Ezra 4
Meaning of Ezra 4
Ezra Chapter 4 is part of the Old Testament in the Bible. In this chapter, the Jewish people are trying to rebuild their temple in Jerusalem after returning from exile.
The chapter begins with local tribal leaders from Samaritans asking to assist in rebuilding the temple, claiming they too worship God. However, the Jews refuse their offer because they had been instructed by Cyrus, the King of Persia, to rebuild the temple. They wanted to ensure that the building of the temple was done correctly and solely by those who had been in exile as decreed by Cyrus.
After their offer was refused, the local tribes begin to discourage the people of Judah, using political maneuvers to interfere with the rebuilding process. They lobbied the new Persian king (after Cyrus), Artaxerxes, to stop the construction. They argued that allowing Jerusalem to be rebuilt would lead to rebellion and the city would stop paying tribute to the Persian Empire.
The local tribes were very persuasive, and it led to a decree from King Artaxerxes to halt the construction indefinitely. The construction of the temple remained halted until the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia. This causes a great setback for the Jews, but their determination to rebuild the temple doesn’t wane.
Essentially, Ezra 4 is about opposition to the rebuilding of the temple, a symbolic act of the restoration of the Jewish people, which is met with resistance from local tribes who manipulate political authority to halt it.
Ezra 4 kjv
Ezra 4 in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible describes a period of opposition to the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem after the Israelites’ return from exile in Babylon.
In the beginning of the chapter (verses 1-5), adversaries of Judah and Benjamin offered to help in the rebuilding work, but Zerubbabel and other leaders of Israel rejected their offer. These adversaries, who were non-Jewish people settled in the land during the absence of the Israelites, then discouraged the people of Judah, undermining their efforts and bribing officials to work against them.
Verses 6-24 describe the adversaries writing an accusation to King Artaxerxes of Persia, claiming that Jerusalem was a rebellious city and rebuilding it would threaten the king’s control over the provinces beyond the Euphrates. They suggested that if the city was rebuilt and its walls completed, taxes, tribute, and toll would not be paid.
In response, the king ordered that the work of rebuilding be stopped. This decree was enforced, halting the work on the temple until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia. Therefore, the chapter showcases challenges faced by the Israelites in their attempt to rebuild the temple and the city of Jerusalem.
Ezra 4 nkjv
Ezra 4 is one of the chapters found in the Book of Ezra in the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible. This chapter describes opposition to the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple.
In this chapter, non-Jewish people moved into the land during the Israelites’ exile and offered to help build the temple when the Jewish exiles returned. However, Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and other leaders rejected this offer because Cyrus, the king of Persia, had charged only the Israelites to do this.
Resentful due to their exclusion, these surrounding nations began to discourage the people of Judah, making them afraid to go on building. They even bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
In addition, it covers another period in later history (during the time of Artaxerxes), in which the adversaries sent a letter to the king Artaxerxes regarding the inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem. They speculated that if the city was rebuilt and its walls were finished, Jerusalem would not pay tax, tribute, or custom, and it would cause damage to the royal treasury.
In response to this letter, Artaxerxes ordered a halt to the city’s rebuilding until he issued a further decree. At receiving the king’s reply, the adversaries quickly forced the Jews to stop the work.
The chapter Ezra 4 overall reflects the opponents’ persistent plotting and scheming against the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s temple, which created significant delays and obstacles in the fulfilment of God’s plans for His people.
Ezra 4 niv
Ezra 4 is a chapter in the book of Ezra from the New International Version (NIV) Bible.
The chapter describes the opposition that the Jewish exiles in Babylon faced when they tried to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem following their return from exile.
In the beginning of the chapter (Verses 1-5), some residents of the land, who are adversaries, offer to help the Israelites in building the temple. However, their offer is rejected by Zerubbabel and the other heads of Israelite families as they want to build the temple themselves as per the command of King Cyrus of Persia. The adversaries take offense and start hindering their work and discouraging the people of Judah through various methods.
The chapter then proceeds (Verses 6-24) with these adversaries writing an accusation to the reigning king of Persia, first to King Xerxes and then to King Artaxerxes. They try to incite fear in the king by claiming that the rebuilding of Jerusalem would lead to rebellion against the king. Heeding their warning, King Artaxerxes orders a halt to the construction.
It’s seen that the work of rebuilding the temple stopped until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia. So, basically, Ezra 4 depicts the struggle and resistance that the Israelites faced in their efforts to rebuild the Temple and the city of Jerusalem.
What is Ezra 4 all about?
Ezra 4 is a chapter in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Ezra. This chapter describes opposition faced by the Jewish people when they tried to rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem after returning from exile in Babylon.
At the beginning of the chapter, adversaries from neighbouring regions, who were trying to disrupt the rebuilding process, offered to help the Israelites. When their offer was declined by Zerubbabel, Joshua and other leaders, they felt insulted and started to discourage the people of Israel from continuing their task.
These adversaries also used politics and wrote to the Persian King, initially King Cyrus, and later King Xerxes and King Artaxerxes, to complain about the Jewish people. They coerced the Persian kings to stop the rebuilding of temple, citing that Jerusalem had been a rebellious city, and would likely revolt against the Persian Empire once the city walls were rebuilt.
Intimidated by these letters, King Artaxerxes issued a stop-work order and it was only late in the reign of King Darius that work on the temple was resumed dramatically and successfully completed.
Ezra 4 thus recounts how the post-exilic Jewish community faced opposition and defeat in their initial efforts to rebuild their temple, teach the law, and rebuild their city walls.
Overall, this chapter is significant as it shows the struggle of the Jews to reestablish their identity and worship in their homeland after their Babylonian exile.
What does Ezra 4 teaches?
Ezra chapter 4 teaches about the opposition the Jews faced when they started to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem after their return from exile in Babylon. Initially, the enemies of Judah and Benjamin proposed to help in rebuilding the Temple, but Zerubbabel and the other leaders of Israel refused their help to ensure the purity and sincerity of the reconstruction project.
Angered by their refusal, these enemies then tried different tactics to disrupt and delay the construction. They resorted to discouraging the people, making them afraid, and even hiring counselors to frustrate their purpose. This ongoing opposition lasted during the reign of two Persian kings, Cyrus to Darius.
When Xerxes and Artaxerxes took over the throne, the enemies wrote accusatory letters to the king about the Jews in Jerusalem which caused the work to stop until the reign of Darius, the Persian king.
Ezra 4 teaches us about the value of standing firm in the face of opposition, refusal to compromise with those who don’t share the same beliefs, and persistence in the pursuit of fulfilling God’s will. It also illustrates how adversaries can try to hinder the work of believers, treat opposition as normal, but continue to focus on God.
A Sermon on Ezra 4
Ezra 4 is a chapter in the Old Testament of the Bible, where the Jewish exiles have returned from Babylon to Jerusalem and have begun to rebuild the temple.
Here’s a general breakdown:
1. Attempts to Discourage Rebuilding (Ezra 4:1-5): The adversaries of Judah and Benjamin approached the heads of the returning exiles and offered their help to build the temple. These adversaries were likely people who were deported to the region by the Assyrian Empire. The leaders of the returned exiles rejected their offer because they did not worship God in the same way and because they were mandated to rebuild the temple alone as per Cyrus’s decree. As a result, their adversaries use discouragement, fear, and bribery to stall the construction.
2. The Letter to King Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:6-16): The adversaries wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes during his reign attempting to paint the Jewish builders in a negative light. They claimed that the Jews were rebellious and would stop paying taxes, tribute and customs after the construction of the temple and the wall. They requested that Artaxerxes investigate the history of Jerusalem to confirm that it has been a rebellious and problematic city. This played onto the fear of the loss of the Trans-Euphrates part of the Persian Empire.
3. Artaxerxes’ Reply and Stoppage of Work (Ezra 4:17-23): King Artaxerxes heeded to the advice of the counsellors and ordered an immediate stop to the work at Jerusalem, asserting it posed a potential threat to his kingdom. The text shows a clear display of imperial power in the region.
4. Work Stops until the Second Year of Darius (Ezra 4:24): Work on the temple ceased until the second year of King Darius’ reign. This forms a transition into the narrative of Haggai and Zechariah who prophesied during the reign of King Darius.
The sermon on Ezra 4 might focus on the theme of opposition in the work of God. Despite obstacles and discouragement, God’s plans hold true. It can also emphasize patience and faith in God’s timing, trusting that despite temporary setbacks, God’s work will ultimately be completed.
Key people in Ezra 4
In Ezra 4, there are a few key individuals mentioned:
1. Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary: These were two officials of the Persian king who were in charge of the province west of the Euphrates River (Trans-Euphrates). They wrote a letter to the king, complaining about the Jerusalem rebuilding project and accusing those involved of planning rebellion against the authority of the king.
2. King Artaxerxes: He was the King of Persia during this time of Ezra. In Ezra 4, a letter was sent to him accusing the Jews of rebuilding Jerusalem as an act of rebellion against his rule. He ordered the work to stop until further notice.
3. The Jews: Specifically mentioned are the survivors who remained from the exile, as well as the priests and Levites involved in rebuilding Jerusalem after the exile. These individuals returned to Jerusalem after the Decree of Cyrus the Great, which permitted Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple.
4. The adversaries of Judah and Benjamin: These are the people who were deported to Samaria by the Assyrian Empire during and after the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. These people attempted to join the Jews in the rebuilding of the temple, but when their offer was refused, they tried to discourage the workers and made accusations against them to the Persian authorities.
5. Prophet Haggai and Zechariah: While not explicitly mentioned in the chapter, they started to prophesy during the events of Ezra 4. These prophets play a pivotal role in getting the building of the temple resumed after it was halted. They motivated the Jews with their prophesies, inspiring them to continue their work despite opposition.
Real world examples on Ezra 4
Ezra 4 is a chapter from the Book of Ezra in the Bible, which details opposition to the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.
Ezra 4:1-5:
In these verses, adversaries of Judah and Benjamin offered assistance in building the temple, which Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the other heads of Israelite families rejected. A real-world application of this could be if someone with known hostile intentions offers help, it would be wise to decline for the sake of security and integrity.
Ezra 4:6-16:
Here we see the opponents sending letters to halt the rebuilding efforts. This reflects real-world situations involving political maneuvering or manipulation. For example, a business competitor might attempt to block another company’s expansion by sending misleading information to the authorities.
Ezra 4:17-22:
In response to the letter of accusation, King Artaxerxes commanded that the work should stop. This can relate to instances in the modern world where authority figures exercise their power, rightly or wrongly based on the information given to them. Perhaps a municipal building project is stopped due to concerns raised by citizens, similar to the way the rebuild was halted based on the accusations brought forth.
Ezra 4:23-24:
These verses show that the rebuilding of the temple was brought to a halt until the second year of King Darius’s rule. This could reflect real-world events where projects are put to a halt due to external interference, but then are allowed to resume at a later date.
Remember, biblical texts are often interpreted differently by different readers, and the connections to contemporary events can vary widely depending on one’s perspective. The above examples provide a general link between the events in Ezra 4 and possible real-world instances.
Brief Explanation of Ezra 4
Ezra Chapter 4 is a part of the Old Testament in the Bible. At the beginning of this chapter, the exiled Jews who returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple face opposition. When they reject the help offered by their adversaries who also wanted to work on the temple, the latter become enemies aiming to compromise the rebuilding project.
The opponents, out of spite, send a letter to the Persian King Artaxerxes, falsely asserting that the Jews plan to rebel, thereby painting the reconstruction of Jerusalem as a threat to the king’s domain. Due to this accusation, King Artaxerxes orders the construction to be halted, delaying the building of the Temple and Jerusalem’s walls until the second year of the reign of Darius.
So, in essence, Ezra 4 revolves around the challenges and resistance faced by the Jews during the rebuilding of their Temple and the interruption of their process through political means.
Frequently asked questions for Ezra 4
“Ezra 4” is a chapter in the Book of Ezra in the Old Testament of the Bible. This chapter narrates the opposition faced by Israelites while they attempted to rebuild their temple in Jerusalem after being allowed to return from exile.
Here are some frequently asked questions about Ezra 4:
1. Who opposed the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem?
The people of the land (various nationalities who were transported to live in Israel by the Assyrian kings) opposed the Jewish people from rebuilding the Temple. They feared the potential power of a reunited and reestablished Israel.
2. Why did these people oppose the rebuilding of the Temple?
The people opposed the rebuilding of the Temple because they were adversaries to the Jews. They were worried about the potential political and religious implications that this construction would have.
3. Who are the “Artaxerxes” and “Bishlam” mentioned in this chapter?
Artaxerxes is King Artaxerxes of Persia, while Bishlam is likely one of the officials of the King. They were involved in orchestrating formal opposition to the Temple’s rebuilding.
4. How did they hinder the work of the Israelites?
The adversaries wrote a letter to the King Artaxerxes, accusing the people of Judah and Jerusalem of rebuilding in rebellion and treason. The king was persuaded by these allegations and ordered the reconstruction to stop.
5. Did the Israelites manage to finish building the temple?
Ezra Chapter 4 ends with a command from King Artaxerxes to stop the construction. However, as per later chapters in the book, the rebuilding of the temple was indeed completed, although it was after many hardships.
Remember while reading the bible, it’s good to refer to bible commentaries or study guides to help understand the context and interpretations. Professional religious clergy members can also provide useful insight.
Possible References for Ezra 4
Ezra 4 is a chapter in the book of Ezra found in the Old Testament section of the Bible. This chapter primarily deals with the opposition to the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem.
Here are some possible references:
1. Ezra 4:1-5 – These verses speak to opposition from the ‘adversaries of Judah and Benjamin’. These adversaries may possibly be the people of the land who are a mixed group of people brought into the land by Assyrian kings, recognized as Samaritans. They offered to help in the temple construction, claiming that they worship the same God, but their offer was rejected by the exiles who returned under Zerubbabel. The adversaries then set on frustrating their plans.
2. Ezra 4:6-24 – This section mentions different Persian kings: King Ahasuerus (also known as King Xerxes) and King Artaxerxes. It narrates that letters were sent to these kings to make them stop the construction of the temple. These letters falsely accused the people of Judah and Jerusalem of rebelliousness against the king.
3. Ezra 4:7-16 – This section narrates the letter sent during the days of Artaxerxes. The officials make persuasive accusations against the Jews, accusing them of rebuilding a rebellious and evil city, restoring its walls, and laying the foundations. The ultimate fear expressed in the letter is that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the king will no longer have any dominion over the province beyond the River.
4. Ezra 4:24 – The final verse narrates that work on God’s house in Jerusalem stopped and remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia. This primarily sets the timeline and lays the foundation for the next chapters.
These references offer a critical viewpoint on the challenges faced by the Jewish people during their restoration period. It provides vital historical, religious, and cultural context, too.
Conclusion on Ezra 4
Ezra Chapter 4 concludes with the efforts of Israel’s enemies to halt the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. They were successful in their efforts as King Artaxerxes issued an order to stop the construction.
The enemies of Israel discovered that the Jews were rebuilding the temple without the permission of the reigning Persian king. They wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes, making accusations against the Jews, claiming that they were rebellious and would cease to pay tribute, taxes, or tolls, thereby damaging the Royal Treasury.
They also highlighted Jerusalem’s history of rebellion against kings and claimed its rebuilding would lead to more revolt. In response, the king ordered the construction to halt immediately. The work ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius, King of Persia.
This chapter demonstrates the hostility faced by the Israelites even as they tried to re-establish themselves after their return from exile. It is a reflection of the enduring challenges faced when trying to maintain and practice faith while faced with opposition.