Ezra 4:5 kjv
And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Ezra 4:5 nkjv
and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Ezra 4:5 niv
They 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.
Ezra 4:5 esv
and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Ezra 4:5 nlt
They bribed agents to work against them and to frustrate their plans. This went on during the entire reign of King Cyrus of Persia and lasted until King Darius of Persia took the throne.
Ezra 4 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Neh 4:7-8 | But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites... conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem... | Opposition to rebuilding work. |
| Hag 1:2 | "This people says the time has not yet come for the Lord’s house to be built." | Indifference and discouragement amidst opposition. |
| Zech 4:6-7 | "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the Lord of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. | God's sovereignty over obstacles and opposition. |
| Ps 33:10 | The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. | God frustrates wicked plans. |
| Prov 21:30 | No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord. | Human counsel futile against God's will. |
| Isa 14:27 | For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? | God's purposes cannot be thwarted. |
| Dan 6:28 | So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. | Connects to the Persian kings Cyrus and Darius. |
| Ezra 1:1 | In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia... | Cyrus's initial decree to rebuild. |
| Ezra 4:24 | Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it was stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. | Direct chronological and contextual link. |
| Ezra 5:1-2 | Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet... prophesied to the Jews... Then Zerubbabel... and Jeshua... began to rebuild... | God raising prophets to restart the work after this long halt. |
| Neh 6:9 | For they all wanted to frighten us... "Let their hands be weakened...!" | Adversaries' aim: to weaken and discourage the builders. |
| 1 Kgs 19:10 | "The people of Israel have forsaken your covenant..." | Opposition to God's people in history. |
| Lk 12:51-53 | Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. | Division and opposition can arise from doing God's will. |
| Jn 15:18-20 | "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you..." | Anticipation of world's opposition to followers of Christ. |
| Acts 5:17-18 | But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him... and they arrested the apostles... | Religious opposition to God's work in NT. |
| 1 Thess 2:18 | For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. | Spiritual opposition, hindering God's servants. |
| Eph 6:12 | For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities... | Underlying spiritual nature of opposition. |
| 1 Pet 5:8 | Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. | The ultimate source of adversarial tactics. |
| 2 Tim 3:12 | Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. | Persecution is expected for the godly. |
| Heb 10:35-36 | Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward... enduring needs. | Exhortation to perseverance despite delays and difficulties. |
| Mt 5:10-12 | "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake..." | Blessing on those who face opposition for God's sake. |
| Rom 8:31 | If God is for us, who can be against us? | God's ultimate victory despite opposition. |
Ezra 4 verses
Ezra 4 5 Meaning
Ezra 4:5 describes the cunning and persistent opposition faced by the returned exiles from their adversaries in Judah. These adversaries actively and deliberately sought to undermine the temple rebuilding project. They did this by financially securing the services of royal advisors or officials, leveraging political and bureaucratic means to annul or delay the construction. This well-funded and organized campaign of obstruction effectively halted the work for an extended period, spanning from the decree of Cyrus until the second year of Darius's reign.
Ezra 4 5 Context
Ezra chapter 4 disrupts the chronological flow of the rebuilding narrative (which resumes in chapter 5). While Ezra 1-3 describes the joyful return, the rebuilding of the altar, and the laying of the temple foundation under Cyrus, Ezra 4 introduces the significant challenge of sustained opposition. Verse 5 follows the rejection of the Samaritans' offer to help rebuild (Ezra 4:1-3), which unmasked their true adversarial intentions. Their initial approach disguised hostility, and upon being rebuffed, they transitioned to direct, strategic efforts to sabotage the work. This verse specifically outlines the method of their opposition: political manipulation and influence, indicating that they were not merely local nuisances but powerful figures leveraging their connections within the vast Persian bureaucracy. This period of intense opposition described in Ezra 4, specifically in verse 5, led to the significant cessation of construction for approximately 16 years, as detailed in Ezra 4:24.
Ezra 4 5 Word analysis
- They hired (שָׂכְרוּ sakhrū): From the verb שָׂכַר (sakhar), meaning "to hire, to pay wages." This emphasizes that the adversaries made a deliberate financial investment and expended resources to actively hinder the work. It implies a strategic and organized effort, not just casual complaint. This action reveals a deeper, malevolent intent rather than mere disinterest.
- counselors (יוֹעֲצִים yo'atzim): Plural of יועץ (yo'etz), meaning "counselor, advisor." These were not ordinary people, but individuals with access, influence, and the ability to affect official decisions within the Persian administration. Their expertise lay in bureaucratic procedure and legal interpretation, making them effective agents of obstruction. The involvement of such high-level individuals signifies the seriousness and calculated nature of the opposition.
- against them (עֲלֵיהֶם ‘alēhem): This preposition clearly denotes direct hostility and opposition towards the Jews. It's a statement of antagonism, indicating that all actions were purposefully aimed at frustrating the endeavors of the returning exiles.
- to frustrate (לְהָפֵר lehafer): From the verb פרר (parar), meaning "to break, annul, frustrate, make void, render ineffective." This describes the ultimate goal of the adversaries: to completely nullify the work of rebuilding, to render their efforts pointless, and to prevent any progress. It conveys the destructive intent behind their political maneuvering.
- their purpose: While "their purpose" literally refers to the objective of the returning Jews (building the temple), it is intrinsically tied to God's declared will and command through Cyrus. Thus, to frustrate "their purpose" was to, in effect, resist God's own declared will, though temporarily successful in terms of halting construction.
- all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia: This phrase highlights the longevity and persistence of the opposition.
- Cyrus king of Persia: The king who initially issued the decree for the Jews to return and rebuild Jerusalem (Ezra 1:1-4). The opposition began immediately after his decree and lasted throughout his entire reign.
- Darius king of Persia: Refers to Darius I Hystaspes (c. 522-486 BC), not the Darius mentioned in Daniel. The construction resumed in the second year of Darius (Ezra 4:24, 5:1). This period spans roughly 16 years (c. 536 BC to 520 BC), demonstrating how effectively the adversaries prolonged the work's cessation through their political tactics. This phrase signifies a sustained and entrenched battle, highlighting the long-suffering of God's people and the adversary's determination.
Ezra 4 5 Bonus section
The term "counselors" used here signifies a critical turning point in the nature of the opposition. It moves from overt challenge (Ezra 4:1-3) to subtle, insidious, and legally framed obstruction, leveraging power within the empire rather than direct confrontation. This method indicates a deep understanding of political leverage. While the verse explicitly states the result was the frustration of "their purpose," the overall biblical narrative affirms that God's ultimate plan for His temple and His people could not be truly nullified, only delayed, reinforcing divine sovereignty over human machinations.
Ezra 4 5 Commentary
Ezra 4:5 concisely reveals the strategic depth of the opposition faced by the returned exiles. The adversaries were not content with mere complaints or physical threats; they resorted to a sophisticated campaign of political subversion. By "hiring counselors," they bought influence and expertise to exploit the intricacies of the Persian legal and administrative system, effectively lobbying the royal court to their advantage. Their objective was singular: to "frustrate" or nullify the God-ordained rebuilding work. The mention of the lengthy period "from Cyrus...until Darius" underscores the remarkable tenacity of this opposition, demonstrating that the enemy's plans were calculated and persistent. Despite their ultimate inability to thwart God's divine will, this sustained obstruction caused a significant delay, teaching valuable lessons about the realities of spiritual warfare and the need for perseverance against prolonged human and demonic resistance when doing God's work.