 times
מִתְבְּנֵ֖א[it is] being built
mitbene'H1124 →22 times
וְלָ֥אand not
vela'H3809 →82 times
שְׁלִֽם׃[it is] finished
shelimH8000 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Zechariah 4:10For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven eyes of the LORD, which scan the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.”
it leads to
- Job 8:7
Though your beginnings were modest, your latter days will flourish.
- 1 Corinthians 1:28–29
He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are,
- Matthew 13:31–33
He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field.
- 2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in…
- Haggai 2:3
‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not appear to you like nothing in comparison?’
- Job 8:7
Through
Haggai 2:18Consider carefully from this day forward—from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, the day the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid—consider carefully:
it leads to
- Zechariah 8:9
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Let your hands be strong, you who now hear these words spoken by the prophets who were present when the foundations were laid to rebuild the…
- Haggai 2:15
Now consider carefully from this day forward: Before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the LORD,
- Zechariah 8:9
Through
Ezra 3:8In the second month of the second year after they had arrived at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their associates including…
it leads to
- Ezra 4:3
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the…
- Ezra 4:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ezra
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil, The Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.